Love Again (4 page)

I picked up the stack of papers and found the realtors number, I tried to call it but was sent to a voicemail; “Hey this is Lennie, leave your name and number and I’ll call you back.  If you’re calling about a listing I have please leave the listing number as well.  Thank you and have a wonderful day!”

I left a short message and hung up then called Trevor to see if he had some free time to go to the gym.  He said he did so we agreed to meet there in an hour. 

Trevor and I met when we were both entered the Bears team as undrafted free agents.  Our third season everything changed for me, being a wide receiver I took numerous hits but was always able to jump right back up.  The game against the Redskins was what ended my career, I was tackled and the very second my back hit the turf--red hot lightning shot up my spine.  I about pissed myself from the pain.  I bit down on my mouth guard and tried not to scream, Trevor was knelt down next to me.  “The medical staff is coming, don’t move.  I’ve never seen your back twist like that.”  He said.  I laid there for what seemed like thirty minutes until I was carted out on a backboard in the back of an ATV. 

When the ex-rays results showed a herniated disk, the string of cuss words that left my mouth echoed throughout the hospital. 

“Listen Dominique I don’t think you understand the severity of this, one more hit and you’re done…you’ll be paralyzed!” my coach yelled at me.  He knew I was getting ready to argue that with some physical rehab, I would be fine.  He took his hat off, “You’re young, you’ve made a hell of a name for yourself, Destroyer, you can’t play this game for the rest of your life.  Walk away while you still can, we can get you in for some physical therapy and you can stand on the sidelines.  You’re like a son to me and I’m telling you…hang up your cleats.  Hell you can help inner city kids learn the sport!”  I knew there was no arguing with him or the doctors, that was my last game on the field. 

It was also the last time I hugged Harold and Virginia before they left to fly home to Chicago.  The frantic call from mom when she got the news would forever be burned into my memory.  Two of the most loving and caring people I had ever met, were gone in the blink of an eye. 

Going through physical therapy sucked, standing on the sidelines sucked even more but I did it to show my support to the team.  Numerous athletic apparel companies and some modeling agencies approached me.  Since I had nothing better to do I contracted with an underwear company, a top name athletic company and a top name nutrition company. 

After doing that for just over six months a good friend called me about the sporting line he owned, he asked if I would be interested in buying him out before the lost his ass in the competitive market.  So—I did.  Within one year Hastings Athletic was one of the top five sporting goods retailers in the world, after two years my company was number two and still growing.  I continued to model and run my company, I wasn’t the type that liked being in the office all of the time so I relied heavily on my staff and personal assistant Tiffany.  Another investment I made was buying a nightclub, renovating it and turning it into an easygoing yet classy club.  ‘The Glo’ generated a good profit for me, Hastings Athletic generated millions for me and my modeling added to it.  So I knew that buying Harold and Virginia’s house was a must, I had more than enough money and didn’t want it to be owned by anyone else. 

On the way to the gym I called my mom, I had bought her a house a few months ago even though she insisted that I didn’t need to spend any money on her. 

“Good afternoon sweetie!” She answered.

“Afternoon momma, did the painters get everything finished inside the house?”

“They sure did!  You need to come see it it’s beautiful!  I love my little home, courtesy of my amazing boy.” She said and I could tell she was smiling. 

“I’ll come by this soon then we can go out for supper.  I called to tell you I’m going to be purchasing my first home.”

“Ohhh, do tell!” she was practically squealing with excitement.

“I’m going to buy the Wilson place.” I said and waited for it to register what house I was talking about.  After a short pause she replied.

“They would be so happy that you are going to live in it, but, it’s huge Dom.  You need to find you a nice lady to marry and fill it up with grandbabies for me.”

I laughed, “I’ll wait on that thank you very much!”

“You’re not getting any younger Dom…”

“Mother…”

“Dominique!”

We both started laughing, “I’m almost to the gym I’ll come over this weekend, okay?”

“I can’t wait, love you baby.  Oh, don’t forget I’m going on a cruise in a few months!”

“Love you too.  I’ll come see you before you leave.”

Inside the gym Trevor was casually leaning against the desk visiting with the two receptionists, he was no doubt trying to find his way into the pants of one or both of them. 

“Hey Dom!”

“Angie, Beth.” I nodded at them both before grabbing Trevor by the back of his shirt and dragging him away.  “You’re supposed to come to the gym to work out not hook up, dick face.” I told him.

“Yeah yeah, I was waiting on your old slow ass!” he said with a laugh.

I had just loaded the bench press when my cell phone rang, I grabbed it out of my shorts pocket and told Trevor I needed to take the call since it was Lennie calling back. 

“Hello?”

“Hi Mister Holiday?”  Her sweet voice flowed over the line.

“You can call me Dominique.” I told her.

“Okay, this is Lennie with Sunrise Realty and I’m returning your call about the Wilson home.  Would you like to set up a time to view the property?”

“Sure even though I’m pretty sure I already want it, but let’s not skip any formalities.” I chuckled.  She laughed softly and checked her schedule and we agreed to meet on Friday.

“Great, I’ll see you in a few days!” There was something about her voice that made me want to try and keep her talking, but I needed to get off the phone before Trevor started pestering me. 

“See you Friday, thanks.” I told her then we hung up.

Trevor and I worked out for two and a half hours, even though I was the one that had a previous back injury, he was always the first one to start complaining on shoulder and back day. 

“You’re never going to get a woman.  Why are you such a pussy?” I ran the towel over my face to hide my laugh. 

“Screw you, not all of us are built like Bubba Smith!”

“Actually he’s bigger than me, I’m only six foot four and a half.  He’s six foot seven.”

He rolled his eyes, “What was the important phone call about earlier?” He asked changing the subject.

“Looking at buying a house so I had to schedule a showing.  The Wilson place is finally on the market.”

His eyes got big, “No shit?”  He was one of the few that knew about my childhood and had the pleasure of meeting Harold and Virginia.  “Want me to tag along?”

“Nah, I already know I’m buying it.” I shrugged.

“Cool, we’ll have to throw one hell of a banging house warming party!” he wiggled his eyebrows. 

“You have two things on your mind all the time, Sex and Parties.”

“You have absolutely no room to talk.” He stated matter-of-factly.  I wasn’t going to argue with the truth.

After we each showered and dressed we decided to go have a late lunch. 

“So…what do you suppose Ava is going to say when she finds out you bought a place?” Trevor asked.

I shrugged, “I could give two shits less, eventually she’ll get the point that I’m done with her and that there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to take her back.” I told him. 

He shook his head and laughed, “That’s wishful thinking on your part brother.”

We talked about camp schedules for the youth program and discussed some of the scholarship programs we had available.  Our lives were busy but we both loved helping the less fortunate out and helping youth get their lives on track for the future. 

After lunch we parted ways, Trevor went back to his place and I went back to the office.  Tiffany informed me that Ava had been there over lunch and left numerous messages, I didn’t bother calling her back.  Each phone call to her she misinterpreted as me wanting to get back with her…and that just wasn’t going to happen—ever.

~~~~~~

The next couple of days I stayed busy with clients, setting up fundraiser events, and calling players to volunteer for the upcoming football camps. 

I couldn’t wait for my appointment with Lennie; I hadn’t been in Harold and Virginia’s house in years. 

“Tiff I’m headed out if anybody important needs to get ahold of me have them call my cell.” I told her.

She laughed, “Ava falls in the…”

“She can fuck off category!” I interrupted her with my own laughing response. 

“Sounds good Dominique I can’ wait to see your new place!”

Normally I would have my driver take me places but I decided that today I wanted to go by myself.  The drive would take about forty-five minutes provided that the traffic wasn’t chaotic.  On the drive there I thought back to when mom finally told me about how she had met Harold and Virginia.  She was working at the diner when they came in.  Virginia noticed the cut on her lip and the black eye she tried to cover up with makeup.  They offered to help her get away from dad but mom was scared that he would find out before they could help us.  Each week they would come back in and talk to mom, finally one day Harold explained that he was a retired CIA agent and that he could make sure we were safe no matter what.  When mom agreed, they formulated a plan to take down dad and his drug-dealing friends.  The night he was arrested he was booked into jail for assault and battery on an officer, drugs and rape chargers.  In the end he was tried in court and sentenced to fifty-five years in prion with no chance of parole.  Mom and I never went to visit him in prison

I pulled up to the gate in front, the same gate that secured mom and me over twenty years ago.  Just as I reached out the window the gate glided open, obviously Lennie was already at the house waiting. 

“I’ve always wanted to do that to somebody.” She said with a laugh.

I laughed, “See you in a sec.” I said and pulled up the driveway.  It looked the same as it did years back.  The lawn was perfectly manicured, the trees trimmed to perfection and the short shrubs pruned evenly along each side of the driveway.  

A sleek grey Mercedes was parked in front of the attached three-car garage.  I pulled my Hummer in next to it and stared at the front of the house, even after all the years nothing looked different.  Mom and Virginia spent many hours on the flowerbeds in front and around some of the trees. It was their “Me time” they both told me when I had asked why they were always digging and planting. 

After taking a deep breath and blowing it out I got out of the vehicle and walked the short distance to the front steps.  Standing on the top step was a beautiful curvy woman wearing a deep blue business dress.  My eyes traveled up from the black heels she was wearing, fuck she was beautiful, she had curves in all the right places—the perfect hourglass figure that any woman would be jealous of.  Her dress had a slight V showing the swell of her breasts. 

“Good to meet you Mister Hastings, I’m Leenie Ericson.” She said, snapping me out of the trans I was in. 

I finally looked at her, dark red hair cascaded in curls down her back and over her shoulders and deep green eyes stared at me. 

“Call me Dominique or Dom.” I said after I cleared my throat and finally extended my hand to shake hers.  Her petite hand was soft as silk in my hand, the heat that traveled up my arm though…she smiled and quickly pulled her hand away.  She had to have felt it too. 

“Okay, shall we get started on the tour?” she asked me and turned to walk inside.  I hesitated while she continued to walk away.  The dress she was wearing was tight enough that I could tell she had a perfect ass and sexy fucking legs.  I shook my head to clear the thoughts of what I would do with those legs after I had ripped her dress off of her. 

Inside the house she was standing at the breakfast bar, her hands clasped in front of her and a smile on her face.  She looked nervous. 

I cocked my head to the side, “Do I make you nervous?” I asked her.

“What?” she brought her hand up to her chest.  “No…not at all!”

I grinned knowing, Lennie was white and I was a rather intimidating black man.  Next to me even in her heels she couldn’t be any taller than five foot six.  She quickly looked away.  “So, where do I sign?” I asked her. 

“Umm what?” she asked with wide eyes. 

“I want the house, where do I sign?”

“You don’t even want to look around?”

I shook my head, “I’ve lived here before, but if it makes you feel better you can show me around.” I leaned against the back of the couch and looked around the rooms.  It had been updated and the wall colors were different, but that was always something Virginia wanted to do. 
“It’s just so plain in here, I want a nice neutral tan or a soft yellow.  It feels like a hospital with all the white.” She had said to Harold.  He laughed and said, “Whatever makes you happy!”
  I looked back at Lennie she was talking.  “Pardon?” I asked.