Sincere Deception Read online

  “Nursing student? Well, that seems extraordinary to me! I bet you’re very smart.”

  “I suppose you can say that,” I said, trying to remain modest. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m a promoter. I advertise clubs and internet businesses. I travel a lot, and I meet many people.”

  “That sounds like a fun job. Traveling and meeting new people doesn’t seem like a stressful job at all.”

  “Most of the time, it’s fun. But there are times it can be hectic. Sometimes I have to meet almost impossible deadlines. One time, my boss called me at three in the morning and told me to hop on a plane to fly halfway across the world. Man, I was pissed. The last thing I wanted to do was jump up and travel on such short notice.”

  I said, “Maybe I underestimated your job description. It has got to suck to be woken up out of your sleep just to promote someone’s business.” We both chuckled.

  “Yeah, it can definitely be annoying at times. Having my sleep disturbed is not fun.” He laughed again, then asked, “How old are you, Ava?”

  “I’m twenty-four. How old are you?”

  “I’m twenty-six. I’ll be twenty-seven in June. ”

  “What date?”

  “June, 2nd.”

  “My birthday is in May. May 15th to be exact. I’m a Taurus. Stubborn Taurus, that is.”

  “Oh OK, he said, laughing. Well, I guess my birthdate makes me a Gemini—whatever that means.”

  “It means that you are very outgoing and hard to pin down by a woman. You love your freedom.”

  “Oh, is that so?” he said, holding an interested expression. “Well, that may be true to an extent… but if I found the right woman I definitely would not have a problem letting her pin me down.” Followed by his statement, he licked his lips and smiled flirtatiously.

  Just then, I received a phone call. It was Autumn. I excused myself from the room to answer the call.

  “Where the hell are you?” she said to me as soon as I answered.

  “I’m out. Why?”

  “Out where?”

  “Out. I’m out with a friend. I’ll be leaving here soon, and once I do, I will call you.” Just as I was about to release the call, she ordered me not to.

  “Look, I don’t know what the heck is going on with you… but you haven’t been answering any of my calls. And for you to just go out without inviting the rest of us, it is so unlike you. What’s the problem?”

  “There is no problem. I’m just getting some air. When I get home, I will call you back. Right now, though… I gotta go.” Not saying another word, I hung up the phone, sighed deeply, then returned to the room with Lee. I seated myself and smiled anxiously.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked, concerned.

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  As I sat there trying not to reveal my deepest emotions about my ex, I realized that maybe it would’ve been best for me to leave. The last thing I wanted to do was have Lee view me as a damaged, broken-hearted girl. I could feel the tears forming. To avoid them from flowing, I closed my eyes, and took a few soundless breaths. Finally, I grabbed my belongings and stood up.

  “I had a nice time talking to you, Lee, but I’ve gotta get goin’.”

  Still seated, he said, “You’re leaving? Why so soon?”

  “There’s some things at home I need to take care of. I have to get to school early. I need to study and get some rest before then.”

  “If you must go, I’ll respect that. But if you don’t want to, I’m sure your work would be fine if you decided to stay out with me for a little while longer. I’ll even drop you off at home if you need me to. You’ve been drinking. I’m pretty sure you’re too intoxicated to drive.”

  “That’s really thoughtful of you, but that’s okay. Maybe I can get your number? Maybe we can get together later on this week?”

  “Sure, that’s fine with me. But something tells me you really don’t wanna get together later. Something tells me you’d rather get together tonight.” He let off that charming smile again, then licked his luscious lips.

  “Are you tryna seduce me?” I asked, chuckling.

  “I’m not trying to do anything. But if I am seducing you, please let me know so I’ll know not to stop.”

  I laughed again. This man was a trip. He was sexy, confident, irresistible, and he knew it. He spoke with intelligence—like a college professor. His skin was caramel like honey. His body was muscular and in shape. His black hair was wavy like the ocean, and his scent was as fresh as a brand new car. Even his teeth were on point. He was turning me on, and as much as I hated to admit it, I was intrigued by his seduction.

  He swallowed the rest of his drink, got up, and stood directly in front of me. “If you want to finish this night with me, just say the word. I will not only guarantee you a good time, but I will also make sure you get home on time so that you can take care of your early morning duties.” He licked his lips again and held my hand as he stared into my eyes.

  “OK, fine,” I gave in. “I will stay here a little while longer. I just need to head to the bathroom first.” I proceeded towards the upstairs bathroom to sprinkle the fluid from my full bladder. Once done, I washed my hands, grabbed my phone from my purse, and called Kelis.

  “Hey, I need a favor from you,” I said right away. “Tell me that I’m out of my mind. Tell me that I need to snap out of it.”

  “What?” she said, sounding tired and confused. “What the hell are you talking about, and where the hell are you?”

  “I’m at The Drake.”

  “The bar?”

  “Yes, the bar.”

  “Why are you there? Who are you with?”

  “I’m hanging out with a friend. I needed to get away and get some air.”

  “Get away from what?”

  “Eugene and I are not together. I ended things with him the night we returned home from the bar. I caught him in my bed with another woman.”

  “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised at all… but I am sorry you had to go through that again. I wish you would’ve told me about this, though. I would’ve tried to cheer you up. I’ve been worried about you. We all have. But now that I know what’s going on, I certainly have a better understanding as to why you’ve been so distant. I thought you were pissed at me for some reason.”

  Responding nearly in tears, I said, “It’s just so damn frustrating, Kelis. I mean, I gave this man everything. Everything. When he came back into my life begging to take me back, I really thought he had changed. At this point I’m not sure if I’m upset that he cheated again, or if it’s simply because I allowed him to fool me once more.”

  “Ava… I know how you feel; I don’t blame you for feeling this way. But if you wanna move on, you gotta stop giving that man your time and energy. Sitting here crying and feeling sorry for yourself is not going to change a thing about what happened.”

  “Do you really think I don’t know that? Do you think I enjoy crying and feeling like shit? I don’t need you to tell me that, and I for damn sure don’t need your tough love tendencies right now.” Feeling confounded, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. I exhaled, and then returned to my conversation. “Whether you think I’m being ridiculous or not, Kelis, the fact still remains that the man I love, broke my heart. He looked me dead in the eyes and lied to me. He told me he missed me, loved me, and wanted to make it right… he even told me he wanted to marry me someday. Now he’s gone and there ain’t nothin’ I can do about it. I have a right to be frustrated.”

  “You’re right. I get it. I completely understand where you are coming from. I apologize if I’m coming off as insensitive. It’s just that you are my best friend. I hate to see you down. This man has made you cry, and crushed your heart a thousand times. You are one of the most beautiful women I know. You’re smart, kind, and you have an amazing heart. You do not deserve to feel this way. You deserve to be treated with compassion an
d respect. You deserve to march down the aisle wearing a beautiful wedding dress. You deserve to greet your husband at the altar.”

  I couldn’t help but smile, because in all honesty, that was all I truly wanted. To meet the man of my dreams—caring, loving, and sincere. Nothing more, nothing less.

  “Thanks,” I told Kelis. “That was sweet of you to say. I know you care about me, and I know you only want what’s best for me. I want the same for you too.” Changing the subject, I said, “I suppose I will talk to you when I see you in class in the morning, but thank you for being here for me.”

  “OK. No problem… but who are you out with?”

  “I’m chilling with a guy. Do you remember Lee from the bar the other night?”

  “Yeah, I do. That’s who you’re with?”

  “Yes,” I answered, knowing she would bravely disagree.

  “Girl, are you crazy? Now you know I then told you how these men are. He’s a playa. Don’t fool with him!”

  “You act like I’m tryna marry the man,” I said, giggling. “I’m just having some drinks and engaging in a little conversation. That’s all.”

  She hesitated for a few seconds before replying. Then she said… “OK, Ava, but you be safe. Do not leave the bar with him. After you sober up, drive your ass back home and get you some rest. Do not leave that bar with that man.”

  “OK,” I quickly agreed. “As much as I would love to stay in this bathroom and chat, I’ve got to get back to my company. I will call you if necessary. Love you.”

  After releasing the call, I threw my phone back inside my purse, then gazed at my reflection. I sighed, opened the door, and proceeded back towards the basement. As soon as I left the bathroom, however, I spotted Lee sitting there talking and flirting with another woman by the bar. Instantly, my palms began to sweat and my head started to throb. I could feel the temperature rise inside my body. This was all just so typical. One moment a man is confessing how interested he is in you, and then the next, he’s telling the next chick the exact same thing. It was then when I concluded that no man walking the face of earth could ever be sincere. I was convinced that no matter how beautiful a woman is, how sweet she may be, how wonderful she may be—a man is always gonna be a man by taking pride in playing mind games, and hurting women simply because he feels he can.

  Annoyed, I reached inside my purse and grabbed my phone. I dialed Kelis’s number with the intention of asking her to come pick my drunk ass up, but as soon as she answered, I ended the call. I fixed my attention back towards Lee and the woman, and for a moment, I just stood there and watched. It was then that I decided I would no longer claim being victim of a woman with a broken heart. I would never again allow myself to be pained by a man. From that point on, I vowed to play the game, just as the game had been played on me.

  I unpinned my hair and let the length drape upon my shoulders. I then dressed my lips with gloss, stood up straight, and walked confidently towards the remainder of my night.

  CHAPTER 7

  FUZZY MIND, SOUR STOMACH

  “Two shots of Hennessey, please?” I told the bartender as I approached the bar. I took a seat, and looked over only to see that Lee still had not noticed my presence. Irritated, I was glad when John returned with my drinks. He placed both shot glasses in front of me, and one-by-one, I gulped them. After slamming the glasses against the table, I stood up and walked towards Lee and his lady chick.

  “Oh, hey,” he said to me with a surprised expression.

  I didn’t say anything. I just stood there staring at him with a sarcastic smirk.

  “I was just over here catching up with an old friend. Ava, this is Maranda. Maranda, this is Ava,” he introduced. He cleared his throat, then told Maranda he would catch up with her later. She removed herself from the chair, hugged him, planted a kiss on his cheek, and then walked away.

  I still had not said anything. I simply folded my arms, shook my head, and continued to smirk.

  “What?” he asked, smiling back.

  “Nothing at all,” I said, chuckling lightly. “Are you ready to go back downstairs for a few more drinks?”

  “Well, I was actually hoping we could head to my place, if that’s ok with you?”

  “For what? What’s wrong with us staying here?”

  “Nothing… I would just prefer to spend some alone time with you. Maybe we can chat some more, drink, listen to some music… whatever you wanna do.”

  “So in other words, you wanna fuck me tonight,” I said sarcastically.

  He laughed. “I mean, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want to take it there with you. But what kind of man do you take me as?” He licked his lips, grabbed my hand, and smiled. “I already told you, Ava… I think you’re beautiful. I just want to get to know you better. I am not chasing you for sex, or anything else of that nature.”

  I refused to believe a damn thing that was coming out of his mouth. As far as I was concerned, he definitely wanted the pussy. He didn’t want me to come over just to talk and gaze into my dark brown eyes. I wasn’t stupid. I knew exactly what his intentions were. Still, though, I chose to play along. I gripped his hand tighter, smiled, then kissed the side of his cheek. “No worries. Let’s go.” Still holding his hand, I enhanced a switch in my walk as we passed his crew, and proceeded out the door.

  Lee lived about 35 minutes outside of Cincinnati, so I knew the ride would be long. I decided to get comfortable inside the heated car. I removed my jacket, threw it into the back seat, and as the music blasted throughout the car, I moved to the beat. The Hennessey had me tipsy, hot, and feelin’ myself. I couldn’t wait to see what the rest of my night had in store for me.

  Finally, we arrived at his Lebanon, Ohio home. My eyes were a bit blurry, but I could tell that we were surrounded by a high-class neighborhood filled with luxury houses, white concrete grounds, and rich green grass. When Lee turned off his car, I snatched my purse and jacket from the back seat, opened the door, and strolled towards the entrance of his home. From the moment I walked inside, I was blown away. His place was beautiful—top notch stunning. He was a single man living like a king in a castle.

  “Your home is beautiful,” I told him.

  “Thank you,” he replied. “Would you like a tour?” He grabbed my hand and led me towards the kitchen. The kitchen was just as big as the living room area, which was directly in front of the home entrance. Next to the kitchen, there was a dining room area and an outside deck towards the backyard. We then headed downstairs to the basement. He owned a wet bar, pool table, lounge area, and a big screen television. There was a bedroom and bathroom down there also. Last but not least, we headed back upstairs toward the bedrooms. There were five bedrooms and four bathrooms in this 3,000sq home; Lee’s bedroom was the biggest. Once we walked inside his master bedroom, he guided me to his king-sized bed and welcomed me to have a seat. “Get comfortable,” he said. “I’ll be back.” He turned, and walked back out of the room.

  I did just that. I removed my shoes from my feet, scooted further inside the soft bed, and got comfortable. A few moments later, he returned. In his hands he held two fancy glasses and a fair-sized bottle of Patron. He then walked towards the other side of the bed and placed the items onto the nightstand. He removed his shoes and relaxed himself. From the nightstand, he grabbed his radio remote and turned on some music. After that, he poured our drinks, handed me mines, and then we began tossing them back like there was no tomorrow.

  “So what’s a single man doing living in a home like this?” I asked him.

  “Well, I originally purchased this house with my sisters, but when they got married they moved out.”

  “You and your sisters are very close, huh?”

  “Yes, we are.” He poured himself another round and drunk it before speaking again. “After my mother died, we became even closer.”

  “Oh… I’m sorry to hear that your mother died.”

  “It’s OK. She passed away from a stroke three years ago. I’ve learne
d to live with it.”

  A brief silence followed. I decided I would not mention the death of my mother, nor volunteer anything else personal about myself. It was mandatory that I kept the conversation light and breezy. Changing the subject, I said, “So do your sisters still live in Lebanon?”

  “No. Actually, they both moved to Cincinnati. But they do travel back this way from time-to-time.”

  “Oh, OK. So, are you the only boy?”

  “Yeah, I’m the only boy,” he said, laughing. “I grew up with all women. My father was the only man around to teach me the manly things I know.”

  “Don’t feel bad,” I said, laughing also. “My brother grew up the same way. He’s the only boy out of three children.”

  “Well, that’s good to know. At least I know you understand my position. How old is your brother?”

  “He’s twenty-seven. I’m the baby of the family.”

  “I see we have a few other things in common,” he acknowledged. “So, do you have any children?”

  “No, I don’t have any children.”

  “I don’t either. But one day I’d love to have some. How about you? Would you like to create some babies someday?”

  “Someday, maybe,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders. “I already spent two years in school maintaining my LPN. Now that I’m working towards becoming a registered nurse, I really can’t imagine myself creating babies anytime soon.”

  “I can relate to that. Being a promoter, my life can be unpredictable. Having children under those circumstances could be extremely difficult. How many more years do you have left of school?”

  “I’m actually completing my last year. I have one more semester after this one, and then I graduate.”

  “Are you going to continue school after you graduate, or are you going to continue climbing up the ladder?”

  “Well, my ultimate goal is to receive my Ph.D. That of course would take me several more years to accomplish, but it’s definitely something I want to do.”