Dick (Bad Boys #1) Page 5

  About ten minutes later, Eden enters the kitchen out of breath. Her hair is tied up messily on her head. She’s wearing a white tank top and a short pair of gray cotton shorts. “Sorry, guys. I just need to grab some …” She pauses when she realizes that my kids and I are wrapped in towels. Her eyes roam between Jaden and Macy and then land on my face. She continues her perusal, turning her gaze to my chest, my abdomen … that’s right, baby, you check out my dick. Just as I say the word in my head, her eyes flick back up to my face, her cheeks nice and rosy. I affect her. Good.

  I repeat the word ‘grandma’ in my head numerous times, hoping to tamp the heat in my body caused by her gaze. My eyes drop to her tanned legs. Hot damn and shit! I realize our ogling session is lasting too long since we have the company of my kids.

  Her hand brushes along her neck, and she clears her throat. “I’m sorry. I need to get some Tylenol for Grant. He’s burning up. I can bring some clean clothes for Jaden. I don’t think I have anything girly though for Macy and uh …” her eyes drop to my chest again and her throat bobs “…I can maybe find something from Blythe.”

  Before she continues with that thought I lift my hand. “Eden, there’s no way I’m wearing that asshat’s clothes. I have my housekeeper coming over here to bring us a change of clothes. She should be here any minute. I actually live a couple blocks away. We’re practically neighbors.” I grin widely. This is great. She’s fucking hot.

  “Asshat … Neighbors …?” Her brows crease together. “Oh …” She pauses and then it dawns on her that I’ve called her husband an asshat. “Right …” She laughs nervously. “Okay! Um … um …” She continues looking at the three of us with a blank stare on her face.

  “Don’t you need to give Grant his Tylenol?” I remind her. She’s clearly flustered by the situation. I wonder if she’s worried about asshat walking into this fiasco.

  “What are you smirking about?” she asks with a clipped tone. I hadn’t realized I was smirking. I was just thinking of this one time when I was banging this woman and her husband came home. I had to wait a good half hour in the closet while she distracted him before I could leave.

  “I didn’t realize I was smirking. You really don’t want to know what I was thinking,” I flash another grin. I mean, it is better to make light of the whole situation. Right?

  Her face contorts. “Really, Dick?” It’s a question.

  “I’m trying to make light of the situation.” I shrug. She shakes her head and stalks out of the kitchen with Tylenol chew tabs and a small glass of water for Grant.

  My phone buzzes with a text from Ma. She’s here. I tell her to come on up. No way am I leaving this apartment in my towel.

  “Hey!” I call out to Eden. “You should tell him to take small sips. If it’s the stomach flu, you don’t want him puking that water back up two minutes later.” I wait but there’s no response.

  The elevator dings. I head over to the elevator as it opens. The kids follow me. Ma stands staring at us with her jaw slack.

  She waves her hands in the air. “Oh dear. What happened?”

  The kids run up to her yelling out her name. “Ma, Ma.”

  Ma immediately extends her arms, embracing them. Ma is a black woman in her fifties who has raised her own kids.

  “Grant threw up on me,” Macy says with her sweet little voice. She looks like she wants to cry again.

  “Come here, dear.” Ma scoops her up. “I brought you that princess outfit you like.”

  Macy’s face instantly brightens. “Which one? Ariel or the Belle?”

  “It’s yellow, is that the Belle one?”

  Macy nods her head and places her arms around Ma’s neck.

  “What’s with you, Dixon? Prancing around here as if you own the place. Take the clothes and go get dressed,” she orders with that assertive tone of hers. I cackle. I swear sometimes she treats me like a young boy and not a grown father with two children.

  “Yeah, yeah. Hand it over.” I grab my clothes out of her hands. “Can you get these rascals dressed while I go change?” I ask, turning around. I look around the main floor for a bathroom, not sure which door it could be. I head back up to the spare bedroom. I quickly throw on the T-shirt and jeans Ma brought for me. I dump the dirty clothes we left behind in the bag and head out of the bedroom, hoping to see Eden so we can say goodbye and thank her for her hospitality.

  I head toward what I think should be the master bedroom. As I near the room, I hear Grant’s soft voice saying he feels bad for making such a mess on everyone.

  Without any hesitation I push the bedroom door open. “Hey, buddy.” Eden watches me warily as I make my way over to the bed. Grant is lying on an elevated pillow while Eden caresses his forehead. “You don’t need to feel bad, buddy. Jaden and Macy want you to feel better. We’ve all had stomach flu before.”

  Grant’s blue eyes light up, even though his eyes are rimmed with dark circles and his skin is pale. “You have?” he asks with a tinge of enthusiasm. He’s a cute kid and my heart goes out to him for having a prick for a father.

  “Of course, buddy. The amount of times I’ve puked in all the wrong places—”

  Eden pops up from the bed cutting me off. “Okay, we get the picture.” She glares at me as if I was going to say something inappropriate, which I wasn’t. Man, I know how to be around kids. She needs to chill out.

  “What were you going to say, Mr. Crawford?” Grant interrupts his mother.

  Eden stares at me, shooting daggers. I don’t understand where this attitude is coming from. I thought dinner was cordial and the kids had fun. Did I do something wrong?

  “Nothing, buddy … just that it happens and it’s no big deal. You need to get some rest so you’ll feel better,” I reply, hoping to put his mother at ease. She still looks tense.

  “Maybe I should say sorry to them.” Grant offers. With the blanket up to his chin, he looks like he won’t have the energy to get out of bed at all.

  I scoop him up in my arms. “Okay, come on. I’ll take you downstairs to say goodbye and then it’s straight to bed for you. You need to rest.”

  Grant nods and a faint smile appears on his lips. Eden’s tough poise diminishes as I head down the stairs with her son in my arms. Macy and Jaden are all dressed, sitting beside Ma on the couch.

  “Hey, kids, Grant wanted to say goodbye.”

  “Bye, Grant. Hope you feel better.” Jaden waves. Macy walks over to take Jaden’s hand and quietly whispers goodbye.

  “I’m sorry I got sick all over you two. I didn’t mean to. I just felt my stomach was sick, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” Grant explains, clearly feeling bad.

  “That’s okay. No biggie,” Jaden responds. “It’s all good.” He grins, flashing his little dimples. It floors me because he sounds exactly like me. I say ‘no biggie.’ I say ‘it’s all good.’ I’m not sure whether to be warmed by the sentiment that my son imitates me or not. What else has he picked up that I haven’t noticed?

  Eden comes up behind me, and Grant leans over to go to her. I pass him over. “Do you need help getting him back upstairs?” I ask. There are a lot of stairs and Grant is a big boy.

  “I’m good. I’m used to carrying him.” She smiles and I can see by the dark circles under her eyes that she must be very tired. We stayed longer than I planned, and the kids at school must tire her out all day.

  “I’m sorry, this is Marlene, my housekeeper. Marlene, this is Eden Jenkins. She’s Jaden’s kindergarten teacher,” I explain.

  “Nice to meet you, Ms. Jenkins.” Ma nods, since Eden has her hands full holding Grant.

  “Please call me Eden.” Her lips turn up softly. Ma smiles then looks at me with a knowing eye. I want to tell her it’s not like that. I would never take Jaden’s teacher to bed. That would be wrong on all levels.

  “Thanks, Eden.” I smile.

  Jaden looks up to say thank you as well, and so does Macy, albeit very quietly. Eden smiles and apologizes for the umpte
enth time. We all leave in the elevator. Ma’s glare burns right through me.

  “What?” I finally break down and ask.

  “Don’t what me, boy. You like her.” Ma grins.

  “I do not.” I feign innocence. “She’s Jaden’s teacher. I wouldn’t go there. Besides, can you keep it down?” My eyes fall to Jaden and Macy, who are playing some thumb war. You never know when children are listening. I don’t need him running off to school tomorrow and telling his teacher I like her.

  “Mmm hmm.” Ma nods at me again. “Why were you at the woman’s house in a towel, then?”

  “I took Jaden for a play date, and Grant barfed all over us,” I answer innocently as my eyes widen.

  “Since when do you accompany Jaden on play dates? The boy is big enough to go on his own.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Well, I accidentally told her that my ex doesn’t allow him on play dates on his own,” I reply hesitantly. I’ve never lied to Ma, and I don’t plan on starting now.

  “Accidentally huh?” She leans over to my ear. “Boy, we both know that ex of yours don’t give a shit. I’m thinking you like this girl, and it’s a good thing.” She pulls away, nodding her head as if she agrees with herself. I can’t believe she’s even going there. I can’t believe that she just confirmed my own worries that my ex is a shitty mother.

  The elevator door opens and we land in the lobby. I give valet my ticket, and Ma passes over her ticket. I bought her a car a few years back and forced her to get her driver’s license, even though she likes public transportation and has been taking it all her life.

  “She’s married. I’m not going there,” I whisper back a few minutes later. I’m not sure if the words are for Ma or me.

  “Boy, I’m not blind. I watch the news. I know a wedding ring hasn’t stopped you in the past,” she says with slight judgment in her tone. I cringe. This is Ma. “What I’m telling you now is that the girl upstairs genuinely likes you. I could see it in her eyes. She also doesn’t look very happy.”

  I chuckle, throwing my head back. “You gauged all that in the ten minutes you were in her apartment?”

  “Laugh all you want, Dixon. I have intuition and life experience. You know I say it like I see it,” Ma confirms. I don’t answer. I don’t want her biting my head off any more than she already has. Shit, I didn’t realize she followed me in the media. It makes me feel like shit.

  “We better get back to the apartment. Ge is coming over. He wants to put these two scoundrels to bed, and then we’re heading out for some drinks.”

  Together we head out to the cars. Ma drives slowly and cautiously with all the crazy New York drivers and cabs. Five minutes later, I pull into our building garage. She still isn’t back. I peek into the back seat through my rearview mirror. My kids are out cold. It was a long day. I struggle to scoop them out of their car seats and into my arms. Then I head to the elevators. Ge will be here soon, and I swear he thinks he has the same intuition as his mother. I’m sure Ma has already updated him that I accompanied Jaden on a play date while she was driving home. That’s just how things work between us. In a way it’s endearing to have people who actually give a shit. The only problem is that I don’t want to talk about Eden at all. I need to put any thoughts or feelings about her in a safe spot in my mind and bury them deep. There is a long list of reasons why I need to stay away from her. Reason number one is that I’m a dick.

  Grant’s fever finally broke, and he managed to fall asleep. I lie back on a pillow and take a deep cleansing breath as the day’s events replay in my mind. Dick’s bare chest stands out as the highlight, completely throwing me off. I don’t get excited by good-looking men. Truth be told, I always thought I was a little strange since I don’t find most men attractive, even when I notice other women drooling. With Blythe, it wasn’t all hearts and roses. He had become a friend first. He helped me, and in many ways saved me. Although¸ I’m not so sure now about the saving part, because he just took me out of one bad situation and placed me in another. I let out another breath and my mind travels back to Dick. The hot, tingly feeling returns in the pit of my stomach when I think of his eyes, dimples, and that chest. Hmm! Just thinking about him causes my core to involuntarily clench. The lack of control I’m feeling now makes me uneasy.

  My life can’t be characterized as a sunny day at the beach, but at least there are no surprises anymore. The facts are that my husband cheats. He takes models to exotic destinations and fucks them senseless. On the bright side, I have my son and my job, which for years, I’ve been convincing myself is enough. Problem is at twenty-eight years old, the depressing state of my life is bringing me down. I also know better than to fall into the bed of a handsome billionaire. I could never sleep with a guy like Dick. His too-busy sex life is gross. I mean the way he sleeps with all those mothers and nannies. Grr! I cringe, hoping the cold shiver running through my body will be enough of a deterrent to keep my mind off him. Besides, I won’t be one of those wives who cheats on her husband. My own parents weren’t loyal to each other. When I was a young girl, I heard their fights over affairs. I knew how sad my mother was in Williamsburg, how lonely she felt. I used to lie in bed, wondering why they didn’t just divorce, until one day I woke up in the morning to a note.

  I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I need time to get my life back together …

  Her departure wrecked me. Worst of all, her note left me with false hope since she never came back. I was only twelve years old, and I was left to experience the most confusing years of my life motherless. My father was self-absorbed and focused on his projects in Williamsburg, which made him rich fast. I thanked my lucky stars for the house staff, who at least fed me and kept the roof over my head. I tried to stay positive and be grateful. From an awkward tween, I turned into an introverted teenager, never experiencing any real relationships or boyfriends. Not meaningful anyway.

  With the acrid smell of vomit wafting off my clothes, I step out of bed to take a shower. I hope Grant will feel better by tomorrow or I’ll have to call in sick. Leaving him with a sitter when he’s unwell isn’t an option. Not after I spent years experiencing colds and flus all alone. My son will never experience the likes of that gut-wrenching loneliness. It leaves you bare and empty, makes you feel like you aren’t worth much, and he’s everything to me. I want to give him everything I never had, yet I feel like I’m failing miserably. The realization hits me hard. I’ve allowed Blythe to treat me badly for so many years because I felt unworthy of anything better. Thanks to Jenna and her pep talks, my eyes are wide open. I repeatedly tell her that she should’ve been a psychologist, not a teaching assistant, but she just smiles. She loves her job and enjoys that she doesn’t have to take home any responsibilities with her.

  The warm water cascades over my tired, aching bones. Lathering shampoo into my hair, my eyes drift shut. Dick’s face comes to mind. His sultry eyes reminded me of a clear sky on a bright day this evening. My mind then flicks to the vision of him in a towel, and my nipples harden against the warm water. Damn him. Of all the men I could be attracted to, I’ve chosen to obsess over the school player. He’s not just a player. He’s also Dixon Crawford—my first kiss, and a boy I never saw again after that day. The memory came to me shortly after I got home from Washington. He grew into a man since I last saw him, which explains why I didn’t recognize him initially. When I did remember him, the memory was clouded by disappointment. He clearly didn’t remember me, even though we had been very close. An ache began to form in my chest that following week, as I realized our paths would never cross again. When he came up to me in the playground at school, a part of my lost hope flickered back to life, only to have it shot back down by the revelation that he was a manwhore, who pretended to have never met me before.

  I step out of the shower and reach for my towel, trying to contain the sudden shivers racking my body. A hot burning sensation itches the back of my throat. Before I have time to register what’s happening, I’m hit with a violent bout of nausea. Dashi
ng over to the toilet, I make it just in time to empty the contents of my stomach. Dripping wet like a sluggish rag, I straighten myself out and look in the mirror. My complexion has a greenish tinge. I wrap a towel around myself as a shiver crawls over my body. Must be the fever kicking in.

  I walk into the closet and find my warmest flannel pajamas and sway over to the bed. The bed is an extra-large king that was custom designed for Blythe. Grant is sprawled far off on the other side. I pick up my cell phone, remembering I told Jenna I would meet her for a ladies’ night out. By now she must know it isn’t happening, since I haven’t been in touch, but I need to send her a text anyway to be polite. She wants me to get out and have some fun. Her heart is in the right place. I’m just not sure I was built for having fun.

  The shiver intensifies as I scroll through my phone. The adult Tylenol is all the way downstairs, and I have zero energy to get myself anything at this point. I send Jenna a quick text telling her that both Grant and I are unwell and will probably not make it to school tomorrow. As I finish typing a message appears on my screen. It’s only a number. When I open the screen I realize its Dick’s number. I wonder why he goes by Dick? It seems so odd.

  213-813-9869 – Eden, how are you and Grant doing?

  I stare at the screen a little stunned. I can’t believe he’s checking on us. I don’t understand him. He seems so sweet around his kids, a genuinely good father. When it comes to women, though, he really is a big dick. I think of a response and begin to type.

  I caught the bug from Grant. Grant is fast asleep. Thanks for asking.

  I sit and wait. I’m not sure for what. My phone makes a beeping sound.

  I was worried about that. Last time Macy got the stomach bug, Jaden and I got it too.

  Okay! I am not sure what to answer. I’m contemplating through the nausea, only my mind is foggy. Before I type anything else the phone beeps again.