Chapter 13

            Regina looked good enough to eat. He took her to Benihana. Under normal circumstances, he would have taken her to Norman’s at The Ritz Carlton, but he was afraid someone would recognize him there and expose his adopted persona. In the past, he had frequented the restaurant at least once a week.

            They had enjoyed the food, but they were full as ticks. They decided to take a walk. Regina curled her arm under Scott’s, which made him feel good. It made him feel wanted.

            “So, did you always want to be in construction?”

            “I did. My dad was a contractor. He’s retired now, but he taught me everything I know. I’m carrying that tradition on with Clay, but I’m hoping he goes to college before he decides to work in construction, if that’s what he chooses.”

            “Did you go to college?”

            “No, I started working for my dad at his construction company right after I graduated high school.”

            “Yeah, I went to cosmetology school right after I graduated.”

            “I’m hoping Clay wants to go to college, but I’m not going to force it on him. It would be nice to have someone in the family that has a college education.”

            She gave him a soft smile. “Is Clay interested in construction?”

            “Oh yeah, but he likes animals too. He keeps asking me for a pet like a dog or a hamster. I told him I would prefer to wait until he’s older. Dogs are a lot of responsibility.”

            “What about the hamster?”

            “I hate hamsters. All they do is run that poor man’s treadmill and use you for food.”

            They chuckled.

            “Other than construction, what else do you like?”

            “I love seafood, my son, and my dad. I’m a pretty simple guy.”

            “I like simple guys – no drama.”

            He smiled. “And that’s how I like my life. After my divorce, I was done with complications.”

            She nodded. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what happened to Clay’s mother? When does she visit him?”

            “She doesn’t. A week before our divorce was final, Marlena told me I could have Clay. She refused to have any more to do with him. He was only two when we split up.”

            “That’s awful. She just turned her back on her child?”

            “Yes, but in the end, it worked out for the best. She didn’t want to be a mother, and Clay is better off without her.”

            “Yes, but I’m sure it was hard for him to swallow.”

            “It was. When he was two, all he understood was that Mommy was gone and he missed her. He had forgotten about her until he turned six. After dinner one night, he asked me what happened to his mother. I had hoped that conversation could be put off until he was a little older. But I didn’t want to stonewall him. I told him the quick version, which was that Mommy didn’t want a family, but I loved him, and his grandfather loved him.”

            Regina stopped walking. “I’m sorry.”

            He gave her a crooked smile. “Don’t be. In the end, I wasn’t. I’m well rid of her, and Clay is too. He took the truth hard, but Dad and I got him through it.”

            “He seems to be a well-balanced child.”

            “He is. He has a way of looking on the upside. I hope that never changes.”

            “Me too. Did you live in Orlando when you were married?”

            “No. I had a house here, but Marlena didn’t like Orlando enough to live here. She said it was too hot for her. We lived in LA for a while in a condo.”

            “So, when you got divorced, you came back here with Clay to live in the house that you’re in now?”

            No.

            “Yes.” Scott didn’t want to lie, but he felt like that was the best decision for now. The truth was, he had a mansion in Orlando, but when he had decided to drop out of society, he bought the house that he and Clay currently lived in. Regina seemed genuine, and she didn’t seem to be money hungry, but he thought the same thing about Marlena at one time. He needed to spend more time with her before he exposed his true identity.

“I can’t believe both of us were born and raised in Orlando and we’ve never bumped into each other before,” she stated as she looked at him.

“Unfortunately, the city is too big at times. If I had met you seventeen years ago, I would have asked you out then,” he said with a smile.

She grinned as she bashfully glanced at the concrete sidewalk. “You flatter me.”

“Would you have said yes?”

“I don’t know. I was nineteen seventeen years ago. I was dating Sidney then, and I was crazy about him.

Scott chuckled. “Fifteen minutes talking to me back then, you would have forgotten all about him.”

She laughed. “I wish that would have happened.”

He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “I do too.” Regina and Scott were the same age, but they had attended different high schools. “I’m a little out of practice now, but give me time.”

“I don’t see any problems with your approach,” she said with a big smile.

They started walking again.

Scott got an idea that could get him closer to Regina for a kiss. “Do you like to dance?”

            “I used to. I haven’t been to a club in years.”

            “Well, I would like to rectify that situation. What do you say?”

            “It could be fun,” she said.

           

****

            They were sitting at the bar in EVE Orlando. Regina liked the atmosphere; it was hip and happening. The music was a little too loud, but she could still hear Scott when he spoke to her. He was drinking beer, and she was nursing a strawberry daiquiri.

            “So, do you like the place?” he asked.

            “Yes, and my daiquiri is delicious. It isn’t watered down or anything like that.”

            He smiled. “Good.”

            They chatted and had drinks for another thirty minutes or so. The DJ started playing a slow song.

            “Would you like to dance?”

            “I would love to,” Regina said. Two strawberry daiquiris had loosened her up.

            Scott swallowed the rest of his beer, and Regina grabbed her small handbag. They walked to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist as her arms circled behind his neck. They slowly swayed to the song. Regina wasn’t sure who the artist was, but it was a nice song. Quietly, they rocked in each other’s arms until the song was over. Then Kelly Price’s rendition of “As We Lay” started to play.

            “Do you want to keep dancing?” he asked.

            “Oh yes,” she said as she tightened her grip around his neck. “I like this song.”

            He gave her a small smile and tightened his hold on her.

            Regina laid her head on his chest as they danced.

            Scott’s hand started rubbing her back. His warm and calloused fingers felt like wool against her exposed skin. She sighed with relaxation. For someone she had only known for a short time, he made her feel so comfortable and carefree. Perhaps it was because he was just a regular guy. He didn’t have any pet peeves about how his socks were folded, he didn’t have a snobbishness about the type of people that patronized her shops, and he was an all-around great guy.

            Regina looked up at him. Scott was already looking down at her. He bent his head and gave her a light kiss on the lips. He was about to lean away, but Regina placed her hand on the side of his jaw. They looked at each other for a moment before Scott bent his head to kiss her again. This time he didn’t cut it off short. Regina tipped her chin upward to give him better access. His lips massaged hers. She met him at every stroke. Regina started to feel the tip of his tongue gently pushing for entry.

            “Regina?” a female voice said next to them.

            Scott and Regina’s lips separated, and they turned their heads in the direction of the voice. Regina jumped out of Scott’s embrace at the sight of Lisa, Mika, and Rachel staring at them with wide eyes.

            “Shit,” Lisa enunciated.

            “Fancy meeting you two here,” Mika said as she crossed her arms across her chest.

            “I see Scott has taken care of your . . . headache,” Rachel quipped with twisted lips.

            “Um,” Regina began, but she didn’t know what to say.

            “Regina, can you come to the ladies’ room with me? I need your help securing my ponytail. I don’t think I put enough pins in it at the house,” Mika said.

            Regina knew that was code for “I need to talk to you now.”

“Um, sure.” Regina looked at Scott. “I’ll just be a minute, okay?”

            “Yeah. I’ll be at the bar,” Scott said. He looked at Rachel and Lisa. “Are you ladies coming?”

            “No, I want to see how Regina fixes Mika’s hair,” Rachel answered.

            “I have to pee,” Lisa slurred bluntly.

            “Oh, you know how women have to go to the bathroom together, Scott,” Mika said with a smile as she took a hold of Regina’s hand. “But I promise I won’t keep her long.”

            “I’ll hold you to that,” Scott said.

            Mika pulled Regina along as they walked to the back of the club to the bathroom. Rachel and Lisa were hot on their heels.

            They entered the doorless portal. It was the type of ladies’ room that had a lounge. Mika led Regina to a pink couch that was free and sat. Regina plopped down next to her. Rachel and Lisa remained standing.

            “All right. What’s going on?” Mika asked seriously.

            Regina exhaled. She supposed she had to tell them sometime. “I guess you’re wondering what I’m doing here with Scott.”

            “Considering that you are married, yes,” Rachel said. “It’s obvious that you blew us off to go out with him.”

            “Yeah,” Lisa slurred as she swayed from side to side.

            “I’m sorry that I lied to you, Rachel, but I wasn’t ready to say anything yet.”

            “Yet? So you were going to tell us that you are having an illicit affair with your contractor?” Rachel asked.

            “No. I mean there’s nothing illicit about it. Sidney . . . Sidney left me for another woman weeks ago.”

            Rachel’s and Lisa’s eyes popped out. They remained silent.

            Mika didn’t look shocked at all. “I figured something was going on when the first week went by and Sidney didn’t come down here to be with you. Plus, you have only mentioned him a few times since you’ve been in Florida.” Mika knew Regina better than anybody. It was a wonder she hadn’t come out and asked if there was something going on in her marriage.

            “Why didn’t you tell us?” Rachel asked.

            “Because I felt so . . . humiliated. I couldn’t keep my husband of thirteen years happy? Plus, it’s not like he hadn’t done this before.”

            “Wait. He’s cheated on you before?” Rachel asked.

            “It was years ago. After my miscarriage,” Regina began. They knew about her miscarriage and her problem with carry a baby to full term, but they didn’t know Sidney had found comfort in another woman. “When I confronted him back then, he practically threw himself at my feet, begging me to forgive him. I looked at it as a lapse in judgment, and we went to counseling. Everything was fine until recently.”

            “Regina, people get divorced every day,” Mika stated.

            “And unfortunately husbands cheat on their wives,” Rachel said.

            “I know you’re upset about it, but I’m glad,” Lisa slurred loudly.

            “Lisa,” Mika chided.

            “I’m sorry, but Sidney has a stick so far up his ass that he has to move it to brush his teeth,” Lisa sneered.

            They all laughed, including Regina. Lisa wasn’t usually outspoken unless she was drunk.

            “Well, even I have to admit he could be a bit of a stick in the mud at times,” Regina said.

            “His loss, and Scott’s gain,” Rachel stated proudly. “You’re doing the right thing. The best way to get over a man is to get back out there, and I see you picked one that can take care of . . . the things Sidney wasn’t doing.”

            Regina bashfully looked down.

            “Now that we know your secret, you have to tell us everything from start to finish,” Mika said.

            “Hold on, I wasn’t kidding when I said I had to pee,” Lisa slurred. “Wait for me to get back, Regina.” She went to the door that led to the sinks and commodes.