Upside down, p.19
Upside Down, page 19
“I was waiting for you to bring that up.”
“I like it.”
“What’s your middle name?”
His lips twitched before he said, “Alexander.”
“Well, Ricky Alexander, let’s get through this day so we can enjoy our night.”
“Deal.” He released me and pressed the doorbell.
The first thing Rebecca did when she answered the door was to punch Ricky’s biceps. “Ow. What was that for?”
“That damn giraffe!” Ricky had been driving her nuts with that thing… controlling all the random movements with that app on his phone, most of the time during the middle-of-the-night feedings, thus scaring the crap out of her. “It’s the spawn of the devil, and I don’t care what you paid for it; it’s going to the curb!”
“You wouldn’t dare,” he grunted with a finger in her face.
“Oh yes I would.” She turned on her heel and stomped into the house. “It’s already in the garage.”
“In a few months, your daughter is going to love that giraffe—” Ricky’s argument faded as he followed behind her into the house. The entire exchange humored me. Rebecca was always able to bring out a side of Ricky I loved seeing, and it gave me hope one day I’d have the same success. In all fairness, he had loosened up tremendously, but that shield he hid behind still popped up every now and again when I least wanted it to. And his incessant need to “top” me, as he called it, made it a game of sorts for me to knock him down a notch or two.
While Rebecca continued reprimanding Ricky, I made my way into the cool house. The silence meant they were all outside. Sure enough, my father and Marco entertained Antonio in the pool, my mom held Liliana on a shaded lounge chair, and Riana sat smiling while sipping what appeared to be a glass of lemonade.
“What the hell?” I asked when it registered Riana was indeed there.
“Surprise!” She immediately got up to hug me. “I hope you don’t mind. Rebecca invited me down.”
“Not at all.” I squeezed her tightly, having missed her more than I’d thought possible. Pulling back, I took both her hands in mine. “When did you get here?”
“A few hours ago. We only planned it yesterday… all spur of the moment.”
“Well, I’m so glad you came.” When Ricky came into view beyond her shoulder, I called out to him, forcing him to come closer. Once he reached my side, I released one of her hands to place on his shoulder. “Ree, this is Ricky Burrows. Ricky, this is Riana Carter.”
Riana threw her arms around him in an embrace that mirrored the one she’d given me. “I am so happy to finally meet you.”
“Same here,” he said with apprehensive eyes pinned to mine. But when I mouthed to be nice, something seemed to snap within him as he rolled his eyes in response. Taking her hand and leading her toward the farthest corner of the yard, he added loud enough for me to hear, “There is so much I want to ask you.” And just like that, he gained the upper hand yet again.
When my parents left this morning, I drove them to the airport. Between having to leave her precious grandchildren and my recent revelation, Mom’s tears fell harder than usual. In between sobs, she reminded me of their support and love. I made them promise to keep it to themselves, and she offered help whenever I did decide to let my siblings know. It wasn’t Janis or Griffin I worried about. It was the conversation with Sam that weighed heavily on my mind.
That afternoon, Ricky and I took Riana to see Bella Viaggi while it was docked between journeys. The vessel was empty, all guests having disembarked already, and the crew was busy preparing for the next voyage.
It was adorable how her mouth gaped open during the tour, or how she beamed at me whenever she caught my eye. Ricky also arranged for us to have a late lunch on deck, complete with fresh sea scallops, sweet corn risotto, and herb-grilled vegetables.
“I can’t believe all this,” Riana said before taking a sip of her third lemon-drop martini. “People actually live like this.” It wasn’t a question. Riana wasn’t a materialistic person at all, but it was hard not to be impressed by the multimillion-dollar luxury that surrounded us.
“You’ll need to book a week, or even two. You need back-to-back cruises to get the full experience of our itinerary.” Riana scoffed and shook her head, forcing Ricky to rush on and say, “On me. Just say the word.”
“Oh my God, Ricky. I can’t accept that.”
“Of course you can. I own it.” He then glanced at me and winked, sending a jolt of affection through me. Whenever he did things like that, I would be reminded of Dr. Vaughn’s words.
“Perhaps you don’t see gender when you begin to connect to another person, and what attracts you is their kindness, their personality traits. Some identify that as being pansexual. It could very well be that this man calls to you on a deeper level.”
That comment had caused me to call him a prick on live radio… and I’d gotten busted when Ricky heard it. But now that I knew Ricky as I did, I had to agree. Even then, I must have sensed something there, deeper than a physical attraction.
His generosity was just one of the many things I found attractive about him. It was in his nature. From ensuring my sister had an equal share of RMR, even when her contribution had been minuscule compared to Marco’s and Ricky’s. From learning he’d helped fund his cousin Damon’s bar. From that ridiculous giant giraffe that he’d spent a small fortune on because he’d known it would bring a smile to Liliana’s face one day… okay, and also because it would drive my sister nuts. All of it came from a place of profound generosity.
I also loved his dry humor. When Ricky had seen Rebecca wasn’t kidding about putting the toy in the garage to keep from hearing it humming at all hours of the day, he’d retaliated by having a giant pink elephant delivered the next day, making the giraffe look tame. Laughing my ass off when Marco dragged that monstrosity through the house had earned a punch to my biceps from Rebecca. They’d come to an understanding—Rebecca wouldn’t put his gifts to the curb provided he deleted the app off his phone.
Meanwhile, Ricky and Riana had meshed perfectly. As they chatted like long-lost friends, I tried to appear indifferent and failed fantastically. Especially when he used the opportunity to siphon every bit of information out of her that he could get. From silly things like the fact that I despised sweet potatoes, to more personal tidbits such as how much I loved massages.
Having Riana there had made me realize there was a lot about Ricky that I didn’t know. And after dropping her off at my sister’s house before heading to his condo, I said as much. “I need one of your friends from home to come visit so I can pick their brain like you did to Riana. Or maybe I have a long chat with Damon.” Ricky sliced his focus away from the road to look at me. “What?” I asked.
“I was planning on paying my mother a surprise visit.” His knuckles gripped the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead and asked, “Would you like to come?” My silence caused him to backpedal a bit. “You know what? Bad idea. I know I had already invited you, but I understand if you feel it’s too soon. She’s your mom on steroids when it comes to her nosiness. I just thought maybe—”
“Shut up.”
“Shut up?” His brows rose challengingly.
“Yeah. You talk too much. I would love to come home with you.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cooper
In the weeks that followed Liliana’s birth, we all seemed to fall into a comfortable routine. And then, I woke up and it was July.
During the day, Ricky would come over, and we’d entertain Antonio in the pool or take him to the beach to give Rebecca and Marco a break. Watching Ricky interact with a toddler was hilarious. He spoke to him no differently than he did to an adult, and more times than not Antonio would stare at him and then look to me for guidance.
But come the evenings, we preferred to be at Ricky’s place in quiet solitude. Sometimes we’d bring dinner in, sometimes we’d cook, and most nights we’d sit on his balcony enjoying the ocean breeze. While he flicked through news channels and stock reports on his laptop, I’d read. Even with the lack of conversation, I felt this unexplainable connection to him.
What we did do every night was get each other off. It was more of the same, but if at all possible, each time he made me come was more intense than the last. Stranger still, returning the favor never failed to turn me on as well. We had yet to “take it to the next level,” and I was the one itching to.
The more he dragged this on, the more I wanted it over with. Like a virgin knowing the first time wouldn’t be pleasurable, the need to get past that and on to the good stuff consumed me. Especially when he taunted how much better it could get. But Ricky had the patience of a fucking saint… and I didn’t doubt he enjoyed tormenting me.
More times than not, I would go back to my sister’s place to sleep. Ricky had made it clear he preferred me in his bed and accused me of being an epic cocktease. But I felt after spending so much time together, we each needed the space, especially since we had yet to have that talk.
Through it all, Ricky had become more than a man pushing my sexual boundaries. He had become a friend. I was going to miss him. Having only five more weeks until I had to get back to Jersey had cast a shadow over our budding relationship. I wasn’t worried things would end, but the logistics were a gray area that we hadn’t discussed. Most important, I didn’t know the extent of his feelings for me. I knew he cared, but exactly how much remained a mystery.
Today was the day he’d decided to ambush his mother. We flew first-class to Indianapolis and planned on staying a few days—“unless I end up in jail once I meet the fucker,” according to Ricky.
Having finally arrived, he maneuvered the black convertible he’d rented onto the paver-stone driveway. On each side, a meticulously trimmed lawn with mature trees bursting in summer glory made for a picturesque landscape. But the white house sitting majestically in the clearing was nothing like I had imagined Ricky growing up in.
It looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, complete with royal-blue shutters, flower boxes under each window, and a wraparound porch. In the distance, a tire swing hung from a massive oak tree on the edge of a small pond, where a few ducks paddled leisurely.
After Ricky cut the engine, he twisted his body toward mine. “Why the surprised look?”
“I guess it’s not what I expected. It’s so charming.”
“And I’m not?” he challenged gruffly. Knowing Ricky had grown up there, I tried to envision a small blond-haired boy running around the property without a care in the world. But it was hard to connect that image to the worldly man with impeccable taste who sat beside me.
“Charming is not a word I would use to describe you. More so conspicuous.”
“Thanks,” he muttered with an eye roll. Knowing the reason this surprise visit put him on edge, I also knew his mood had little to do with my assessment.
Case in point, he made no motion to move or get out of the car. “Are we sitting here all day? Eventually, she’ll see you.”
“Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.” He nosed toward the pickup truck on the driveway. “That fucker is here. There’s only one reason a man is at a woman’s house smack in the middle of a Monday.” His face twisted with disgust. “Ugh. Maybe we should go to a hotel.”
As he stared at the house, I placed a hand on his thigh. “Don’t be a pussy. So your mom has a boyfriend. Big deal.”
“It’s not the fact she has a boyfriend. It’s that she kept it from me.”
“Like mother, like son,” I countered.
“It’s not the same thing. She’s used to my philandering ways—” He stopped, dragging out the s a bit too long. “My old philandering ways.”
“Of course.” It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Regardless, you both have news, and the quicker we get in there the quicker we can enjoy our visit.”
“Fine.” He huffed and puffed, getting out of the car with great ceremony, and stomped his way to the trunk that he had popped open. By the time I joined him, both our suitcases had been placed on the slate below us with a purposeful thump. “Let’s go meet Mom and her boy toy,” he said a bit too animatedly.
“Lead the way.” I followed him up the path, up the stairs, and across the porch. Flicking his gaze my way, he repeatedly jammed a finger on the doorbell, causing the chimes to sound consecutively, mimicking a church bell tolling.
“Hold your damn—” The door flung open, some dude’s eyes bulged, and the word horses slipped out of his mouth before we heard an audible nervous swallow.
From his layered salt-and-pepper hairstyle to a matching goatee that framed his mouth, the resemblance to a younger Kenny Rogers was uncanny. There wasn’t a doubt he knew who Ricky was. And to add insult to injury, the man was as naked as the day he was born, except for the towel his large hand gripped tightly at his waist. A towel that was way too small for his paunchy frame.
The way the man looked up at Ricky as though he were deranged made for a scene out of a bad sitcom. “Well, hey… um… you caught me off guard there, son.”
A vein bulged in Ricky’s neck as he dropped the handle of his suitcase to clench his fist.
Oh fuck.
“Yeah, I’d fucking say that’s an understatement, Pops,” Ricky spit out, and I swear I saw a drop of spit land on the tip of the dude’s nose.
At that moment, a petite woman appeared beside Kenny Rogers, saying, “Who is it, honnn—”
Her hand flew over her gaping mouth as Ricky raised a brow and said, “Hello, Mother.”
She was also in a towel, and I looked away, seeing a bit too much skin for an introductory meeting. Actually, with the way the tops of her breasts spilled out over the edge of her terrycloth apparel, not much differently than Kenny’s belly over his, too much skin was revealed for any occasion.
“What are you doing here, sweetheart?”
“I came to surprise you. I guess mission accomplished.” Ricky seemed to have forgotten that I was standing beside him, his glare bouncing from his mother to the man we had yet to formally meet. “Is this a bad time?”
“Well, actually, it is,” she had the nerve to say before waving us in to rush out an awkward introduction of her companion. As though a stick of dynamite had been shoved up both their asses, they quickly excused themselves, bolting up the stairs.
Hushed, panicked voices filtered down to where we stood, and then a distinct giggle, and finally a door slamming shut.
“What the serious fuck?” Ricky hissed. Pointing a finger toward the stairs they’d flown up, he stared at me as if this were all my fault. “That woman is not my mother.”
“Why… because she looks happy?”
“No… because she looks like she belongs at a singles resort in Jamaica.”
It took way too many minutes for who we now knew to be John to appear fully clothed in jeans, a button-down plaid shirt, work boots, and a just-fucked look. They’d most definitely finished what we’d interrupted.
“Well, I’m going to give you all some time to visit,” he said, not making eye contact. And without a backward glance, he hightailed it out of Cindy’s house with promises to see us soon.
A few seconds later, Cindy emerged, wearing a summery floral dress, but I couldn’t unsee her towel ensemble.
“Ricky Alexander, you embarrassed me,” she scolded the moment her delicate hand slammed the front door shut. “And you interrupted a very nice time… sort of.”
“Spare me, Mother!”
She fisted her hips and got right into his space. “Last I checked this was my house!” And then she turned to me and sassed, “And who the hell are you?”
“This is Cooper.” Ricky waved a hand between us. “Cooper, this is my mother, Mrs. Hospitable.”
They glared at each other, and if I could slip out the front door without having to cross their path, I would’ve. When angry, Ricky looked a lot like his mother. Same sandy-blond hair, although hers was cut into a stylish bob. Same ice-blue eyes. Same quick wit.
“Why did I have to learn my mother had a boyfriend through Damon?”
“That kid always had a big mouth,” she grumbled while storming past where we stood in the foyer. “Cooper, darling, would you like some freshly made iced tea?” The tone of her voice completely altered as she addressed me.
I cut my eyes to Ricky before saying, “That would be great. Thank you.” He narrowed his gaze when I shrugged and followed her into the kitchen.
The house was as cozy and welcoming inside as it was out. Although what I had seen of the foyer and living room revealed her tastes were traditional… the kitchen was spectacular. A professional chef’s dream come true with state-of-the-art stainless appliances mixed with honey-toned woods and cream granite. It all looked brand new and never used.
Windows covering the entire back wall led to a screened-in porch. From there, you could see a stunning view of the tree-lined property and slate patio. Different from Ricky’s modern fortress but no less tasteful.
The way she busied herself, grabbing drinks and plating cheese, grapes, nuts, and crackers, you’d never know she had just sparred with her son. As she placed it all on the large butcher block island, she pointed to a high-backed wooden stool. “Sit, Cooper. Let’s get to know each other.”
Ricky had since walked into the kitchen and sulkily leaned against the counter. Meanwhile, Cindy seemed completely unfazed over her son’s brooding and rested her elbows on the island across from me with a pretty smile.
“How do you know my Ricky?”
“Cooper is Rebecca’s brother,” he said a bit deceivingly.
“Really?” Slicing her eyes toward me, she asked, “How is my sweetheart, Rebecca?”
“She’s great. Just had her second child… a girl.”
“That’s lovely.” Cutting back to the chase, she then asked, “So you’re just friends then?”
He nodded, but when he saw my annoyed expression added, “We’re together. Almost two months.”
