Open Door Marriage (25 page)

She stroked a hand across his jaw line.
“
Does she
—
that other woman
—
does she make you happy?
”

“
Yes, ma
’
am. She truly does.
”
He took in the concerned glint in her dark brown eyes. She
’
d probably been hearing all kinds of things about him and Alicia on the news and from gossiping family members.

Anna withdrew her hand, then switched off the stove.
“
So, you
’
re not going to marry Tori?
”

“
Actually, it looks that way.
”

His mother froze for a moment, then focused on taking the pan of dressing from the oven.
“
And you
’
re still going to keep seeing that woman?
”

She looked over her shoulder at him. Dallas lowered his gaze. Anna nearly dropped the pan as she jerked upward.
“
Oh, Dallas!
”
she said in a pained tone.
“
How could you do that to Tori?
”

Dallas leaned against the edge of the counter.
“
Mama, it
’
s complicated.
”
When his mother remained silent, he added,
“
Come on, Mama. Don
’
t give me that look. This was the best solution we could come up with.
”

Anna pulled off the oven mitts and tossed them on the counter as she pondered his words.
“
So why doesn
’
t that other woman
—
”
She looked up at him.
“
Her aunt, right?
”

Dallas nodded.

“
Why doesn
’
t she step away and just let you get on with your lives?
”

Dallas looked his mother square in the eye.
“
I would rather lose Tori than Alicia.
”

By this point, Dallas really did think Tori would
’
ve thrown in the towel. But she was determined. And he wasn
’
t making any progress with swaying Alicia on the marriage issue. His plan to get her to see that she was better suited for marrying him than Tori ever was
—
had failed. Big time.

Anna didn
’
t move.
“
How on earth could something like this happen, Dallas?
”
she whispered.

He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and it saddened him.

“
I went to meet Tori
’
s family in Chicago and
…
”
He swallowed hard, realizing he had to filter quite a few thoughts.
“
Things took on a life of their own. I connected with Alicia in a way that I never have with Tori.
”
Seeing Anna
’
s sour look, he continued.
“
And it
’
s not like this was my idea. Tori was the one who suggested this whole open marriage thing. I wanted one woman
—
Alicia. But there are some benefits to having Tori around.
”

After several moments had passed, Anna nodded, but he could tell from the weary set of her shoulders that she still couldn
’
t understand.

“
Alicia,
”
he began, pausing the moment she grimaced at hearing the name. He steadied her, trying to find the words to convey what he felt.
“
Mama, you know I
’
m no saint. I
’
ve been with plenty of women. But with her, it
’
s something beautiful. I don
’
t know how to describe it, but the thought of not having it, not having her, makes life seem … dull.
”

Anna moved out of his reach and placed a top on the sweet potatoes. An expression crossed her features. She suddenly looked as if she understood.
“
She brings out your passion.
”

Dallas gave her a smile.
“
Sort of how I feel about basketball. How understanding it, knowing my position, and how I was supposed to play within the team, made us win most of the time.
”
Her lips lifted in a small smile as
he said,
“
I want to win in my personal life, too. Alicia makes me feel like I
’
ve already won five championship rings. Tori makes me feel like I
’
m still learning to play the game.
”

His mother turned back to him, her eyes the size of saucers.
“
You really love that woman!
”

“
Yes, ma
’
am.
”

“
But you just met her!
”
Anna shook her head. There was a world of hurt in that small movement.
“
Why do I have children who can
’
t have normal one-on-one relationships?
”

“
Hey! Don
’
t lump me in with Carrie and Quan,
”
he warned.
“
And the gossip rags are only giving half the story. I knew Alicia before Thanksgiving. I loved Alicia long before I ever met Tori.
”

Seconds ticked by, the scent of all that good food wafting in from both rooms made his stomach growl.

“
Mama, sometimes I don
’
t know what I
’
m doing. I love Alicia in one way. I love Tori in another. Both are important to me for totally different reasons,
”
he said, hoping his mother would get the message that he was tired of justifying his personal life.

His mother was silent for so long, he thought she wasn
’
t going to say anything else.

“
Come here,
”
she finally said, wrapping her arms around his midriff.
“
I might not agree with
—
no, let me be honest.
”
Anna looked up at him.
“
I
don
’
t
agree with it. But I love you, and I
’
ll support you all the way down the line. You hear me?
”

“
Yes, ma
’
am.
”
He kissed the short cap of dark silky curls that graced her angular face.
“
I love you, Mama.
”

“
I know, number one son. And I love you more.
”

She went back to the stove, and he peered at her. Somehow he expected his mother, of all people, would want to put Dallas over her knee and whip his ass. He decided to ask her something he
’
d been wondering for years.

“
Those years,
”
he said, trying another approach to a delicate subject,
“
when Dad wasn
’
t the best husband in the world
...”

She tried to make eye contact but failed. And Anna Avery was never one to shy away from the truth. If you had the balls to ask the question, she had the presence of mind to give the answer.
“
Your father wasn
’
t doing dirt by himself. I
’
m just more discreet than your father ever was,
”
she said without looking up from the pot of collard greens she was stirring.

Dallas blinked to clear his vision. When he could focus again, he watched his mother. Her hands were trembling; her chest was heaving in an effort to brace herself for whatever Dallas might rain down on her.

The question that had always lingered in the back of his mind now took center stage. Everyone in his family was his mother
’
s and father
’
s size
—
petite to average. Dallas towered over them by the time he was in high school. Many who knew the family whispered,
“
How could those two have spawned a virtual giant like him?
”
And there were no grandparents on either side who could explain his abnormal stature.

Dallas looked at his mother, waited for her to stop fidgeting with the parts of dinner that were already done.
“
Am I my father
’
s son?
”
he asked point-blank.

“
You are your mother
’
s son,
”
she countered smoothly, as though she had been expecting the question for a lifetime.
“
That
’
s all that matters.
”

“
John Avery is not my father,
”
he said in a matter-of-fact tone that belied the pain settling in his heart. If he had known that kernel of truth growing up, it would have made things a lot easier.

After several moments had passed, Anna shook her head.
“
Do you love him any less?
”

Dallas thought about all the lectures over the years about the Avery name and the integrity that was supposedly attached. John had given him his name, but now it made sense why there had been a disconnect between him and the man he affectionately called Pops.

“
He
’
ll always be my dad no matter what.
”

Dallas was poised to ask who his real father was when his mother placed a shaky hand on his arm and asked in a pained whisper,
“
Do you love me any less?
”

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, causing her to smile up at him.
“
Mama, you know the answer to that.
”

She didn
’
t bother to hide her relief. This was not the time to call his mother into account for not only keeping a part of his life hidden, but coming clean about the fact that she wasn
’
t the innocent, victimized wife he had always believed her to be. No wonder John Avery was always so bitter.

“
Now, you get on to the table so I can put some meat on your bones,
”
she said, shooing him away.
“
Both of those city women don
’
t know how to feed you. You
’
ve got to be up to speed when your team meets up with that Kobe fella.
”

Dallas gave her another hug.

She nodded slowly, while keeping her eyes fixed on his, answering his unspoken question that they would have to talk about his real father at another time.

Chapter 26

3:03 p.m.

Dallas walked into the dining room, and Carrie glared at him. Seconds later, she was out of her seat, straightening the already perfectly positioned napkins. Things were pretty damn serious if Carrie was giving him her back to ponder.

“
My man!
”
Quan bellowed on the heels of Carrie
’
s second disappearance into the kitchen.
“
Been telling your sis she needs to loosen up a little. Roll like her big bro.
”

“
So, that
’
s why she
’
s giving me the evil eye.
”

Quan shrugged, put his grubby hands on one of the dinner rolls and crammed it into his wide mouth.
“
I figure, hey, if you can do it, then I sure as hell can.
”

“
Difference is, I can afford it,
”
Dallas snapped, glaring at the redbone man. Quan glared back with beady eyes and a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile.

Dallas had never liked his brother-in-law but figured he had to have some redeeming qualities since Carrie had snuck off to Vegas to marry him. A few weeks later, she miscarried the
baby
that no one had been aware of. Now, she was stuck with a man who could barely hold on to a job since, as he put it, the white man was keeping him down. A crock of well-oiled bullshit if Dallas had his say, but since Carrie wouldn
’
t hear of leaving Quan, Dallas held his tongue. He had bought her a house and nestled the money for it into a trust for her and whatever children she would eventually have. Quan wouldn
’
t see a penny if they parted ways. Then, somehow Quan talked Carrie into going behind Dallas
’
back and trying to put his name on the deed anyway. To this day, Carrie didn
’
t know that Dallas knew. He had attached a
“
forgivable
loan
”
to the deed
—
one that would not need to be paid back as long as the house stayed in his sister
’
s hands. So any activity on the house
—
taxes not being paid, insurance lapse, notices were sent to his accountant, who notified him.

“
You can
’
t afford the wife you already have, stud,
”
Dallas said to Quan.

“
Well, there
’
s some truth in that,
”
Carrie chimed in, glowering at her husband as she continued her journey toward the den.

Dallas was right after her.
“
I
’
ll go get Pops.
”

“
Naw, stay here. Make yourself comfortable or somethin
’
,
”
Quan said.
“
I
’
ll go get him. Need to see if the Bears are still getting their asses kicked on the field. I
’
ve got money on this game!
”

Dallas slipped down in a seat, glowering at Quan
’
s retreating back. Hell, where did he get off saying
“
make yourself comfortable
”
to the person who paid for the house and everything in it? That was a lot of damn nerve.

Carrie walked back in the dining room, saw that she and her brother were alone, and did a back step that would make any street dancer proud.

Dallas jumped out of his chair and gripped her arm.
“
So, you
’
re going to keep acting this way all evening?
”

“
How could you do it?
”
she growled, snatching away as though his touch was leprous.
“
It
’
s wrong!
”

“
When does what
’
s going on in my private life have anything to do with you?
”

There was ice in her eyes as she stared at him.

“
I take care of everyone,
”
he said,
“
and that includes Tori and Alicia, Mom and Pop, plus you and that shiftless ass husband.
”
He clenched his jaw as he worked to regain his composure.
“
No one
’
s complaining, including Tori and Alicia.
”
Well, that wasn
’
t exactly the whole truth, but Carrie didn
’
t need to know that sad fact.

“
Now my husband wants to try that nonsense you
’
re doing, talking about some Divine Law that says men should have more than one wife.
”
Carrie flat out punched him in the center of his chest.

Dallas looked her square in the eye.
“
Your husband
’
s on some relig
ious trip, but the Ausar Auset S
ociety was
never
about doing things the way Quan
’
s doing it
—
using women to make sure that he doesn
’
t have to work an honest job. It
’
s supposed to be a collective relationship
—
not a harem to take care of lazy bums,
”
he snapped.

When she drew back to hit him again, Dallas grabbed her wrist and kept his focus on her dark brown eyes.
“
You need to admit it; your husband was an asshole from jump. Correction
—
he wasn
’
t an asshole, he was a
whole ass
.
”
He held up a hand to stave off her protest.
“
Now he
’
s only using this religion thing to justify something that he
’
s wanted to do all along
—
to have some extra in-house nookie. But that
’
s definitely not what I
’
m doing.
”

“
How is your situation different?
”
Carrie snarled, waggling a finger in his direction.
“
What makes you so special?
”

“
Because both of the women chose me,
”
he answered smoothly.
“
This idea came from Tori, and Alicia agreed. I
’
m not hiding behind a belief system. But the real issue here is that I take damn good care of both of my women.
”
Dallas raised an eyebrow.
“
Can your husband say the same?
”

Anna and John froze at the doorway, their heads snapping to Quan, who stood directly behind them. Apparently they
’
d all heard the tail end of the conversation. John looked over his shoulder and gave Quan a forbidding look that the younger man chose to ignore.

“
I can barely stand to look at you.
”
Carrie hit Dallas again, harder this time.
“
I
’
m so pissed at you it
’
s not even funny.
”

Dallas clasped a hand over her fist and leaned in to whisper.
“
Good! Stay mad for a real long time. Maybe now you and freckles won
’
t tune your lips to ask me for anything else.
”
Dallas pulled back and winked at her.
“
Take care, little sister.
”

He looked to his mother, who placed the bowl of potato salad on the table.
“
Mama, do you think I can get four plates to go?
”

“
You
’
re not staying?
”
she asked, her panic-stricken expression tugging at his heart.

Dallas swept a gaze over his ticked-off sister, angry father, and the resident asshole.
“
I don
’
t think it
’
s a good idea right about now.
”

“
Stay for me,
”
she whispered, maneuvering around the table to stand in front of him.
“
I don
’
t get to see you nearly enough.
”

“
I know, Mama,
”
he replied, embracing her.
“
Next time it
’
ll be lunch, just me, you and some … banana pudding?
”

She held onto him a moment longer before saying,
“
I
’
ll get those plates.
”

“
And I need to have a conversation with the
whole
peach cobbler,
”
he suggested, giving her a smile that caused the corners of her lips to lift.
“
I
’
ll do all the talking.
”

Quan spurred into action and blocked Dallas
’
path to the kitchen.
“
You
’
re leaving? For real?
”

“
Most definitely,
”
he replied, sidestepping him.

“
But, you know,
”
Quan flickered a gaze at Carrie before whispering to Dallas,
“
I need to holla at you for a minute, my man.
”

Dallas gave him a grin.
“
Ask your wife. She already has my answer.
”

Quan scowled in Carrie
’
s direction, and she flipped Dallas the bird.

“
Don
’
t get mad at me,
”
Dallas said, leaning in so only Quan and Carrie could hear.
“
I can
’
t help that your husband has the toilet touch. Every scheme, every con always turns to shit.
”
Then he said to Carrie,
“
But the best con he
’
s got going is you, my sister.
”

“
Pastor called,
”
John said from his seat at the head of the table.
“
Wants to speak with you in his office sometime next week, son.
”

More like Pops had put a call into Pastor Braxton and asked him to have a heart-to-heart talk with Dallas. Well, that would be a very interesting conversation indeed.

Dallas was glad he
’
d followed his first mind and not brought Alicia along. It was safe for her to be home, since Tori had flown to Chicago to be with her parents, hoping that she
’
d be able to help them mend their relationship.

Dallas did a quick step into the kitchen and focused on making off with the goods and bringing in Christmas with Alicia.