I could always count on Rodney to fuck up my mood. “Rodney, I’m going to call them back in an hour. You need to hand the phone over to my kids, or I’ll call the police.”
The very least he could’ve done was let me hear their voices, so I would know they were okay, but he hung up. I tossed my phone onto the bed. I hoped for the best when it came to my kids spending time with their father. He never gave me any indication he would hurt them, but with each passing day, he became harder to read.
I stood up and checked my reflection in the mirror. Not bad for a mom of two. I grabbed a big beach towel, wrapped it around me, and left out to start my Aruba adventures with plans to call the kids back from the beach.
Chapter 10
Jeb
Worry lines wrinkled Kemara’s face when she looked at me. For the first time since I hatched this idea, I was starting to think it might not have been the brightest one. “What’s got your wife so scared?” I asked Channing.
“We all know how Tameka can be. You’re the only one that seems to think she’s not a walking timebomb. I learned to tread lightly around her the first day I met her,” Channing replied.
I chuckled. “You guys don’t have to worry about Tameka with me. I’m here to convince her that we belong together, and she will agree before this vacation is over.” I winked at Channing.
“You just need to make sure you’re not BS-ing with her and not rebounding from Rochelle,” Channing said.
“Chan, I am—” I began to argue, but he raised his hand to stop me.
“Look, you wanted to be here, and you’re here. Let’s try to have a good trip, okay?” he said.
“Alright Channing, damn man. I thought you had my back.”
“I do, but I’m just saying.”
Kemara put a finger to her lip to quiet us. “You’re talking too loud,” she said.
“She’s going to eventually find out I’m here. It’s not like you can hide me the whole trip.” I arched an eyebrow at Channing and Kemara. “Or were you planning to keep me away from her the whole trip?” I chuckled. “That’s not happening.”
“No,” Channing said. “Tameka will know you’re here, but don’t make her uncomfortable.”
“She’ll find out when we go to dinner later tonight. She said she’s going to go swimming, right now, so I’m going to go check on her,” Kemara said.
“I see my girl has everyone walking on eggshells,” I said to Channing after Kemara walked off looking uneasy.
He shrugged. “Like I said, if your intentions are pure, no one has anything to worry about, right?”
“I have nothing but good intentions. You will see.”
Channing smiled. “That’s all I needed to know. What're your plans for today?”
“Since Tameka’s swimming, I might just go swimming.” I rubbed my hands together as I thought about her in a bathing suit.
Channing shook his head. “You’re a brave man. Be careful out there,” he said.
I went to my room and pulled out a t-shirt and swim trunks. Locating Tameka was my number one priority. I was about to go after what I wanted, and God knows I wanted Tameka. I grabbed a towel, in case I decided to take a swim, and left the oversized bedroom and all of its beautiful amenities behind. I walked down the stairs opposite Tameka’s room, careful not to be spotted leaving the house.
I glanced up and down the shore to see if I could spot her, and it didn’t take long before I did. She was patting down a long, pink towel on the sand. My eyes traveled to her bikini that left little to the imagination. Her rounded breasts had me envisioning my hands all over them.
Tameka looked around, surveying the people at the beach. She sat on her towel, reached into a bag, and took out a bottle of sunscreen. As she applied it to her body, I was mesmerized until a guy walked over and offered his assistance.
“What the hell? She’ll just let anyone put sunscreen on her back?” I stewed.
Tameka pulled her knees up to her chest. He started out rubbing her back slowly. Then, his hands traveled down to just above her buttocks, and he leaned over to say something in her ear. She shook her head, and he walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief when he was away from her. She glanced around the shore, nearly catching a glimpse of me when she looked at the big palm tree near me.
I darted behind a nearby food truck and peeked out. She had walked to the water’s edge and put her feet in. She knelt down and ran her fingers through the shallow end. I wanted to be there beside her, but I stood at a safe distance watching her until dark clouds covered the sky.
Tameka gathered her things and headed toward the house. Once she was inside, I slid through the back door. I ran up the staircase to my room, where I grabbed a change of clothes and went to take a shower. It was possible to spend an entire week in this big mansion without ever running into her, but I couldn’t wait to see her again.