Read As Time Goes By: A BWWM Interracial Romance for Free Online

thing.”
     “I heard the news.”
     “The news?”
     “You know, over your guy Arnold’s plans.”
     “What are you talking about?”
     “You haven’t seen Arnold today? He told you he’s running,
right?”
     “Running what? What are you saying? We skipped having lunch
together today.”
     “And he didn’t then at least phone you to tell you he’s
running for mayor of Detroit City? The papers said he had told them he was
going to be making a formal announcement to the press at five thirty this
evening.”
     Marg was stunned. She tried to shrug it off. “Maybe he
simply forgot to mention it to me.”
     “That he was going to run for mayor? If he didn’t bother
telling you something like that, what else didn’t he bother telling you?”
     “Look, mother. Maybe I’d better go.”
     “Hard to believe he didn’t say anything to you and yet you
two have, according to you, been dating for two weeks, one day, four hours and
sixteen minutes.”
     “You’ve the memory of an elephant, mother.”
     “Naw, I simply write everything down. You having a man for
so long is a world record. Although you have to wonder if him withholding the
fact from you he is going to run for office is a sign that maybe he is ready to
move on to someone else.”
     “Don’t you dare say that mother. Don’t you dare ever
fucking say that.”
     “Swearing at your mother? Not very ladylike. But then
again, when is anything you do, ladylike.”
     “Damn you mother. If you’re having a bad day, take it out
on someone else.”
     “There is no one else.”
     “I gotta go mother.”
     She hung up and dialed Arnold’s number, her long slender
black fingers with the long all natural nails painted a shimmering pink and
shaking nervously as her mother’s words tugged at her vulnerable heart strings.
She had fallen for him hard, just as she knew she would. And she was certain he
felt the same way about her, only…only…why hadn’t he told her about such an
important decision before it was going to be made public?
     “Hi hon.”
     “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to run for public office?”
     “You heard? I hadn’t planned on it, but a former friend
visited me late last night, after our date. He said he had some fundraisers
that could guarantee enough money raised to mount a strong and effective campaign.
Apparently I still have a lot of fans.”
     “You should have told me. I thought we shared everything.”
     “Did you check your email? I sent you one late last night
as soon as my friend left. I wanted you to have a heads up before the paper
would hit the stands this morning. Then I phoned you an hour ago, wanting you
to know it was going to be on the local five thirty news. You must have been in
the shower or something because you wouldn’t pick up. I left a message there as
well.”
     Marg suddenly felt both foolish and childish, feeling a
cloud lift off her shoulders. No, she hadn’t bothered checking her emails
today. And yes, she had seen her phone flashing but hadn’t thought to check the
message. She knew from experience he would often call and remind her about
dates. She had assumed the message on her cell was merely a reminder he was
coming by at seven to take her to dinner. Normally their dinner dates would
start at six, but it now dawned on her that he probably wanted to see himself
on the news first.
    She glanced at her watch. Five twenty-nine. “Gonna hang up
now,” she said happily, feeling relieved. “I’m going to watch the local news to
see if you’re as good looking on TV as you are in person.”
    “The press conference was taped earlier. I’ll be by at seven
to pick you up,” he assured her before hanging up.
     She sat in front of the TV and turned it on. The man she
was crazy about had taped a press conference and going to address the city she
also loved. She suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy inside. If anyone could fix
Detroit’s problems, Arnold could. But having