A Love Like This (Book 1) (47 page)

 
 
 
 
 
Pookie
 
is standing in his kitchen
 
sipping coffee and reading the note that
 
Nickie
 
conveniently left taped to the kitchen counter.

“
Are you going to email her?
”
 
 
She asks making him jump and spill the hot liquid all over the front of his robe.

“
You scared me,
”
 
he says dabbing at the coffee stain with a napkin.
 
 
“
I didn
’
t know you were awake.
 
How was your date with Mike?
”
 
Mike and
 
Nickie
 
danced and talked throughout the night.
 
After the party he dropped her off at
 
Pookie
’
s
 
house.
 
 
Pookie
 
assumed she came to his house because she didn
’
t want Mike to know that she is living on her sister
’
s couch.
 

“
It was ok.
 
He talks about himself a lot.
 
I had to tell him that I wasn
’
t interviewing him so he should talk
to me like a human and not a p
r
o
spective client.
”

Pookie
’
s
 
eyes widen.
 
 
“
Really, you said that.
”

“
Don
’
t act so surprised.
 
My days of bending over backwards to please a man are over.
 
I
’
ve been thinking about all the men I
’
ve dated over the years. I was feeling like a victim
because they all treated me badly.
 
Then I had one of those,
”
 
She snaps her finger.
 
 
“
What does Oprah call it, light bulb moments.
”

“
Ah ha moments,
”
 
Pookie
 
says walking past
her to sit at the table.

“
Right, I had
 
an ah
 
ha moment.
 
It occurred to me that all those men and boys I
’
ve dated treated me exactly the way I allowed them to treat me.
 
If I had just once spoken up for myself things might have turned out differently.
”

“
Some men are ass holes no matter how much you stand up to them.
”

Nickie
 
pours herself a cup of coffee.
 
 
“
I know but I can
’
t allow myself to be some sadistic man
’
s prey ever again.
”

“
Well cheers to ah ha moments,
”
 
Pookie
 
says lifting his coffee cup.

“
And to new beginnings,
”
 
she says with a big smile.
 
 
Pookie
 
looks quizzical.
 
 
“
I applied to the English departments at NYU and Stanford.
 
I got acceptance letters from both schools.
”

“
Oh my goodness,
”
 
he says placing his coffee cup on the table and reaching over to hug her.
 
 
“
Why didn
’
t you tell me?
”

“
I didn
’
t want to tell anyone until I knew which offer I was going to accept.
”

“
Well which one is it going to be,
”
 
he asks expectantly.

“
I still don
’
t know.
 
I would love to live in New York but it
’
s so expensive and I don
’
t know anyone there.
”

“
Girl if you want to go we
’
ll find a way to pay for it.
”

“
I
’
m thinking about accepting both offers and making my final decision later.
 
School doesn
’
t start until January.
”

“
Well I
’
m happy for you no matter what you decide.
”

“
Thanks,
”
 
Nickie
 
says grinning as she sips her coffee.
 
 
“
Enough about me let
’
s email Chris Callaway and find out the deep dark secret.
”

“
Nope,
”
 
Pookie
 
says balling the letter up and standing to toss it into the trash.
 
“
This whole thing is just a weird coincidence,
”
 
He says.
 
 
“
I need to get ready for work.
 
What are your plans for the day?
”
 

“
I
’
m helping out at Keisha
’
s shop and meeting Mike for lunch.
”
 

“
Okay I
’
ll call you later tonight,
”
 
He says heading back to his bedroom.
 
 
Nickie
 
waits until
 
Pookie
 
closes the door before rushing over to retrieve the note from the trash.
 
She powers on the lap top and peeks over her shoulder for signs of
 
Pookie.
 
When the coast is clear she quickly types out an email to Chris Callaway.
 

*****

By the time
 
Pookie
 
he
’
s ready to leave for work
 
Nickie
 
is asleep on the couch.
 
He sends her a text message reminding her to lock up when she leaves.
 
He
’
s a block away from his apartment when his phone chimes with a new email.
 
He reaches a stop light and quickly opens the email thinking it might be work related.

“
I
’
m going to fucking kill her,
”
 
he says when he sees the message from Chris Callaway.

The note says,
 
‘
I was so happy to receive your letter.
 
I knew contacting you would be a long shot but I think it
’
s important for you to know the truth.
 
I
’
ll meet you at 7:00 PM at Pete
’
s Coffee near your house.
 
I will carry a red carnation so that you recognize me.
’
 

“
Important to know the truth,
”
 
Pookie
 
says staring at the phone.
 
A horn honks behind him and he tosses the phone onto the passenger seat before speeding off.
 
He reaches the office a few minutes before his first staff meeting.
 
He tries to block everything out of his mind and goes into work mode.
 
His day is filled with one tedious meeting after another.
 
His boss scrapped all of his ideas for the line of winter accessories.
 
He has to rework the whole article.
 
The day seems to drag on forever and his head is pounding.
 
He has to take a working lunch which hasn
’
t left one minute to call
 
Nickie
 
or to cancel the meeting with Chris.
 
 
Pookie
 
walks out of his last meeting at 6:00.
 
He sits in his car for a long time staring straight ahead.
 
He considers just driving home but curiosity gets the best of him.
 
He pops in his Blackberry earpiece and calls
 
Nickie
 
while he drives.

“
I
’
m going to get you back for this,
”
 
he says instead of hello when she answers.

“
What are you talking about,
”
 
Nickie
 
says.

“
Don
’
t play dumb.
 
If I have to meet this potential stalker then you need to come with me.
”

“
Mike and I are already here,
”
 
she says with a chuckle.
 
 
“
Don
’
t act like you don
’
t want to know who this woman is.
”

“
Whatever Nick, look for a woman holding a red carnation.
 
I
’
ll be there in a few minutes.
”

“
Wait,
”
 
she shouts before he has a chance to hang up.
 

“
What is it girl,
”
 
he says exasperated.
 

“
Is Chris short for Christopher or Christen?
”

“
I have no idea just look for someone holding a red carnation,
”
 
he says and disconnects the call.
 
When he pulls into the parking lot of the coffee shop he has a full-blown migraine and he
’
s in no mood to talk to anyone.
 
He drags himself up the three steps to the coffee shop.
 
Once inside he scans the room for signs of
 
Nickie.
 
He spots her right away at a table with Mike and another man.
 
Pookie
 
heads over and stands in front of the table.
 
 
Nickie
’
s
 
face lights up when she sees him.
 
 
Pookie
 
just glares at her completely uninterested.

“
Jermaine this is Chris Callaway,
”
 
She says standing up and placing a hand on
 
Pookie
’
s
 
back.
 
 
Pookie
 
tries to hide his annoyance.
 
He extends his hand and looks Chris up and down.
 
He
’
s a short, muscular, fair skinned man.
 
 
Pookie
’
s
 
pretty sure he
’
s never seen the man before but something about him seems familiar.