Catching Feelings

by La Jill Hunt

Genres: Urban Fantasy

Synopsis

Three siblings, three lives, one quest for true love, and a whole lot of drama in between. National bestselling author La Jill Hunt once again tells an entertaining tale as only she can, exploring the ins and outs of what happens when you’re “Catching Feelings.”

For some people, the act of finding their soul mate, falling in love, and living happily ever after is inevitable. Sabrina Chambers is determined to be one of those people. She knows that there is a partner out there just as amazing as she is, and when it comes to love, she refuses to settle for less. Sabrina doesn’t have a problem finding a man or keeping one, but when you’re talking about marriage, a girl has to have standards, right? But with three and a half broken engagements in the past five years—all by her choice, of course—it may be time to reevaluate things.

Sabrina’s older sister, Tennille, is married. Her husband, Brandon, is a good man with a good job, plus he’s a great provider for his wife and his stepson. The problem is, Tennille isn’t in love with him—never has been and never will be, and after faking the funk for years, she’s miserable. Despite her failing marriage, Tennille’s business is growing. And now, she has the opportunity to expand even more, but she needs a partner to make it happen. The good news is, she’s found one. The bad news is, it’s not the man she married. It it the one she should have?

Their brother Nick has it going on, and he knows it. Being single with no kids, a great job with benefits, and owning his own home makes him a hot commodity, in addition to his being fine as hell. Nick goes through women like bottled water, having no desire to commit to anyone. He made that mistake once, and, although he tried not to, he ended up hurting not only one person but two. Now, the only vow he plans on making is never to allow that to happen again. But he may soon discover that he isn’t as strong as he thought he was.
 

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

“Happy New Year, fam!”

“Hey, baby. Happy New Year.” Her father stood and gave her a hug. Sabrina couldn’t help feeling like a 4-year-old as she squeezed her arms around him. She had always been and always would be a daddy’s girl.

“Hey, Daddy. Happy New Year,” she said, then leaned down and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, Mommy. Happy New Year.”

“Same to you, baby.” Her mother grinned. The scent of Oscar de la Renta filled Sabrina’s nostrils. Frances Chambers had worn the same perfume for years and refused to change. Her husband and children realized this after several years of buying her other scents. Frances had been grateful, but she still had yet to wear anything other than her infamous Oscar de la Renta.

All three of her children had inherited Frances’s good looks. Tenille and Sabrina both had her high cheekbones, dark, piercing eyes, and dimpled smile. But where Tenille and her mother shared the same deep copper complexion, Nicholas and Sabrina were the smooth, chestnut brown color of their father.

“And happy anniversary to you both.” Sabrina smiled, pulling a card out of her Coach purse and handing it to her father.

“Awwww, Brina, thank you.” Her father pulled her into his arms again and squeezed her.

“What’s up, Aunt Brina?”

“Boy, you better get up and give me a kiss.” Sabrina pulled Marquise, her adorable 11-year-old nephew, out of his chair and kissed his dimpled cheeks. He was the spitting image of her sister, and her heart melted every time she saw him. “Mook Mook!”

Marquise frowned and tried to escape her grasp. “Aunt Brina, come on, this is not cool.”

“I remember a time not so long ago when you weren’t too cool to kiss your auntie, Mook.” She laughed.

“Brina, leave that boy alone.” Nick laughed, motioning for his nephew to return to his seat.

“Ewww, you got stuff on your lips.” Marquise wiped the shiny lip prints off his cheeks, causing the family to laugh even harder.

“So, where is Mason?” her mother asked, looking toward the door.

Sabrina looked over at Nick, whose eyes were on the now-empty ring finger of her left hand.

“Ohhh, snap! Another one bites the dust.” Her brother grinned, then turned to Tenille with his hand held out and said, “Pay up, sucker. Hahaha!”

“Pay what?” Sabrina snapped. “I know y’all ain’t place bets.”

“Fa sho, shorty.” Nick winked.

“That better not be what your brother is talking about.” Her mother shook her head and glanced over at Tenille and Nick.

Tenille was too busy reaching into her purse and taking out her wallet to notice her mother’s stare. “I can’t believe this. I swear, Nick, I thought this time—”

“You placed bets on my engagement? Now that’s just—”

“Wrong,” Sabrina’s mother finished her sentence for her. “You both owe your sister an apology.”

“I’m sorry, Brina. But at least I didn’t bet against you, like some other people.” Tenille looked over at her father.

“Daddy!” Sabrina gasped.

“Johnny, I don’t believe you.” Her mother swatted her father on the arm.

“It was all done in fun and in love, sweetie.” Her father smiled.

“Hey, at least I put my money on you.” Tenille passed her brother and father each a $10 bill. “A lot of good that did me.”

“Y’all are just wrong.” Sabrina shook her head. “Placing bets on my love life like it’s some kind of game.”

“Hey, don’t get mad at me ’cause the odds of love are against you, sis,” Nicholas said, folding the money and putting it into his pocket. “They’re against me too.”

“That’s not true, Nicholas. I’m not even gonna let you sit here and say that.” Their mother frowned. “Give me that money.”

“The odds of love aren’t against me.” Sabrina suddenly felt the need for a drink. It was only eleven fifteen in the morning, and she rarely drank in front of her parents, but none of that mattered at that moment. There’s no way I’m gonna be able to deal with Ten and Nick if I don’t have a drink.

She motioned for their waitress. “Can I get a Cîroc and lemonade?”

“Dag, hard liquor in the morning?” Nick grinned. “I guess I struck a nerve.”

“Nicholas, help Marquise make his plate,” their mother commanded.

Nicholas didn’t hesitate as he stood up. “Come on, Mook. Let’s go get our grub on.”

“Johnny, baby, make sure you get me some of that ham.” Frances turned and lovingly stroked her husband’s hand, slipping the tens out and passing both bills to Sabrina.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave too.” Their dad nodded. The three males headed off to the crowded buffet line.

“Make sure he gets some vegetables on his plate,” Tenille called after them.

“Ten, it’s breakfast. Why would he get vegetables?” Sabrina shook her head.

“Actually, it’s brunch. He needs to put something healthy on his plate,” Tenille answered, “other than chicken.”

Sabrina laughed. There was nothing in this world Marquise loved more than chicken. He really didn’t have a choice since that seemed like the only thing Tenille ate while she was pregnant. Fried, baked, broiled, barbequed, grilled, boiled, roasted, stewed, braised, fricasseed—as long as it was chicken, Tenille was gobbling it. She ate so much chicken that they just knew Marquise was going to come out clucking, and he should have been named Colonel.

“Leave that baby alone.” Frances smiled. “Chicken is good for him.”

The waitress returned with Sabrina’s drink, and before she could place it on the table, Sabrina took it from her and took a long swallow. The smoothness set off an instant relief within her, and she felt her body relax. Okay, that’s better.

“Well?” Tenille asked.

“Well what?” Sabrina asked as if she had no idea what her sister was referring to.

“You know what.” Tenille gave her a knowing look. “What did poor Mason do, or should I be asking what did he not do?”

“Shut up, Ten.” Sabrina rolled her eyes. “It’s not even like that. And while we’re getting all in my business, where is your husband?”

“Working, and at least I actually have one.” Tenille sat back in her chair. “I’m trying to help you figure out how to get one. Now talk.”

“I hate you.” Sabrina squinted.

“Sabrina, you don’t hate your sister, so don’t say that.” Frances sighed. “Tenille, just let her explain what happened. Go ahead, baby.”

Whether Sabrina even wanted to explain what happened obviously hadn’t crossed either one of their minds. It also hadn’t crossed Sabrina’s mind either. She knew if she didn’t explain, they would harass the hell out of her until she did. At least her mother had been gracious enough to excuse the men from the table. Not that that mattered, because one thing about the Chambers family was if one person knew, the entire family knew.

“I just realized that it wasn’t gonna work.” Sabrina shrugged. “I wanted it to. I really did.”

“I don’t understand. Mason is such a sweet guy,” Tenille said. “Great job, smart, nice looking. But then again, so were all the rest of your ex-fiancés.”

“So, what are you saying, Ten?” Sabrina glared at her older sister, who always seemed to have a permanent chip on her shoulder these days. The vibrant, vivacious woman who smiled all the time seemed to be buried somewhere within, and Sabrina had been sensing something was off for a while. On the outside, Tenille was still as beautiful as ever, but there was a slight dullness about her.

“I’m saying that maybe you need to reevaluate what’s really going on. You’re developing a pattern,” Tenille replied.

“First of all, I know what’s going on. Let’s get that straight right now.” Sabrina felt herself becoming angrier by the minute. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Reevaluate?

“Tenille, that’s enough. And why are you taking your sister’s breakups so personally?” Frances frowned.

“Thanks, Ma. I’m sitting here wondering the same thing,” Sabrina said.

“I’m not taking anything personal, especially not her breakupssssss.” Tenille stressed the plural.

“Sabrina, I think Tenille is right about one thing: there is a pattern here.” Frances gave Sabrina a knowing look. “So, what was the problem with Mason? You two seemed happy.”

“In a sense, we were happy, Ma. But then again, how happy am I if I have to explain my every move to the man I love? How happy can I be if I have to defend every relationship I have and jump through hoops to prove that I really want to be with him and only him?” Sabrina stated. “He wasn’t the one. He just wasn’t.”

She saw the understanding in her mother’s eyes and knew that breaking up with Mason was the right thing to do.

“If that’s the case, then I’m glad you realized it before it was too late.” Her mother smiled at her.

“I still don’t understand what brought about this great epiphany.” Tenille frowned. “Mason’s had you on a short leash forever. That’s nothing new. What happened? Details, please.”

Just as she was about to speak, a loud voice seemed to come out of nowhere. “Looks like we came to the right place at the right time, baby. Look who’s here.”

Sabrina cringed as she looked up to see Khalil and his fiancée coming toward the table. “Oh, no, not now.”

“Khalil!” Her mother smiled and stood up to greet him with a big hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You too, Mama C.” Khalil kissed her on the cheek.

“K-Boogie, man, what’s the deal?” Nick said with a wide grin as he returned to the table along with her father and Marquise, who were equally excited to see Khalil. Before Sabrina knew it, her father had invited Khalil and his date to join them and they were making room at the table.

“I’m going to make my plate.” Sabrina stood up and motioned the waitress for another drink. She turned to her sister and nodded toward Khalil, who was teasing Marquise. “By the way, that’s what happened.”

“Oh, my God, Tenille, they’re gorgeous!” Bianca, the bride, gushed.

“Wow,” was the only word Darrell, the groom, could utter.

Tenille knew the instant she saw the pictures that the newlyweds would be pleased. She had captured moments of the wedding that normally wouldn’t even seem relevant. Brief, intimate snapshots of their perfect day included a close-up shot of the crystal-studded sandals Bianca wore, a photo of Bianca’s wedding ring precisely placed in the middle of her bouquet, and a picture of Darrell’s grandmother dabbing tears from her eyes as the minister prayed over the couple.

“I’m glad you like them.” Tenille smiled.

“I can’t believe you got all these great shots. I didn’t even realize you were taking pictures half the time,” Darrell told her.

“That’s because the only person you noticed was her.” Tenille pointed to Bianca. “And that’s the only person you were supposed to notice.”

“That’s right.” Bianca nodded. “I’m the one and only woman you’re supposed to be noticing.”

“Don’t worry, Darrell, she couldn’t take her eyes off you either,” Tenille said. “Look at that picture right there.”

Darrell reached over and stared at the picture of him talking to one of the guests. Bianca was standing right beside him, securely tucked in his arms, staring at him as if she were hanging on to his every word. They looked as if they were made for each other.

“I don’t see how we’re gonna decide which ones to buy.” Bianca shrugged and stared at her new husband. The cute couple was still glowing from their Caribbean honeymoon cruise. “Awww, Darrell, look at this one with your brothers.”

“I’ll give you guys a moment to decide.” Tenille stood up.

“Naw, we know what we want,” Darrell said.

“No, we don’t. Darrell, what are you talking about?” Bianca looked over at him.

“We’ll take all of them,” he said, smiling.

“Darrell, we can’t afford all of these pictures.” Bianca shook her head.

“Baby, what did you tell me the entire time you were planning our wedding and I said we couldn’t afford something?” Darrell reached over and put his arm around her.

Bianca smiled. “I said that there were some things we couldn’t afford not to do.”

“We can’t afford not to get all these pictures.” Darrell pressed his forehead against hers.

Tenille watched the exchange between the two of them and smiled. They got it. I see it. It’s there. She had been taking wedding photos for a decade and as a full-time professional for the past three years. Not only did she have a gift for capturing precise moments on film, but she had also developed a sixth sense for those couples who had a level of love that was so deep it radiated. Unable to resist, she worked out a deal for the happy couple to purchase all the photos.

“Another satisfied couple?” Noelle, her new office manager and assistant, asked as Tenille walked Darrell and Bianca out of the studio.

“Of course,” Tenille replied. “They purchased every last shot.”

“Wow, I knew they had to be balling to hire you.” Noelle gave her a knowing look. “But I didn’t know they were balling like that.”

Tenille shrugged and admitted, “I gave them a deal.”

“I figured that. So, you let them get everything for what? Four?”

“Thirty-seven.”

“Thirty-seven? That’s not a deal. That’s a steal.” Noelle shook her head. “Those pictures were worth way more.”

Tenille was pleased. Perfect Ten Photography had come a long way since she opened. When she started, she only booked two to three weddings a month and charged a couple hundred dollars. Since then, Tenille had become one of the most sought-after wedding photojournalists on the East Coast, not only doing weddings, but also magazine and advertising layouts. The starting price for her wedding packages was now over $3,000, and she was booked nearly a year in advance.

“They definitely got their money’s worth,” Tenille agreed.

“So, are they going to be one of your LLCs?” Noelle asked with an inquisitive grin.

After years of shooting weddings, Tenille had developed a knack for spotting what she called “Long Lasting Couples.” These were pairs who shared a connection so profound it seemed almost divinely ordained. It was a special kind of bond she had learned to recognize early on in her career.

“Yes, they are.” Tenille nodded, and her eyes glanced at a photo of another couple displayed on the studio wall. The couple demonstrated the epitome of long-lasting love.

Thirty-five years, that’s a long time, Tenille thought as she looked at the pictures of her parents that she took at their anniversary brunch. They had been married as many years as she had been alive. She would be celebrating her thirty-fifth birthday on Valentine’s Day. She stared at the happy couple who raised her and smiled. True love. They were so happy, always had been.

She continued flipping through the pictures of her family. Sabrina stared back at her in the next photo, looking as gorgeous as ever, perfectly poised with their parents. At times, she wondered if her sister was crazy and would ever make it down the aisle. It was as if she would meet these great guys and accept their proposals, get the ring, and then miraculously realize that they weren’t “Mr. Right” and break it off. Mason had been fiancé number four. I hate to be the one to tell you, Brina, but perfect ain’t possible.

The next picture was of Nick, Marquise, and her father, all three men sharing the same mischievous grin. Her brother was a self-proclaimed, bona fide player. He barely dated the same girl twice and had come to the conclusion that he was destined to be single and satisfied the rest of his life. As far as Tenille was concerned, both her brother and sister had issues, serious ones, unlike herself.

A lie! her inner voice said. Your issues are just as serious as theirs. Look at that picture.

Tenille glanced up at her own wedding photo. There she was, dressed in a gorgeous gown, makeup and hair perfectly done, smiling as she stood next to Brandon, her husband. They looked like the typical married couple, but Tenille saw something that she wondered if everyone else saw when they looked at the picture. Her sadness. It was the weirdest thing. A woman’s wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. The day that she had planned and been waiting for her whole life. The day she said, “I do,” and was joined in holy matrimony with her soulmate. For Tenille, that wasn’t the case. She was happy, in a sense, but instead of feeling overwhelmed with emotions of happiness, she felt empty and couldn’t understand why. Brandon was a great guy and had everything a woman wanted in a husband. He was good-looking, a hard worker, a great provider, laid-back, nice, dependable, and he loved her. What more could she want? There was no reason for her not to marry him, so she did. Now, five years later, she was still empty.

“Tenille?” Noelle knocked on the door. “I have your itinerary for next weekend. I made sure you got a window seat.”

“I’m more concerned with if you got me a first-class seat,” Tenille teased. She didn’t know how Noelle did it, but somehow she was always able to get her bumped up to first class without paying more or cashing in her frequent flyer miles. She was also able to get upgrades at hotels and resorts at no extra charge. Hiring her had been even more beneficial than she thought.

“Of course, you know I did.” Noelle smiled. “Are you sure you don’t need me to accompany you and assist?”

Noelle assisted Tenille with the last three weddings she shot, all of which had been larger weddings with over 200 guests in addition to large bridal parties. She knew this was one of the weddings she would love to assist with, especially since it was a destination wedding in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She didn’t blame her for trying.

“I’m positive. You know the wedding is small, only about fifty people. No assistance needed. Thanks for offering though.” Tenille smiled and took the file from her.

“I can’t wait to go with you on the good trips,” Noelle hinted.

“You just went with me to San Francisco,” Tenille reminded her. “Not only was that wedding fabulous, but we got treated like royalty.”

“I want to go on the exotic trips!”

“Believe me, you’ll get to go. But remember, the more exotic the trip, the smaller the wedding.”

“Tell the couples you can’t travel without your new assistant. Then I can go,” Noelle suggested. “The more the merrier.”

“Okay, I’ll suggest that,” Tenille said.

“Your flight gets in late Sunday evening. You need me to pick you up, or will your hubby be there waiting with flowers?”

The thought of Brandon waiting for her at the airport with flowers almost caused Tenille to crack up laughing. She didn’t think he had ever bought her flowers. Flowers and romance were not her husband’s strong points.

“Sparkle is gonna pick me up. It’s no big deal.” Tenille shrugged. Sparkle was her best friend of over twenty years.

“Does he ever travel with you? It seems like the destination weddings would be a great chance for you and him to sorta hang out and spend some uber-romantic one-on-one time.” Noelle winked.

Tenille almost laughed out loud again. Instead, she said, “You know he works a crazy schedule at the shipyard.”

That was a true statement. Brandon was a longshoreman and worked a crazy schedule that included days, nights, weekends, and holidays. The pay was great, but he put in long hours.

“Well, it was just a thought,” Noelle said as she walked out of the office.

Tenille looked back at her wedding photo and sighed. “Empty.”

Oh, Maria, Maria She remind me of a West Side story Growin’up in Spanish Harlem She livin’a life just like a movie star

Nick sang along as he pulled his car into the parking lot of Horizon Telecom. Although there were plenty of empty spaces near the front of the building, Nick parked all the way in the back of the parking lot where he was sure no one would park near his car. He reached in the back seat and grabbed his new Armani blazer before stepping out and slipping it on. Clicking the alarm and checking his reflection, he was just about to walk off when a car came dangerously close to hitting him as it pulled into the space next to him, music blaring loudly.

“Man, you don’t know how close you came to meeting your Maker,” Nick yelled when the driver stepped out.

“Whatever, I know how to drive. Wasn’t nobody about to hit your ass,” Eric Thurmond, his coworker and best friend, laughed. “Nice jacket.”

“Thanks.” Nick adjusted his jacket. “A little something I picked up this past weekend.”

“And you waited all week to wear it?” Eric shook his head. “Today is Thursday.”

“Don’t be mad because you wear your new gear on Mondays. I have self-control, bro.”

“What the hell ever. So, you rolling out this weekend or lying low?” Eric asked.

“Haven’t decided yet,” Nick replied. Eric had been wanting to go on a road trip for a while. Normally, Nick would be packed and ready to go at the drop of a hat, but lately, he hadn’t really had the desire.

“Man, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been flaking out on hanging since Christmas.” Eric shook his head. “Let me guess, you found a winter boo already. Who is she?”

“Naw, man,” Nick replied.

“Then what’s the problem? You getting old?”

“Never that,” Nick told him, and he pointed to two women walking toward the building. “Look, Sheridan and Dannica.”

“My, my, my, what a lovely sight to see early in the morning,” Eric said loud enough for the ladies to hear.

The women paused, turned around, and smiled. Both dressed in high-end pantsuits and heels and carrying designer briefcases, they exuded professionalism yet still gave a hint of sex appeal.

“Oh, no, here comes trouble.” Sheridan, the darker of the two women, shook her head at them.

“Where? I need to be running from it,” Eric responded. They hurried and caught up with the ladies. Eric reached over and took the large box Sheridan was carrying out of her arm. “Let me help you out there.”

“How noble of you,” Sheridan said.

“What are you two doing here?” Nick asked.

“Interviewing for a new hire class,” Dannica told them.

“Word?” Eric grinned. “Fresh meat.”

“Calm down, man-whore,” Sheridan snapped.

“Why am I a man-whore?” Eric smiled innocently.

“Boy, please.” Dannica rolled her eyes. At five six, she was slightly shorter than Sheridan and a little thicker. Nick knew Eric had a thing for her.

“So, how long are y’all in town for?” Nick asked.

“Depends, maybe a month or so,” Sheridan answered. “So, you guys have plenty of time to wine and dine us.”

The four of them typically hung out when the ladies were in town from Dallas, where they were based in the home office. Their per diem cards covered meals at the city’s trendiest restaurants and clubs, thanks to the company. The only expense they had to cover themselves was drinks, as company cards couldn’t be used for alcohol. Nick always looked forward to these outings. Dannica and Sheridan were both great people. Plus, the fact that Nick and Sheridan had been discreetly seeing each other for the past year added a personal perk. They kept their relationship under wraps not only because company policy frowned upon fraternization but also because Nick wanted to avoid any misconceptions about them being a couple.

“Word.” Nick nodded. “Where are y’all staying?”

“The Montclair downtown,” Sheridan answered as they walked into the large glass building and headed toward the elevator. “It amazes me that as large as this company is, they’re still not willing to spring for security. Anyone can walk in this piece and go postal.”

“Don’t be scared, sweetheart.” Eric winked. “Big Daddy E will keep you safe.”

“What the hell can you do to protect us, Eric? Flirt someone to death?” Dannica teased. Nick couldn’t help laughing along with them.

“Oh, y’all just chock-full of jokes today, huh?” Eric snapped. “And you’re supposed to be my boy and have my back.”

“I do, E. But that was funny,” Nick admitted.

“Whatever. Here, you carry this, Sir Laugh a Lot. This is my floor.” Eric shoved the box into Nick’s arms as the elevator stopped on the third floor and the doors opened.

“You’re not gonna come upstairs with us?” Dannica pouted.

“No, I’m not. I have a team to manage, and I need to be there for them in case an intruder gets in the building and I have to flirt them to death.” Eric stepped off the elevator and started to walk away.

“Don’t be like that, Eric,” Sheridan cal. . .