When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) (3 page)

The prettiest smile broke across Starr’s beautiful, cocoa brown face, showing off a set of deep dimples.

“Hey, Kevin.”

“Hey, yourself. What’s going on?”

“Nothing much. Just doing some last minute shopping before we head off to Vegas.”

Henry Stiles was marrying Joan Williams, Nick’s housekeeper. After that Christmas everyone spent together in Upstate New York, they all suspected it would be a matter of time before Henry wooed Joan.

Although she was still employed by the younger Stiles, Joan was viewed as family and not hired help. Even Nita Jackson, Summer’s mother, relied on her as family. She had become a second mother to Summer with Nita’s blessing. “Joan, please watch over my baby as if she was your own.”

Nita had requested this of Joan as she and her husband were planning to return to North Carolina after spending six weeks with Summer. Nita was worried sick. Things were still rocky between her daughter and Nick after the birth of NJ. It killed Nita that she was so many miles away from her child and grandson. Her husband, James, had to remind her, “Nita, Summer’s a big girl, and she’s a mother now. You have to let her go. It’s time she made her own way in life.” Everything her husband said was true, but still she worried about her only child, so having Joan as her eyes and ears had been a blessing. It certainly helped her to sleep at night.

The minute Nita met Joan they became fast friends. Mostly because Summer had told her mom how kind the older woman had been to her, taking care of her while she was on bed rest during her last month of pregnancy. How could she not befriend a woman who had taken such good care of her daughter?

Starr and Ava had also taken to the matriarchal figure as well. On several occasions, the elderly woman shared her pearls of wisdom. “I’m just telling you babies this because I don’t want you to go through the things I had to coming up. You girls have so many more opportunities than I did when I was your age. Take advantage of
every one
of them. And whatever you do, don’t let a good for nothing man stand in your way.”

Summer, Ava and Starr cried like babies when Joan bared her soul to them about her past. Each of the young women was heartbroken for Joan as she told her story of the botched abortion that changed her life forever. How she had never gotten over the fact that she would never have her own biological children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren. How her past experience with one man left her so shaken, she could never give her heart to another. Because of this, Starr and her friends were ecstatic Joan had finally found
true
love after so many years of being lonely.

Having met Henry Stiles, it was certain this time around, he would cherish his second wife. Married to Nick’s mother he had been a younger man and not cognizant of what it meant to be a
good
husband and father. Years faded away with him taking his first wife and son for granted, all for the sake of his ambitious career goals. His desire to achieve the status of a federal judge had been his main focus in life, which over time, he had accomplished. The shame of it all, when he felt as though he was ready to pay attention to his wife, it was too late. Misery ate at him after losing the wife of his youth to pancreatic cancer. This misery was further compounded by having to contend with a son who despised and wanted nothing to do with him.

This was going to be one joyous, monumental occasion. The elderly couple would be getting a second chance at love. A chance that neither of them expected, nor believed would come around again.

Henry and Joan would be joined in holy matrimony in Las Vegas on Friday, June fifteenth at the Bellagio, seven o’clock in the evening. The invited guests were close friends and family, which included Nick, Summer, NJ, Autumn, Ava, Starr, Kevin, Nita, and James. After Joan’s shameful past so many years ago, she became estranged from her family; not her choice. It was her family who felt she had embarrassed and disgraced them. The only time she had returned home to the small southern town was to attend her mother’s funeral, and then a few years later, her father’s. That was well over twenty years ago. So as far as Joan was concerned,
her
family would be in attendance to share in her special day.

That’s right; Starr would be there since she and Summer are practically sisters. Too bad. We could’ve gotten into some things.
Kevin was immediately drawn to Starr the first time he saw her at the christening. At five feet-six inches, Starr was a curvaceous size twelve, bombshell. Usually he was attracted to women with longer hair. However, he’d become a fan of short hair the first time he peeped Starr’s cropped haircut. Whenever he saw her at different functions, she always sported a fierce precision cut. Today was no different. Her hair was styled similar to Halle’s in that James Bond flick, showcased by perfectly arched brows, sparkling dark brown eyes, full sensual pouty lips, and a gorgeous set of dimples. If Nick hadn’t firmly warned him that Sunday afternoon, “Starr and Ava are off limits. Period,” he would have pursued her years ago.

Kevin folded his arms across his broad chest as he grinned at Starr. “Now, why does a woman always find a reason to buy shoes?” He teased, mischief gleaming in his eyes.

“What? Man, don’t you know a woman needs a new pair of shoes for every occasion?” Starr threw over her shoulder, a saucy smirk playing at her lips, before turning her attention back to the shoes she held. “You should know,” she softly mumbled, for his ears only.

Starr suppressed a giggle. She couldn’t believe she had just put Kevin on full blast. Thanks to Summer, she was very much aware of all the women he ran through. Shoot, the man had sampled more booty than Starr had shoes. And that was saying a lot. Starr had nothing but some shoes all up in her closet and under the bed.

“Ouch! I see I’ve been the topic of somebody’s conversations.” Kevin was certain Summer had told her about the numerous women who accompanied him on several double dates and dinner parties over the years.
Whatever.
It wasn’t his fault he loved beautiful women and lots of them.

“No, my brotha, nothing like that,” Starr denied, lying through her teeth as she moseyed over to a pair of Coach stilettos.

On her heels, he challenged, “You mean Summer hasn’t told you how much of a dog I am?”

Starr wasn’t quite sure how to read Kevin. He seemed somewhere between joking and serious, she couldn’t decipher which it was. Just as she was about to respond to him a sales lady interrupted. “Would you like to see that shoe in your size Miss?”

“Um, yes. A seven and a half please.”
They’re sure gonna look sooo cute with my dress.
Just because she was down in the dumps, didn’t mean she was going off to Vegas looking like it. After this, she was heading over to Ladies Apparel to pick out a couple new outfits for the trip.

Turning her attention back to Kevin as the sales lady walked off, “Now, you know my girl better than that. She would never refer to you as a dog. She loves you like the brother she never had.”

Tilting his head, scratching his chin he agreed
that’s true
. Summer and Kevin were tighter than some blood brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, women always stuck together. He didn’t want to call her a liar to her face, however, he knew better than to believe he hadn’t, at some point, been the topic of conversation. This is one time he felt uneasy about his reputation with women.

“Well, she may not have called me a dog, but she had to say something for you to make that little smart comment.”

Starr look surprised, almost offended. “What little smart comment?”

Kevin stared at her holding her gaze before letting out a short chuckle.
This woman is a trip.

“No, seriously, Summer has never called you a dog. She just said...umm…how should I say this?” Starr put a manicured finger to her lips as if in deep thought as she searched for tactful words. It would have been extremely rude of her to tell him her friend had referred to him a womanizer.

When she didn’t answer after several seconds, becoming inpatient he said, “Well?”

A bashful grin curved Starr’s full lips. “She said you have a lot of lady friends.”

“A lot of lady friends, huh?”

“Yup, that what her said.” Starr teased, bobbing her head up and down like her seven-year old niece.

Again, the sales lady intruded on their conversation. “Here you are Miss, a size seven and a half.”

“Thank you. Would you please ring them up for me? I don’t need to try them on.” Starr didn’t feel like being hassled with trying the shoes on. If they didn’t fit, she’d just bring them back tomorrow. She was having too much fun watching Mr. Sexy squirm.

Kevin followed Starr, hypnotized by the sway of her hips as she went to the register to complete her transaction.

Before she could reach for the bag from the sales associate, Kevin had smoothly taken it, as they headed to another department. Walking side by side, she didn’t know what had come over her. Here she was supposedly spending some
alone time
with herself, but somehow ended up
shopping
with a playa.
How did that happen?
Shrugging her shoulders, she didn’t give it another thought. She went with the flow as she kept up with his long strides.

After a couple moments of silence, it didn’t take long for Kevin to pick up where they’d left off. “So Starr, you’re a lady and my friend. Does that make me a bad guy?”

“First of all, Kevin, I never said you were a bad guy. And second, we’re not friends.”

Feigning hurt, he clutched his chest near his heart. “Ooh, double ouch! Girl, you’re killing me!”

Starr giggled, rolling her eyes. “You know what I mean. The only thing we have in common is that our best friends are married and we’re godparents to their children.

“So that doesn’t make us friends?”

“Uh-uh, not really.” She confirmed wrinkling up her nose, shaking her head.

“Why?” Kevin questioned, raising a thick, dark brow.

“‘Because it doesn’t. We’re more like associates, not friends,” she clarified.

Kevin frowned. “Associates?”

“Yes. Don’t sound so offended.”

“I’m not,” he lied, his tone indifferent. He’d never had a woman to call him an associate, at least not to his face. The title made him feel so insignificant.

“Good.” Starr said, offering up a smile to his handsome gaze. Wanting to change the subject she inquired, “So what brings you to Macy’s?”

“My mom.”

“Your mom?” Star parroted bunching up her brows. Could brotha man elaborate just a little bit more?

“Mom’s birthday is tomorrow,” he sheepishly admitted.

“Shame on you, Kevin. waiting until the last minute to get your momma a gift.”

Kevin thought Starr was too cute as she playfully wagged her finger at him as if he were a naughty boy.

Well, he was a naughty boy. She’d probably smack his face, if she could see the vision of herself, in his head sprawled out naked on his head.

“I know, I know. But I’m a busy man,” he chuckled, defending himself as he struggled to erase the image.

“That’s right. I hear you’re starting up your own investment firm.”

“Yes. I’ve been doing a little freelancing here and there.” Hunching broad shoulders he said, “I might as well start my own firm.”

Curious, she looked up at him and tilted her head. “So what made you want to go out on your own?”

For the last two years, Kevin had assisted others with making investments decisions. Initially, it started off small with answering questions for his mother’s friends and their children. Before long, they were referring friends and other family members to him for advice. Within a short span of time, a substantial clientele base had been established.

When the firm he worked for got wind of his side hustle, they weren’t pleased. “You’re taking potential clients from the firm,” one of the partners had casually mentioned over a business lunch. Kevin read very well between the lines. His firm wanted him to either convince his clients to come aboard, or to stop providing services to them all together. He wasn’t having any of it. Hell would freeze over before he’d charged hard working families outrageous fees to help them invest money for retirement or their children’s education. Sure, the larger company accounts he dealt with were able to afford the fees without batting an eye. This was hardly the case with everyday working folks. He firmly believed everyone, no matter how much money they made, had a right to be given guidance on how to plan financially for the future.

Despite his firm’s subtle warnings, he continued to provide his services. It hadn’t surprised him when he was called into a meeting by the partners and given an ultimatum. “Devote a hundred percent of your time to the firm or resign.” Kevin never batted an eye at the blunt threat. Didn’t they know? Kevin Dawson was his own man.