I Saw Your Profile Read online

  She looked in the rearview mirror and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Enough self-pity. He’s not worth it.”

  She whispered in her son’s ear as she lifted him from the car seat. “We’re going to be just fine.”

  She grabbed her purse and keys and walked into her new, empty home.

  Nicole pushed the doubts she had begun to have about Chauncey to the side. She left the gym and went back to the hallway and dialed his cell phone. She needed to hear his voice.

  “Hi, baby.”

  “Hello sweethaart. I’m on my way home. When are you coming?”

  “Soon as the game’s over. Jay’s team is winning. He told Jamal he had a game tonight and the man actually showed up.”

  “That’s good for the boy. I can’t remember the last time he came for him.”

  “Apparently he’s getting serious with some woman and she wants to meet Jay.”

  “That’s what it takes for some men, I guess. Daahling, make sure you come straight home. I want to spend time with you before I leave.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Don’t you remember? I told you I had a pamper party.”

  The feelings of doubt came rushing back. Nicole sighed. “No, Chauncey. I don’t remember.”

  “Well just think about the money, sweetie. If things keep going well, I can take you on the vacation we’ve been talking about and I will pay for the entire trip.”

  Nicole felt as though a heavy rock had sunk to the bottom of her gut.

  Was she blind? Were Candace and Jamal right?

  “I’d rather you pay more bills,” she said through clenched teeth. “I never see any of this money you make from these parties. What do you do with it?”

  “Daahling, you know that I am helping to take care of my mum back home.”

  Nicole’s blood pressure and tone began to rise.

  “It’d be nice if you helped out more where you eat and sleep for a change. When are you coming back?”

  “Sunday. It’s just a weekend gig,” Chauncey said.

  Feeling several pairs of eyes on her, Nicole stepped outside. She was too hot to cool down and didn’t want the attention.

  “California was a weekend gig and you stayed five days,” she shouted.

  Chauncey remained calm. “Daahling why are you so upset? They arranged for me to see more clients, so I stayed longer.”

  Nicole clenched her teeth and put her free hand on her hip. “If I called your clients would they give me the same story?”

  Chauncey’s response was filled with righteous indignation. “Story? It’s not a story. I will give you the name and the number if you like. But if you have to make that call, then you shouldn’t be with me in the first place.”

  Silence.

  Nicole’s moment of clarity had been suddenly clouded by the thought of being alone. She took a deep breath and regained her composure.

  “Let’s finish this when I get home.”

  “Are you sure you want me to be here when you get home? If I’m not handling my share of our responsibilities to your satisfaction, perhaps you’d like me to make other living arrangements?”

  “Did I say that, Chauncey?”

  “Sometimes, it’s not what you say, dear. It’s how you say it. I sense a lack of trust on your behalf. Without trust, we have nothing.”

  Chapter Nine

  The doorbell rang repeatedly followed by a thunderous knock.

  The pounding roused Janelle from the peaceful slumber she had just slipped into following a session of carnal pleasure with her new masseur.

  The neon red digits on the nightstand clock screamed one p.m.

  It was Sunday. Janelle lay in bed hoping the intruder would disappear.

  “Janelle open the damn door. I know you’re home. I see your car out here.”

  It was her best friend Vanessa, yelling from the living room window by the front door. Janelle’s bedroom was right off the living room and Vanessa’s voice rang clear.

  Janelle rolled out of bed naked, her round face framed by matted and tangled hair, the inside of her thighs moist and sticky. She snatched a robe from the bedpost, slid on a pair of flip-flops and toddled to the front door dragging her feet.

  “Alright already. Hold on.”

  She opened the door and Vanessa, a light-skinned sister whose loud voice contradicted her petite frame, rushed in impatiently. “What the hell is up with you? Are you sick? You couldn’t call and tell me you weren’t meetin me?”

  Confusion covered Janelle’s face like a blanket.

  “What are you talking about, Vanessa?”

  Vanessa stomped past her, swinging her shoulder-length brown hair, and bounced on the living room couch.

  “What? You tryin to say you don’t remember?”

  Janelle plopped down beside her. “Remember what and why are you talking so loud?”

  “I always talk this loud and I wanna know why the hell you had my ass at Denny’s waitin for you for over an hour while you been here chillin out?”

  Janelle slapped her cheeks. Her mouth flew open as if her jaw was wired to her hands like a garage door to a remote control. “Oh my god. I was supposed to meet you for breakfast. I completely forgot.”

  Vanessa changed positions to get a better look at Janelle. “You look like you had a rough night.” She sniffed. “And what is that smell?”

  Janelle crossed her legs and tightened the belt around her waist. “What smell?”

  “Sex, heifer. You smell like sex!”

  Chauncey emerged from her bedroom right on cue. “Is everything all right out here?” he asked.

  One of Janelle’s clients had been so impressed by the pamper party at the salon; the client had arranged a party at her home that weekend.

  He and Janelle hooked up when he was done working.

  Vanessa exposed her tonsils at the sight of Chauncey standing in Janelle’s living room wearing only a pair of pants.

  Janelle had shown her his online picture.

  “Ain’t you the massage man?” she asked.

  He grinned. “Well, no one’s ever referred to me by that name, but yes. And you are?”

  Janelle interrupted. “This is my friend, Vanessa. We were supposed to have breakfast this morning and I forgot.” She turned to Vanessa with raised eyebrows. “I am sorry, sweetie. How about dinner a little later?”

  “That’s okay, Janelle,” Chauncey said. “You go ahead. Spend time with your friend. I need to get on the road anyway.”

  Janelle was disappointed. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I need to pick up my partner at the motel. May I use your shower, dear?”

  “Sure. I’ll get you a towel and face cloth.”

  “It was nice meeting you Miss Vanessa.”

  After he showered and got dressed, Janelle, still unkempt, walked him to the door. He kissed her goodbye and promised to call when he got home.

  She watched him from the window, running her eyes over his muscular frame, smiling at the way he leaned back in the driver’s seat and cocked his head to the side.

  “Girl, get away from that damn window actin like a teenager.”

  “Shut up, Vanessa.”

  “You sure gave it up easy. What’s this your second time hookin up with him? You should have gotten your funky ass in that shower with him. What’d y’all do screw all night?”

  “We didn’t screw. We made love. You make everything sound so nasty.”

  “Y’all screwed, girlfriend. People who’ve only known each other a few weeks don’t make love. They fuck.”

  Janelle sucked her teeth. “You should know.”

  “That’s right. I should.”

  “I’m going to take a shower.”

  “Please do. I can wait. You know I ain’t goin nowhere until I get all the details on Mr. Massage Man.”

  The aroma of hazelnut coffee, bacon and eggs filled Janelle’s kitchen as she prepared breakfast as a peace offering for standing up Vanessa.

 
But the real dish was the events of the night before.

  “He’s everything I’ve been looking for in a man; smart, educated, good looking and great in bed,” Janelle said as she placed freshly cooked strips of bacon on a paper towel.

  Vanessa was sitting at the table waiting to be served.

  “You need to slow your ass down, Janelle. You can’t tell the difference between lust and love ‘cause you move too damn fast.”

  Janelle turned away from the stove to face Vanessa. “That’s not true. You make me sound like a slut when you’ve had more dick than ten prostitutes.”

  Vanessa gave her the finger. “Fuck you, Janelle. This ain’t about morals or how many guys you slept with. But since you and Alvin broke up, the ones you have been with ain’t been about shit.”

  She took a sip of coffee and continued. “Women don’t know how to separate the physical from the emotional. And when you get physical too quick, you get all caught up and you think it’s love. Aren’t you sick of makin the same mistakes over and over?”

  Janelle put the food on the table, then refilled Vanessa’s coffee mug before taking a seat.

  “This one is different. Besides, his kiss was so intense, so passionate, I couldn’t help myself. There was nothing I could do but sleep with him.”

  “Yeah there was. You could’ve stopped kissin his ass and you damn sure didn’t hafta drop the panties. What the hell do you know about this man? You just met him.”

  “I know enough. I know I like him. I like the way he makes me feel about myself when I’m with him. I think he sees past what size I wear.”

  Vanessa sighed as she filled her plate. “Look. There ain’t no way you can tell what the hell this man sees or cares about after two dates. I don’t care what he says. And you should feel good about yourself without a man.”

  Vanessa ate a forkful of eggs and talked as she chewed. “If it’s dick you want, then get you some dick. Men been shaggin the pussy and pullin a Houdini since the beginning of time. But if a sista likes to fuck, she gotta be a ho or a slut? No I don’t play that shit. All I’m sayin is don’t get all caught up with this nigga in your head. ‘Cause that’s a whole notha story.”

  Janelle slammed her hands on the table. “Why are you raining on my damn parade? I really like this guy. I think he could be the one.”

  “How do you know that when you don’t even know him?”

  “It’s a feeling.”

  “Alright, Ms. It’s a feelin. Don’t be surprised when you find out he’s got a wife and kids stashed some damn where. You’ve had two dates with this man and you’ve already got yourself walkin down the aisle with him. That’s how we women are. We meet a guy who’s halfway decent and we’re makin weddin plans before the waiter brings the check.”

  The conversation stole Janelle’s appetite. She snatched up her plate and scraped the contents into the garbage disposal. “Damn, you are so bitter, Vanessa.”

  “I’m bitter because I’m tellin you to slow your roll? Shit, Janelle. This is a man you don’t know from Adam. All I’m sayin is be careful.”

  Chapter Ten

  Traffic on Interstate ninety-five was crawling as Arianna drove south through Delaware on her way to Baltimore.

  The radio was blasting Tina Marie’s “Portuguese Love” and Arianna was singing along until the Philly station started fading out just over the Maryland border.

  “Damn!” She fiddled with the tuner for a few minutes before giving up and popping in the “Who is Jill Scott?” CD.

  Clouds choked the steel gray sky, shutting out the sun. Her mood matched the scene outdoors and drowsiness threatened to overcome her.

  She let down the window, hoping the air would do what the coffee in her cup holder hadn’t. She had a long day ahead that included a journalism conference at Coppin State College and sharing the evening with Mr. Good Body, who lived in the D.C. area. Since she was going to be so close, they agreed to meet after the conference.

  It was Saturday and she hadn’t counted on the traffic. She was on a panel and couldn’t afford to be late.

  The sea of red eyes on the highway suddenly became clear as drivers let go of their brakes and traffic began to flow freely like water down an unclogged drain. She looked for an accident or a stranded motorist, a clue as to what had caused the highway to become a virtual parking lot.

  There was none. For Arianna, unexplained traffic jams were one of life’s most annoying little mysteries.

  After the conference, she drove to meet Mr. Good Body at Arundel Mills, a big mall off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway with a movie theater and entertainment complex along with dozens of stores.

  He suggested they meet at the theater because Arianna had never been to the mall and it was the easiest landmark to find. They would plan their date once they met.

  Problem was the theater had both back and front entrances, which he had failed to mention. She circled the mall three times trying to find his black truck before calling him on his cell phone.

  She hung up when his voicemail answered.

  “Damn. You’d think since he was meeting me here, he’d have it turned on.”

  The thought that she had been stood up flashed through her mind, but quickly disappeared. He was definitely coming.

  They’d been talking for two months. Politics, sports, relationships, religion. No subject was taboo. They thought alike and he made her laugh, a good combination.

  She decided to park the car and wait. She drove slowly down a lane close to the theater and spotted a middle-aged couple walking to their car. She noticed a red Corvette on the opposite end of the lane speed up with its signal light blinking.

  “Don’t even think about it,” she muttered to herself.

  She put the car in park, opened the door, stuck out her head and waved for the driver to keep going, her silver bracelets banging against each other angrily.

  The driver, a young white girl with blonde hair and brown roots, pointed at the spot as if that were enough to claim it and send Arianna on her way.

  Arianna got out of her Camry and strutted to the driver’s side of the sports car, her steps so heavy they echoed against the pavement.

  The girl let down the window and spoke.

  “I was here first.” Her words were cocky, but her eyes were nervous.

  “You got here first because I was trying not to run the people down,” Arianna snapped. “Now, I’m not going to argue or debate this with you. Just move.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “Honey, I don’t make threats. I make promises. Good luck finding another parking space and have a great night.”

  The Corvette sped off. The man backed out and Arianna pulled in.

  Her cell rang.

  “Where are you, sweetie?” Mr. Good Body asked.

  “I’m sitting in my car, waiting to hear from you.”

  “My apologies. I neglected to tell you at which door to meet me. Tell me where you’re parked and I’ll come find you.”

  “How about I just stand in front of the building?”

  “All right. What are you wearing?

  “A red top and black pants.”

  “Lady in red. I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

  Arianna walked across the parking lot and stood in front of one the entrances until she spotted a black truck cruising by slowly. She walked to the curb and waved.

  Chauncey pulled over and opened the door. She climbed into the passenger side.

  “These SUVs should come with a ladder,” Arianna said.

  Chauncey smiled. “Those of us over six feet don’t seem to have a problem.”

  He leaned over to kiss her, but stopped just before his lips touched her cheek. “May I?”

  “Sure.”

  He planted his lips on her face. “Thank you. Now what would you like to do this evening?”

  “How about that pool lesson we talked about? I checked this place out on the Internet and they have tables. It’s been a while since I’ve
played and I want to see how good you are after all that bragging.”

  “Are you implying that I’m not as good as I say I am?”

  “No. I’m just saying it’s time to put up or shut up.”

  “A challenge, huh? I like a challenge.”

  “Another thing we have in common, I guess.”

  “Yes. I can’t wait to explore all the other similarities we share.”

  Arianna checked out the truck. It was immaculate, unlike her Camry whose floors were littered with empty coffee cups and water bottles.

  A white, leather bound King James Bible peeked over the edge of the passenger side door pocket. It was frayed and tattered.

  “Read the Good Book a lot do you?”

  “As often as I can.”

  “Learn anything?”

  “Indeed I do.”

  They found a parking space and Chauncey helped Arianna from the truck. “Careful, dear.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You are quite welcome. May I have a hug now that we are vertical.”

  She was standing face to face with Mr. Good Body under a bright parking lot lamp.

  She wore black dress pants, appropriate for the conference and the date since she didn’t have time to change.

  Her top was a red dashiki print with a neckline that revealed enough cleavage to be sexy, yet still professional.

  Open toed, red shoes showed her pedicured feet with an ankh toe ring on one foot and an Adinkra symbol on the other. Garnets dangled from her ears and a teardrop silver choker hung from her neck.

  “You look ravishing.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. I don’t think I’ve ever been called ravishing before.”

  “You’ve never been on a date with me before.”

  “You look handsome yourself.”

  She liked what she saw. His dark blue jeans hugged the curve of every leg muscle. His powder blue, short-sleeve shirt accentuated his pecs and showed off his tight biceps.

  Even with three-inch heels, she had to stand on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck to give him a hug.