Ebony Angel Read online

  “See. He’s a keeper.” She stuck her tongue out at Jessica, then moved to the living room couch. “Bye, Dan.”

  Dan nodded on his way out the door.

  Jessica made herself comfortable on the recliner. “As long as Smoke’s making him money, Dan wouldn’t care if he’s a serial killer. I’m looking out for your best interest…”

  Unable to fathom why Jessica never accepted Richard, Ebony studied her best friend carefully. At first she thought Jessica was jealous or angry Richard had taken so much of the time they used to spend together. Then she thought Jessica was upset because they were moving so fast. Now she didn’t know what to think.

  A picture of Trae holding Crystal was on the large-screen television next to a picture of Richard teaching Crystal chess. She had expected Trae to be the one to give her the most grief about Richard.

  “Are you listening to me, Ebony?”

  She tucked her long legs beneath her and leaned her body against the arm of the couch. “Smoke’s a good man. I don’t understand why you can’t see it. Why can’t you be happy for me?” Over the course of the weeks since they’d met, she had joined the others in calling Richard Smoke, and he loved it. Especially when she called out “Smoke” when they made love.

  “I want to be happy for you.” The recliner squeaked softly as Jessica leaned forward. “I finally know what you want out of life. Smoke can’t provide it.”

  The sincere sorrow in Jessica’s voice confused Ebony even more. “But he can. I’m in love with him. Truly in love.”

  She held her chubby hands out to Ebony. “Listen to me.” She took Ebony’s hands into hers and trained her big brown eyes on Ebony. “Do you honestly think Trae would allow anyone to walk in off the street and take his woman?”

  Ebony pulled away. “I’m not his woman. Haven’t been for about eight years now. Besides, that has nothing to do with Smoke.”

  Jessica yanked her scrunchie off, allowing her black microbraids to drape around her shoulders. “I don’t want to see you hurt.” She stretched the scrunchie a few times, then rolled it onto her arm. “I don’t want you hurt.”

  “Please, Jessica, tell me why you feel this way.” Thoroughly frustrated, Ebony lifted her hands to the heavens. Numerous gold bracelets fell down her arm. Though inexpensive, her jewelry was the one luxury she lightly indulged in. “Give me something, anything, to work with.” She watched her friend fidget nervously with the scrunchie. “You are working my last nerve, woman. What the heck is wrong with you and Smoke?”

  Jessica threw her hands up. “Okay, okay, but let me say my piece. I have a few questions for you. They’re just food for thought: How many legit people does Trae allow to get close to him?”

  Ebony continued building her defensive shields. Over the past two months, they had become quite extensive.

  “What are the chances of Trae stepping to the side for a complete stranger who happens to be a legit white guy to take his woman?” She pointed a perfectly manicured nail at Ebony. “Deny it all you want. You know Trae considers you his.”

  Ebony straightened her cream blouse and rearranged her bronze flouncey skirt to cover her bare feet. In actuality, she wasn’t sure what to think about Trae. Most of the time he acted as if he didn’t care about her relationship with Richard; other times, he acted like a jealous lover. In the end, she figured it didn’t matter. What Trae considered his and what was reality were two totally different things in this case. “I assume you are getting to the point.”

  “I know you like to believe Trae would never deceive you, but you need to face facts. Smoke works for him. He’s been helping him launder money.”

  “No, he isn’t!”

  She sucked air through her teeth. “Come on, Ebony. You know damn well Trae don’t trust nobody but you and Skeet, and he’s iffy about Dan. Now you gonna tell me he all of a sudden decided to trust some strange white guy—who wants his woman—to dabble in his finances, make acquaintances with his drug connections?” She rotated her thick neck. “Give me a break. He would have had Smoke dropped on that first night, and you know it.”

  Ebony picked at the arm of the sofa. She didn’t have a comeback for Jessica. Ignoring what she didn’t know, she focused on what she did know. Richard and Trae had somehow become friends, and she was grateful. With Richard’s help, she may be able to convince Trae and Skeet to leave the drug life. It felt so good to finally have someone to fight alongside her instead of against her. “I have no idea why Trae accepted Smoke.” She hunched her shoulders. “Maybe God answered my prayers.”

  “This does not add up. Smoke isn’t the answer. They set you up.”

  “They wouldn’t do that to me! You’re wrong.” She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. The scent from the vanilla candle burning reminded her of Richard’s condo and his loving touch. He wouldn’t deceive her.

  “He tried to buy a transit card with a fifty-dollar bill. What kind of literate idiot does that? They knew what time you take the train. I would have left his butt standing on the platform, but you,” she pointed at Ebony, “you would never leave anyone standing in the cold.”

  Ebony tried to interrupt, but Jessica cut her off. “He parked on nails? Yeah, right. Any white man in his right mind would have called AAA immediately, not leave his sixty thousand dollar car behind.” She chuckled, resting her hands across her ample stomach. “He lost your number. His car was stolen. He met you at the hoagy shop. Too many coincidences. In the real world, Trae would have had him dropped because Smoke was either a suspected cop or trying to move in on his woman.”

  “You’re wrong.” She set her feet on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Why? Because I’m not saying what you want to hear?” She walked into the kitchen.

  Ebony followed Jessica. “Because your logic is seriously flawed. If I’m Trae’s woman—and I mean a capital if—why would he set me up with Smoke?”

  “Trae’s been in love with you since you were shorties.” She took a glass out of the cabinet, pointing it at Ebony. “He knows he’s blown it with you.” She turned on the faucet, letting the water run cold. “He’s a control freak. You have custody of Crystal, but you consult him on all decisions about her. How many friends do you have outside of Trae’s circle?” Her brow raised. “And I’m including Smoke in that circle. Trae keeps an eye on you.

  “How many years has the lower flat been empty, Ebony? I’ll tell you, since you and your mom moved in. And I’ll bet the condo under Smoke will remain empty as long as you’re there. Hell, he knows you’ll get married someday. Once you join the workforce, men will be beating down your doors. This way he is in control.” She filled her glass with water. “He has chosen your husband.”

  Ebony’s stomach churned angrily. “He wouldn’t, they wouldn’t.” She sat at the kitchen table, searching for a logical reason behind Trae accepting Richard and vice-versa. Jessica was right. Forget that Richard was white. What man in Richard’s position would have accepted her lifestyle so easily?

  “The hell he wouldn’t. I never could stand his manipulative butt.” She pulled out a chair and sat with Ebony. “Why do you think I stopped chasing after Skeet? Because what you kept telling me finally sunk in. I do deserve better. So do you. I don’t want you manipulated into marrying what you think is the perfect man. He’s Trae’s lackey.”

  Jessica’s words computed perfectly in Ebony’s mind, but her heart rejected them. Richard’s love for her couldn’t be an act. And, yes, the deal she made with Trae worked out to his advantage, but he knew she would take Crystal and run, otherwise. She couldn’t hold his wanting to be a father against him. What she held against Trae was the selfishness of his love. His selfishness is what kept her and Crystal trapped in the drug world.

  “He wouldn’t do this to me. I believe in Trae and Smoke.”

  “Listen, honey,” Jessica said quietly as she set her glass on the table. “I know this is hard for you. Believe me when I say it hurts to tell you, but I’m your b
est friend. I’m looking from the outside in. I’m not blinded by love, loyalty or a Dudley Do Right mentality.”

  “Maybe two plus two is actually five in this case.” Richard hadn’t said anything about the hundred grand Skeet and Trae had invested in his firm. She pushed thoughts of betrayal out of her mind. Richard was legit. He knew how she felt. He loved her. Jessica was just jealous.

  “One more tidbit of food for thought: Why did Smoke take to his street name and your circumstances so easily?” She hunched her shoulders. “Rich, straight-laced white boy gets lost in the hood, then embraces it fully, no questions asked. I mean damn, Ebony, he knows more about Trae’s business than you do. And have you seen him lately? His walk has brotha written all over it.”

  “I object.” Feigning horror in an attempt to dissuade the line of questioning, Ebony straightened up. “Smoke has always had a confident, sexy walk.”

  Jessica waved her off. “He even had his ear pierced. And what has he let Skeet do to his car? Spinners and a tint so dark it can’t be legal. His car is like every other high-rollin’ thug’s car.”

  “And about half the other guys on the west side. This is all new to him. Maybe he’s experimenting.” She played with her braids. “I’m experimenting.” She dropped the braids. “Have you considered he’s working to fit into the environment in ways that won’t compromise his morals?

  “Pretty soon I have to lose the blonde microbraids.” She flashed her fingers. “My acrylic nails are so long they curve, and don’t get me started on my tip ring.” She toyed with the tiny ring on the tip of her nail. “I have two to three rings on every finger. All gone.” She proudly displayed her twenty-four rings and numerous bracelets. “I’ll need to dress the part of a business woman in corporate America. Superficial changes do not change who I am.”

  “Humph, you have an answer for everything, don’t you? Okay, let’s say you’re correct, and he isn’t working for Trae.”

  A big smile paraded across Ebony’s face. “Okay, he doesn’t work for Trae. Now I need to pack Crystal’s bags.” She stood.

  Jessica stopped her from leaving. “Not so fast, missy. You have a different issue you need to work through with Smoke.”

  Somehow she knew Jessica would never give up. “What issue?” She plopped into her chair.

  “He’s ashamed to introduce you to his friends, work associates, parents.”

  Ebony’s jaws dropped. “That’s not so. Where did you get such a crazy notion? I’ll have you know his grandfather is half-black.”

  “Yeah, so I’ve heard,” she replied dryly. “It’s apparent Smoke’s family wants to lighten up and cross over. He could pass, but if he marries you…” She hunched her shoulders. “Well, let’s just say you would set his family back more than a few generations.”

  Willing her outrage away, Ebony calmly said, “This is the twenty-first century, Jessica. There is no need for anyone to pass.”

  “That’s easy for you to say, but what would his lily-white mama say?”

  “If you must know, he hasn’t introduced me to his family because he doesn’t get along with them. He had been living here for a month when we met, and he hadn’t called them once. They’re snobs, and having a beautician’s daughter as a girlfriend wouldn’t sit nicely. He’s already told me he expects problems.”

  “A dark-skinned daughter of a beautician sounds more accurate. How about his business associates? Doesn’t he ever have business dinners?”

  “He’s only been here a few months.” She knocked the ceramic kitten-shaped toothpick holder over and played pick-up sticks.

  “Yeah, I know. And in that time he’s turned the south side office into a high-traffic, big money-making firm.”

  “You’re grasping for straws. Since we met, Smoke has spent almost every evening he’s been in town with me. I’ve even been to his office a few times.” She opened her eyes wide and made jazz fingers. “There’s no conspiracy to hide his dark-skinned girlfriend.”

  “How do you know he was out of town?”

  Ebony stared at Jessica, wondering why she pressed so hard. “I never realized you’re a conspiracy theorist. No matter how I answer, you’ll find another plot, another angle. I love you for watching my back, but I’m fine. Trae and Smoke aren’t plotting against me. I need to pack a bag for Crystal and get ready for my date.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Ebony scrutinized her reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of her bedroom door. The cool aqua of her long flowing tank dress contrasted well with her smooth dark-chocolate skin.

  Thoughts of Richard pointing out contrasts warmed her heart. She readjusted the bobby pins in the French roll she had put her hair into. She still couldn’t believe she had bleached her hair blonde. What possessed her to listen to Skeet? She chuckled.

  “What’s so funny?” Trae asked from Crystal’s doorway.

  “I can’t stand my hair.” She grabbed her pale aqua shawl off the computer desk.

  “Humph. Welcome to the club.” He crossed the room. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop ordering from Chadwick’s?” He took the clearance catalog off the computer desk and tossed it into the trash, then took the shawl and dropped it on the bed. “You deserve the best.”

  “This is the best I can afford, plus I like the clothes.” She eyed his charcoal Armani suit. “Don’t throw hate my way because I can spend twenty bucks and look like a million.”

  He laughed, admiring himself in the mirror. “Hell, I’d look good in a used paper bag. Come here a second.”

  He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “We make a handsome couple.”

  She stepped away. “Looks aren’t everything.”

  “No,” he paused, “they aren’t. I was out of line.” He stroked her cheekbone with his fingertip. “You’ll always be my girl.”

  He hid so many things from her, yet she refused to believe he would set her up. “You’ll always be my guy, but I’m Smoke’s woman.”

  “Yeah, I know. Don’t worry your pretty little head.” He pushed a stray braid into her French roll. “Smoke’s my dawg.”

  “He’s been promoted to dawg? How does Skeet feel about sharing this honorable position?” She had thought her comment would lighten the mood, but it didn’t work. All joking aside, she said, “Tell me what’s wrong. What happened?”

  “I lost something today. I never truly realized how valuable it was. Now it’s too late.”

  The regret in his voice touched her. She hugged him.

  He rocked her gently in his arms. “You don’t know how much I needed this,” he whispered.

  “Is this why you arranged the sudden visit to your mother? You think it’s too late to repair the relationship.”

  “I wish it was that simple.” He backed away. “I’m tired. Don’t pay me any never mind.”

  The pep in his step was missing, and he looked mind-weary. “It’s me and Smoke, isn’t it?”

  “I honestly want you to have a happy life together.” He sat on the bed.

  She longed to believe him, but fear of his motivations nagged her. “Something’s been bothering me about you and Smoke. I should have mentioned it sooner.”

  A slow, devilish grin creased his face. “No, Smoke isn’t working for me. Jessica grilled me yesterday. She’s lucky she’s your girl.”

  Ebony let out a sigh of relief. “Why did you accept him so easily?”

  Feet still on the floor, he lay back, patting the bed for her to lie beside him. She sat at the computer desk instead.

  “It hasn’t been easy. Sometimes I see you two together and want to strangle him.”

  “What about other times?”

  “I’ve never seen you as happy as when you’re with Smoke. You’re so free with him, and I’m jealous.” He stared at the ceiling fan. “I love you, Ebony. Staying out of the way of your happiness is the one selfless thing I’ve done in my life. It’s not easy.”

  Doubt still crowded her mind. She sorted thr
ough the photos on her desk of Trae, Skeet and Richard playing pool in the beauty shop basement. “Given your history with white men, why did you trust Smoke so quickly?”

  He sat up. “Full of questions today, aren’t you? I didn’t trust him at first. I just acted like I did. I had him checked out to make sure he wasn’t DEA or some other type of cop. I didn’t expect you and Crystal to fall for him so quickly. Damn.” He shook his head. “Smoke was perfect for you, except he was white and not me.” He chuckled uneasily. “He even fits in with us. He knows how to walk a tightrope as well as you.”

  “So you stepped aside.”

  “I can’t give you the life you want. He can. I had to swallow my pride and push aside my jealousy. Smoke will take good care of you, and won’t try to keep me out of your lives. He’s a good man.”

  “Thanks Trae.” She crossed the room and hugged him. She saw this as his way of finally letting go. Soon she’d be free. They released each other. “I’m really proud of you. We’ve grown up,” she said.

  “I shocked myself. You won’t believe this, but I’m actually thinking about finding my dad.”

  “That’s great! Why did you change your mind?”

  “I’ve been soul-searching a lot lately. You’ve told me a thousand times I was using Dad’s color as an excuse. I don’t know. I feel like I need to try with him.”

  She bit her bottom lip. He wasn’t the same person as a year earlier, and between his acceptance of her and Richard’s relationship and this declaration, something didn’t sit right with her.

  “You’re gonna bite that off. What do you want to know?”

  “You’ve changed, Trae.” She took his hands into hers. “Your heart isn’t in your work anymore. Leave the life.”

  He caressed her face. “The only way out for me is death. I want more for you and Crystal.”