Trouble In Paradise (15 page)

She looked up at Joshua, “Yes,” she said.  “I’ll come home with you tonight, but this isn’t over.  I need to know if you’re going to have a child or not.  It’s very important to me.” 

He shook his head.  He felt like he could scream.  He just knew this wasn’t happening. 

“When do you want to leave?” 

“Not now, Shay and I are going to the mall for some retail therapy.”

“Ok,” he kissed her.  She didn’t return the kiss at first and he kissed her again.  She couldn’t resist him, so she kissed him back.  They stood there and kissed for about five long minutes and that’s a long time when you’re just standing there kissing. 

Shay cleared her throat. 

“Do ya’ll want to go back into the room, because you know we got one.” 

“No,” Victoria said out of breath pulling away from him.

He was still pulling at her. 

“Me and you are about to do some retail therapy.”

“Oh yeah,” Shay said, “I am definitely game for that.”  They high fived. 

“Well what makes y’all think we don’t want to do the same?”

“Yeah right since when do the men want to shop with the women?”

Joshua and Dantae looked at each other. 

“Since never.” Dantae said.

“My point exactly,” Shay said. 

“Well we will meet back up with you guys later,” Victoria said. 

Joshua was holding on to Victoria for dear life.  She was pulling away from him but he wouldn’t let her go.

“Baby,” he said, “I really love you and want to spend my life with you, please let me.” 

She kissed him. 

“We’ll see.” She said and walked off. 

Shay walked up next to Victoria.

“What?” Victoria asked at the look on Shay’s face.
 

“You’re really serious about this baby aren’t you?”

Victoria stopped and looked at Shay. 

“Wouldn’t you be?  Don’t sit there and lie.  If your fiancé got another woman pregnant you would just stay with him like everything is ok?” 

“Ok, Ok calm down you made your point,” Shay said.

“Ok, cause I’m starting to get tired of saying it.  Stop acting like you don’t know where I’m coming from.  I plan to give him another chance I just don’t want him to know it yet.  I want him to sweat.  And while he’s doing that, Imma get my grove back.”

This time Shay stopped in her tracks. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” 

“What?”  Victoria said.  “You said yourself that I should punish him.”

“Not by cheating on the man Victoria, are you crazy?” 

“No, I’m not crazy.  I’m serious.  I been with this man for six years Shay and he has been screwing that
heifer this whole time.  Bump that, this has to happen I already got a prospect too.  Shay looked at her friend with a “no no” look on her face.  Victoria smiled, “That’s right, what goes around, comes around.”

When the valet p
ulled up with Victoria’s car they jumped in.  They didn’t realize they had someone watching them, with hatred in her eyes.

Chapter 19

“I knew it!” Danielle said.  “I’m not crazy.  What is she doing here?” 

Danielle stood in the lobby and looked around.  She didn’t see any familiar faces.  She walked to the lounge area.  She scanned the room and froze.  Over by the bar was Joshua Eubanks.  A slow smiled spread across her face. 

“Oh today must be my lucky day.” 

She hadn’t been spotted yet.  Who was that he was talking to?  She got closer,
and then stopped again. 

“H
mm, Dantae, this should be interesting.” 

She checked herself in a mirror and walked over to them. 

“Well, well, looks like the gangs all here,” she said with a sexy sinister smile. 

Joshua choked on his
Hennessey; it burned the back of his throat. 

“Wher
e did you come from girl?” he asked looking around frantically for Victoria. 

Dantae was staring at her in disbelief. 
This chick just came out of nowhere
, he thought. 

“This is where
I’m staying.  I’ve been staying here since I got here Friday.” 

“When do you plan to go back?” he asked. 

Her nose flared. 

“If I didn’t know any better I would think you were trying to get rid of me.” 

“Oh really, and where would you get that idea?” he said sarcastically. 

“You really don’t care
about me anymore Joshua?  So you don’t care if I lived or died?”

“Oh come on Danielle, don’t get desperate on me.  You act like I’m the last man on this earth.   I mean I’m flattered but enough is enough.”   

“No matter how many times you ask me, my answer won’t change.  I am with Victoria now.  Please move on with your life.  I won’t be able to help you if you end up doing some real jail time because you’re acting stupid.  And why are you pretending like your pregnant?  You told me you couldn’t have kids, but now you’re pregnant huh?  You’re lying through your teeth so stop the theatrics.”

She knocked his drink out of his hand.  It hit the floor with a hard thud.  The carpet was plush and the glass was thick so it didn’t break. 

“What the . . .”  

“You think
because your acting like a sucker that will make me just go away?  Ok you want me gone, I’ll leave, but once I do you’ll never hear from me again ever!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. 

They had the attention of everyone in the room now. 

“You just have to make a scene don’t you Danielle?” 

“You haven’t seen a scene yet.  Before I leave this city you will see me make a scene.” 

She turned around and walked off. 

“It’s on now
,” she said. 

She was fuming.  She couldn’t believe he straight up rejected her in her face without Victoria around.  She thought for sure he was putting on a show.  Ok he wants me
gone.  I will make his life miserable before I leave.  She gritted her teeth, a habit she had picked up from being around Joshua a lot. 
What am I going to do without him
? She thought.  She knew she was going to be miserable, but she wouldn’t be the only one. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Joshua said. 

“I’ve had more than enough for today and I just got here a little while ago. 

“You have a bonafide stalker
,” Dantae said. 

  They walked out the doors.  It was a sunny day, hot and humid. 

“This weather is steamy,” Dantae said. 

“Tell me about it,” Joshua replied. 

The valet pulled up and they got in. 

“Where we going?”  Joshua asked. 

“To shoot some hoops, you need to let off some steam and get rid of those built-up toxins you got inside.” 

“Well if that’s the case, we can just go to the gym.  If I get on the court with anybody I’m bound to hurt them, the way I’m feeling at the moment.” 

“Man you can’t actually be that mad about the situation.” 

Joshua looked sideways
Dantae. 

“Why not?” he asked.  

“I mean really your high school sweetheart is still in love with you and your fiancé is in love with you.  I don’t really consider that a problem for you.  It’s more of a problem for them.” 

“How does that make it any better when my relationship is on the line?  Oh yeah and my high school sweetheart may be pregnant with my child.” 

Dantae got quiet then said, “Yeah your right, that’s not the best situation to be in.”

“Man you trippin’,” Joshua said. 

“Give me the address to the gym and I can put it in my GPS.” 

Joshua gave Dantae the
address.

Trip time,” the GPS said. “
Twenty-five minutes.” 

Dantae drove to the gym.  It was seven in the evening so they decided to get in about an hour unless the girls called them before then.  They parked and went in.  They were a
pproached by a Caucasian woman with a tight ponytail and a fit body.  Everything was tight and cut on her you could tell she lived in the gym.  Joshua held his hand out and shook hers. 

“Hi, I’m Joshua and this is Dantae.  We just need a quick workout without the membership.  We’re both from out of town so we won’t be around long enough to become me
mbers.” 

“Ok,” the lady said, “we do have a free one week trial g
oing on right now, so you would need to sign up for that if you don’t want to try the membership.  We’ll get you a visitor’s pass and you can feel free to work out.” 

Joshua grabbed the pen and signed in.  He handed it to Dantae to sign in after him.  Once they were both signed in they stepped into the center.  There were elliptical machines everywhere.  Joshua headed straight for the weights. 

“Hey man, you’re not going to change?”  Dantae asked. 

“Into
what this was a last minute decision?” Joshua asked back.  “We didn’t bring anything with us.”

“They have a sports store, come on lets grab something.” 

Joshua turned around to go toward the store when a shapely dark-skinned woman walked by with a tight full body work outfit on. 

“O sookie sookie now
,” Dantae said.  “She all that and a bag of chips.”

Joshua laughed.  “Oh man you so crazy.”

“That I might be, and you might be whipped, but you see all that in those tights and I know you do.”

Joshua shook his head. 

“Yes.  I see all of that.” 

The lady looked back over her shoulder and smirked at Joshua. 

“Ohh and she just gave you the go ahead,” Dantae said.  “What you gone do with that?” 

Joshua hesit
ated.  The girl was fine.   

“I know what you gone do,” Dantae laughed.  “You gone stand there with your tongue hanging out and yo
ur tail wagging cause you whipped.”

He burst out laughing. 

Joshua swung at him slapping him across the head. 

“Shut up.  I don’t see you doing anything about it.” 

“I wish I could, but she want you playa.  Oh yeah your card has expired I forgot.” 

He laughed again. 

“Whatever,” Joshua said.  “The last thing I need to be doing is looking, but she is fine though.” 

“Come on man let’s get in this store.” 

Dantae walked through the double doors of the sports store.

Joshua watched the woman go over to the treadmill and wipe down the machine.  She bent over to put her bottled water down and Joshua couldn’t help but stare at her round firm backside. 

“Come on man,” Dantae said. 

Joshua turned around and proceeded to go into the store.  He found a pair of workout pants and a Gatorade sports shirt to work out in.  The cashier rung it up and it came to seventy two twenty five. 

“That’s pretty steep for some workout pants and a shirt.” 

“You know ain’t nothing in this type of store cheap,” Dantae said.

“Well why don’t you pay for it then?” 

The cashier was looking at Joshua like he was crazy.  Joshua swiped his card. 

“What you low on the finances too bra?” Dantae said. 

“What do you mean ‘too’?” Joshua said. 

“You are having woman issues and now you having money issues too?  I mean you act like you can’t afford it.” 

“Nall it ain’
t nothing like that.” 

He took the bag
signed the receipt and headed for the changing room.  When Joshua walked out, the lady with the bodysuit was with the workout class in the front doing a dance.  She was bending and stretching and bending.  Joshua couldn’t help watching her every move. 

Dantae walked up, “You gone workout or watch her?”

“Both,” Joshua said. 

****

Victoria’s phone chirped.  She looked at it, it was a text message.  It read: I’m outside, I’m on my way in. meet me in Victoria’s Secret.  Victoria smirked.  Victoria’s Secret, she thought how cute, she giggled. 

“What are you giggling about?” Shay asked. 

“My friend is on his way in the mall and he told me to meet him in Victoria’s Secret.” 

“Oh please,” she said. 

“You know what Shay you’re starting to sound like a hater.  Don’t act like you don’t know every dude probably flirts with just about every female he comes across.” 

“Ok, you’re doing a little bit more than flirting, you’re fighting fire with fire baby and that won’t put out the flames.” 

“I’ll be back,” Victoria said waving her hand. 

“I’ll meet you in the food
court,” Shay said. 

Victoria went to Victoria’s Secret and looked
around; she didn’t see any men in the store.  She started to look at some lacey underwear.

“H
mm,” she said, “those are cute.”

“Do you want a pair?”  Victoria turned around.  “Hi sexy,” Greg said. 

“Hey, you like sneaking up on me don’t you?”

He laughed, “As a matter of fact I do.” 

He pulled out a single rose and handed it to her. 

She blushed, “Awe
thanks but you didn’t have to.” 

“I know that, but I wanted to.  How have you been?  Been feeling better then you were the other day?” 

“What makes you think I was feeling a certain way the other day, we didn’t talk about any problems, at least I don’t remember talking about any.” she said.

His flirtatious smile was back
. 

“We didn’t but if a beautiful woman is drin
king liquor on her lunch break then she must have a problem or two.” 

She sighed, “Yea, my boyfriend is cheating on me, or cheated on me, or has been cheating on me for the last I don’t know how long and I just found out recently that he may have a love child because of it.” 

Greg’s eyes widen. 

“Wow, I’m sorry to hear that.” 

“It’s ok, I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said focusing back on the lacey thong. 

“Well, he should know better than that.  What’s your size?”

She picked up her size and grabbed a bottle of Dream Angels and sprayed it on.  It did have a good scent. 

“You want that too,” he said. 

She looked at him suspiciously,

“Do you plan to buy th
ese items for me because I can buy them for myself, I really don’t need you to buy anything for me.” 

He shushed her. 

“I wouldn’t have told you to meet me in Victoria’s Secret if I hadn’t planned to get you an item or two.” 

“What’s the catch, I have to wear these items for you?” she said with a knowing smile. 

He smiled back. 

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want, but if you feel the urge to model your items for me I won’t stop you. 

“I bet you won’t,” she said. 

By the time they left the store, Victoria had picked up two teddies, three sets of perfume, lip glosses, eye shadows, three bra and panty sets and three different lotions.  Her total came to over three hundred bucks and Greg paid for the full amount.  She looked at
him; he pulled out his black American Express card. 

The cashier handed Victoria a gift card. 

“You get a free twenty-five dollar gift card with the purchase of two hundred dollars or more,” she said. 

“Thanks,” Victoria said. 

“You want to use it now?” Greg asked. 

“Oh no, I’ll use it on my next visit.”