Anything For Your Love (2 page)

Alex rarely drove his jet black Navigator, but was glad for the space and the air conditioner. At four p.m., it had reached eighty-four degrees with high humidity outside. It felt more like ninety-four degrees. Alex was dressed in white linen pants and top. It was beautiful against his chocolate skin.

The brothers arrived at the Love home thirty minutes later and the backyard BBQ was in full swing. Abigail hired cooks and a DJ. She celebrated in grand style and everyone knew exactly what to expect from her. Alex had a good-sized immediate family. His father was the oldest of three, who all married and had three or more children. Summertime was always fun since they were all close in age and had always lived near each other.

Everyone congratulated Alex on his new position and the party kicked up a notch. His mom and dad, who were very much in love, danced and ate, and everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

After a while, Alex noticed his cousin, Ami, Uncle Anthony and Aunt Celeste’s oldest daughter, were not there.

“Aunt Lest, where’s Ami?” Alex asked her after searching her out amongst the crowd.

“Oh, baby, she is on her way. You know she just landed her newest major movie role not too long ago and had to fly back out to L.A. She called this morning to let me know she would never miss her favorite cousin’s party,” She replied.

Alex felt relieved. Ami had been his favorite female cousin since they were little. No one could figure it out, but they stuck together like glue. Alex knew as the oldest of all the children he needed to look out for everyone, and he didn’t mind the job.

Moments later, Ami walked in with all her splendor as usual, and greeted her cousin. It wasn’t Ami’s grand entrance, though, that moved Alex somewhere deep inside, but the woman that accompanied her. She was amazingly bewitching. She was astoundingly statuesque at 5’7” with caramel colored skin. She was curvy with long, light brown hair that fell perfectly around her shoulders. Alex took in full view of her as she stood greeting people with a seductive, backless A-line sundress and killer heels that took his breath away. He was a sucker for sexy shoes. She turned to greet him with dark chocolate eyes with golden flecks that were stunning. Her almond shaped eyes were perfectly accented by high cheekbones and gorgeously shaped lips. She didn’t wear a lot of make-up, and he immediately loved that fact. Her smile was mesmerizing and warm, the kind of smile that made you long to see nothing but happiness on her face.

“Alex, excuse my manners,” Ami broke into his thoughts. “This is my friend, Jada Whitman. She’s a film producer in L.A. We met a few months back and became good friends. I told her about you and how Aunt Abbie gives the greatest parties, and invited her along.”

Jada extended her hand to shake Alex’s. When their hands connected, Jada felt something hit her that was unexplainable
.
My goodness, he’s beautifu
l
, She thought. Then, immediately hoped the words never came out. A warm feeling slid down her spine, spread throughout her body, and made her unconsciously smile.

“Alex, nice to meet you, and congrats on your partnership,” Jada said, finally finding her voice.

“Thank you, Jada. Nice to meet you, too,” Alex replied. Jada thought the sound of his voice covered her like her favorite warm blanket on the coldest winter day.

The two stood there looking at each other for what seemed like forever, until Ami broke in. “Yeah, well, Alex is really into his career and we’ll talk about that later. Jada, come meet my brothers.” As Ami walked away, she turned to look at Alex with an, ‘I’ll talk to you later...’ look. Ami was the only one, besides Ty, who could read Alex like he was a wide-open book. He didn’t doubt that she would talk to him later.

Ty and Chris came over to where Alex was standing, still watching Ami drag Jada around and introducing her to various people.

“Do you see that woman with Ami?” Chris cut in. “That just doesn’t make any sense! A woman with a face that gorgeous and a body like that should be banned from walking around!”

Ty laughed, but when he saw Alex was not amused, he elbowed Chris. Alex quickly recovered. “Yeah, she’s alright. I come in contact with plenty of beautiful women everyday.” Alex knew in his heart, though, that this woman far outweighed any woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Just then, Ty, reminiscent of when they were little, began to sing in a low voice that only Alex and Chris could hear. ”I think you like her... 'cause she’s so pretty... you wanna date her... 'cause she’s so pretty...”

Alex pushed Ty to make him shut up and Chris laughed. Joi joined the boys. “What’s going on, guys?” She asked.
“Nothing much, baby sis,” Ty replied. “Just, Alex is in love.” Ty joked as Chris continued to laugh.
“What are you talking about?” Joi asked. At that point, Alex was glaring at his brother, but that never stopped Ty before.
“See the woman with Ami? She has captured our dear brother’s attention, which in itself is an amazing feat. If it doesn’t have a docket number on it, Alex isn’t looking, but this woman has brought the same look to Alex that Rhonda Jenkins did back in high school!”

“Ohhhh!!” both Chris and Joi said and laughed.

The Love children knew Rhonda Jenkins was the love of Alex’s life in high school, but Rhonda was not the type to wait around while Alex went to school for a million years. She was high maintenance and needed a man with money much faster than that. The last any of them heard, she had moved down south with some fella claiming he was going to be a big music star. They hadn’t heard from her in years. Rhonda’s departure made Alex concentrate on school and work
.
Thanks, Rhond
a
, Alex thought.

“Shut up before I tell Mom that all of you have been frequenting a swinger's club,” Alex threatened. The laughter stopped. Although Alex knew it wasn’t true, the interrogation alone from their mother would be torture.

“All right, Alex, dang, we were just playing,” Ty backed down. Alex was always in charge, even as adults.

“Come on, guys,” Alex said, hugging all three of them at once, “let’s get something to eat.” In the back of Alex’s mind, he thought about how he’d have to have a conversation with little Ms. Ami. She never really mentioned Jada in their many conversations and he wondered why.

Finally, Ami and Jada sat down at a table under the tent to grab a couple of cool drinks.

“Ami, your family is great!” Jada said over the music playing.

“Yeah, I like them,” Ami said with a smile. Then, Ami leaned in close to Jada and asked, “What is up with the look you gave my cousin, Alex?”

That was one of the reasons Jada liked Ami so much. She didn’t miss a thing. She would be very successful in movies because of that.

“Nothing, girl! He’s handsome, just like the rest of your cousins and brothers.” Jada tried to sound casual. “A girl can just appreciate a good looking man, right? Lord knows the ones on the west coast are just too pretty for me!” The ladies laughed together at that comment. Both Ami and Jada had their fair share of experience with the pretty boy, Hollywood type. Dating in their profession was anything but easy.

The sound of Jada’s laughter floated over to Alex and caught his attention as if it were the only sound in the yard. Jada felt his eyes roam over her, but refused to turn around for fear she would not be able to turn back.

“Well,” Ami said, cutting into her thoughts, “Alex is my favorite cousin and I love him dearly. Something’s going on with him and I intend to find out while we’re here the next couple of weeks. I haven’t seen that look on his face since...” Ami stopped.

“What?” Jada asked. Ami remembered the look clearly, Rhonda Jenkins. Damn!

“Nothing,” Ami responded with a smile. “I was just remembering something from when we were kids.” It wasn't a total lie
.
The
n
, Ami thought
,
why not
?
Alex and Jada needed to have some fun. They both worked too hard. She needed to talk to Ty, David and Sean.

“So, anyway,” She turned her attention back to Jada, “we are going to have so much fun while we are here for two weeks. I will show you everything Philly has to offer. My cousins, Ty and Chris, own a restaurant called The Love House, and I have got to take you there.” Ami went on about plans while they were in Philly, and Jada wondered if those plans would include Alex. Philly was looking kind of sweet.

The party began to wind down, and family and friends started to leave. Alex, after avoiding Ami and her friend most of the day except for small talk, finally joined them at the table. They were sitting with Madison, Joi, and Hannah. Jada turned to him as he sat at the table with those dark eyes and brilliant smile. He immediately thought the already warm evening got a little warmer.

Alex joined in pleasant conversation with the women. Since basketball was the family’s sport of choice and the conversation turned that direction, Ami found a way to excuse herself.

“Alex, take of care of Jada until I get back, I need to talk to David,” Ami said.

“Alright,” Alex replied, and looked over to Jada among the other women debating which of the Philadelphia 76ers should be traded. Jada felt like his eyes looked right through her and her spine tingled. He smiled at her and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed. What was wrong with her? She just met this man. She hoped Ami would return sooner rather than later.

Ami quickly left the table to find David, Ty, and Sean. “Look guys, Jada is one of the greatest people I know and Alex needs to have some fun, so what can we do?” she asked them. Ty was immediately in on the idea, but David and Sean were not so quick. Alex would kill them if he knew they tried to set him up. “Listen, you nimrods, I’m not saying marry him off, just show him, both of them, there’s more to life than work.” At that point, Ami knew she could count on Ty, but David and Sean were still on the fence.

Ty suggested Ami bring Jada to dinner at his house Sunday. Sunday was the only day Ty did not spend at the restaurant except for family functions, which he never missed. Everyone looked at him in surprise. “I got a new flat screen, and I know Alex wants to see it,” Ty countered to all the inquiring looks. Ty never invited anyone over because he was protective of his personal space.

“Cool, we’ll get Maddy, Hannah, and Joi to come, too. Then, we can really see what is up with Alex,” Ami said.

“Bet,” Ty replied. Ty was always down for the cause, Ami thought. That was why she loved him. The game was on!

As Jada listened to the conversations going on around her, she thought to herself that Alex was painfully good looking
.
It should be illega
l
, She thought. She wondered how many women had fallen victim to those eyes. The sound of her name brought her back from her thoughts.

“Jada.”

She turned toward Alex and noticed his lips were moving in a fashion that seemed to speak her name, but she could not recall hearing anything. She instantly wanted to reach out and touch them.

“Jada.”

With that last call of her name, she was fully back to attention, fully aware that heat was rising in her blood
.
What the heck is going on here
?
“Yes, Alex, sorry,” She pleaded. “I don’t know where my mind was for a minute there.” She grinned.

“Where ever it was, you seemed to be enjoying it. You were smiling.”

“Was I? I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, it was captivating.” Alex thought about what he said after it came out and he noticed Jada blush. He instantly thought he liked her blush and he tried to shake the thought. In the Love Family, you did not date close friends of the family. That was asking for trouble. He couldn’t help but think she was the most breathtaking woman he had ever seen. She stirred something deep inside of him that hadn’t been disturbed in a very long time, and he liked it.

“Thank you, Alex.” Jada smiled. She figured she’d better change the subject because if he kept smiling at her like that, she may do something very unladylike. “Ami has told me a lot about you. She’s proud of the work you do and your achievements.” She tried, again, to sound casual.

Alex blinked. He felt her eyes were seducing him, although he knew that was impossible. Love men were the seducer, not the seducee. “Yes, Ami and I are close. We always were. She told me she made some good friends in L.A. She mentioned one good friend is a film production exec. Is that you?” He asked.

“Yup!” Jada excitedly said. She loved her job. She never wanted to be before the camera, always behind it. Her family was killed in an auto accident when she was fourteen. She lived with her grandparents before leaving home to attend film school in New York. She returned to California after graduating and landed a fantastic job at a top studio. She worked her way through the ranks, starting with commercials and small documentaries. Now, at thirty-one, she was very successful with many blockbuster movies and successful TV shows under her belt. Her job kept her busy. Too busy to be concerned with anything or anyone else.

“How did you meet Ami?” Alex asked as he sipped his drink.

Jada watched intently as his lips touched the rim of the glass. Images flashed in full Technicolor of what those lips could do with her body. She quickly pulled herself together. “A party the studio gave. Ami’s manager brought her. He and I have worked together on several projects, and he introduced us. We hit it off instantly and became good friends, which is not easy in Tinsel Town,” She replied.