Chapter 21

 

Derrick was the first person on my mind when I woke up in the morning. The evening I shared with him was absolutely amazing and for the first time since knowing him, I got to see him in a different light. Turns out, he wasn’t strictly business after all. He had a great balance between work and home and though he had money, he wasn’t all about the Benjamins. He had the desire to know me and I could sense that it was sincere.

I got out of bed and went into the kitchen to help myself to a banana and a glass of orange juice. I didn’t feel like eating much else. Then I turned on my computer to begin my day of working at home with checking emails. After deleting a few, my cell phone rang. I ran in the kitchen to grab it off of the table.

“Good morning, David,” I answered. “How are you this morning?”

“Doing good. What about yourself?”

“I’m hanging in there.”

“So you’re working at home today, huh?”

“Yeah…doing a lil’ something.”

“You know you don’t have to. Why don’t you take the day off? All of your accounts are up-to-date. You have nothing to worry about and if something does come up, I’ll cover for you.”

“Thanks David. I’m just checking some emails and then I guess I’ll log off. Thanks again.”

“You are more than welcome. Anyway, I got a conference call I need to jump on, so I’ll see you later. Take it easy now.”

“Okay. I will.”

I went back to checking emails and my phone rang as soon as I had set it down. I guessed it was David calling me back.

I answered, “Did you forget something?”

“Ah…huh?”

It was Reggie. “Oh, never mind. I thought you were somebody else.”

“Tiffany, we need to talk.”

Great. I rolled my eyes.

He continued, “The comments you made to me were unfair and unjust.”

“And how do you get to decide that? What I expressed to you, Reggie, are my feelings. You don’t know what I feel unless I tell you.”

“Okay. Well, all I’m saying is we need to talk about it. You can’t just throw words at me and expect me to take them without defending myself, so can I meet you at your place tonight or not?”

“No. I have plans tonight.”

“Well I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

“No. Why can’t you say what you have to say now and get it over with?”

“Because I don’t want to do this over the phone. I wanna see you.”

“Like I said, I have plans tonight.”

“Well, how about you give me a call when you’re available?”

“Yeah…ah’ight,” I said, but why should I call him? I’d been chasing Reggie my whole life. If he really wanted to talk to me, he could do like he did any other time – drop by unannounced.

“Okay. Later,” he said then ended the call.

I went back to checking my emails and after deleting a few and forwarding a few to Bentley for review, I logged off. I planned on relaxing for the rest of the day.

As soon as I curled up on the couch with the remote in my hand, my doorbell rang. I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath before getting off of the couch. I really needed to relax without interruptions. Who is this at my door at ten in the morning on a Friday?

I peeled myself off of the couch and opened the door. There was a woman standing there with a dozen lavender roses.

“Good morning,” the brunette said cheerfully, her cheeks rosy. “You must be Paradise?” 

I smiled big and said, “Ah…yes. That’s me.”

“Well, these are for you.”

She handed me the glass vase filled with the healthiest dozen roses I’d ever seen. They were beautiful.

“Thank you,” I told her. Then I shut the door and read the attached card. I could hear Derrick’s voice in my head as I read it.

Hey Tiffany. I had such a good time last night. I can’t remember being this happy at work in the morning. You have certainly brightened my day and I can’t wait to see you tonight. Talk to you later. ~ Derrick

I was elated when I read the note. Derrick was so in touch with his feelings and with what he wanted in life. He wanted me. I sat down and looked at the roses again. It was the first time I’d seen lavender roses. The beauty of them, along with the thoughts of Derrick, brought tears to my eyes. I was full of guilt for the way I broke up with him in the restaurant that night and he’d been nothing but courteous to me. Even after I broke up with him, he continued to contact me, to see how I was. I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes, then placed the vase on the table.

I went for a walk after that. The temperature was in the low seventies on the partly sunny day and my neighborhood was quiet. This time of day, all the kids were in school and all the parents were at work. Beside a few dogs barking there was no noise. I needed the peace and quiet time to think about Derrick and Reggie. Derrick had been spoiling me so much, he left little time for me to think about Reggie, which I considered to be a good thing due to the simple fact that lately when I thought about Reggie, I would only get angry. He still hadn’t answered my question. Why did he only notice me when I started dating Derrick?

To the contrary, whenever I thought about Derrick, a smile would come on my face. He was mature, sexy, funny, brilliant…the man was the complete package. I was so wrapped up in my feelings for Reggie, I couldn’t see what a wonderful man Derrick was before. Now, I saw it as clear as day.

I quickly paced back home and after eating lunch, I took a nap at one in the afternoon. When I woke up, it was close to six o’clock. I checked my phone for voicemails but there weren’t any. I had plenty of missed calls though. Derrick had called three times. Mom called once. Reggie called once and then Brenda called me. I didn’t have time to call anyone back. I had to get ready to go and see Derrick.

After a quick shower, I slipped into a pair of my favorite jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. I caught a quick glimpse of those beautiful roses he brought for me as I made my way out the door.

I was so nervous driving over to his place. Derrick wanted to try this relationship thing with me again and I think for the first time, I was sure I wanted it too. I still couldn’t help but wonder what room that left in my life for Reggie.

When I pulled up at his place, Derrick was standing on the deck with his hands in his pockets. He had on some light blue jeans with a long-sleeved pink dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. I parked my car then walked towards the stairs.

“Hi,” I told him as I made my way up.

“Hey…didn’t think you were going to make it.”

“I’m sorry. I fell asleep and I just woke up about an hour ago.”

“That’s okay. You’re here now. That’s all that matters. Come on. Let’s go in.”

I followed Derrick into the kitchen. “I hope you’re hungry,” he said as he pulled out a barstool for me to sit down. “I made us steak burritos.”

“It smells good.” I watched Derrick take some sour cream out of the refrigerator.

After placing it on the bar, he went back to the stove to get the food. He brought over two big plates. Both were filled with rice and beans and the biggest burritos I’d ever seen. It looked like a dish you would expect to see at an upscale Mexican restaurant.

“You made this?” I asked Derrick as he sat down with me.

“Yep. Believe it or not, I actually wanted to be a chef before I went to college for business management and marketing. I had two years of culinary schooling.”

I bit into the burrito. The juicy steak made my mouth water, compliments of onions and Monterrey cheese.

“You like it?”

“Mmm…very good,” I mumbled with a mouthful.

“So you didn’t mention anything about the flowers.”

“Oh, I love the flowers. They are beautiful, Derrick. Thank you so much. They really made my day.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. I’ve never seen lavender roses before.”

“Do you know what they mean?”

“No...”

“Lavender roses are a sign of enchantment and love at first sight.”

“Oh really? Then how come they made me cry?”

“What? They made you cry? Why?”

“I was just so happy and overwhelmed.” I rested my spoon on my plate. “And I was mad at myself for the way I treated you in the past, the way I walked out on you in the restaurant. I’m so sorry, Derrick. You didn’t deserve that. You deserve better than that.” I was beginning to get emotional again, though I did a good job of controlling my tears. “You deserve so much better than that.”

Derrick got up and walked over to me. “Hey, I didn’t send you those flowers to evoke any sadness. I want you to be happy. So how about we let the past be the past and start over from here. Okay?”

I sat still, trying not to cry. Derrick touched my face. “Okay?” he said a second time.

I looked at him and that’s when the tear fell. He wiped it away. “Tiffany, why are you crying, baby?”

“I feel so bad.”

“Don’t feel bad. I’m not angry at you. I just want to enjoy you and I can’t enjoy you by seeing tears on this beautiful face of yours.”

I dried my eyes and Derrick gave me a reassuring peck on the cheek before he returned to his seat.

***

After dinner, we sat in the living room enjoying music and light conversation. The lights were dimmed. The living room windows were opened. The sound of rain beating down on his deck was very tranquil. Even the fresh, rustic smell of it greeted us as we got reacquainted.

“You seem quiet since dinner. Is everything all right?” Derrick asked me.

“Yeah. I’m okay,” I said, when really I was feeling guilty for the way I treated Derrick. Yet, I could see him fighting for us, fighting for my love.

“Are you really okay, or are you just saying that?”

“I’ll be all right,” I said firmly.

“Okay. Just relax and cheer up a bit.”

I left him alone on the couch and walked over to the window to see the rain. Then I turned and faced Derrick. With the distance between us, I could say what was on my mind without him trying to downplay it.

I said, “When I broke up with you in the restaurant that night, you had asked me, since when does a black man get ridiculed for being successful in life. I want you to know that I wasn’t trying to belittle you. I mean, you’re right. Good black men are hard to come by and you are definitely a good black man.”

“Thank you,” he said, watching me. “C’mere.”

I walked back over to him, sat next to him on the couch.

“Do you have any sisters? Brothers?” he asked, changing the subject.

“No. It was just me and my Mom, and Reggie and his Mom.”

“Oh. So that’s why you and Reggie are so close.”

“Yep. It was only me and him. Reggie has helped me through a lot.”

“And you guys have never dated?”

“No and the crazy thing is, I’ve always loved him. At one point, I had it bad for him. I would think about him constantly and wish he would ask me out on a date or something. But Reggie wasn’t interested in me like that.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“What? Why you say that?”

“Because he couldn’t stand me. I was his worst enemy and that night at The Olive Garden—”

“Yeah, I know. Reggie has always been protective over me.”

“Has he always been in love with you?”

“What makes you think he’s in love with me?”

“I know he is. Why else would he be threatened by me, or has it been that way with every guy who has tried to holla at you?”

“Nah. Like I told you before, you are the first guy I ever dated.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I felt like I was so in love with Reggie that I couldn’t even see other men.”

“You still feel that way?”

“No. Not anymore.”

“But you still love him?”

“I will always love him. He’s embedded into my life and I’m gonna be honest with you. If he had loved me the same way I loved him, then we would be together right now. I’ve accepted the fact that it wasn’t meant to be and I’m okay with that.”

“Well, hopefully, I can bring some happiness into your life.”

“Trust me…you already have,” I told him.

I smiled while Derrick studied me for a reaction. Then he said, “You ready for dessert?”

“Dessert? I’m stuffed.”

“Oh come on. You got a little room for some apple pie and ice cream. I’ll be right back.”

Derrick went to the kitchen to grab dessert. Then he came back to the living room with a slice of pie surrounded by vanilla ice cream, all on one dinner plate. He set the plate on the floor next to the couch then he sat down and signaled for me to join him – on the floor.

“Okay so here’s the deal,” he said. “I’ll feed you and you feed me.” Derrick took some apple pie and ice cream into the spoon. “Ladies first.”

I opened my mouth to start off the seductive dessert feeding session. “Mmm, this is good. Don’t tell me you made this pie?”

“Nah…Food Lion bakery made this pie.” He giggled. “But I paid for it.”

I scooped up some ice cream and pie and Derrick opened his mouth. I studied his lips and his gorgeous face. He was truly handsome.

“I don’t think it has ever tasted so good,” he said. “You must have the magic touch.”

“I do. You didn’t know?”

Derrick smiled again. Then he said, “I want you to go away with me.”

“Go away with you where?”

“On my boat.”

“You have a boat?”

“Yeah, but I don’t take it out much.”

“I’ve never been on a boat. I’m not sure if I can handle it.”

“Trust me, you’ll have a good time. It’s an enclosed boat. It has a cabin, a kitchen and a nice view in the cockpit. There are couches and everything. I’m sure you would have fun with me. We could leave tomorrow morning and come back Sunday night. What do you say?”

I thought about it for a moment. Did I really want to go out into the open waters with Derrick? What if he tried to put the moves on me? 

“Come on, sweetheart. We’ll have fun together.”

“All right. I’ll go.”

Derrick’s face glowed with satisfaction. “Good.”

“Well, I guess I gotta get home and pack then, huh?”

“Yeah. I’m going to be picking you up around five.”

“In the morning?”

“Yep.”

“Wow. No sleeping in for me…”

“You can sleep on the boat. There’s a bed.”

“Oh. Okay…guess I’ll sleep on the boat then.”

We finished the rest of the dessert and Derrick helped me up off of the floor before he took the empty plate back into the kitchen.

“Well, this was really nice. Thanks for cooking dinner and dessert.” I took my purse from the kitchen table.

“Wait a sec. I’ll walk you out.”

Derrick took me by the hand and walked with me out onto the deck and down the stairs to my car. The downpour of rain had stopped but a drizzle remained.

“I had a good time tonight,” he said, “And I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

I watched little beads of water sprinkle on his face and I smiled while he stared at me.

“Can I have a hug?” he asked me as I stood there quietly.

I leaned forward and teased him with a few simple wet pelts of starter kisses. He took it from there. He leaned his body against mine so that I was nestled between him and my car and kissed me like he was never going to see me again. The crazy thing was, I knew what Derrick’s kisses felt like. It’s not like this was the first time we’d kissed but this time was different. Derrick and I had made more strides towards getting to know each other on a personal level than when we dated before.

“Mmm,” he breathed. “I missed that.”

“Me too.”

“Tomorrow. Five o’clock sharp,” he said.

“I can’t wait,” I said as I bit my bottom lip.

“Me either.”

 

WHEN I GOT back to my place, it was close to eleven. Before going to bed, I packed my clothes. I would be too exhausted to do it in the morning. As I was about to lay down, Mom was calling my cell.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Tiffany.”

“Oh, hey Ma. What you doing up so late?”

“Me and Pat just left the movies. Went to see Seven Pounds.”

“How was it?”

“It was good. You and Reggie should go see it.”

“Uh huh.”

“So, I haven’t seen you for the past few days. You don’t love your Mama no mo.”

“Ma, you know I love you and I love you even more for introducing me to the man of my dreams.”

“Who? Derrick?”

“Yes! Ma, he is amazing.”

“Wait a minute – I thought you broke up with him.”

“I did.”

“So you guys are back together?”

“Not officially, but maybe soon. I think I’m falling in love with him.”

“And what about Reggie? I thought you were in love with him.”

“I thought so too, but now I realize how foolish I was to have loved him all these years and he never even wanted to be with me like that. Derrick loves me, Ma. I can feel it. We have something special. He just so…great.”

“I know that…I picked him out for you, remember?”

“Yes, Mother. You’re never gonna let me forget that, are you?”

“I shonuff ain’t.”

“Anyway, I’m going cruising with Derrick on his boat tomorrow.”

“Wow. He has a boat?”

“Yeah. I’m leaving tomorrow morning and we’re coming back Sunday night.”

“How nice. Y’all are gonna have a good time.”

“Ma, what do you think about Derrick? I mean, do you think he’s right for me?”

“I think he’s perfect for you. You already know that.”

“More perfect than Reggie?”

“Tiffany, don’t get caught up in a love triangle, okay. As a matter of fact, don’t even compare the two. One thing is for sure…you can’t date both of them. It’s either one or the other and if Derrick makes you happy then I’m happy and y’all better be careful out there in all that water.”

“Yes, Mother,” I said robotically.

“All right. I’m gonna go to bed, but call me if you need me…okay?”

“Okay, Ma.”

“Have a good night, okay?”

“You too, Ma. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I was so excited about my upcoming weekend with Derrick, I was too nervous to sleep. I just laid there until my thoughts turned into dreams.