Open Door Marriage (28 page)

“
I don
’
t think you understand, Pastor. I thank God every day for sending her my way, for showing me what it
’
s like to feel truly loved and wanted by a woman who wants me for me. For making me feel … alive.
”

Understanding dawned in the pastor
’
s eyes, and he averted his gaze to the other hand still resting on the old Bible.

“
Everyone
—
my family, the press, her family
—
is ripping into me for this. Right now I couldn
’
t care less whether anyone approves.
”

“
As your spiritual advisor,
”
Reverend Braxton said after a long while,
“
I had to be certain that you know that fornication is a sin, adultery is a sin.
”

Dallas pictured the buxom secretary outside the office
“
A married man lusting after a woman other than his wife is a sin too, right?
”

Reverend Braxton winced.

Dallas gave him a mild shrug.
“
What did the Bible say about casting the first stone? Or was it people in glasses houses?
”
His index finger circled the outside of his ear.
“
It tends to get all jumbled in my head sometimes.
”
Dallas extended his hand.
“
Thank you for everything, pastor.
”

“
You
’
re taking this the wrong way,
”
Pastor Braxton said, grasping Dallas
’
hand, which practically eclipsed his own.

“
No, I
’
m not. Leave her or don
’
t come back here.
”

The pastor
’
s thick lips pulled into a straight line.

“
I
’
m not giving her up anytime soon, so that leaves me outside of these doors.
”

Reverend Braxton put a tighter grip on Dallas
’
hand.
“
And your commitments?
”

“
Commitments?
”

“
To the church.
”

“
Ah, money,
”
Dallas said, nodding as realization dawned.
“
That
’
s what it all comes down to. So, my
presence
is unwanted, but my
presents
are still welcome?
”

“
Don
’
t misrepresent what I
’
m saying here,
”
Reverend Braxton replied in a solemn tone.
“
There
’
s a lot we can do with what you
’
ve been sending. We
—
”

“
Unfortunately, my money goes where I go,
”
he replied from the half-opened door.
“
You know I have several foundations and I
’
m sure God will add that to my account.
”
Dallas gave him a slow, easy smile.
“
And since it
’
s God who
’
s actually keeping score, I
’
m sure He
’
ll say that I
’
m giving back, even if I
’
m not giving it here.
”

Dallas walked from the office and felt the Reverend right behind him. When Dallas made it a few feet past the secretary
’
s desk, he turned in time to see that the pastor
’
s line of vision was right where he figured it would be
—
on the sexy assistant.

Chapter 29

New Year
’
s Eve

9:31 a.m.

Fort
Worth, Texas

Dallas parked outside his biological father
’
s house and sat in the car for what seemed an eternity. He was more anxious than he should have been.

Suppose his father was yet another person who would be disappointed with the way he was living his life? A blog that went viral with scathing accounts of the exploits of black men who had hit sports stardom ranked Dallas somewhere among Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Michael Vick. And that was one hell of a place to be.

From the driver
’
s seat, where he sat contemplating his next move, Dallas witnessed something intensely beautiful. Two little brown-skinned girls were playing in their front yard, holding hands. No matter where they traveled on the well-manicured lawn, they continued holding on to one another. One went over to a spigot and turned on the water. She allowed the other girl to take a drink first, and then had her own drink. All the while, their hands remained clasped, as though separating for even a moment was not an option. Why couldn
’
t relationships remain that innocent, that loving, that pure?

Alicia and Tori had been that close once, but because of him they were as far apart as Quan was from getting a real job.

A knock on the driver side window made Dallas jerk forward. When he looked to his left, a man towered over the car, blocking out the sun
’
s rays. Dallas examined the face
—
a spitting image of his. He had always thought he favored his mother, but seeing Paul Alexander in the flesh, he wondered if his mother
’
s genes had factored into the equation at all.

Dallas pulled the key from the ignition, exited the vehicle and leaned against the driver side door to shut it. A simple gold chain hung about Paul
’
s neck, and a diamond flittered in his right earlobe. A gold bracelet and Movado watch encircled his wrist. His casual shirt and slacks covered a muscular athletic build that mirrored Dallas
’
completely.

Dallas inhaled the fresh air
—
well, what passed for fresh air in this part of the country. Paul
’
s tri-level sky cottage had an unobstructed view of the water, and the marine smell was something that took getting used to.

Paul extended his hand, saying,
“
I thought you
’
d been sitting out here in your car long enough.
”

Dallas clasped it and held on for a few moments before letting his hands fall by his side.
“
I was deciding if I really wanted to meet you at all.
”

“
Now you don
’
t have to make that decision.
”

Dallas gave his father another once-over and said,
“
You look just like me.
”

“
I think you
’
ve got it all wrong, young blood,
”
Paul said with a toothy grin and a conspirator
’
s wink.
“
You
look like
me
.
”

“
I guess that
’
s about right,
”
Dallas admitted with a laugh. Then, they were silent as an awkward
‘
what
’
s next?
’
moment came between them.
“
I
’
m not one to mince words, so I
’
m going to ask straight up …why?
”

Paul moved to take the space next to Dallas, keeping only a few inches between them as he followed Dallas
’
gaze to the two girls.
“
She made the choice to marry John while she was pregnant. I didn
’
t want to complicate her life.
”

“
But you knew you had a son?
”

“
Yes.
”

Dallas looked out to the river, trying to ignore the pain that stabbed his heart.
“
And you didn
’
t think that I needed you?
”
He looked back toward the two girls, who had been joined by another. They were fighting now, each pulling at a single doll that hadn
’
t been there a few minutes ago.

“
You already had a father and a mother,
”
Paul countered smoothly.

Dallas could feel the man
’
s eyes on him, but he couldn
’
t look his way.

“
I had a dad,
”
Dallas snapped,
“
but that didn
’
t mean I didn
’
t need you.
”

Paul gave him a bittersweet smile.
“
In hindsight, maybe … I should have … but I was young and probably angry that she choose stability over love.
”

Dallas took a minute to wrap his mind around that admission.
“
If you loved her, why didn
’
t you come for her?
”

“
Son…
”
He paused, grimacing when Dallas
’
right eyebrow shot up.
“
Dallas,
”
he amended.
“
She wanted something different than what I had to offer. I loved her enough to let her go.
”

Loved her enough to let her go.
Dallas stared out at the brownish-grey water.

“
I was about to go pro,
”
Paul added.
“
But I injured my leg and failed to make the draft.
”

“
Who
’
d you want to play for?
”

“
The Mavs. What other team is there?
”
He smiled, but it quickly faded.
“
It would have put me closer to home. And it didn
’
t hurt that they were talking the right kind of deal.
”

Dallas looked toward Paul.
“
So what did you do?
”

“
After rehab, I finished college, got a degree, then started my own construction company. My father was a carpenter and bricklayer by trade. Now I specialize in building structures like this one.
”
He gestured to the place behind them.
“
And multi-level complexes, offices and malls. I invested in other ventures that worked pretty well for me, but building things
—
that
’
s my true love.
”

“
Basketball was Plan B?
”

Paul chuckled, probably at the incredulous sound in Dallas
’
voice.
“
Basketball is what I loved, but there were thousands of boys itching to get into the paint. They were just as good as I was. The chances of being chosen were slim.
”

“
So mom wasn
’
t down with that? You being into ball? I don
’
t figure that. She
’
s my biggest cheerleader.
”

“
Anna was raised by a hard man,
”
Paul answered.
“
Her father hated me on sight. Said I was sly, slick and wicked.
”
Paul crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“
The only thing good about me back then was my love for Anna. I would do anything for her,
”
he said in a low tone.
“
Her father chose John because he was a factory worker and church-going man like him.
”

Dallas gave his father a sidelong glance. His lips twitched in an effort not to form the question on his mind.
Sly, slick and wicked.

“
Oh, I wasn
’
t a choir boy,
”
Paul replied to the question in Dallas
’
eyes as he moved to rest against the car right in the space next to Dallas.
“
But I put my cards on the table, and Anna
’
s father dealt her a hand from the bottom of the deck
—
either marry John or never speak to her family again.
”
Paul shrugged.
“
We could
’
ve made it on our own, but I couldn
’
t take that kind of a chance with a woman who didn
’
t believe in me. She chose John
—
a man who would rather work a 9 to 5 than go for his dream of winning a Heisman Trophy.
”

Dallas
’
jaw went slack.

Paul slid a glance at Dallas and frowned.
“
Oh, you didn
’
t know that?
”
he asked, scanning Dallas
’
expression.
“
John was the best running back in all of Marshall, Texas.
”

Dallas shook his head.
“
He never mentioned it. And I don
’
t remember seeing any pictures of him either.
”

“
If I had given up my dream just to keep a woman from marrying the man she really loved, I wouldn
’
t talk about it either.
”

Dallas stiffened and glared at his father for a moment.

“
If you want sugarcoating,
”
Paul said in a dry tone,
“
the bakery
’
s two miles up.
”

Dallas thought a few minutes and wondered if that was the main rift between him and Pops
—
jealousy over the fact that Dallas made it
and
got to keep his women.
“
I
’
m surprised you
’
re telling me all of this.
”

“
Well, your mother said to be honest. She feels you need to know before you make a mistake in your own life.
”

“
So, she married my dad because her father wanted her to,
”
Dallas said, realizing just how much it explained about his parents
’
unhappy marriage.
“
And look how that turned out,
”
Dallas mumbled.

A vein throbbed at his father
’
s jaw.
“
Is she … is she happy?
”

“
She
’
s married,
”
Dallas replied dryly.
“
I
’
m beginning to believe the words
‘
happy
’
and
‘
married
’
don
’
t live on the same block.
”

“
I wouldn
’
t know about that.
”

Paul
’
s wistful tone made Dallas give him a hard look.
“
You never married?
”

“
The woman I loved was already taken. No one else measured up. Why make another woman
’
s life miserable if you
’
re going to constantly compare her to the real thing?
”
His smile widened with each passing second.
“
And your mother … Anna was the real thing.
”

The look in Paul
’
s eyes when he said Anna
’
s name spoke to the fact that he was still in love with her. Dallas could not imagine a life without the woman he loved. This was confirmation that his insistence on marriage to Alicia wasn
’
t all that important. Maybe this
‘
having children thing
’
was overrated, too. He certainly didn
’
t want to be his father
’
s age and singing a sad love song about how he had let love slip away.