when another call came in shortly after.
“Hey, Jeremiah. What’s up?” Jaleen opened the door to his apartment.
“What’s up, little brother? I hope you have an explanation for blowing off your meeting with Mr. Rose while you were in Europe. JW is furious.”
Growing up, Jaleen knew that Jael Walker had never wanted to be called “Dad.” Therefore his sons called him JW, as did most of his business associates. “Yeah, well, I was pretty upset when I learned JW had informed Mr. Rose that I would meet with him without clearing it with me.”
“You know how Dad is. He always makes decisions without consulting us, which means you also know how important that meeting was.”
“Well, things come up. I’ll reschedule with Mr. Rose when I have the time.” The line grew silent. Once Jeremiah got quiet, the conversation was either over for the time being or a second round of lectures would soon follow.
“If that’s all you called for, then I need to get in the shower. Give the kids and your wife my love.”
“Jay, before you hang up, can you promise me one thing?”
“It depends on what it is.” He knew he was giving his brother a hard time, but he couldn’t help it. Jeremiah and his other brother, Joel, always listened to what JW said. Half the time, Jaleen spent their serious discussions trying to decipher how his brothers really felt versus what their father had encouraged them to say.
“Can you promise me that after you turn thirty-five, you’ll finally try to live your life the best way you can and stop all this foolishness? Everyone has responsibilities and although I know that it’s difficult for you to accept some of yours, I also know you well enough to realize you’ll eventually do the right thing. I’m not saying families like ours are normal, but we can’t change what we were born into, so the easiest way to accept your future is to obey the rules and enjoy it as much as you can.”
Jaleen let his brother’s words sink in. He’d heard them one too many times before and, just like all the other conversations he’d had with Jeremiah, they always ended with him doing what was expected of him rather than what he actually wanted to do.
“I understand what you’re saying, Jeremiah, and, as always, I appreciate the advice.” Jaleen turned on the faucet for his shower. “And, as always, I’m going to remind you that I have six months until I turn thirty-five and, until then, I don’t have to obey every command JW gives me.”
“I know, Jay... I know.”
They spoke for a couple more minutes about his niece, nephew and sister-in-law before disconnecting. He wasn’t one of those types of people that didn’t appreciate his blessings, but for once, Jaleen wished he didn’t have several people moving around the pieces of his life as if he were a pawn in a chess game.
Stepping into the shower, he did what came natural every time he was reminded that his clock was ticking down and life got overwhelming.
He thought about Danni Allison.
“Who’s that at the door?” Danni asked Summer for a third time. Just like the previous two times, Summer simply shrugged as she continued to play their card game.
“Babe, are you going to get that?” Summer yelled to Aiden. Tonight, Summer and Aiden’s beach home was the host location for one of their random Spades games. Danni and Summer were teamed against Nicole and Aaliyah, and they were tied one round to one round. They’d been playing Spades for an hour and, up until now, Danni’s focus had been completely on winning the next round to win the overall game.
That all changed when the doorbell rang and she noticed the women share a knowing look. She wouldn’t have cared that they shared a look, had she known what the look was for.
“Someone better start talking or I’m going to answer the door myself.” When no one responded and Aiden was nowhere in sight, Danni got up to go answer the door. Even before she answered, she knew who it was.
“Honey, I’m home,” Jaleen said as soon as she opened the door. She didn’t even have time to react when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on her cheek.
“Ew, gross. Let me go.” She lightly pushed on his chest.
“You know you like it,” he whispered before letting her go.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a pervert?”
“Has anyone ever told you that playing hard to get doesn’t work if a man loves to chase?”
“Who says I’m playing hard to get? You couldn’t get me even if you tried.” Normally their banter went back and forth like this for hours, but today, his silence caught her off guard. She turned toward him and placed her hands on her hips.
“What’s wrong, Walker? Cat got your tongue?” She would have said more but the mischievous look in his eyes told her to stop while she was ahead.
“I can think of a lot of things I want to do with my tongue and each and every one of those things would bring you the utmost satisfaction.”
She couldn’t help the hitch in her breath at his innuendo. Apparently she wasn’t thinking as quickly on her feet as she normally did. He glanced behind her before curling his hand around her waist and pulling her into a corner of the hallway. He leaned his forehead to hers in a way he never had before. The endearing gesture only made her breathing more staggered.
“I’m exhausted, but I needed to see you today,” he said in a low voice. “I wouldn’t have come if you weren’t here.”
Of all the years she’d known Jaleen, she couldn’t recall a single time when she’d heard the vulnerability in his voice. It was then that she noticed the look of fatigue on his face and the small bags under his eyes. Without second-guessing herself, she raised a hand to smooth over his cheek. He leaned into her hand and briefly closed his eyes.
“I needed this,” he said with his eyes still closed.
She wanted to say something back to him, but she didn’t know what to say. So instead she placed a soft kiss on his opposite cheek.
“Whatever is bothering you, it will be okay,” she whispered when she finally found the words.
He opened his eyes and instead of the guarded—yet playful—playboy she usually saw, she recognized the man behind the sarcastic comments and charming demeanor. She saw the troubled man who had more questions right now than he had answers for. Uncertainty was written across his facial features, combating with the small part of himself that was hoping for a solution to his problems to magically appear. She understood the feeling all too well. She saw it in herself every time she looked in the mirror.
“Are you two just going to stand in the hallway all night? Or are you going to come and play cards?”
Both Danni and Jaleen turned toward the direction of Summer’s voice. No one could see them, but she assumed they’d heard their footsteps when they’d stopped right outside the dining room.
“We’re coming,” Danni yelled as she dropped her hand from Jaleen’s face. He squinted in disappointment. She was two seconds away from telling him they would continue whatever the heck just happened later, before she caught herself.
“We’re playing Spades,” Danni said to Jaleen. “But this is our last round. I guess you and Aiden can play whoever the winner is.”
“Sounds good,” he said, studying her eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but was relieved when he began walking toward the dining room.
At the end of the third round, Danni and Summer had taken the win.
“On that note,” Nicole said as she stood from the table, “I think I’m going to call it