“Drugs,” she said. “That is what's going on with his life. He's been high on something these last two days and keeps calling me just trippin'. He's going downhill, Erica. Something has gotten worse. I'm sick of it. Just make him stop.”
She hung up without saying good-bye, but Erica didn't blame her. Nate was driving her crazy stalking her. This was a mess. She thought of calling her girls. She called Billie, but got her voice mail. She didn't bother calling Sherise because she knew she was already at the hotel for tonight's fund-raiser. Besides, Sherise couldn't help her with this. Only one person could.
“Baby, I know I'm late,” Terrell said as soon as he answered, “but I am on Pennsylvania. I'm gonna be there in a quick second. I promise.”
“Hurry,” she said. “I need your help with Nate.”
“So he finally decided to come home?”
“That's not all.” She quickly told him of the events that just transpired. “He's on something, Terrell.”
“Shit!” There was a short pause. “Look, baby, I'll handle it.”
“And when I told him about you moving in, he acted like . . . Have you two had a fight or something? He acted as if that was a bad idea.”
“What the fuck did he say?”
“That it was fucked up.”
“Is that all?”
“I just told you everything he said. Terrell, just get over here as soon as you can. I'm worried about him.”
Â
Sherise felt the tension in the air the second Justin entered the master bathroom. She avoided eye contact with him as she stood at the vanity trying to put her necklace on. She could see his figure standing behind her, looking at her. She looked sexy in her fire red La Perla strapless bra and panties. Was he admiring her? Was he realizing what a mistake he was making by risking losing her? Sherise knew she had a killer body. It was one that Justin used to be unable to resist.
“Do you need help?” he asked, suddenly coming up behind her.
She paused for a second before saying, “Yes, please.”
He took the necklace from her, his fingers brushing slightly against hers. She felt a little flutter in the pit of stomach at his touch, but nothing like she usually felt. There was too much between them now. It was like he knew it and she knew it, and one of them had to have the balls to speak up.
For Sherise, his affair was secondary to her now, and honestly, she felt if that was all it was, it was something they could move beyond if it ended immediately. She was no saint in this area, and she knew Cady having her family together meant more than a fleeting temptation. She had bigger fish to fry.
“What are you thinking right now?” Justin asked as he placed his hands gently on her bare shoulders.
“Isn't that usually my line?” She finally made eye contact with him and could see he was reacting to her. He got that look in his eyes when he wanted her. He loved her in red.
“You're usually crazy before an event, but you've been pretty calm and silent all day.”
“My role was pretty small here.” She'd told Justin she was only volunteering to help a friend out, not trying to prove herself for a possible job.
“Your role is never small.” He lowered his head and kissed her neck.
Without thinking, she leaned away from him. Did he really think he could have her and a mistress?
“What's wrong?” he asked. “I just wanted to kiss you.”
“I'm trying to get ready.” She stepped away from him, walking into the bedroom.
“I can't even kiss you anymore?” he asked, exasperated as he entered the bedroom.
“I'm trying to getâ”
“More excuses,” he said. “There'll be another one tomorrow.”
“All of the sudden you want me again?” she asked, turning to him. “These last couple of weeks you haven't laid a hand on me.”
“That's because all you do is nag and accuse me, Sherise. It's not a turn-on.”
“You know what's a turn-on, Justin? Trust.” She walked over to her closet. “Yeah, trust is hot. Don't you think?”
Justin's impatient expression grew darker. “I know what this is about.”
“I'm sure you do,” she said.
“You're trying to make excuses to avoid having another baby with me.”
She turned, her eyes wide. This was unexpected. “I've given up my life to have another baby with you.”
“Really?” he asked. “You seem to have been working a lot lately.”
She laughed. “Is that why you think I'm not pregnant? Because I've taken on a small project for the last couple of weeks? It has to be me, right?”
“I'm trying,” he said as he reached for the tie she'd laid out for him on the bed.
“Are you really?” she asked. “Or maybe you're trying, but just not with me.”
“Fuck this!” He tossed the tie on the bed. “I don't need this.”
“You started it! I guess it's okay to accuse me of being a bad wife, but once it goes the other way, the conversation is over.”
“Conversation?” He laughed. “We haven't had a conversation in months, Sherise.”
“Where are you going?” she asked as he headed for the door.
“There's a game on tonight. I'd rather watch that than deal with your passive-aggressive bullshit all night.”
“Justin!” She rushed to the doorway. “You have to come tonight! I can't show up there alone!”
“The way you ignore me lately, you'd be alone even if I was with you.”
He rushed down the stairway. She knew he wasn't going to come back. In the end, she probably thought it was best, considering she didn't want him knowing about her real reasons for helping out with the event.
“At least make yourself useful and get Cady from the babysitter!” she yelled after him.
Sherise wasn't sure what her problem was. She was angry with him, feeling certain he was cheating on her, but she knew she still loved him and wanted to keep her marriage together. So why wasn't she doing something about it? She was a planner. She didn't jump into the important things like other people. She was waiting for definitive proof, but she wasn't sure she would get any. She had to do something about this now or there was going to be nothing left of her family.
But first things first.
Â
Billie, looking amazing in her cobalt blue Ralph Lauren off-the-shoulder floor-length dress, was not the least bit surprised when she saw Sherise show up at the hotel without Justin. She was surprised she was showing up as late as she was. She looked flawless in a fire red Allen Schwartz strapless cascading gown. Anyone who didn't know she was having trouble in her marriage couldn't tell.
“Where's Justin?” she asked as soon as she reached her.
Sherise was waving at LaKeisha across the room. “He's not coming. Asshole.”
“It just makes this easier.” Billie reached into her small clutch and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “This is all I could get.”
“Thank you!” Sherise grabbed the sheet of paper and unfolded it. It was Justin's Outlook calendar schedule for the next week.
“I don't like doing this,” Billie offered.
She had actually gotten lucky. His assistant had printed out a copy of his schedule and placed it on her desk for reference. It took Billie only ten seconds to grab it, copy it quickly, and replace it.
“I know this will help me get something on him.” Sherise folded the paper back up and placed it in her small purse.
“He's not going to have a ten
A.M.
meeting with mistress on there,” Billie said.
“Of course not, butâ”
“Hey, girls.”
Erica, wearing a brown and white striped satin sundress, joined the two of them and leaned forward for a kiss. Only Billie kissed her. Sherise was busy giving Terrell, who was standing about ten feet away, the stink eye.
“You brought him anyway,” she said. “Even though I told you not to.”
“We've been through this.” Erica rolled her eyes. “What is this about a mistress?”
“What have you heard?” Sherise asked anxiously.
Erica noted her quick reaction. “Billie just said it.”
“She thinks Justin is cheating on her,” Billie offered.
“Keep your voice down!” Sherise sent her a dagger glare.
“This again?” Erica asked. “Where is he?”
“He's not here,” Billie added.
“Why not?”
“Never mind that!” Sherise said. “Why did you bring that thug to a presidential political fund-raiser?”
“At least I can trust that thug,” Erica said in a biting tone. “Can you say as much about your man? Or better yet, can he say that about you?”
“Erica,” Billie warned.
“You're such a bitch.” Erica waved a dismissive hand and headed back for Terrell. “Whatever. I'm done here.”
“What did I say?” Sherise asked.
Billie looked at her like she was crazy, astounded that she really didn't get it. “Let me go talk to her.”
“I don't have time for this,” Sherise said.
Just then she felt someone behind her and noticed a familiar, unique cologne. She slowly turned around.
“Hello, Sherise,” Jonah said in his textbook deep, commanding voice.
Jonah looked amazing as usual in a tailored black suit.
“I didn't know you were going to be here,” she finally said, hoping that her voice would not betray the unease she felt.
More than seven months go by with no word from this man, then suddenly . . . She was suspicious to say the least.
“I've been a supporter of Northman since his days as a state congressman.” He looked her up and down, his expression not so much pleased as remembering. “You look lovely as usual.”
“What do you want?”
“I just wanted to say hello,” he said. “Is that forbidden?”
“Considering our last conversation, I didn't expect another word to be spoken between us.”
He nodded hello to a man who called his name while passing by. “That's all in the past, don't you think?”
“You've said hello,” she said, “so I guess this conversation is over.”
She turned to leave.
“Sherise, wait.”
She didn't turn around because she wanted to. She couldn't resist. There was something about a man like Jonah that made people do whatever he told you to.
“Erica and I are on the verge of turning over a new leaf,” he said. “I think you and I making peace would go a long way in helping her.”
“Helping her?” Sherise laughed. “Yes, I'm sure that's your main concern.”
His expression stilled and grew very serious. “I care about Erica and I know you're important to her.”
“Which is why I'm still here, right?”
“The things I said to you were just angry knee-jerk reactions to being rejected. It's something that doesn't happen to me. I'm not angry at you anymore.”
“Really? And I'm not supposed to believe there's some coincidence in you showing up now to make a point of telling me you harbor no ill will toward me.”
He frowned, seeming unable to comprehend what she was insinuating.
“Just remember,” Sherise warned, leaning in. “No matter how close you can get to that daughter you're too ashamed of to tell anyone about, she will always love me more than she loves you. If you fuck with me, I can turn her against you.”
Sherise knew that Jonah was not used to getting threats, and from the expression on his face, he was about to let her know it. She didn't care. If somehow he was behind this, he had to know who he was dealing with.
He smiled kindly in that way a man does when he thinks the woman he is talking to is crazy and Sherise considered that a good thing.
“We'll see,” he said softly before turning and heading for Erica only steps away.
Â
“I thought you had left me,” Robert said as he reached Billie.
Standing at the rail overlooking the lobby of the hotel, Billie turned and smiled at him. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she was kind of leaving him. She liked Robert enough, but he was such a schmoozer that she needed a break from watching him. He liked power and there was a lot of it in the ballroom. She, on the other hand, was thinking of only one thing. How she almost kissed Ricky and put her case in jeopardy.