One Love (9 page)

“
Curious to know what I’m
like, eh? These days pretty boring.” Lanessa grinned.” All work, no
play.”

Alex wagged a finger at her.” That’s
no good. How about dinner Saturday? Seafood at Pat’s.”

”
In Henderson? You want to
drive all that way?”Lanessa thought of the small picturesque town
forty-five minutes from Baton Rouge. The restaurant sat on the bank
of a small bayou.

“
You always demanded the
best. Besides, I haven’t been there in ages.” Alex smiled widely.”
We’ll go for a ride first. Pick you up around twelve?”

“
We’ll be gone all
day!”Lanessa gazed at him now with astonishment.

“
There’s a new museum
dedicated to Creole culture I want to show you. My family donated
items to the exhibit.” Alex seemed excited now.” And then my cousin
has a swamp tour, the first in the parish owned by a black
family.”

“
I don’t know...” Lanessa
felt as though she were a roller coaster. She wondered if her
seatbelt was fastened.

Alex gazed at her at though he read
her mind. “I’m speeding along and haven’t looked to make sure
you’re with me.”

“
No, it sounds wonderful.
But. . . Alex we do need to pay attention to the caution signs.”
Lanessa sighed. “Okay?”

“
Agreed. Two old friends
working out bad history can have a little fun, right?”Alex looked
at her with an encouraging expression.

“
I guess,” Lanessa replied.
After a few more moments she smiled at him.” Saturday at
noon.”

“
Great.”

After a few minutes of paying the
bill, Alex insisted that he treat, they parted. Lanessa spent the
rest of the day trying to concentrate on work. Still her thoughts
went back to his dark, sultry eyes staring at her. No animosity was
there only caring.

“
Don’t let your imagination
go wild, babe. Remember he kept saying ‘just friends’,” Lanessa
mumbled to herself once more.

Despite her own words of caution, she
felt a kind of light-hearted happiness. None of the minor mishaps
at the office could dampen her mood. In three days she would be
riding through the lush green of Louisiana countryside with
Alex.

Chapter 5

It was a gorgeous day. Bright sunshine
painted the scenery with a pale yellow. Early summer in south
Louisiana meant a lovely palette of colors. Purple, yellow, red and
blue flowers had burst forth, the usual lush growth that sprouted
in the subtropical climate. A light breeze carried the smell of wet
earth. There was only one thing Alex could think of that made this
day less than picture perfect, it would have to end.

He gazed at Lanessa as she walked
along the banks of the bayou. She looked so different and yet so
familiar. Here she was dressed in Capri pants and a short sleeved
cotton knit shirt seemingly at one with nature. Was this the same
woman who did not even like picnics in City Park? Lanessa had
always been strictly an indoor type. Yet obviously he’d have to get
to know her all over again. A prospect that sent a stab of fire
through him.

“
This bayou flows into Blind
River and eventually to the swamp around Avery Island.” Lanessa
spoke as she came toward him.

Alex fell in step beside her and they
walked away from a crowd of tourists.” I didn’t know you’d been
here before.”

“
I haven’t. I’ve been
pouring over waterways maps from the Department of Natural
Resources for a job I’m doing.”

“
Gee thanks, you came
because of work.” Alex threw up both arms.

“
You suggested we come here,
remember?”Lanessa grinned.” Okay, I admit to thinking of work a
tiny bit.”

”
Excuse me while I pick up
my male ego from the dirt,” Alex joked.

“
Work isn’t the reason I’m
here,” Lanessa protested.

Alex stopped.” So what is?”

“
You invited me.” Lanessa
walked a few more steps then turned to face him.” I can’t resist
being treated to a good time.” Her voice was light and
teasing.

“
True.” Alex smiled then
looked off into the distance.

“
And a few more things need
to be said,” Lanessa murmured.

“
Yes.” Alex had no idea how
to explain what he was feeling. Or maybe he did not yet know
himself. They were both silent for a time.

Lanessa sighed.” This wasn’t such a
good idea.”

“
I put it behind me. No hard
feelings.” Alex bent and picked up several pebbles. He tossed them
in the air.

“
Really? So all those nights
I left you standing alone at parties to flirt have been
forgotten?”

“
Yep. I’ve gotten over it.”
Alex threw a stone across the water. It skipped three times then
sank.

”
Of course I said some
pretty nasty things, too. I wasn’t happy-go-lucky when I was
drinking.” Lanessa moved closer to him.

“
I don’t think about it
much.” He tossed another rock, this time harder.

“
Then there were the times I
didn’t bother to return your phone calls. And I dated Harold behind
your back.”

“
That was in college, long
ago. We were just kids.” Alex flung the rest of the stones
down.

“
I didn’t improve with age,
Alex. Those were the high points of our relationship,” Lanessa said
gently.

“
Why are you doing this?”He
turned sharply to confront her.

“
Avoiding the cold, ugly
truth won’t help either of us.” Lanessa studied him for several
seconds.” Let’s go. Now I’m sure this was a bad idea.”

“
Wait.” Alex blocked her
path.” When I saw you in New Orleans my first thought was how
lovely you looked. Then within a few minutes I felt the same
seething anger from five or six years ago. You were with some man
and I wanted to punch his face in.”

“
Alex. . .”

“
Let me finish. I remembered
how we would argue then quit speaking. I even suspected you were
drinking again.”

”
No reason you shouldn’t. I
broke dozens of promises to quit,” Lanessa put in. She seemed to
encourage him.

Alex looked at her.” But what hurt
most was seeing what you did to yourself. And that made me angry,
too. I didn’t want to be with you. When I told you goodbye, I meant
it.”

He did not like this truth, but she’d
asked for it.

“
I know you did,” she
murmured.

“
Right now, logic tells me
to turn away and not look back.” Alex walked up to within a foot of
where she stood. “But I don’t want to.”

“
Maybe I should.”

“
Another hard
truth?”

Alex felt like a blow had struck his
mid-section when she stared at the ground. He’d made a fool of
himself. Of course she had gotten over him. They were to be
friends. Only friends. His own words mocked him.

“
One of us has got to look
past emotion and do what makes sense,” Lanessa said in a strained
voice.” No matter how tough it is.” She pressed her lips
together.

He heard the note of sorrow in her
voice.” Lanessa, come here.”

Lanessa shook her head backed away.”
It’s time to go.”

Alex took two long strides and caught
her arm. “Not yet.”

“
I can’t give you a
guarantee. Even after almost three years, I take each day as it
comes.” Lanessa pulled free. “You’ve been through enough because of
me.”

“
We don’t have to just tell
the truth, we have to live it.” Alex said. “I wanted to be with you
so many times.”

Alex wrapped both arms around her.
Lanessa held back but only for a second. She relaxed against his
body with a long slow gasp. They stood together in the shadow of a
swamp oak. The only sound came from birds, the wind in grass and
their breathing.

“
People will say you’re
crazy for getting mixed-up with me again.” The fabric of his shirt
muffled her voice. Lanessa hid her face like a child
afraid.

Alex stroked her hair.” I don’t
care.”

Lanessa looked up at him.” And what
about your family? Don’t tell me you don’t care what they
think?”

“
I do,” he admitted.” If
they love me, they’ll learn to accept us.”

”
Yes, but--”

“
We can’t solve everything
in one afternoon.”

Alex kissed her with tenderness and
passion. Until their mouths met, he had not realized the hunger
dormant inside him. He felt blown away with desire. His hands moved
down her arms to her hips and pressed her to him. No other woman
could make him burn like this. The sound of voices brought them
back to their surroundings. They loosened their embrace. A group of
giggling teenage girls passed within yards of them. Their two
chaperones glared at Lanessa and Alex with disapproval.

Lanessa wore a half smile.” Fine role
models we are. We put on quite a show.”

“
Good thing they didn’t come
a few moments later,” Alex whispered.” I was about to. .
.”

“
Hold on now.” Lanessa place
both palms on his chest. “We’re taking it slow.”

“
Yes ma’am.” Alex kissed her
forehead. He was happy enough to agree to anything at this
moment.

“
We should start off like
any new couple. We’ll date and get to know each other.” Lanessa
actually sounded prim and proper.

”
Okay. I’ll pick you up at
six tomorrow night.” Alex cradled her head against his neck. This
is where she belonged, close to his body.” We’ll have dinner and
talk more.”

“
New couples don’t date two
nights in row usually, buster. They give it a few days and then...”
Lanessa made a token effort to push away from him.

Alex held her tighter.” Forget that, I
want to see you again as soon as possible.”

Lanessa put her arms around him.” Yes.
Tomorrow night.”

For the rest of the evening
they touched in some way. They held hands walking to the gravel
parking lot. Lanessa sat close to him, their thighs touching, on
the ride to the restaurant. They did not talk seriously again by
mutual consent. Instead they traded jokes and enjoyed flirting with
each other shamelessly. By the time they kissed goodbye, Alex felt
as though he could have floated off on a cloud of joy.
Man, what a great feeling!
It was if he’d been numb for years. No little voice of caution
could dampen this shiny moment. He hummed a love song as he drove
home. Not even the thought of his mother’s reaction made a
difference. His only regret was that they had been apart this
long.

“
We’re going all the way
this time,” Alex murmured. “All the way.”

***

”
Lanessa, girl you’re all
right.” Yasmin wiggled her arched eyebrows at her.

“
Cut it out. And turn down
the volume loud mouth.” Lanessa glanced around.” I don’t want
everybody in my business.”

“
You moved on that fine
stuff kinda fast, didn’t you?”Jackie ignored her reticence and
plunged ahead with her question.

“
Shush! Half the business
community is jammed in here next to us! Now stop.” Lanessa pinched
her arm and glared at Yasmin.

They sat in the Bell Sandwich Shop at
lunchtime. Even after three days, Lanessa still felt a tingle from
the weekend. Sunday evening with Alex had been even better than
Saturday. They’d talked for hours in a way they never had before.
It was as though she was getting to know him for the first time.
Yet now she could savor the truly appreciate his kind loving heart.
Something she had been blind to before. Another reason to say a
prayer of thanks for recovery. She could see clearly and feel more
intensely now that she was free of alcohol. Love had a spicy sweet
flavor this time around.

“
Well, you know we won’t let
you rest until we hear it all.” Jackie grinned at her.

”
We’re not jumping into this
thing,” Lanessa said with a tone of caution she did not feel. By
the looks they exchanged, her friends were not deceived.

“
You saw him twice in one
weekend after three years apart.” Jackie tapped Yasmin on the arm.”
How hot is that, honey?”

“
That’s love hot enough to
melt steel. The kind that keeps you up at night.” Yasmin
giggled.

“
Makes you wanna testify,”
Jackie said and snapped her fingers.

“
Makes you order lingerie
from the Victoria’s Secrets catalogue until your MasterCard is
maxed out,” Yasmin shot back.

“
The kind that...” Jackie
lifted a forefinger in the air.

“
Grow up,” Lanessa cut her
off.

“
Seriously, we’re thrilled
for you.” Yasmin gave her a quick hug around the neck.

“
Sure, one of us might as
well get some,” Jackie quipped.

“
Jackie!”Lanessa’s eyes were
wide. She heard the group of diners nearest them laugh.” I said
we’re taking it slow,” Lanessa said through clenched
teeth.