Once You'Ve Touched the Heart (49 page)

Tracy exhaled. “I don’t believe he is here.” She walked over to the bar. She smiled at Doug, then looked at David. “He is good,” she said to the bartender, who was about to pour another drink for David. “How did you get in here?” she politely asked him.

David gawked at Tracy with a cynical smile. “Why, I was invited, darling.”

Tracy shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Magna did not like the vibe she was getting from David. “Maybe you should consider leaving,” she suggested.

“Where’s your friend?” David asked, ignoring Magna.

Carolyn walked over. “It appears you two are about to have a serious confrontation; what’s the problem, Tracy?”

Magna could not believe this woman was still playing games with Tracy. “After all this time, two murder attempts and a wedding, you are still up to no good?”

Carolyn rolled her eyes at Magna. “I ask again, what is the problem?”

“Why is David Holt here?” Tracy asked.

Carolyn looked at David and said, “I invited him; he’s my guest.”

Tracy looked at Carolyn. “I’m sorry, Carolyn, but your guest is not welcome here.”

David aggressively stepped towards Tracy. Douglas immediately came from behind the bar and Brian appeared out of nowhere. “Man, we had this discussion before. Do you really want to try me?”

David looked from Brian to Douglas. Brian stepped to Carolyn and whispered in her ear so no one could hear. “Your boy toy can leave on his own, or I will kick his ass and you will be left with explaining it all to Gavin. What’s it going to be?”

Not pleased with the turn of events, she rolled her eyes. “David, you better go.”

David looked around, then finished his drink. When he turned to leave, he saw James and Ashley approaching. David smiled and winked at her and said, “You look so tempting, Ashley.” James stepped in front of her as David walked by. “It’s not over, Ashley, remember that.” David looked at James with disgust. “We will meet again,” he stated as he left the building.

James turned to Ashley. “You okay?” he asked, understanding the threat from David.

“I’m fine, and so are you,” she said flirting.

“Are you flirting with me, Ms. Harrison?” James asked, smiling.

“I believe I am, Mr. Brooks.” She smiled.

James hugged Ashley and felt her shiver. Her words and her body language told two different stories. David Holt’s words frightened her and James knew it.

“I will never allow that man to hurt you in any way,” James whispered as he kissed Ashley’s temple.

Tracy turned from James and Ashley and glanced at Carolyn. “I don’t know your connection to David and I don’t care. But if you ever invite him to another function I give, you will be leaving out the door with him, I don’t care who you are married to.” Tracy walked away.

Brian stood there and stared at Carolyn. “You’re a piece of work; you had your boy toy here with the man you are supposed to marry.” He chuckled. “You’re a bold bitch, that’s all I can say. I’m glad JD got you the hell out of his life.”

“They won’t live happily ever after; she is not half the woman JD needs.”

“That shit is getting old, Carolyn. The man made his choice; let it go.” Someone handed Brian a note. Brian read the note and turned to Douglas. “Where is JD?”

“He was in the Chambers,” Douglas replied.

Brian looked at Carolyn. “You’re a bad loser, Carolyn, but a loser nonetheless,” he said, then walked away.

Jackie, who had missed the confrontation, ran over to Carolyn excited. “Carolyn!” She exhaled. “Calvin just asked me to marry him!” She beamed and presented a beautiful engagement ring.

Carolyn’s jealousy overruled her tongue. Why was everyone getting the fairytale and not her? “Who gives a shit?” Carolyn said and walked away.

Jackie’s excitement faded as she watched someone she considered a friend storm away. Calvin held Jackie. “She did not mean that, honey.”

Jackie exhaled. “Yes, Calvin, she did.”

♥

Gavin and Roth were standing outside the Chambers discussing the events that just took place when Lena walked towards them. Gavin’s back was to Lena, but Roth could see her approaching. She was too close for him to make a retreat. He had prayed he would be able to get through the night without running into her. No such luck. The proverbial shit was about to hit the fan. Gavin noticed Roth’s attention had wavered; he turned to see Lena at his side. Before she was able to say anything to either Gavin or Roth, Carolyn approached and seemed to be upset.

“Gavin, I need you,” she said then glared towards Lena. “Alone.”

Gavin was a little concerned, as Carolyn seldom lost her composure, but he was happy for the escape. Her timing could not have been more perfect. Simultaneously, Stanley Covington approached Senator Roth. “Senator, may I have a moment of your time?”

Roth looked from Lena to Covington and excused himself.

Lena looked from Gavin to Roth and then back.
You may escape me tonight, but we will have our moment
, she said to herself.

Gavin held Carolyn at arm’s length, as they stepped to the side.
“What is it, Carolyn, what’s wrong?” Tears came down Carolyn’s face. Gavin had never seen Carolyn in distress, much less with tears streaming, especially not in public. He pulled her close. “Carolyn, what is it?” he asked. She put her arms around his neck and cried. “Carolyn, it will be all right, whatever it is. It will be all right,” he consoled as he kissed her cheek. “Shh,” he said as he rubbed her back trying to calm her. He pushed her hair back from her face and looked into her eyes. “I’m not sure what it is, but it will be all right.” He smiled and kissed her lips lightly. To his surprise, Carolyn kissed him back, and it did not feel forced. Hesitant to hope, he kissed her again and she responded. Gavin ran his tongue across her lips. She parted her lips to allow him entry and he complied. Cynthia stood in the doorway watching the scene as long as she could, then she turned and walked away.

♥

Brian found JD as he walked into the Chambers. JD would want to know this bit of news. “JD, I need to see you for a minute.”

“B, man, I really need to find Tracy right now. Can it wait?”

“No,” Brian said. “Juan Cortez was transferred to the same correctional facility as Al Day today. They found him beaten to death in his cell at 6:30 this evening. There are no witnesses and no clear suspects.”

JD hung his head and smiled. “You never know where family is going to show up.”

He looked at Brian and smiled. “Looks like the year is ending as it should.”

Tracy peeked in the door
.
“Is it okay to come in?”

JD smiled. “Yeah, babe, I was just coming to look for you.”

Tracy walked over to him. “It’s almost midnight. I don’t want to miss this celebration.”

Brian smiled at the sight of his friends. It had him wondering,
what if
.

“I’m out, JD,” Brian said.

“All right, man,” JD replied, not looking back.

“See you, Brian.” Tracy kissed him on the cheek.

The Beginning

J
D and Tracy sat in the Jeffrey Harrison room of the Chambers in the same spot they began nine months earlier. Both were content to sit there alone as they listened to their guests count down to the New Year. JD smiled as he looked at his wife of about six hours. “Can you believe the year we had,” he said, massaging the back of her neck.

“I remember sitting in this very spot the first night we really talked and wondered if I was dreaming the whole thing up. I was so scared that if we walked out of this room I would wake up and none of it would have happened.” She smiled.

JD laughed. “My memory was a little different. I was trying to figure out how I was going to keep you in my life. I knew about all the women in my past and did not want it to interfere with our future. But I never doubted that we would have a future together from that night on. Well, maybe once.”

Tracy gazed at him. “When?”

“When you left me.”

Tracy frowned. “I never left you.”

JD nodded. “Yes, you did, when you walked in on Vanessa.”

Tracy sucked her teeth. “That was one, maybe two nights.”

“Whatever it was, it was too long,” JD remembered.

Tracy laughed. “I’m sorry.”

JD kissed the side of her face. “That’s all right, as long as you never do it again.”

Tracy inhaled. “I thought you were talking about the attack.”

JD shook his head. “I never thought I was going to lose you then, not once. I knew God had plans for us. Even when I was shot, I knew I would pull through. This day was written long before you and I met. I truly believe that,” JD said as he kissed Tracy’s neck.

Tracy held her head up and marveled at the love she saw in his eyes. “Jeffrey, we had a wonderful wedding. My prayer is to be able to see that look you have in your eyes every day for the next 50 years.”

JD kissed her lips lightly. “For the next 50 years, you’re not getting off that easy, Mrs. Harrison. It’s going to take you that long to raise our 12 babies.” JD said as he parted her lips to kiss her for the first time in the New Year.

“Five babies; five,” Tracy said. They laughed and kissed as they began the next chapter in their life together.