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Authors: Trice Hickman

BOOK: Unexpected Interruptions
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She Would Keep A Lid On This Too...
After a long relaxing shower, Victoria sat on the sofa with the TV remote in hand. She couldn't sleep. She didn't know what had gone on between Ted and Patricia, but she saw the lie in Ted's eyes. She reached for the phone.
Ted picked up on the first ring. “Hello.”
“Are you up?”
“Yes.”
“Can I come up?” she asked.
“Um, sure.”
Ted felt exhilarated at the thought of having Victoria in his room—with a bed only a few feet away. He rushed into the bathroom, quickly gargled with mouthwash, and brushed his hair. He inspected himself in the mirror. He didn't know what he should wear. It was eleven-thirty at night, so he hoped his pajama bottoms and t-shirt were appropriate.
Victoria walked in wearing a baggy sweatshirt and gray leggings. Ted poured them both a glass of wine from the mini bar before joining her on the couch. Victoria leaned in close, looking into his eyes. “Please tell me what happened in the car before I got in,” she asked, taking a small sip of wine.
Ted was disappointed that this was Victoria's reason for coming to his room. “I'd rather not discuss it.”
“Did Patricia come on to you?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?” Victoria probed. “We're supposed to be friends. We've shared some very personal things with each other, enough for you to know that you can trust me.”
Ted put his glass down and let out a sigh. “Patricia made some comments that I didn't appreciate, and it irritated me.”
“What did she say?”
“V, I don't want to talk about it.”
“It must've been pretty bad,” Victoria continued to probe.
“Can we change the subject?”
Victoria couldn't imagine what Patricia could've said or done that was so unspeakable, but it was apparent that Ted had no intention of discussing it. She decided not to push the issue any further, at least not tonight. “Okay, I'll let it go, for now,” she acquiesced.
“Good. Um, listen, I want to apologize for my behavior this evening. I acted like a jerk.”
“Actually, asshole is a more accurate description,” Victoria said as they both laughed at her joke.
Ted hesitated for a moment. He'd promised himself he would play it cool, but her closeness and his heightened feelings empowered him to take a chance. “How do you feel about me, V?” His eyes were fixed on her, waiting for her response.
Victoria didn't want to admit that she found herself attracted to him. After all, she had Parker in her life. But there was something about Ted that aroused her. She liked watching his eyes dance when he laughed, watching his upper lip disappear when he smiled, and the warm comfort she felt when she was with him. “Ted, what makes you ask me that?”
“I'm just curious. I want to know what you think of me, of our friendship?”
She wasn't about to tell him that although she had initially questioned his orientation, she now found herself thinking about him in very familiar, even intimate ways. Just as she was going to keep quiet about Mason's flirtation, she would keep a lid on this too. “I guess I'd have to say it's interesting. I've never had a friend like you,” Victoria answered honestly.
“What do you mean, like me?”
“Well, you're a man.”
He nodded. “And so is your best friend, unless there's a secret that Tyler's hiding.”
Victoria laughed, “Let me qualify that. You're a white man, and the first I've ever been close friends with.”
There was a moment of complete silence.
“So, I take it you've never dated a white guy?” Ted asked with new awareness.
She shifted in her seat. “No, I haven't. Have you ever dated a black woman?”
“Yes, I have.”
“Oh,” was all Victoria could say. There was another moment of silence. “It's getting late. I . . . um . . . need to go,” she stammered, clearing her throat as she stood to leave.
“V, don't leave. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable.. . .”
“I'm not uncomfortable,” she lied, walking to the door as Ted followed her. “It's just that it's late, and we have a busy day tomorrow.” She gave him a quick smile before retreating to her room, trying to hold back the strange feeling in her stomach that was getting harder to ignore.
Long after she'd left, Ted was still thinking about what Victoria had said—that she'd never dated a white man. He wondered if it was because the situation had never presented itself, or if it was by deliberate choice. Finally, he went to bed, but he stayed up all night.
Chapter Fourteen
What's Going On?
Parker finished his visit with one of his patients in the open-heart intensive care unit, then headed to his office to review cardiac catheterization and fluoroscopy films in preparation for his eight o'clock surgery. His vibrating cell phone, which he'd meant to turn off five minutes ago, broke his concentration. He looked at the caller ID. It was Victoria—again. He'd managed to avoid her calls since Monday, but now it was Thursday, and he knew he couldn't keep putting her off. “Hey beautiful,” he answered.
“Good morning, are you busy?”
“Yeah, I have to scrub for surgery in a few and I'm reviewing charts now.”
“I just need a minute of your time. We've been playing phone tag all week.”
“Well . . . I . . . ”
“I miss you,” Victoria cooed softly.
“I miss you too, baby. I'm sorry I haven't called, but it's been so busy around here.” It was a statement that was partially true.
“Parker, about the cruise . . . ”
“Hey, Mason told me that you guys met the other day,” he interrupted, trying to change the subject. “You really made an impression on him.”
I bet I did,
Victoria wanted to say, but then a thought came to her. How had Parker found time to talk to Mason but not to her? “Speaking of Mason,” she said, “why didn't you tell me that the Knicks tickets were for us? I thought you were getting them for you and Phil.”
“I thought we talked about going?”
“No, I'm pretty sure we didn't discuss tickets to the game.”
“Oh, I thought we did. Sorry. Can you go?”
“Yes, but . . . ”
“Good. Listen baby, I've gotta run.”
“Wait!” Victoria said quickly before he could hang up. “Since I didn't hear from you about the cruise, I reserved our tickets before they sold out. Now we can have a little getaway like we've been talking about.”
Parker was silent.
“Parker? Are you there?”
“Uh, yeah, I'm here.”
Victoria heard the shift in his voice. “You can go, can't you?”
Damn! I can't lie to her, and I can't tell her now, not over the phone,
Parker thought. “Let's talk about it when you get back home,” he said in a rush.
“I thought that since it's several months away, you'd have plenty of time to clear your calendar.”
“Baby, you know how busy I am.”
“Do you have a medical conference or something?”
“Uh, no, not exactly,” he hesitated. Again, he hated that she never let things go with just one question. Now he was beginning to sweat.
She heard another shift, a crack in the smooth veneer of his polished baritone. “Parker, what is it? What's wrong?”
“Victoria, I have to scrub in,” he said forcefully. “We can talk about this at another time.”
“Oh, no we can't. We're gonna talk about it right now. Something's wrong. I can hear it in your voice. Talk to me.”
“Victoria, it's not a phone conversation. I think it's better if we discuss it in person.”
Victoria sat on the edge of her bed, wrapped in her bathrobe. She brought her hand to her forehead, bracing herself for the bad news her stomach sensed was coming. “Dammit, Parker, you can't do this to me. You can't say some shit like that and expect me to walk around New York for the next two days wondering what kind of terrible news will be waiting for me when I get back.” Victoria could feel herself about to lose it, but she was determined not to break over the unknown. “Parker, be a man. If you want to break up with me, just tell me now and you won't have to worry about . . . ”
“Baby, no,” Parker's voice softened. “You know that I love you more than anything. I don't want to break up with you. Why would you even think that?”
“Because you've been avoiding my calls all week, and the things you're saying now . . . if that's not it, then what? What's so terrible that you can't tell me over the phone?”
“Baby, it's nothing terrible. It's just complicated.”
“Parker, you're scaring me. Tell me what's going on right now,” she demanded.
He spoke slowly. “I've been selected for a project at work . . . it's called the Africa Project. It's a government-sponsored program that selects only the top doctors in the country to participate. So, the timing will prevent me from going on the cruise with you.”
Victoria stopped holding her breath, letting relief wash over her body. “Parker, that's great news! Sweetie, I'm so excited for you. Why was that so hard for you to tell me?” She didn't allow him to answer before she started firing away with questions. “So, when does the project start?”
“In January.”
“You can still go on the cruise. Just bring your paperwork with you.”
“Uh, the project isn't exactly in this area.”
“You mean you have to go away?” Then it dawned on her. “Parker, is the Africa Project . . . in
Africa
?”
“Yes.”
Her next question tumbled out slowly. “How long will you be gone?”
“Six months.”
Victoria didn't know what to say. He'd be gone for six months, and his departure was only two months away. But it didn't make sense to her. She knew the type of long range planning that went into special projects and employee programs. That's what she did for a living. And she knew that coordinating a government-sponsored program took time. Applications had to be submitted, interviews conducted, decisions made, and visas arranged.
This has been in the works for months,
she thought.
“Parker, we've talked about everything under the sun. From me leaving ViaTech next June and running Divine Occasions full-time, to your family reunion next summer, and somehow you never mentioned going to
Africa for six months!
” Victoria's voice became loud and animated. “This isn't, like, oops, I thought I told you about the Knicks tickets.”
“Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you until I found out for sure, and I just got the final approval a few days ago.”
“But you must've known there was a possibility that you'd be going. This is obviously a very important project. I know how committed you are to your career, yet you never mentioned this to me?”
“There was never a good time to tell you.”
“Never a good time? How can you even say that?”
Parker didn't want to deal with this right now, he had a surgery to perform which required his focus. Victoria's questions were irritating him, and his tone reflected it. “We can talk about this when you get back,” he snapped. “I have to scrub for . . .”
Click . . .
“Hello? . . . Victoria? . . . Baby, hello? . . . Damn!”
Even though they hadn't been dating very long, Victoria thought that Parker was the one. He was everything she wanted in a man, and then some. But now she was beginning to doubt her judgment, thinking that she'd been wrong about him.
Why do I always make such bad decisions when it comes to men?
she lamented. But for now, she would put those thoughts out of her mind. She had less than fifteen minutes to get dressed and meet Ted downstairs for their meeting with a prospective client for SuperNet.
A Pleasant Surprise...
Ted grabbed his black leather portfolio and glanced at the Raymond Weil timepiece on his wrist. He was running late. He walked out of his room and headed for the elevator. His eyes were heavy, evidence of the two hours of restless sleep he'd managed to get around four a.m. He'd been unsettled since his ill-fated attempt last night to find out Victoria's true feelings for him.
But now he knew he had to focus. He realized it had been a mistake to try to initiate a conversation around feelings of romance. It was a shock to him that Victoria had never been involved with a white man. But he wasn't deterred, he'd just have to remember to take things slow. And as he did whenever he made a mistake or faced a crisis, he collected himself and moved forward. “It's not about the mistake, it's about the recovery,” he told himself as he walked toward the elevator.
Ted looked for Victoria in the crowded lobby. “Good morning. Sorry to keep you waiting,” he apologized as he approached. Immediately, he sensed that something was wrong.
“No problem,” she said in a low voice. “Let's get moving.”
As the driver sped them through the maze of morning traffic, Victoria gave Ted the quick and dirty version of her conversation with Parker. “I was ready to trust him, to finally give in to him . . . physically. I've been such a fool.”
Ted hated the way he felt at this moment. He didn't want to see Victoria hurt in any way, and he'd do anything to make her happy. But he was elated that Parker had fucked up, just as he knew he would be. First with Sheila, and now with this. “V, I'm sorry. It sounds like you two have a lot to discuss, but it's not a situation you can resolve while you're here in New York. Try to focus on what you can control and the day ahead.”
“You're right, there's nothing I can do about things until I get back home.”
“I'll strike a deal with you. If I show you a good time over the next two days, do you promise to cheer up and try not to think about the situation?”
She nodded her head. “I'll try.”
After their morning meeting, Victoria and Ted lunched at Tavern on the Green. She enjoyed a salad of fresh shitake mushrooms and mixed field greens, while Ted polished off the last of his ginger salmon. They were about to order dessert when Victoria looked up and saw Mason Brightwood headed in her direction. Ted continued to talk but instinctively followed Victoria's eyes, which were focused on the tall man approaching their table.
“My, isn't this a pleasant surprise,” Mason said, full of smiles.
Victoria stood to greet him. Ted couldn't help but notice that when the man hugged her, he held her a little too close for comfort. He was about to stand and introduce himself to the stranger, but Victoria moved in front of him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder, motioning for him to stay in his seat and out of sight.
What is she doing?
he wondered.
Both men tried to get a better look at each other, but Victoria stood in between them. Ted fought to maintain a calm outward appearance, but he wanted to know who this man was that Victoria obviously didn't want him to meet. Whatever his identity, Ted knew that he was someone she didn't like. Her body language told him that from her stiffly arched back to her tightly crossed arms.
“Are you enjoying your lunch?” Mason asked, focusing his attention away from Ted and back to Victoria.
“Yes . . . I am.”
“You look very lovely today.”
“Thank you.”
You bastard!
An awkward silence passed between them before Mason spoke up. “I'm meeting a client here for lunch,” he offered, explaining his presence and expecting Victoria to do the same.
Instead, Victoria grabbed his hand and shook it quickly. “I hope you and your client have a good lunch,” she said. That was his cue to keep moving.
Mason gave her a sly grin. “I guess I'll see you at the game.”
“I'm sure you will.”
He walked away, but not before turning around to give her one final look.
“Who was that?” Ted asked, trying to sound casual, even though his curiosity was burning a hole in his head.
“That was Mason Brightwood . . . Parker's brother.”
At that moment, Ted knew there would be trouble.
Spoon-Feed Him. . .
It was late Saturday morning as Victoria left the airport and headed down Interstate 400. She'd enjoyed the last two days in the Big Apple, and Ted had done as he'd promised—shown her a good time. After their meetings they'd visited museums and shopped at some of Fifth Avenue's finest stores. But now that she was back home she knew she'd have to deal with Parker. They hadn't spoken since their argument. But she needed to talk to her touchstone first, to get advice, so she dialed Tyler on her cell. “What're you doing?” she asked.
“Chillin'. You back in town?”
“Yeah, I just passed Phipps Plaza, so I'm about five minutes away. Can I come over?”
“The door will be open.”
Victoria sat on the soft upholstered sofa she'd helped Tyler pick out several years ago, and sipped hot cocoa. It was cold outside and the hot drink felt good going down. “Is this instant?” she asked.
“
Swiss Miss
, baby. And don't say a word. Not everybody can make shit from scratch.”
“I wasn't going to say anything. Instant is fine,” she lied.
“Juliet told me about Parker's brother.”
Tyler barely liked Parker, and after hearing about Mason, he thought Victoria should stay clear of the Brightwood boys altogether.
“Can you believe that bastard? He's my man's brother, and he was trying to make a move on me.”
“You gonna tell Parker?”
“I don't know. Juliet said I shouldn't. What do you think?”
Tyler rubbed his chin, as if studying the situation. “Even though the shit was foul, I don't think you should say anything, at least not now. But don't act like you like that mothafucker either, and the minute he tries to make a serious move, bust his ass.”
“I saw him again on Thursday, when Ted and I were having lunch. I know he wanted to know who Ted was, but I didn't introduce them, and I'll bet money that he called Parker as soon as he sat down at his table . . . Only I'm sure he left out the part about pressing his dick up against me when he gave me a hug.”
“You lyin'?”
“I wish.”
“That's truly fucked up.”
“Tell me about it.”
“So . . . he saw you havin' lunch with Prince Charming, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Juliet told me about the limo. He's smooth.”
Victoria shook her head. “It was a town car, and it was no big deal.”
“Oh, don't try to front. You know he wants you. And don't give me that bullshit about him bein' gay.”
“I don't think he's gay . . . anymore,” Victoria conceded.
Tyler peered at her with suspicion. “Did something happen between you two while you were in New York?”
“I just saw him in a different light, that's all.”
“A different light? What happened?”
“Nothing . . . let's drop it, please.”
Tyler shrugged his shoulders. He'd known his best friend long enough to know when to back off. “Okay, we'll come back to that subject later.”
“Thank you,” Victoria said with relief.
“So how're things with you and the dashing doctor? I know somethin's up. Otherwise you would've hightailed it over to his place as soon as you hit town, instead of sittin' on my couch drinkin' instant cocoa that I know you don't like. So whassup?”
Victoria told him about Parker's deception with the Africa Project, although she neglected to tell him about the Sheila incident. She had to spoonfeed him information a little at a time, especially since she had a strong feeling that he didn't like Parker. She remembered the way Tyler had acted when she invited him to join them for dinner one night. She wanted the two men in her life to meet, but she didn't want Parker to know that she was putting him through a litmus test, so she invited Debbie and Rob as cover.
She made a simple meal of chicken parmesan, spinach lasagna, and garlic bread, Tyler's favorites. But almost right away she noticed how his eyes darted over Parker with disapproval, how his lip curled slightly when Parker made jokes that she found hilarious, and how he'd asked Parker questions, then listened to his responses with a placid expression.
“I don't know what to do,” Victoria said. “I love him, but I just don't know if I can trust him.”
“Well, this is what you do know,” Tyler began. “It's almost certain that he's known for some time that there was a very good possibility he'd be going to Africa for six months. He knew it the first day he met you. He knew it while you've been spending practically every day together. And he damn sure knew it when he sat his ass down at your dinner table and took second helpings of
my
spinach lasagna at your inspection dinner.”
“Tyler, I need advice, not sarcasm.”
“Just talk to the brothah. Put it on the line and tell him exactly how you feel.” Tyler looked Victoria in the eyes and reached for her hand. “But whatever you do, don't avoid him, or not talk to him. Don't run away. Get things out in the open so you'll know what you're dealin' with.”

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