Scandalous Heroes Box Set (160 page)

“Any special plans this weekend? There’s a wine festival in Norfolk that I thought you and I could go to.”

Eminence’s felt a strange tickle over her stomach. She started experiencing that odd sensation recently each time she talked to her mother.

When her parents split up, her mother chose to stay in Virginia Beach in a condo at the Oceanfront. Her father kept the family home in another section of Virginia Beach. From what Eminence saw as the demise of her parents’ marriage, it always surprised her that her father kept the house. Eminence’s mother should have kept the house, the cars, and every damn thing she wanted.

The only good thing that came out of this divorce had been how close Eminence and her mother had become. They had always been close before. Between her mother’s dissolution of her marriage and Eminence’s breakup with Keys, the two found solace in consoling one another.

“When is the festival?” Eminence asked. Just in case Les had plans for her, she wanted to be sure to keep herself open.

“Friday and Saturday. From what I read online, looks like a lot of out-of-town vendors will be there. Even some wineries from Mexico and Canda. Can you believe that?”

“Why is that so hard to believe?” Eminence took a bite of her salad and tried to keep the chewing sounds away from the mouthpiece.

“Those other countries coming here. It’s just Tidewater. It’s not like we’re New York or Philadelphia.”

Eminence cocked her head. “Mom, it’s just business. Of course they’re going to come here. They’re trying to find customers. Plus it’s probably nice for them to get out and about. Maybe you should think about taking a trip. Go to the vineyards in California. I hear they’re amazing.”

Caryl released a nervous giggle. “Me? Leave Virginia? No.”

Eminence imagined her mother shaking her head vigorous, whipping her long hair back and forth. The woman hadn’t cut her hair in years, and let it gain gray streaks throughout it.

“Come on. When was the last time you took a trip?”

Her mother cleared her throat. “Sixteen years ago when your father and I went to New York to see Niagara Falls.” She laughed again. “Hey, maybe we can go somewhere together, just the two of us.”

The uneasy, tickling feeling returned to Eminence’s belly. She rubbed her hand over her stomach before gulping down some water.

“How is that nice man you’re seeing?” Caryl punctuated her question with a slight hum.

“Les? He’s—” Boring, predictable, unromantic. “—good. He had a library event last weekend. I’m trying to convince him to go to an event with me this Friday night.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Eminence heard a commotion on her mother’s end of the phone. She suspected the woman probably tucked her long strands behind her ear to hear what Eminence had to say.

“You remember Jordie Hampton?”

Silence. In the silence, Eminence ran through different scenarios in her head. She remembered the long conversations she and her mother had had about Jordie and what Eminence had seen that one, fateful day. Eminence had cried on her mother’s shoulder too many times to count. Conversely, so had her mother.

“Did something happen to her?” Caryl asked.

“Yes, apparently she has enough money—” and nerve “—to open up her own nightclub. She found me and sent me and invitation to her opening.”

“Is that what she told Keys Tanksley, that she wanted to invite him to her ‘opening’?” Bitterness and contempt dripped from every word. “I can’t believe after what she put you through that she would invite you to anything related to her. Why would she think you would even support her?”

Eminence swallowed and turned away from her meal. “I don’t know. Maybe she wants to finally bury the hatchet, make amends for the past.”

“She can get salvation from church. You don’t owe her anything, just like I don’t owe your father and his mistress anything either.” Caryl damn-near grunted after she made her statement.

“People do change. I’ve changed.” Eminence hoped.

“Not enough for you to forget the past. That’s why I’m here. I had an opportunity to leave.”

Eminence blinked. “You did? When?”

“Right when everything was happening between me and your father. My job had offered me a promotion that would have put me in Charlotte, North Carolina.”

Eminence’s posture straightened. “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“Why should I? I knew I needed to be home here with you. I couldn’t just pull up stakes and go. That’s what I love about you, Eminence. You’re just like me.”

The uneasy sensation now changed to a nauseous feeling. Eminence had to stand just in case she needed to make a mad dash to the bathroom.

Her mother continued. “You realize that your life is here. You don’t need to go out and experience anything. Just like with the wine festival, people will come here to you. Why bother roaming around anywhere?”

Eminence nodded, but inside she started to feel differently about the path she’d been traveling. “I know what you mean.” She took a deep breath. “But in order for me to move forward, don’t you think I need to take some risks?”

“Like what?”

“My work has a supervisor job open.”

Eminence heard her mother clapping on the other end of the phone.

“That’s wonderful! Are you going to put in for it?”

Eminence smiled. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, I think you should. You’ve worked there long enough. They have to recognize your talent. I’d say go for it.”

Eminence’s heart started to pound. “It’s good to hear you say that. The job is in Maryland.”

Silence.

Eminence took a couple of steps toward the bathroom.

“Your job here is great, right?” Caryl asked.

“Of course. I love my work at Pyle.” Eminence leaned against the wall closest to the bathroom.

“Maybe then you can just wait until a supervisor job opens in the office you’re in. No need to do something hasty and run off to Maryland. That’s just crazy. No.” Caryl probably shook her head right about now. “You need to stay here. I’m here, and you know I need you.”

Eminence gripped her stomach.

“And Les is here.”

“I don’t think Les is really the one for me.” Eminence shook her head.

“Why? Because he doesn’t drive some fancy car or have millions in the bank? Not everyone can live the life of a romance novel. Relationships take work. If you feel there’s something wrong, fix it. See a counselor.”

Eminence didn’t mean to laugh but it came out of her mouth. “A counselor? We’ve only had four dates. If he goes with me to this club opening, it will be date number five. I think it’s too early to call this a relationship or to invest money to save this relationship.”

“Don’t quit. Don’t give up. He’s stable and kind and you know he’ll come home every night. Those are good qualities in a man.”

Eminence knew where Caryl came from in her speech. Her heartbeat slowed as she digested her mother’s words.

“Promise me you won’t put in for that job.”

Eminence couldn’t speak. If asked about the job days ago and her potential of moving away, Eminence would have sounded just like her mother. Knowing that she’d picked up the same fears her mother had been harboring for years let her know that she couldn’t end up her mother’s life, scared and alone and bitter.

“I can’t make that promise, Mom.” Eminence shook her head. She pressed her back against the wall when her stomach started to settle. “You said so yourself. I have the potential. I could do the job. Geography shouldn’t make a difference.”

“But—”

Eminence cut off her mother. “And I’m going to that club opening.”

Caryl gasped, evident through the phone.

“If I’m going to move forward, I have to put a period on the past.” Eminence would leave out the fact that she saw Keys, and that she longed to clear the air with him as well. Her mother would drive over to Eminence’s apartment to shake some sense into her.

“I’m coming over there.”

Eminence called it. She knew her mother would want to talk to her face-to-face.

“It’s late. We can talk tomorrow.” Feeling a bit at ease, Eminence walked back to her dining room table to get the remains of her dinner.

“At least promise me that you won’t put in for that job until we talk.” Desperation coated every word Caryl spoke. When Eminence didn’t answer right away, her mother filled in the silence. “Please. Please at least promise me that.”

As she exhaled, Eminence said, “Okay. I’ll talk to you before I apply, if I even apply. I just don’t want to cut off my potential.”

“I don’t want you to, either, dear.” The lightness returned to her mother’s voice.

Had Eminence been a betting woman, she suspected that her mother thought she won this battle. Maybe she had. Eminence pretty much had herself convinced to not put in for this new position. Based on the conversation with her mother, now she didn’t know if she should go that route. Did she want to hold onto the past so much that she couldn’t move forward? Did she want to be stuck?

After disconnecting the call from her mother, Eminence knew the next call she had to make.

As soon as Les answered, Eminence didn’t give him an opportunity to speak. “I’m going to that club opening this Friday.” She thought that if she sounded confident that Les would fold.

“Okay.”

Eminence waited to hear what else he would say. When he remained mute, she pressed forward for clarification. “Does that mean you’re going with me?”

“No.”

She blinked. Les’s response jarred her. She hadn’t expected Les the Librarian to turn her down.

“I want to get to bed early and not come home smelling like cigarette smoke and alcohol. Besides, the scene is not my thing.” He cleared his throat as though implying that maybe Eminence should consider her actions as well. “If you would like to go, then I won’t stop you.”

Eminence chuckled. A man she had four dates with and never had sex with him thought he had enough power over her to make her decisions. “Uh, thanks. I could have used the support but I see you’re not willing to be there for me.”

“Support? Are you planning on drinking yourself into a stupor?”

In Les’s defense, Eminence hadn’t shared with him about her past with Jordyna and Keys. She just thought since she attended his event that he would have returned the favor.

“Goodnight, Les. I’ll talk to you later.”

Eminence now had to figure out what she would do if she saw her former friend again. She had ruined that opportunity with Keys when she saw him. She would have to assert herself more with Jordie. The hell she would remain stuck.

Chapter Five

Damn. Friday night, and Eminence found herself standing in line at a club. Had time just shifted back about fourteen years ago? She couldn’t complain. She had professed to Les and her mother that coming to Jordie’s club would be a good thing. Something positive had to come out of this experience. 

Since she hadn’t been brave enough at work to apply for that supervisor job – not just yet – she figured coming to a club alone might jumpstart her nerve. Eminence found no pride in the fact that she’d been ducking Mr. McCluskey over the past week. Whenever she heard that he roamed her floor, she ducked into the bathroom to redo her makeup or chit chat with the ladies using the facilities. That act got a little awkward when the women went into the stalls. Eminence just couldn’t chance talking to the man about her future at the company when she didn’t know what she wanted.

The conversation she’d had with her mother didn’t help. Guilt riddled her whenever she thought about putting in for a job that would have her abandoning her mother. Caryl had boiled down the concept in that way. Not that Eminence could be furthering her career, it would be that with the promotion, Eminence would be leaving her mother alone. Eminence couldn’t cause that type of pain to her mother again. Her father had already done a number on her mother’s head.

Eminence shifted her weight from one foot to the other to relieve some of the pressure. She had herself to blame for her sore feet. In her spiky heels and short skirt, she wore just the right outfit to make someone envious or jealous, or hopefully both.

It didn’t escape her attention that as she dressed, she thought of Keys the entire time. When she contemplated putting on a jumpsuit, she thought about what Keys would have liked. Back then, he used to tell her he loved her legs. For that reason, she’d changed into a short skirt and added the heels. She’d slathered the reddest shade of lipstick on her lips and imagined Keys admiring them. Eminence even squirted a little more perfume behind her knees and behind her ears as images of Keys kissing and licking those spots filled her head.

At one point while Eminence dressed to go out, her imagination took over her reality and she had to take matters into her own hands. Seeing Keys brought back too many memories. She reached for her trusty vibrator and gave herself a needed orgasm before her outing.

She didn’t think about Les at all as she plunged the vibrator in and out of her greedy vagina. Eminence pictured his piercing blue eyes, the corded muscles down his arms, his big hands, and those strong thighs. She remembered back in the day that even when they didn’t have sex, Keys had a way of making her feel special and sensual all at the same time.

Whenever he talked to her, Keys kept his full attention on her. The stare caused Eminence’s flesh burn with desire. He hadn’t touched any of her intimate spots. Hell, he hadn’t even kissed her. With that one, small act, Keys had her.

As she masturbated now and thought about everything Keys had done to her and with her, it didn’t take Eminence long to climax. To calm herself back down and to erase any scent of her wanton behavior, she took another shower, a much cooler one this time.

A clearing throat and a brush against her shoulder snagged her attention. Eminence turned to see a scrawny man standing behind her. A stiff wind could have blown him over.

Men should be substantial like Stonehenge. A strong, sturdy man like that, a woman could lean on, rely on, feel protected and safe.

As much as she didn’t want to, she loved that Keys swooped in the other night and helped her at the store. He had grown up to be a gentleman. Too bad he couldn’t be that way all the time back in high school. In the meantime, Eminence had slivers of guys like this pressing against her.