Page 7 of Love Delayed
“Zee, we can get past this. I love you, and I don’t want to lose you. I never wanted her like I want you, please believe me. I don’t love her the way I love you. You are my wife. You are my wife, dammit! He yelled.
“Iwasyour wife,” I spat back, giving him the same level of energy. I was angry, and I no longer wanted to play his game or be a fool for love.
“Listen, things are mad crazy right now. I know I hurt you, and I can tell you a million times I’m sorry, but before you totally give up on me…on us, can we try? Anything you want, say it,” he said tenderly, lowering his voice. He slowly moved closer to me, and I did not need him to touch me. I still had a thing for Evan, and I didn’t want to be a fool for him anymore.
For a moment, he resembled the man I married. However, I was very aware of what the reality was with him. My stuck-on stupid days were damn done. His words were trash, and I no longer wanted him or to be married to him. I was over and done with it all.
“Iwanteda faithful husband, but I guess you were incapable of being that. There is absolutely nothing you can say or do to change my mind. I am fed up, tired, and exhausted with your bullshit. The manipulation will no longer work on me, Ev. You have destroyed all hope for us and this damn marriage. We are over, and I won’t say it again!” I declared and then stood up.
I waited for him to say something, and when he didn’t, I headed into the bathroom and shut the door. I had no more words for him, and he apparently had none for me.
Instead of leaving our marital home, Evan moved into the guest room. After our first court hearing, we started going to marriage counseling at the request of the judge. However, when the test results came back that Evan was indeed the baby’s father, I knew there was no coming back from that. No way could I be the stepmother to a child that was born outside of my marriage. True, he was an innocent child, but I wanted nothing to do with him or his scumbag parents.
Evan and I had finally agreed to divorce, but that one night had me in a damn situation with him.What’s going to happen now afterI tell him that I’m pregnant?I wondered as I wheeled my suitcase down the hall to the elevator.
It was time to bid Las Vegas farewell and return to my business and failed marriage. When I got to the airport, I made my way to the departure gate. I was more than two hours early since I had left the hotel at checkout time, and my flight was not scheduled to depart for another four-plus hours. To pass the time, I pulled out my tablet and opened the Audible app to start my next book. Minutes later, I began to feel sleepy and knew it was the pregnancy, especially since I had a very restful night.
I decided to find another seat near a wall so I could secure my bags against the wall. I used my neck pillow to get more comfortable. After putting the pillow around my neck and placing the small travel blanket, I pulled from my oversized handbag over the upper portion of my body. I went back to listening and snoozing until an alert from my phone jolted me. It was a text message from the airline informing me that my flight would be delayed an hour. Not bothered by that one hour, I settled back into my book and quickly dosed off again, but about thirty minutes later, another alert woke me. Seeing the word delayed again on the screen, I opened the app to see how long it would be.Another hour?!
Realizing I had no control over the flight’s departure, I adjusted myself in the seat and continued to get a few more z’s. The attendant’s loud voice over the speaker was the next thing to awaken me. When she announced the flight was now canceled and there were no more flights going to Chicago that evening, I hurried to throw my items into my bag. I had a crucial meeting with a potential client who was referred to me for an engagement party and possible wedding, and I had to get my black ass home. I hurried to the counter but not faster than five or six others. So, I stood there in the line, anxiously waiting for my turn. When the clerk gave me a wave to come to the desk, I moved quickly as if someone from behind me was going the damn line.
“Please tell me you can get me out tonight…even if it’s on another airline. I have a very, very important meeting in the morning, and I can’t miss it. I mean, this is crucial,” I tried to convey with no stress, but the truth was I was stressing.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but all flights to Chicago have been canceled due to the weather. I’ll be happy to rebook you on the earliest flight we have in the morning,” she politely offered.
“You gotta be kidding me. I can’t wait until tomorrow. I have samples to make and need to be home tonight to prepare dishes for tomorrow,” I cried. I knew my commitments did not matter or didn’t mean a damn thing to the lovely attendant, but the human in me reacted like we humans do. I didn’t know if it was my hormones, but I was on the verge of tears.
“Please, ma’am, let me see what’s available for first thing tomorrow,” the ticket agent offered and started stroking the keys on her keyboard.
After handing over my ID, she pecked at the keyboard and then told me that her earliest flight was 7:10 a.m. I nodded, agreeing, even though I was pissed. What could I do? I’d have to email my client to explain and reschedule. I hoped she would agree.
As the agent placed the new ticket in my hand, I heard someone call my name behind me. Involuntarily, my eyes closed because that was a voice that my heart and my ears would never forget. I took a deep breath and then exhaled, and I turned to see him.
“Marcus,” I whispered, my eyes locking on my first love.
My knees grew weak, and I involuntarily posted my weak body against the counter to catch myself.
“Ma’am, I need to help the next person in line,” the agent said with a sense of urgency in her voice.
I gave her a look but knew I needed to move so she could do her job. So, I quickly gathered my belongings and started walking in Marcus’s direction, wondering what our first words would be to each other in over a decade of seeing each other.
Chapter Two
Marcus
We did our final walk-through of the new potential property that morning. It was luxurious, and even though it was located near the strip but not on it, the numbers over the previous five years were outstanding. A significant overhaul was done three years ago, and it was turn-key. It would be a considerable investment for my family, but we were ready. Since the younger generation of Díaz were retiring their parents, my cousins wanted to expand and invest in more ventures other than hotels, and I was on board. I admit that I went into this business kicking and screaming, but after eleven-plus years, I found a way to balance hospitality and my desire to make robotics.
I had opened a shop selling gadgets and parts to people like me so that they could build whatever their imaginations were inspired to create. I found a way to satisfy my geek needs while generating millions with my now five properties. My parents, of course, still owned four, but I had the one I inherited and the new built I did on my own. It’s more of a boutique property. With only fifteen villas, it’s located near the lake and has great amenities and a stellar staff. It has made more than the projected budget in the last two years, and I couldn’t be prouder of myself.
After telling my cousins that I would meet them in the lobby in an hour, I headed to my room to change out of my business attire into something more comfortable for the flight. I was returning home to my busy life with the hotels, my gadget store, and my fiancée Eliana. She was the perfect choice for me, and even though my mother didn’t care for her like I hoped she would, she was better than the twenty-plus countless women that I had used in my past to fill the void of losing Zamora. I could finally say I found love again. She was gorgeous, smart, and made me happy…well, to a certain extent. I still missed many things about Zamora, but holding on to the past only made me sad and regretful. I finally gave love a chance and tried to welcome the new happiness.
After some resistance, I gave Eliana a chance, and after two years, I grew to care for her deeply. It’s strange, though. I desire and enjoy her when I’m around her, but when I’m away from her, I don’t miss her. Still, she makes me happy. She is sexy and ambitious, works in the fashion industry, and runs her own business. Sometimes, I think she is too well put together for me.
She’s a good woman, no doubt, but fun, she is not. She is always scheduled––“let’s stick to the agenda” type of energy. We don’t sleep in on Sundays or eat popcorn while sitting on the couch watching movies.
There Igo, comparing her to Zee again. Shit, no woman hasmeasured up to my Zee.
“Let it go, Marc. You and Zee are history,” I said aloud to myself, then stepped into my sweatpants.