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“Then we have a deal?”
Darwin nodded. “Tonight. At my place. Dinner’s at seven.”
Bridget rose to her feet. “I’ll be there,” she said, moving swiftly toward the door. She smiled. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Confusion swept over his expression. “For what?”
“I was afraid that you might still be uncomfortable around me. We had a few awkward moments last night. It had me worried.”
Darwin chuckled, his head bobbing up and down. “I thought it was just me. Glad to know I wasn’t alone.”
“Let’s not let it happen again, either.”
“No problem. And by the way…” Darwin paused for just a brief second. “I really wasn’t interested in kissing your friend. I just didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”
“I know. That heifer can be shameless sometimes,” Bridget said with a sly wink. “See you later.”
As she moved to make her exit, Darwin called out her name.
“Yes?”
“Don’t you want to know where I live?”
Seconds after Bridget was out the door with directions to his home tucked into her purse, Darwin was kicking himself. What in the world was I thinking? he thought, dropping his head into his hands and his rear end into a chair. This can’t possibly go anywhere.
But he hadn’t been able to stop himself. The woman had been irresistible and all he’d been able to think about was spending more time with her. Reaching for the telephone, he pushed the seven digits to his brother’s cell phone and waited anxiously for the man to pick up on the other end.
Bridget sat motionless in her car, her forehead pressed against the steering wheel. She wasn’t quite sure what had just happened between her and Darwin, and although she was excited on one hand, she was scared to death on the other. Leaning back against the leather seat, she took a deep breath, wishing for the influx of oxygen to slow her rapid heartbeat.
There had been more comfort between them than discomfort. It had felt strangely familiar in one second and very odd in the next. She was curious to know more about Darwin, to share more of herself with him, and the prospect of doing so actually had her terrified. Taking another deep breath, Bridget started the ignition and headed in the direction of home.
Mecan was laughing into the receiver. “What’s wrong, playa? I’ve never known you to let a woman run you scared. You losing your touch?”
“Don’t joke. This isn’t funny.”
Mecan continued to chuckle. “You need to relax. Bridget is an incredible woman. You two have had a crush on each other since you first met. Enjoy it. This may be just what you need.”
“Maybe, but I hope it’s not a mistake. I’d hate to ruin a good friendship.”
Mecan shook his head. “You two need to get to know each other before you can truly be friends. You haven’t allowed yourself to do that yet. But just let it happen. I know it’ll work out for you.”
Darwin nodded as if his brother could see him. His gaze floated to the view outside. “How did you know with Jeneva, Mac? How did you know she was the one and only woman you could see yourself being with?”
The older brother took a deep breath, reflecting back on his courtship with his wife. Their relationship had blossomed over their mutual concern for Jeneva’s son. Young Quincy had been born with some mental and physical challenges that had tested the strength and fortitude of his single mother. As director of the residential care facility Jeneva had moved the boy into, Mecan had helped the struggling teenager maneuver his way to adulthood.
Jeneva had been the most exquisite woman Mecan had ever met, and while her beauty began on the outside, it was all-consuming on the inside. She’d had spirit and fire and one of the biggest hearts of any woman he’d ever dated. It had taken an extended road trip to Atlanta, Georgia, and then back to Seattle to solidify the bond between them. From that moment on they’d been inseparable, every facet of their lives revolving around their love for each other and their two children.
Blowing the gust of air out slowly, Mecan answered his brother’s question. “I think Jeneva said it best. We were both just standing on the right side of love and we both knew there was no other place we could ever imagine ourselves being. It’s something you feel inside you, Darwin. It’s something that moves you to get up each and every day, excited about the future. When it happens you won’t be able to explain it to anyone with mere words. They’ll be able to see it in everything you do or don’t do. And you’ll see it on her face and she’ll see it on yours.”
Darwin nodded. “Bridget’s special, Mac. I just don’t want to mess this up.”
Jeneva Tolliver sat with her legs crossed on Bridget’s queen-size bed. Alexa, her five-year-old daughter, sat beside her, and the two of them were watching Bridget flit back and forth from her closet to the bed. Clothes were being pulled off their hangers and tossed madly about as Bridget struggled with what to wear on her date. Her date. The thought sent a sudden wave of panic straight through her and she dropped down against the bedside, her gaze resting on Jeneva.
“Are you all right?” her best friend asked.
She shook her head, tears burning hot against the back of her eyelids. “I shouldn’t be doing this,” she managed to sputter, swiping at her face with the back of her hand.
Jeneva smiled, reaching a warm palm out to caress Bridget’s shoulder. “Yes, you should. I promise you. It’s going to be just fine.”
“Why you cryin’?” Alexa asked, little-girl concern painting her expression. “Why Auntie Bridget cryin’, Mama? She hurt?”
Jeneva smiled, leaning to kiss her child’s forehead. “Auntie Bridget is happy. She and Uncle Darwin are going on a date.”
The child’s gaze moved from her mother to her godmother. “You not supposed to cry when you go on a date. Quincy didn’t cry when he went on his date,” the child said, referring to her twenty-one-year-old brother.
Jeneva rolled her eyes skyward. “Quincy didn’t go on a date.”
“Yes, he did. Daddy said.”
Bridget laughed. “When did Mr. Quincy go on a date?”
Jeneva winced. “It wasn’t a date. They just had a dance at the school and he met one of his friends there.”
“Her name’s Tasha and Quincy says she special like him,” Alexa interjected.
Jeneva pointed an index finger at her friend. “Don’t you say one word,” she hissed softly.
Bridget laughed for a second time. “Well, he is of age, Jeneva. You knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.”
“You sound like my husband.”
“I bet she’s a sweet girl.”
Jeneva shrugged her shoulders. “She is sweet but she has as many developmental issues as Quincy has.”
Alexa interrupted. “Are you gone kiss Uncle Darwin? Daddy says when you go on a date with your boyfriend you get a kiss.”
Jeneva’s look was incredulous. “I know your father did not say anything like that, girlie! When did he say that?”
“Quincy asked him if he could kiss Tasha and Daddy said that if Tasha gave her permission that he could give her a kiss on the cheek at the end of the date. Daddy said!” the child pronounced before turning back to her godmother. “You gone kiss Uncle Darwin on the cheek, Auntie Bridget?”
Jeneva shook her head. “You wait until I get my hands on that man!” she exclaimed.
The two women burst out laughing.
Alexa’s hands flew to her hips. “Well?”
Catching her breath, Bridget reached over to give the child a quick tickle. Alexa giggled, falling over onto her side between the two adults.
“I don’t know, girlie. But if I do I’ll make sure to tell you.”
Alexa stood up on the mattress, reaching to wrap her arms around her mother’s neck. “Uncle Darwin is my man,” she said, her precocious tone rising with enthusiasm.
“You don’t have a man, Alexa Tolliver. You’re too grown with your fresh self. And Uncle Darwin is your uncle. He can’t be your man.”
“Yes, he can.”
“No, he can’t.”
The little girl pouted, moving from her mother’s neck to Bridget’s. She pulled her small fingers through Bridget’s hair. “I’m gone wear a pink dress on my dates, Auntie Bridget. You should wear a pink one, too.”
Bridget giggled. “Girlie, you’ve got good taste. Come on,” she said, rising from the bedside and extending her hand in the child’s direction. “Come help me pick out the perfect shoes.”
Minutes later with shoes and dress in hand and little Alexa distracted in front of the television set, Bridget sat back against the bed. She leaned her head against Jeneva’s shoulder as her friend draped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“I’m too old for this, Jay.”
The other woman laughed. “No, you’re not. Thirty-eight is hardly old. Things happen for a reason and obviously this is your time. Stop worrying about it and go have some fun.”
“But…”
“But nothing,” Jeneva interrupted. “Darwin is a great guy! You like him and he likes you. You won’t know how far the relationship will go until both of you actually go through the motions of moving it someplace. So, go get pretty and just think about having a good time.”
Bridget nodded. “Were you this nervous with Mecan?”
“You remember how anxious I was,” Jeneva said with a light chuckle. “If you and Roshawn hadn’t been there to help me get ready I’d probably still be trying to figure out what to wear.”
“You did look good.”
“It was the scarf.”
The two women laughed.
“Okay,” Bridget said, moving to peer into the other room to check that Alexa was still planted in front of the cartoon station. She sat back down, drawing her legs up beneath her buttocks.
“What about sex?” she whispered. “I mean…you know…” She paused, taking a deep breath.
Jeneva smiled, shifting herself back against a pillow. “When you know it’s right there won’t be anything to worry about. You’ll know exactly what to do, and how to do it, and it will be the most amazing experience. Just trust your instincts.”
“But it’s been so long.”
“It hasn’t been fourteen years. I had a fourteen-year dry spell to make up for, remember?”
“Maybe, but the last time I was with a man was what? A year ago? And you remember how badly that turned out. That brother fumbled like it was his first time. I barely got a wham and a bam before it was all over. Instead of thanking me he should have been apologizing and begging for my forgiveness. That’s the last time I bother with anyone from the D.A.’s office.”
Both women suddenly burst out laughing at the memory. Jeneva clutched her chest, tears swelling in her eyes. “Okay…okay…” she sputtered as she sucked in air. “Okay, you have a point there.”
Bridget wiped her own eyes, tears of laughter misting her cheeks. “Exactly. What if it’s that bad?”
“It won’t be. It’s Darwin and he’s related to Mecan, and my Mac…well, you get the idea,” she said with a wide grin.
Bridget rolled her eyes.
“It’s not Darwin I’m worried about. What if I do something to turn him off? I might take my clothes off and he sees that I have cellulite on my thighs, or my breasts are too small, or…”
“Give it a rest!” Jeneva exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. “Darwin likes you. If and when you two ever get naked with each other he will love everything about you. Trust that. Now go get dressed or you’re going to be late. And hurry up so I can see you before I have to take the girl home so her daddy can spoil her some before her bedtime.”
Bridget heaved another deep sigh and reached for her dress. “If you say so.”
As she headed toward the adjoining bathroom she turned back toward her friend and smiled. “Thanks, Jay. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Chapter 6
Bridget maneuvered her car through downtown Seattle toward the district of Madronas where Darwin lived. His directions were precise, right down to the mileage. She took the left and right turns onto Aurora and Denny Way, crossing over to Boren and Pike Streets until she pulled in front of his condominium unit.
The buildings were new Craftsman-styled townhomes with lots of curb appeal. The neighborhood was immaculate and decidedly upscale. There was an abundance of neighbor-friendly activity in the area and Bridget noted the couples and families out for an evening’s stroll or headed toward the quaint shopping district.
Easing out of her car, she hesitated for just a quick minute, pausing to adjust the back of her mint-green, A-line shift neatly against the length of her body. Her nerves had kicked into high gear somewhere around the intersection of 15th Avenue and Union Street. She felt nauseous, her stomach twisting in one hundred different directions. Good sense told her she was being foolish, but in that moment, anxiety was prevailing.
She hesitated one last time just before pushing the doorbell with a freshly manicured index finger. Darwin and the cutest Maltese puppy greeted her. Both seemed overly excited to see her and the minute Darwin smiled, her name floating over his lips, she felt at ease.
“Bridget, welcome,” the man gushed, the small dog squirming anxiously in his arms. “Come on in.” Darwin leaned to press a quick kiss on her cheek and Bridget suddenly thought about Alexa.
“Thank you. Who is this?” she asked, reaching to take the animal out of his grip. Pulling the bundle of fur to her chest, she hugged it easily, the dog’s exuberance igniting her own.
“That’s my guard dog. Her name’s Biscuit.”
“Hi, Biscuit. Aren’t you too cute!”
Biscuit yipped, delighted by the attention.
“I didn’t know if you liked pets or not. I was just about to lock her in my bedroom.”
“Don’t you dare! I love dogs. If I had the time to care for them I’d have two or three myself. I’m not partial to cats though,” she said, making a face.
Darwin found the gesture amusing and he chuckled, leading her into a tastefully decorated family room that was situated adjacent to an open kitchen area. Taking a quick glance around the space, Bridget was impressed with the custom cherry cabinets, stainless steel appliances and solid granite counters. Shiny, copper-bottomed pots hung from an intricate rack on the ceiling. They gleamed beneath the warm lighting, looking as if they’d never been used. The rich color of the Brazilian cherry floors also made a nice impression, and Darwin’s tastes were very simple, an eclectic mix of artifacts from his travels around the world.
Her eye was drawn to the painting over his fireplace and as she stood staring at it, the puppy cuddling comfortably against her chest, she could only shake her head.
“Why didn’t you tell me you collected Holston? That’s a wonderful piece!” she exclaimed, turning to stare at the man.
Darwin shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you. In fact, I actually tried to buy the one you have in your living room. You beat me to it. I ended up getting the one that’s in my bedroom instead. I’ll give you a tour later on so you can see it.”
She nodded as he gestured toward a plush recliner in the corner of the room. Just as Bridget moved to take a seat he stopped her. “That’s Biscuit’s favorite spot. Just drop her there.”
Bridget laughed. “Okay,” she said as she placed the dog on top of a pillow and watched as she settled herself comfortably down.
Darwin gave her a quick wink. “You can’t get comfortable yet. We have a meal to make. So, as soon as you wash your hands we can get started. I’m hungry.”
