years ago, his father and five close friends who were in their senior year at Morehouse had made a pledge that not only would they stay in touch after graduation from college, but that they would become godfathers to each other’s children, and that the name of each of their first sons would begin with the letters U to Z. The men had kept their promise, and all six sons, Uriel, Virgil, Winston, Xavier, York and Zion, became god-brothers to each other.
“Do you see them often?” she asked.
He met her gaze, deciding it wouldn’t be wise to tell her about the club they had formed, the Guarded Hearts Club, and that they met at least once or twice a year, usually on the ski slopes or abroad in Rome, where Zion, who’d become a world-renowned jewelry designer, had lived for the past three years.
“Yes, we get together on occasion, several times a year. They are still single and prefer remaining that way. Don’t be surprised if they show up while I’m here.”
He then tilted his head, met her gaze and decided it was time they got something out in the open, discuss it if she felt the need, but definitely put it to rest. “And what about that girlfriend you used to hang around? Darcy what’s-her-name? Do the two of you still keep in contact?” he asked.
He watched as she shifted nervously in her seat whiletaking several sips of her wine. Saying Darcy’s name had brought up the past, specifically that day ten years ago, and they both knew it. After taking yet another sip of her wine she met his gaze and said, “Yes, Darcy and I are still close friends. In fact, I talked to her earlier today on the phone. She’s divorced and still living in Minneapolis, and she works for the city government there.”
She breathed in deeply and then said, “Uriel, about that day when we…”
“Kissed?” He went ahead and supplied the word when he saw she was having trouble doing so.
“Yes. My first kiss, actually. I wanted to see how it was done and decided I wanted you to be the one to show me. Darcy knew it as well, and dared me to take matters into my own hands.”
After pausing briefly, she then said, “I owe you an apology. What I did was stupid. But then, during those days I did a lot of stupid stuff.”
“I understand,” he said, finally accepting that he did. She was right. When you’re young you sometimes do foolish things.
“Do you really, Uri?”
He saw the intense look in her eyes. Her need for him to know that she had regretted her actions that day was there for him to see. Evidently, the rift between them had bothered her over the years. Some young women would not have given a damn. But she did.
“Yes, I do,” he finally said. “I’d admit at the time I had gotten pretty pissed off about it, but it didn’t take me long to get over it.”
Now that was a lie if ever he’d heard one. He hadn’tbeen able to get over it as quick as he’d made it sound, mainly because it had taken him a long time to eradicate her taste from his mouth no matter how many women he’d kissed after that day.
“I’m glad. I’d hoped that you had, but hadn’t been sure when I never saw you at the lake again. I knew you came whenever I wasn’t here, because my aunt would mention it, and I always assumed it was deliberate.”
“Just a coincidence,” he said, lying again. No need to send her on a guilt trip. Ten years was ten years. Now they were older, wiser, and from the sexual chemistry he felt flowing in the room, just as attracted to each other. But then, that was the crux of his problem. He never really knew if she’d been attracted to him back then as much as he’d been to her, or if it had been nothing more than playacting as part of her dare with Darcy.
That was a mystery he needed to solve, a curiosity that he needed to explore. “So, how long are you staying out here on the lake?” he heard himself asking her.
“A month.”
He nodded. So was he. That meant he had a month to satisfy his curiosity
Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World