My Married Boyfriend Page 6

  “What were you thinking about just now?” she asked Rashad.

  “What type of question is that? Nothing.”

  “Mmm hmmm. I hope you’re thinking about what you ought to be thinking about, I know that much.”

  Feeling satisfied, Nicole took extra care to arrange all Rashad’s food on his plate. She poured him a generous amount of sweet tea in a glass filled with ice cubes and handed him a fork and a knife.

  Nicole did the same for Myles. Rashad watched her very carefully, noting how she treated his son like a little prince. Maybe she would treat their baby like royalty, too. At times Rashad couldn’t believe that he’d fathered several kids: Myles was his firstborn with Kiara. Then he had a toddler daughter named Hayley by his former mistress, Alexis. Nicole was pregnant with his baby. And it was possible that his estranged wife was going to have his kid, too.

  “Finally,” Nicole happily exclaimed when their breakfast was ready to be eaten. “Let’s dig in.”

  “Nicole, I want to say it seems you’ve adjusted to Houston since you relocated.”

  “Um, sort of, but I meant to tell you that the holidays sometimes make me feel very sad. So if I act kind of moody, you’ll know why.” She paused in dramatic fashion. “A few months ago, I was scared that I’d be all alone during Thanksgiving. But the way things turned out, I worried for nothing. I don’t feel lonely at all. And I have you and Myles to thank for that.”

  Perhaps fate did have a weird hand in bringing them together. Nicole had been by herself in a strange city, but now she was with him. He had been in a marriage that was on life support—now he and Nicole were supporting each other.

  Lately, life was hard for him. But in the meantime, Nicole’s energetic take-charge attitude helped him to cope.

  They spent time talking and enjoying their meal. Suddenly, Rashad’s watch phone lit up. It was Alexis. Lately she’d been paying him dust. A woman who didn’t give a damn about him always challenged Rashad, for he was a competitive man.

  “Sorry, Nicky.” He apologized. “I gotta get this.”

  “Who is it?”

  “It won’t take but a minute. Excuse me, y’all.”

  He rushed out the front door to take the call, and closed it behind him.

  “Hey, you,” he said. “Is everything straight?”

  “Oh, yeah, everything is fine. Why wouldn’t it be?” He told her that he was at home eating breakfast. Then he asked. “How is my baby girl?”

  “Hayley is good,” Alexis told him. “Lately she’s been sneaking into my closet and trying to wear my baddest shoes. Have you ever seen a twenty-four-month-old in high heels? It’s hilarious.”

  “She can never fill your shoes.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  He looked behind him to make sure the front door was still closed.

  “Easy. You’re one of a kind. They don’t make ’em like you anymore.”

  “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You know exactly what it means . . . I can’t forget all the fun shit we used to do.”

  Alexis was repulsed but unsurprised. Most men never forgot the woman that they cared about and with whom they shared great sexual history. And if the woman would let them, they’d always try to get some again.

  “Oh, Lord, I know for a fact you are talking to me behind a closed door or something because you would never ever say that in front of that crazy-ass female Shrek you’re living with.”

  “That’s cold, Alexis.”

  “So you are living with Shrek?”

  “Um, yeah.”

  “Thanks for admitting the truth for a change.”

  “Anyway, I’m outside right now.”

  “I figured that.”

  “What else do you figure?” he said, trying to be flirty.

  “Dude, please. Anyway, I wanted you to verify your temporary address.”

  “Why?”

  “Because your roommate still hasn’t updated her physical address at the workplace. She’s been living there since, what, last June? It’s now November but she still has this old-ass address taking up space in the HR system. And we need to know the current location . . . in case of any emergency.”

  “Why don’t you just ask Nicky for it? I can hand her the phone right now—”

  “No. Rashad! Don’t do that. She’d just curse me out. I don’t want her to know I’ve even asked you for this info.”

  “It’s a damn shame y’all two can’t get along.”

  Rashad knew full well that his sleeping around with three women who worked at the same office would create some problems, but at the time he thought he was slick enough to get away with it.

  “Don’t blame me for us butting heads,” Alexis replied. “Nicole acts so possessive of you. And it’s sad because it’s not like you’re even married to her. I don’t have time for that drama and I barely want to deal with her at work, let alone away from the job. So, Rashad, be a sweetheart and give me that info.”

  He relented and quickly gave Alexis the address. Alexis would then pass it on to her boss, Kiara.

  Even though Kiara already knew where Nicole and Rashad last lived, Alexis knew Kiara had obtained the address through scandalous means when she hid a cell phone in Rashad’s ride and tracked the location through her iPhone. Now that Kiara was ready to start divorce proceedings, she’d asked Alexis to intervene for her. Kiara knew he’d originally checked in at a motel and she wasn’t sure if Rashad and Nicole were together or if they’ve even moved to a new place; she wouldn’t dare ask her husband for the info, and Alexis was happy to verify the address.

  “Thanks, Rashad. You have no idea how much easier you made things by doing this for me.”

  “Whatever.” He paused. “Hey, I gotta go now. She just opened the door and now she’s looking right at me.”

  He waved at Nicole and smiled. She smiled back and suddenly clutched her stomach as if she were in pain. She glared at Rashad then disappeared inside the house.

  “Yeah, something is up with her. I need to hang up from you.”

  “Poor thing,” Alexis murmured. “I can only imagine how awful it is for you to live the life of a sex symbol. You remind me of Dwight Howard.”

  “He’s worth a hundred million. I wish I had Dwight Howard’s money.”

  “Hmmm, I’ll bet someone else wishes you had his money, too.”

  Rashad chuckled and hung up. Once he got back inside, he found Nicole had returned to the kitchen.

  Myles was carefully placing dishes into the sink, which was being filled with running water and dishwashing liquid.

  Nicole was wiping the counter and stopped to face Rashad.

  “Hey, I saw you holding your belly. Is everything okay?”

  “Not really.”

  “What’s wrong, Nicky?”

  “Who were you on the phone with that you had to leave the house to talk?”

  Rashad was momentarily stunned. “Oh, so you were faking an injury? Pretending to be hurt?”

  “I am hurt! Who were you holding secret conversations with on the phone?”

  “Damn. That was Alexis, all right? You need to know that she will be calling me at times.”

  “Okay, fine. I get it. You two have a child. That’s not my concern. I just don’t understand why you couldn’t talk to her in front of me.”

  “Because . . . I wanted privacy. That’s why.” Rashad was firm with Nicole, not wanting her to assume that she could completely run over him.

  “Privacy, huh? Well, I ain’t tripping. I was just asking.”

  “I understand that. But it was business that I needed to take care of. Stop stressing.”

  Nicole backed down and began hand-washing the dishes. She regretted questioning Rashad. She didn’t want to seem so insecure, especially when it came to his other kids. But this wasn’t about the child. She wondered whether Rashad was completely over Alexis. Did he still have feelings for the woman who bore his daughter? Nicole certainly hoped not. Besides, sh
e didn’t trust Alexis. And as she thought about it, she knew that she had to set the ground rules with her man.

  “Rashad,” she said in a gentle voice, “if we intend to share a solid relationship, I just think we should be able to talk about all kinds of topics. Nothing should be off limits, no secrets. I know you care about me, but I need you to show me that you have nothing to hide. All right, babe?” Her voice was pleasant and nurturing. She prayed that he understood.

  Rashad listened and nodded.

  “I’ll take that as a yes and I appreciate your wanting to try and work with me on this area of our lives.” She shifted gears. “And now that we’ve been well fed, I guess it’s time for Myles and me to finish up all these dishes, right, son?”

  “Right, Ms. Nicole.”

  She snatched a dish rag off the counter and began to vigorously clean the drinking glasses and filthy plates.

  Rashad let her act as domesticated as she wanted to be. He knew Nicole was opinionated and passionate about the things she cared about. It is what he loved about her.

  Rashad retreated to the living room to watch a show on ESPN.

  He kicked back and focused on the broadcast for twenty minutes until the doorbell rang.

  Myles yelled that he’d go get it. When Myles returned to the living room, he was leading Alexis by the hand. Hayley was perched on her mom’s hip. She wore a pink-and-black-striped fleece dress decorated with a big white bow. A cute floral hat topped her braided hair.

  “Dada,” Hayley shrieked.

  Rashad couldn’t believe his eyes.

  He rushed to lift his daughter from Alexis’s hip and gave the girl a kiss.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Rashad set her down and Myles led Hayley to the corner of the room; she eagerly watched him while he showed her his video game.

  “It’s your turn to watch Hayley,” Alexis replied. “Remember, you said that starting this year, you’d want to keep her during part of the Thanksgiving holiday. I guess you were so busy, you must’ve forgotten.” Alexis casually strolled through the living room, checking out the furniture and decorations. She openly leered at an empty wedding photo album displayed on the coffee table. Then she noticed a large canvas painting on the wall; it was a sketch of a lion, a lioness, and a baby cub snuggling together in the grass.

  Someone had taken a black marker and written “Nicole” under the lioness and “Rashad” under the lion. “TBD” was scrawled next to the cub.

  “How utterly tacky,” Alexis said with a laugh. “What’s all that about?”

  “It’s about me and my man’s business,” Nicole answered as she quietly appeared in the room. “And I suggest you mind your own.”

  “Actually, what’s in this room is my business. Rashad is supposed to hang out with Hayley,” Alexis explained.

  “How’d you know where I live?” Nicole demanded.

  “That’s between me and Rashad.”

  Nicole quickly eyed the children and suggested that Myles take Hayley to his room. When the kids were out of hearing range, Nicole addressed Alexis. “When it comes to a chick rolling up into my house uninvited, you are treading on dangerous territory.” She left the room and soon returned, waving a forty-caliber like it was a flag.

  “First thing someone told me to do when I moved to Texas was buy a gun.”

  “Nicky, what the hell are you doing?” Rashad asked. “Why do you have that?”

  “Don’t worry, it’s just for show. But if I have to use it, I will.”

  “You don’t have that gun for show,” Alexis replied. “There are only two reasons people obtain a gun: to kill an animal or to kill a human being.”

  “Guess which one you are.”

  “Nicole, one thing people should have schooled you on about Texas,” Alexis said in anger, “is that you cannot wave or point weapons at anybody. Not jokingly. Not even for show. You’re about to catch a case.”

  “And you’re asking for trouble rolling up at me and my man’s place unannounced, especially when everyone knows you and I have had beefs. I don’t care if you do have a kid together. It’s all about respect.”

  “You want respect?” Alexis set her purse down on the couch.

  Nicole lowered the gun to her side. “I know how to get respect.”

  “Crazy-ass woman. Put that thing away. Don’t play like that.”

  “I’m not playing,” Nicole said. “Trust me.”

  “I’m not bothered,” Alexis replied. “Trust me.”

  “Wait, hold up you two,” Rashad said, stepping in between them. “We need to seriously sit down and talk. We have kids; kids that I love, with more on the way. I-I blame myself for not handling my business like a man. And I apologize, Alexis. I did forget about the visitation.”

  “I guess this is another thing that comes with the territory?” Nicole said to Rashad mournfully. She loved him so much and was afraid of anything that could come between them.

  “You already know I have a daughter and I’m serious about having a relationship with her.”

  “Yeah, you’ve told me,” Nicole admitted woefully.

  Rashad wished there wasn’t so much conflict regarding the women and the kids. And Alexis’s brave front didn’t fool him.

  Just then little Hayley reentered the room. Alexis gasped and immediately ran to her daughter. Her slender hands trembled as she tried to shield Hayley’s eyes from the woman with the weapon. The air in the room felt tense.

  “It’s all right, baby girl,” Rashad said in a gentle voice. “Nothing bad is going to happen.” Even though Hayley’s eyes were covered, Rashad gave her a protective squeeze. And right then knew that he would never want anything to hurt the people he loved. He calmly turned to Nicole.

  “Babe, don’t do this. I know you don’t mean what you said about using that thing, and I won’t let any accidents happen around here. You’re my girl, my kids are here. Hell, as the man of the house, I’m telling you we are not about to handle grown folks’ business like this. Now go get rid of that gun right now or I will do it for you.”

  Nicole felt humiliated. She was shocked that her jealousy would cause her to act so recklessly. She carefully withdrew the gun. “I-I’m sorry. I was just kidding.”

  “Don’t play like that. You ought to know better,” Rashad told her.

  Looking sheepish, Nicole hesitated, then quietly departed.

  Alexis trembled at the thought of what could have happened. Even though she didn’t love him anymore, she felt concerned for Rashad. “Look at what you’ve gotten yourself into. And guess what? I doubt that it’s going to get any better.”

  Alexis glanced around. “I don’t care how many hopeful-looking wishful-thinking paintings that were nailed to these walls. I’m not sure what you see in her, but Nicole is trouble. And that’s all you’re going to have from knocking up a woman like her: a life of trouble.”

  Nicole came back into the room followed by Myles. She felt more self-conscious with the boy in the room. She certainly wouldn’t want to make a horrible impression on him. And she felt a little sorrowful about her actions. She quietly observed Myles and then glanced at Hayley. It had been a while since she’d seen the little girl; her legs were longer, her cheeks fuller. She was growing up. Like it or not, Hayley was Rashad’s child and Nicole needed to face reality.

  “Sorry about that,” Nicole said with all sincerity. “I actually meant no harm.”

  “It’s okay,” said Alexis.

  On the spur of the moment, Nicole playfully forced Myles to stand in front of Hayley.

  “Do you know who this cute little baby is?” she asked him.

  “Nicole—” Rashad interrupted.

  “If we all are going to be around each other in the future, then it has to be done,” she answered. “Myles, this darling little girl is your baby sister. I guess that makes me her future stepmom.”

  “Hey, wait a minute,” Alexis protested.

  “That’s the problem,” Nicole continued. �
�There is too much ‘waiting’ and not enough ‘doing’ when it comes to this situation. Now I may not necessarily like that my man has a bunch of kids. But it is what it is. And at this point no one should give two squats about how this baby got here. The issue is that she exists and if people don’t like it, they can kick rocks.”

  “Nicole,” Alexis said, her voice shaking. “It wasn’t your job to do something like that. I don’t need you to do that.”

  “I know. But if the people who are supposed to do their job don’t, it gets delegated to someone else—someone who’s not afraid to tell the truth.” Nicole ignored the vicious stare Alexis gave her. Then she bent down until she was eye level with Myles.

  “Did you know Hayley was related to you, son?”

  “Um, a little bit. I heard about her but never really got to meet her.”

  “Well, this is your opportunity to get to know her. I think you should know who all your siblings are,” she said and went to sit down. Facing the truth definitely could hurt, but Nicole wanted no pretense in their home life.

  Suddenly she felt exhausted from all the activity. “Dammit, my feet hurt. Anybody wanna be nice enough to give a pregnant woman a foot massage? Rashad? What are you standing there for? Please go and get some lotion and take care of my aching feet. Geez, do I have to take control of everything around here?”

  Rashad could only do what his lady asked of him. And Alexis, too stunned and frustrated to move an inch, felt that her prediction of Nicole Greene being nothing but trouble would not only hurt Rashad, but could hurt her, too.

  Chapter 6

  Something to Talk About

  It was December first, the Monday following Thanksgiving; Kiara and her employees returned to work at Texas South West University. She held the position of senior manager in the communications department and Alexis served as the administrative assistant. Nicole had been hired last summer and now worked as a communications coordinator. The whole gang was employed in the same office and there was always something to gossip about, since this was the location where Rashad expertly handled illicit relationships between his wife plus Alexis and Nicole.

  That morning Shyla Perry, the social media coordinator, was standing in the break room fresh from her delayed honeymoon exploring Central America. Everything went off without a hitch. Now she wanted to be known as Shyla Perry-Fallender. With her short hair, big brown eyes, and wide mouth, she was a standout in their department.