More Than He Can Handle (13 page)

“You're an uncle,” Darren said excitedly. “Jill gave birth to a perfect baby girl. She has your eyes, can you believe that?”

“I can't believe you're a father, that's great news. What's her name?”

“Kayla Marie.”

“That's beautiful. I can't wait to see her.”

“When are you coming back? You know we're still short-handed and you're letting the good times roll in New Orleans.”

“Get it right, it's
laissez bon temps roule
. And I am having a great time,” he said as he looked over his shoulder at Freddie, who was stretching in the bed.

“Louis wants to know if you found somebody named Freddie and I'm not even going to ask why you'd be looking for some dude,” Darren said.

“Trust me,” he said as he winked at Freddie. “Freddie is all woman. Is Louis at the hospital?”

“Yeah. Jill's resting and we're out here chewing on cigars. I can't believe I'm a father.”

“I can't believe it's a girl. I see we're going to have to hit the shooting range,” Cleveland said with a laugh.

Freddie inched closer to him and whispered to him, “What a double standard. Now what if someone came after you with a shotgun?”

He whispered to her,
They'd better be a good shot, because that's just what it's going to take to get me away from you.

She smiled, then sauntered out of the bed in all of her naked glory. Cleveland drooled as if he were Homer Simpson as he looked at her naked bottom.

“Clee,” Darren shouted in his ear, reminding him that he was still on the phone.

“Yeah, what?”

“Two days, I really need you back here, all right?” Darren said.

“I understand, I know you need to spend some time with the new family,” he said. Freddie looked at Cleveland and shot him a look.

“But, bro,” Cleveland said, “right now, I got to go.” He snapped his phone shut and crossed over to Freddie.

“You have to go home, huh?” she said.

“Wanna go with me? Mardi Gras is almost over, people are leaving and I'm sure you could use a vacation of your own.”

She shook her head. “Why don't we just spend these last two days together and make pretty memories? Then you can go back to your life and I'll continue with mine.”

Pulling her even closer to him, Cleveland shook his head. “You're not getting off that easy, Winfred Barker.”

Freddie licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. “Why are you making this harder than it has to be?”

He smiled sinfully and took her hand in his, then guided it to his manhood. “You want to talk hard?”

Despite herself, she laughed. Cleveland made her laugh and made her feel things that she didn't want to feel. But he'd be gone in two days. Back to his family and . . .
Why shouldn't I go to Atlanta for a few days. Maybe some time away from the Big Easy is just what I need.

“Cleveland,” Freddie said. “You're right. I do need a vacation.”

“All right, pack your things and let's hit the road,” he said excitedly.

Standing on her tip toes, she planted a wet kiss on his lips. “Not just yet,” she said, stroking his manhood back and forth. “There's something we have to take care of first.”

Cleveland lifted her off her feet and headed back to the bed.

As Mardi Gras came to an end, Freddie began to regret all of the time that she'd spent with Cleveland, and more than anything, she was dreading the trip to Atlanta. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy spending time with him. She did and that was the problem. Cleveland and Freddie had started the last few mornings with breakfast in bed, then had some hot sex followed by a shower.

Then Freddie would show Cleveland things in New Orleans that only a native would know. But as the trip to Atlanta loomed, Freddie couldn't help but wonder if she was making a mistake going with him.

How did she get here, being so connected to a man that she knew she could never be with. She wasn't moving to Atlanta and she was sure that Cleveland had no plans to make New Orleans his home.

Things should've never gotten this far. After the trip to Atlanta, we're done and I'm getting back to my life,
she thought as she stuffed some clothes into her traveling case.
I'll have Cleveland Alexander out of my system.

But would he ever be out of her system? After tasting the nectar of his passion, would she be able to go back to her bland life? Freddie could almost hear Loraine saying, “That man is no better than your father. He's going to leave you when you need him most.”

Jacques hadn't crossed her mind since their meeting a few days earlier. He said he would contact her, but he hadn't. That wasn't a big surprise, he'd never been a man of his word, from what her mother always said anyway. It made sense that he'd lie about what he did. There were many times when Loraine would comment on how irresponsible Jacques Babineaux had always been.

Shaking her head, Freddie decided that the week she was going to spend in Atlanta was going to be about pleasure and fun—not worrying about her lying and deceitful father.

My mother could've ended all of this had she been honest with me when I started asking her about my father,
she thought as she zipped her travel bag.

When Cleveland knocked on her suite door, she'd put her mind at ease. Opening the door, she smiled at him brightly.

“Hi,” she said.

“You're scaring me,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. “You're never this happy to see me.”

She smacked him on the arm. “I've decided to make this trip about pleasure. I haven't had fun in Hotlanta in a long time.”

“I wouldn't go there,” he said as he squeezed her bottom and pulled her closer to him. “I recall a night after a wedding where you had a great time.”

She arched her perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Says you,” she quipped. “And technically, we were in Covington.”

Smirking, he said, “I can repeat what you said. ‘Oh Cleveland, yeah give it to me, Daddy.'”

Again, Freddie smacked him on the arm. “Whatever, Negro. I wasn't that drunk.”

Kissing her on the neck, Cleveland said, “Yes, you were. Then again, you've said the same thing sober.”

“Unhand me!” she joked. “Because you need to take my bags to the car.”

“Car? I thought we were taking the train.”

“No, I refuse to let an eight-hour trip turn into a thirteen-hour journey,” Freddie said. “Besides, I'm not going to be stuck in Atlanta without a car. Public transportation is not my friend.”

Cleveland didn't say anything, but he was sure there was more to Freddie's urge to drive, and it didn't have anything to do with her dislike of buses and trains.

“All right, let me call Amtrak and cancel the reservation.” Cleveland leaned in and kissed Freddie's cheek. “I was kind of looking forward to taking the midnight train to Georgia with you.”

Freddie shook her head, “Took you all day to come up with that, huh?”

Cleveland grabbed her bag and started singing an off-key version of “Midnight Train to Georgia.”

Sticking her fingers in her ears, Freddie called out, “It's not even midnight.”

After Freddie's Mustang was packed, the couple hit the highway. Freddie decided to allow Cleveland to drive and she stretched out in the passenger seat. Cleveland glanced at her, taking note of how relaxed she looked.

“That's a good look for you,” he said.

“What's that?”

“You looking relaxed and calm, it works for you.”

“I guess I have been pretty intense lately,” she said.

“Since the day I met you,” Cleveland said. “Maybe that's what I like about you.”

“Elaborate,” she said as she turned in her seat so that she could face him.

Cleveland laughed. “The way you stepped up to me at Lillian and Louis's wedding, it was intense. I was hoping that you were walking over to say something nice. But you made up your mind that you didn't like me.”

“That's not what it was,” she said. “I was hungry and Lillian was so worried that you were going to take Louis to some strip club.”

“Darren's idea, not mine. See, I knew that was going to be blamed on me.” Cleveland drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “Lillian doesn't like me.”

“I noticed. Why not?”

He shrugged. “Because everyone has me twisted. People think I'm some playboy because I haven't caught the wedding bug . . .”

“And because you have a harem of women?” she fished.

“That's not true. Most women bore me, but you—you're exciting and you have something to say.”

Freddie folded her arms across her chest. What if he was trying to soften the blow of what she was going to discover in Atlanta. “So, you're saying that Lillian doesn't like you because she doesn't know the real you?”

“That and she's never seen me with the same woman twice,” Cleveland said.

“Wow. You say it as if you're proud.”

He shook his head. “Listen, some of the women I've met at home aren't worth a first date, let alone a second one. I'm not interested in being some woman's personal ATM. I'm not trying to be with a woman who wants to get married only for appearances. Men have standards too.”

“I thought those standards included cup, waist, and ass sizes,” she said sarcastically.

Cleveland frowned. “Whatever,” he said as he shot her a sidelong glance. “But if that were the case, then you would definitely meet those standards.”

“See, that's another reason why I talked to you the way I did at the wedding. You can be so cocky.”

“That was too easy,” he said. “I'm not even going to comment on how you know all about my
cockiness.
”

Freddie rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Seriously, people often mistake my confidence for conceit and that's not what it is. I'm a humble little fireman. I love my momma and I like you.”

“What?”

“Maybe you're the one I've been looking for,” he said.

“Cleveland, let's not go there. You and I are going in separate directions in our lives. I have to rebuild my life in New Orleans and you live in Atlanta.” Freddie's smile faded.

“All right, we'll save this conversation for later,” he said then placed his hand on her thigh. “Because this is a pleasure trip.”

“Yes, a pleasure trip.”
And when it ends, it all ends,
she added silently.

 

 

With Cleveland driving, the couple made it to Atlanta in less than eight hours. He didn't believe in stopping and as soon as they got into the city, both he and Freddie were famished.

“Do you want to grab something to eat and head to my brother's house? Because trust me, there won't be any food there.”

Freddie crinkled her nose. “You mean they don't have a butler? I thought your sister-in-law was ‘Oprah rich?' That's all Lillian could talk about was how famous your brother's wife is.”

“Jill is very down to earth. She actually tried to hide her real identity from Darren. She wanted to make sure he was with her for the love and not the money,” he said. “It caused a lot of problems, but they worked it out in the end. Jill was the founder of DVA, a multimillion dollar computer firm. Before she met Darren, she had been involved with a guy who wanted to take over her company and he's the one who wrote that nasty story about her, revealing the truth about her identity. At the time, I didn't understand why she didn't tell my brother the truth. But she showed up on my doorstep one night begging me to help her get Darren back.”

“And you helped her?” Freddie asked.

Cleveland shrugged. “She had to do some serious convincing. But Darren was miserable without her. They rekindled their love over a game of basketball.”

“A fairy tale marriage?”

Cleveland shook his head. “I wouldn't go that far. But they're happy and I guess when you get down to it, that's all that matters.”

Freddie had a wistful look in her eyes as she listened to Cleveland. Could it be that he wanted what his brother had? Was Cleveland the kind of man that would be happy with one woman?

Stop it,
she thought.
You can't turn this man into what you want him to be. Besides, men don't want stability, they want variety.

Turning away from him, she tried to make herself believe that she didn't hear the twang of desire in Cleveland's voice. “Does your brother know you're bringing company?”

“No, but Darren knows to always expect the unexpected with me.”

When they pulled up to the Lennox Road house, Cleveland punched a code in the gate and drove right in without picking up the phone to call Darren. From the looks of the driveway, though, Freddie thought they'd arrived at a party.

“Don't tell me all of those cars are your sister-in-law's?” Freddie said.

“No, I guess everybody came to see the baby tonight. Look,” he said pointing to Louis's black BMW. “Louis and Lillian must be here.”

“Oh great,” Freddie said. “I can imagine what she's going to say when she sees us together.”

“Hey, pleasure trip, remember,” he said, pointing his index finger in her face.

Freddie kissed his finger tip. “Got it.”

The couple got out of the car and walked up the winding driveway. “Nice house,” Freddie said as she looked around the spacious green lawn. Cleveland thought of the place as a McMansion. It looked like every new house that was built in Buckhead: mass-produced, ultra modern, with white paint and high windows.

“Just like every other house on the block. But I think they wanted to start a new life with a new house,” he said.

“So, there were demons?”

Cleveland shrugged. “I don't think so. Jill lived in a penthouse, my brother had a small house in the suburbs. All married couples should have a new house, though. That way they can build together.”

“Cleveland Alexander, don't tell me you're a romantic,” Freddie said with a sarcastic smile on her face as they stepped up on the front porch.

“You think you know me, don't you?” he said as he rang the door bell.

“Maybe I don't,” she said, then watched him thoughtfully as the door opened and he hugged his brother.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Darren said when he released Cleveland. “How was the Big Easy?”

“Good, good. Where's my niece?” he asked.

“In the sitting room, entertaining already.” Darren looked at Freddie and smiled. “I'm sorry, we're being rude. I'm Darren, this dude is allegedly my brother.”

“Winfred Barker,” she said, extending her hand.

“Your name sounds familiar,” Darren said, when he shook her hand.

“She was Lillian's maid of honor,” Cleveland said as he took Freddie's other hand. “Since you have all these people over here, I hope y'all ordered take out.”

Darren frowned at his brother. “I cooked, fool.”

“You cook,” Freddie asked. “Wow.”

Darren nodded to her. “Please don't judge me by this guy.” He motioned for Freddie to come closer to him. “He was adopted.”

“Hey, I can hear you,” Cleveland said as he wrapped his arm around Freddie's waist. He brushed his lips against Freddie's neck.

Darren's eyebrow shot up as he noticed the tender moment between the two. “Chicken and rice,” he said. “And your mother is going to be so happy to see you.”

“Mom's here?”

Darren nodded. “Hasn't left since the baby came home; she's driving my wife crazy.”

Freddie and Cleveland headed into the sitting room where everyone was. When Lillian looked up and saw the couple, she gasped.

“Hey everybody,” Cleveland said as he walked over to his mother, who was holding the baby and kissed her on the cheek.

“How was New Orleans?” Margaret asked.

“Good,” he said. “Can I hold my niece?”

“Who is she?” his mother asked, nodding toward Freddie.

Cleveland smiled. “This is my friend, Freddie.”

“Hi,” she said, nervously, feeling Lillian's eyes boring into her back.

“Ma,” Cleveland said. “Let me hold the baby.”

Margaret frowned. “She just ate, I have to burp her.”

Louis walked over to Cleveland. “You're not going to hold her, your mother isn't letting anyone touch her granddaughter.”

“Louis, you almost dropped her,” Margaret said. “You know you need to get practice holding babies because I see children in your future.”

“Oh, Mrs. Alexander, we're not ready for that yet,” Lillian said. Then she turned to her friend. “Winfred, I'm surprised to see you here.”