I Saw Your Profile (21 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chauncey
was running out of options.

Nicole, Janelle, and Arianna
were through with him.

And Arianna and Nicole’s
warn-the-sisters campaign had been a success.

For
weeks, he surfed the Internet looking for a date, but his search was futile.

The few
responses he did receive were from women who had seen Arianna’s profile of him
and didn’t want to be bothered.
 

Then one
day, he got an unsolicited email that piqued his curiosity
.

Hello,

I just joined LMB and thought I'd drop you a line. I'm a
36-year-old attorney who lives in L.A. I’m looking for a brother who can handle
a strong, independent woman. Being an entrepreneur with your own personal
training business, I’m sure you could handle one just fine. (Smile) As for me,
I work hard, but I play harder. Problem is I haven’t had a suitable playmate in
a long time. I know I am an ocean away but … Write back if you’re interested. I
have enclosed a picture.

     
Danielle

It must
have been a response to one of the many profiles he’d put online, he thought.
He quickly responded.

Hello Danielle,

I am definitely interested, especially if your internal
beauty is anywhere near your external beauty. I like your sense of humor. I
would love the opportunity to get to know you better. Distance is only an issue
if we make it one. It should not keep us from finding true happiness in each
other if it is meant to be. Where in LA do you live? Please write again soon.

Chauncey

Hi Chauncey,

Thanks for responding so quickly. I know you must get
dozens of emails. I live in Beverly Hills. I own a condo there and my law firm
is there also. I’m in private practice and I’ve represented a few stars so I do
quite well. Folks who live here are very body conscious so I’m sure you could
make a killing as a personal trainer if you ever wanted to relocate. Tell me
more about yourself.

Danielle

 
My
dearest Danielle,

Actually relocating doesn’t sound so bad right now. I
recently lost all of my personal belongings in a fire and several months ago I
ended a long-term relationship. My business does well, but my personal life
could use a massage! I’ve been staying in a hotel while I look for another
place to live. But it’s actually worked out OK because I can see both my
massage and personal training clients right here. I’ve done several
pamper parties in your neck of the woods so I am not a
complete stranger to the California area
.

But
enough talk of work. You wanted to know about me personally, I assume. I am
originally from Barbados. I spent a decade in London before moving to your
country to explore the opportunities here. Business wise I have not been
disappointed. Relationship wise, I have not found quite what I’m looking for as
of yet.

I am
divorced, one son. We are very close. I try to get to London to see him as often
as I can. I consider myself a family man. I am very close to my mom and my
siblings.

I’m
looking for a mate who has a sense of humor, who is secure and understands that
spending time with women is how I make my living but I do not play where I get
paid. I know how to cherish
and respect what is waiting at home for me.

Danielle
told Chauncey she wasn’t comfortable giving out her phone number, so they
communicated electronically via email and instant message.

MrFit&Firm:
Good evening love. I so enjoy when we get the opportunity
to chat no matter how brief. It always warms me. Tell me how do I find my way
into your heart? Where is the key?

Danielle:
You're charming your way in. I’m sure you will find it
soon enough.

MrFit&Firm:
You should know I'm playing for keeps. I don't want
anything less than forever. I'm looking for someone to grow old with –
well, count birthdays with any way.

Danielle:
I think it’s a little too soon for either of us to be
thinking that way, but I'll keep it in mind.

MrFit&Firm:
I wish we could talk to each other.

Danielle:
I know. But I told you, my ex boyfriend is a nut case. I
can’t really afford to trust anyone right now. I am really scared of him. When
I broke our engagement, he really freaked. I feel like I’m in the witness
protection program, but that’s the way it has to be for now. I do want so badly
to hear how you sound, too. I’ve been wondering if you have an accent. Some
women fall for guys in uniform. I’m a sucker for an accent.

MrFit&Firm:
Then you are in for a treat. Which do you prefer, British
or Bajan, the dialect we speak in Barbados?

Danielle:
British for sure. I can’t wait to hear you say my name.

MrFit&Firm:
I can’t wait to see your beauty in person. When do you
think you’ll have enough trust so that can happen?

Danielle:
Soon. In fact, sooner than you think. But duty calls and I
have to go. Hope to catch you online soon.

MrFit&Firm:
Why hope? Let’s make a date. How about tomorrow 11 p.m. my
time?

Danielle:
Sounds like a plan. Talk, er, compute with you then. Ciao.

 
Chauncey was taken with Danielle. Perhaps
because she was so elusive and mysterious. He enjoyed the pursuit and he was
willing to be patient. After all, she played in the big leagues. If he played
his cards right, his next address could have a Beverly Hills zip code.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Arianna
was mentally exhausted.

She’d just had her one millionth counseling session
with Janelle. It had been weeks since the abortion and Janelle was still
leaning on her and Nicole for moral support. She called each of them every day.
Chauncey was the only thing they ever talked about. By now, Arianna knew how
much money Janelle had spent on him down to the penny.

Janelle
told her she’d tested negative for HIV, but she was still reeling from the
abortion and feeling like an ass for allowing Chauncey to take advantage of
her.

 
“I’m glad you dodged that bullet,
Janelle,” Arianna had said. “But now it’s time to move on with your life. Maybe
you should lie down on somebody’s couch and figure out why you did all those
things for him. You obviously have some self esteem issues because you think
the way to keep a man is to pay him for his company, and that ain’t it, girl.”

Janelle
had gotten mad and made an excuse to get off the phone. Arianna was only too
happy to hang up with her.

She
poured a glass of wine and checked her email.

How’s
Operation Get Chauncey going? Did you get the pictures I sent?

Write
back soon, Brenda

Arianna
hit reply.

Got
the pics of Danielle. Emailed them to him. He sent me the same tired ass pic he
sends everybody. Called me, I mean Danielle, (smile), “ravishing.” He loves
that word! All is well. Got him right where we want him. You sure the real
Danielle is down with this? I would hate to get all the way there and have
things fall apart because she changed her mind. I’ve been saving our exchanges
so I can keep up with my story. I’ll share them with you. I don’t know how he
manipulated all these women. I’m having a hard time just manipulating him!

Take
Care, Arianna

After
hitting the send button, Arianna decided it was time to let Nicole and Janelle
in on what she and Brenda were planning.

Their
responses were as she predicted.

Arianna,

As
I said before, vengeance is mine says the Lord. Do you even know this Brenda?

Nicole

I
know he’s a dog, but I don’t want to see him get hurt. I don’t think you should
do this.

Janelle

She
sent the same response to both of them.

Ladies,

No
one is going to get hurt. But, I promise you he will think twice about doing
what he did to us to someone else. Mr. Cocksucker is going to learn that he’s
not the only one who can play games on the ‘net.

Arianna

Just as
Arianna was about to log off her email account, she got a message that had been
forwarded from LoveMeBlack.com.

Good
morning Lady Danielle,

I
am amazed more and more each day at how even though you have only recently come
into my life, it feels like you were always here. I think of you every evening
before I retire and every morning when I arise. When we don't communicate it’s
as though an integral part of my day is missing. When we do exchange greetings,
my day feels complete. You have become a part of me and I just wanted to share
that with you.

I
can't wait until the day that we build enough trust between us that we get to
the point where we have more than electronic communication. Although I must
admit that every time I receive an email from you, it feels like Christmas.

And
I love getting those presents, so please reply most expeditiously.

Yours
truly,

Chauncey

That muthafucker is some piece of work,
Arianna
thought.

She clicked the forward
button and entered Brenda’s email address.

Check
this prick out. He never quits. I can’t wait until the bastard gets what’s
coming to him and you and I will have front row seats!

Arianna

Several
weeks later, Arianna got her wish.

As
Danielle, she’d convinced
Chauncey
to go
to Los Angeles to do a pamper party. It would take place the weekend of a
sorority soiree, a scholarship fundraiser that attracted hundreds of the area’s
most prominent black citizens.

 
Danielle billed the pamper party as one
of the new features of the event. Chauncey would give massages Friday evening,
Saturday morning and afternoon, and then accompany her to the soiree Saturday
night. It would be a business trip for him, and for her a low-pressure way for
them to meet.

 
    
Chauncey was scheduled to
arrive on a Friday. Arianna took a USAir flight out of Philadelphia to L.A. on
Thursday and spent the night at Brenda’s where they finalized the details of
their plan.

 
Brenda’s complexion was the color of
caramel. She was tall and model thin, with sharp, beautiful features. Her home
in Bel Air was palatial, with a sunken living room, cathedral ceilings and a
built-in Jacuzzi. African paintings and sculptures hung on almost every wall.

Arianna wondered why he
hadn’t tried to marry Brenda to worm his way into her house.

Brenda explained that he
didn’t want to live on the West Coast.

“Or so he said. Now, I
wouldn’t believe anything that man said if his tongue came notarized,” Brenda
laughed.

Arianna had worried whether
they would vibe in person the way they had done over the phone.

Brenda put at her ease
immediately. They talked all night, trading Internet dating horror stories and
getting tipsy on wine as if they’d known each other for years.

Brenda’s smoking was the
only thing about her Arianna didn’t like.

Friday morning, they checked
into a downtown hotel and got adjoining rooms. One for them, one for Chauncey.

After setting up their
equipment, they went to LAX and found a spot in baggage claim where they could
watch Chauncey’s arrival without being noticed.

They
watched as a tall, light-skinned woman with jet-black hair cascading down her
back emerged from the crowd and headed toward Chauncey as he walked to the
luggage carousel.

Even
though she’d seen her in pictures, seeing Danielle in the flesh was eerie for
Arianna. She’d been her online persona for weeks.

Danielle’s
makeup was flawless. Her style sophisticated. She was draped in a Donna Karan
skirt suit with a metallic, cashmere blouse.

Arianna
was amazed by how much Danielle looked like a woman. But the way she switched
her ass when she walked gave her away. It wasn’t a sister sway. It was the
stride of a sister wanna-be.

 
Danielle was Daniel.

 
The thought that Chauncey was sure to try
and charm his way into his drawers made Arianna want to bust out laughing. But
she kept it inside, snickering to herself.

“Chauncey?
Chauncey Cockfield?” Danielle’s voice was deep, but in a sexy, womanly way.

 
She tapped him on the shoulder. Chauncey
spun around. He grinned from ear to ear at the sight before him.

“Lady
Danielle, you are a vision. Your pictures did not do you justice. Would it be
presumptuous of me to ask you for a hug?”

“Of
course not.”

After
Chauncey claimed his bags, they rode to the hotel in Danielle’s black Lexus.

After
they left, Arianna and Brenda returned to the hotel in Brenda’s silver BMW.

Arianna
began to worry something might go wrong.

“How is
she going to have sex with him without Chauncey knowing he’s a man?”

“She’s a
pro. She knows what she’s doing.”

“How did
you find her again?”

“I
helped a producer she’s tight with get a lease on a property for a shoot. He’s
in the porn business. Said Danielle is a really good actor.”

Arianna
laughed. “Those are the kind of people you find houses for?”

“Their
money is green like everyone else’s,” Brenda said. “I don’t discriminate.”

“I just
hopes this works.”

“It
will. Chauncey’s a ho. He won’t turn down free pussy.”

“Or free
ass in Danielle’s case.”