Worth the Wait (Crimson Romance) (21 page)

Kenyatta sighed and pulled Tasha out of the way of a caterer with a tray of sandwiches on his shoulder. “That’s why I pulled you in here. Jared’s mom is upset he brought you.”

Tasha scowled. “You must be joking.” How dare his mom be upset about her presence when she was the one in the wrong? As soon as the thought came she felt bad. She was no better than Jared. But that didn’t ease the pain of knowing Jared’s mom didn’t like her.

“Come on, Tasha, we all know the type of woman Jared usually dates. She thinks he brought some dumb broad he can paw on in front of her friends all night to embarrass her.”

“Did you tell her you know me?”

“Yes, but it didn’t change much. Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean you’re not a slut.”

Tasha cringed. “Kenyatta.”

Kenyatta bit her bottom lip. “Sorry, her words, not mine.”

Tasha took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s not like that with me and Jared.”

Kenyatta looked skeptical. “Maybe you think that … ”

“I don’t
think
anything. I
know
.” She crossed her arms.

“Tasha, you’re my best friend’s little sister, and I care about you and your happiness. But, Jared is no good. I mean, he’s a decent person and all, but when it comes to women, he’s a dog. Angie’s really worried you’re in over your head.”

Tasha uncrossed her arms to put her hands on her hips. “Angie’s being overprotective. I know you guys are trying to do what you think is right, but I know what I’m doing. You don’t have to protect me from the same type of mistakes you all made.”

Kenyatta reached out to take her hand. “This isn’t about that, it’s about us caring about you. Jared uses women. We’re worried he’s using you.”

She snatched her hand back. “Jared isn’t using me, he loves me.” The words were out before she could think about it. She hadn’t meant to go professing their love for each other so soon, but now that she had she was ready to fight anyone who doubted it. What she wasn’t ready for was the pity in Kenyatta’s eyes.

“You really believe that?”

She clenched her fists to keep from shaking her sister’s best friend. “I believe it because he said it. Jared loves me.”

Movement at the door caught her eye and she turned to see Malcolm standing there, a stricken look on his face.

He took a small step toward her. “Do you love my brother?”

His tone begged her to say no. The anger in his eyes made her more uneasy than anything her sister or Kenyatta could say. Why was everyone so against her and Jared being together? She wanted to cry, instead she clenched her fists. It had to be hormones.

“Yes,” she answered. He cursed and she flinched. “Is it really so terrible?”

He held up his hands. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It doesn’t matter how you meant it. If you’ll both excuse me, I’m going to look for the one person in your family who’s actually happy I’m here.” She rushed past him back into the main room.

Jared was the first person she saw. She couldn’t shake the unease from the scene in the kitchen, but when he looked at her and smiled, it was almost forgotten as warmth spread within her. She’d fallen in love with him, and hoped she wasn’t stupid for believing he loved her too. He wasn’t despicable enough to tell her such a hurtful lie. Was he?

As handsome as he was in the silk peach shirt and tan slacks he’d worn, she wished he was wearing his customary basketball shorts and sleeveless t-shirt, and that they were sitting on his couch watching television instead of here. Surrounded by people who didn’t believe what they had was real.

When his eyes met hers his smile faded, and he rushed over. “Are you okay?” He took her hand.

She smiled and squeezed. “Yes. Perfect.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure? Was Kenyatta’s pasta salad that bad?”

She laughed. She’d completely forgotten about the excuse Kenyatta had used to get her in the kitchen. “Let’s just say stay away from the pasta salad.”

He continued to study her face and she looked toward the dance floor. “Let’s dance. I feel like dancing.”

He hesitated for a second before smiling. “All right, let’s see what you got.”

Jared spent the half hour since Tasha had disappeared with Kenyatta avoiding his brother and mother, while keeping an eye on Tasha. He’d known Kenyatta’s pasta salad excuse was just a way for her to get Tasha alone. When Malcolm followed them into the kitchen, and Tasha came out looking like a kid who’d just been told Santa wasn’t real, his suspicion was confirmed. She’d tried to act as if everything was okay, but the worry line in the middle of her forehead told a different story.

He was tempted to grab his soon to be sister-in-law and find out what was up, but Malcolm would only follow. His brother followed Kenyatta around like a trained puppy. He would usually tease Malcolm about it, but he was doing the same thing with Tasha. His gaze followed her around the party and whenever she left his side, he was quick to follow. He’d deny it if anyone knew how attached he’d become. It wasn’t anyone’s business what was between him and Tasha.

They were limited in the people they spoke with. He only wanted to talk to his father’s friends, but after a few conversations, he began to wonder if he’d entered the Twilight Zone. Most of his dad’s friends were happy about the match. Some even commented it wasn’t surprising his mom and Mr. Carter ended up together. With each well wish his stomach knotted up. His mom’s affair with Mr. Carter must have been well known.

After they walked away from another of his dad’s friends, Tasha frowned at him. “Jared, I think there’s more to the story about your mom and Mr. Carter.”

“Yeah, it sounds like they were together throughout my parents’ marriage.”

Her frown deepened. “No, I don’t think everyone would be so happy if that were true. It seems like they’re happy she’s happy. I don’t know. Did your parents ever have problems?”

“Not that I know of.” He pulled her to his side. “Obviously I was wrong.”

She shrugged. “You’ll find out tomorrow when you talk to your family.”

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to talk to his family and confirm his mother had been unhappy during her entire marriage. It would undermine everything he’d ever thought growing up. Knowing all of the smiles his mom had given to his father, the hugs and kisses they’d openly shared were all fake on her end would shatter the little bit of faith he was starting to have in relationships. He looked at Tasha who was watching the couples on the dance floor. Could she be that fake too?

The music changed to the “Cha Cha Slide.” Tasha beamed up at him. “Come on, Jared. Let’s dance.”

He began shaking his head before the last word was out of her mouth. “No, ma’am. I gave you one dance earlier and that’s it.”

She pouted and immediately he wanted to take her lower lip into his mouth. Damn, she could turn him on with the simplest gestures. It had to be love.

“Are you really gonna have me stand around all night?”

He leaned over to kiss her cheek. “No, you can dance all you want.”

“Fine. I’ve gotta have some fun tonight.”

“You’ll have plenty of fun later.”

She licked her lips and leaned toward him. His body tingled and he lowered his head for her kiss. Her eyes shifted to his left and she leaned back. “Later.”

His shoulders slumped when she turned away and hurried to join the line of people dancing. He looked to his left and saw his mom. She shook her head and walked away. Jared cursed and turned back to the dance floor. Kenyatta joined Tasha in line. Tasha slid back until she was in line behind Kenyatta. What was that about?

He looked back to where his mom had been standing. Malcolm marched toward him. Not in the mood to talk to his brother, he went in the opposite direction toward the door. His steps slowed when a large bald man dressed in all black entered. With a fierce scowl on his face, the man could easily pass for a club bouncer. Jared’s face broke out into a grin and he quickened his steps. “Uncle Bruce. What are you doing here?”

The frown on his uncle’s face immediately dissolved into a huge grin that showed off the one gold tooth in a line of otherwise perfect white teeth. “What’s up, nephew? It’s good to see you, young blood.”

They clasped hands and embraced before stepping back and sizing each other up. His uncle’s massive build was one of the reasons Jared had begun lifting weights in high school. But after watching his dad die of a heart attack, health and fitness had become more important that just being buff. His uncle was still a big man, but he was starting to get soft in the middle.

“Looks like you’re staying out of the gym, Unc,” Jared teased.

Bruce rubbed his rounding stomach. “Yeah, well, I still got the ladies all over me.”

Jared laughed. “That’s because you own a strip club.”

Bruce grinned. “Doesn’t matter why they’re on me, as long as they’re on me.”

“So what are you doing here?”

“Why do you think? To wish my sister well.”

Jared scowled. “You must be losing your mind and your muscle. She
was
your sister-in-law.”

Bruce shrugged. “Family is family. I’ll always be there for your mom. She knows that.”

“Why, don’t you know she’s — ”

Bruce held up his hand. “Look, I know you and your mom haven’t been close since Mike died, but she deserves some happiness. Hell, I’m even happy it’s with Randall. He fought hard for your mom before Mike got her.”

Jared snorted. “Dad knew about Mom and Mr. Carter?”

Bruce laughed. “Knew about him, hell it was full on warfare to win your mom back in the day. Most of the guys on campus were trying to impress her, but only Randall and Mike had any real chance. I would say the old Patterson charm got her, but that wasn’t what did it.”

Jared shook his head. “Then what did, because as far as I can tell, Dad wasn’t as lucky as he thought. Mom was cheating with Mr. Carter during their whole marriage.”

Bruce’s frown returned with full force. “Hold up, young blood. I don’t know who’s been telling you lies, but your mom only had eyes for your dad.”

“Then why is everyone saying this was meant to be? Why aren’t people surprised they’re together?” Uncle Bruce was the only family member he trusted to tell him the truth.

“Jared, don’t you know how Gladys and Mike got together?”

“They met in college.”

“True, but why your mom chose him over Randall?”

“She didn’t choose one over the other. She had her cake and ate it too.”

Bruce’s scowl was so fierce Jared understood why lesser men cowered when faced with it. “You’re not going to talk about your mom like that to me. Your mom is the reason your dad survived college. Didn’t you know your daddy was a junkie?”

The music became a dim thumping in the background, the only sound his blood rushing through his veins as he tried to absorb his uncle’s words. He shook his head to clear it before responding. “What?”

Bruce put his hand on Jared’s shoulder and pulled him to the side of the door. He lowered his voice and Jared had to lean close to hear. “Mike was hooked on heroin. He said it made him smarter. We all tried to get him off that stuff, but Gladys was the only one who could. She locked herself with him in his apartment for weeks. Threw out all his shit and fought him like a man when he tried to leave. We tried to convince her to let us in to help, but she refused. When the smoke cleared your dad went to rehab, got cleaned up, and they were joined at the hip forever. Randall knew he was out of the picture then, but they did remain friends. Hell, everyone cemented around them to keep Mike clean.”

Jared shook his head. “What?”

“You didn’t know?”

“That my dad was a fucking junkie? Hell no.” He rubbed his jaw. “It doesn’t change what I saw.”

“You mean when Robert kissed your mom before his heart attack?”

Jared froze. “You know about that?”

“I spoke to both of them after it happened. Mike had started using again. Randall came to tell her and, like a fool, kissed her. Mike saw it, but the only thing he did was ask Randall why he’d ratted on him before clutching his chest and falling. I know you saw it, your mom told me, but I thought you knew the whole story.”

Jared looked away. There were too many emotions running through him to deal with before an audience. He patted Bruce on the shoulder. “Now I know. Excuse me.”

He went around his uncle into the entryway and around the corner of the lobby where the lights were dimmer and it was quieter. He braced his hands on the wall and closed his eyes. His dad had been a junkie? His mind raced back to that last day. They’d gone fishing. His dad had been fidgety and distracted. Stress at work was what he’d said when Jared mentioned it. That was the only weird thing about that day. They’d caught fish, laughed, talked. Had his dad been craving a hit the entire time?

He hit the wall and cursed. Why hadn’t anyone told him? His dad had been a deacon in the church, always telling him and Malcolm to do right and keep their noses clean. He’d spent the past fifteen years thinking his dad was perfect when he’d been a drug addict!

“Jared, Uncle Bruce said I needed to check on you.”

Malcolm’s footsteps were hesitant and he approached. Jared shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell me about dad?”

Malcolm sighed. “You thought he was perfect, I didn’t want to take that from you.”

He kept his head down. “You don’t keep something like that from me.”

“We both know you were dad’s favorite. I’m not upset about it, he loved me too, but let’s face, it you were more like him than I was. You idolized him, I lost that when I found out he struggled with his addiction.”

He looked up. “When did you find out?”

Malcolm leaned his back against the wall next to Jared. “High school. He caught me smoking a joint and told me his story. You should have seen him, man. It was difficult for him to even throw away the joint. It was hard on him, and it hurt to see him so weak. You wouldn’t have wanted to see that.”

“So you’ve been lying to me since high school?”

“I didn’t lie.”

“We can argue that later. When did he start using again?”