Keeping Secrets & Telling Lies

Book 2: Unexpected Love Novel

by Trice Hickman

Genres: General Fiction; African American; African American Urban; African American Women's Fiction; African American Romance

Synopsis

A very entertaining and intriguing story. --Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author Some secrets set you free. Some destroy your world. After six years of marriage, Victoria and Ted are the ultimate power couple. She's a beautiful, business savvy sister who owns one of Atlanta's hottest event planning companies. He's a blue-eyed CEO who knows how to take care of business in and out of the boardroom. But their happy life quickly unravels when long held desires and decades-old secrets come back to haunt them. It starts when Parker Brightwood re-enters Victoria's life. She thought she'd gotten over the handsome surgeon who once stole her heart, but unusual circumstances bring the ebony prince back on the scene--and now he's determined to win her at any cost. Ted's undoing begins with his mother's sudden death and a shocking revelation that threatens the life and marriage he treasures. Facing a road filled with uncertainty, can Victoria and Ted repair the damage done by secrets and lies before it's too late? "Hickman hits all the high notes in this charming modern romance where love and loyalty trump race." – Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Unexpected Interruptions

Release date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Dafina

Print pages: 352

Sample

“Listen,” Victoria whispered. “Did you hear that?”

“V, it was nothing,” Ted whispered back in a low moan, breathing hard into his wife’s ear as he pressed his hard body against her soft curves.

“No . . . listen. I think she’s up.”

Knock, knock, knock.

There was no mistaking the faint sound of small knuckles rapping on the door. Victoria quickly adjusted the spaghetti strap of her silk teddy as she sat up in bed. She could still feel Ted’s warm body next to hers as she gathered the sateen sheet around her waist.

“Mommy, Daddy . . . it’s morning time!” Alexandria called out in a high-pitched squeal, peering into her parents’ bedroom through the crack in the door. “Are you up?”

Ted sat up beside Victoria and sighed. As much as he loved his precious little daughter, he also cherished his alone time with his wife, especially since it was something they seemed to have very little of lately.

Over the last several months he’d been spending extra-long hours at the office in preparation for taking his company public next year. ViaTech had survived the telecom industry’s downturn several years back and was now poised to make a strong initial public offering next spring. And Victoria’s days were just as long and hectic, because her business kept her equally on the go. Divine Occasions, her event-planning and catering company, was in its sixth year of full-time operation and had established her as one of Atlanta’s most sought after event coordinators.

But despite Ted’s and Victoria’s jam-packed work schedules, they always made sure to carve out time for their daughter. She was the single most important part of their lives. On evenings when Victoria didn’t have an event to oversee, she was diligent about spending quality time with Alexandria, making sure that she prepared dinner so they could eat together. And most nights when Ted wasn’t out of town on business, he managed to return home from the office just in time to tuck her in and read her a bedtime story. After their professional and parental duties ended for the day, they’d steal a few treasured moments together before falling off to sleep.

“Yes, we’re up, sweetie,” Victoria answered.

With that, Alexandria came barreling into the room, ponytails flying and a grin on her face as big as the sky. She ran up to her parents’ large four-poster bed, using the antique mahogany footstool as a springboard to hop in between them. She giggled hard as she made an indentation where she landed in the soft jacquard-print comforter. “It’s morning time, Mommy and Daddy!” she shouted again, full of all the excitement that a combination of Saturday morning cartoons and the promise of an afternoon playdate could bring to a five-year-old.

Ted put his hand to his chest and fell back onto the bed, pretending to suffer an imaginary attack. “You yelled so loud, I think you gave me a heart attack,” he teased.

Alexandria stopped grinning and stared at her father. Her face carried an odd, serious look. “Daddy, are you all right?” she said softly, putting her small hand on his broad chest. “Don’t have a heart attack,” she whispered, peering into his deep blue eyes.

Ted couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Alexandria Elizabeth Thornton was the joy of her parents’ hearts and, as they had both come to agree, was one of the most serious five-year-olds to ever own a pack of Crayolas. She was playful and exuberant, yet incredibly mature and cerebral for someone who could claim only graduating from preschool as her highest level of academic achievement to date.

She was what her nana Elizabeth called an old soul. “That child has been here before. Any child who has that much common sense has walked this earth and seen things in another lifetime,” Victoria’s mother often said.

“No, sweetie. Your father’s fine,” Victoria reassured. “You just startled us. What have I told you about using your inside voice?” she lightly scolded.

Alexandria didn’t answer right away. “Daddy, your heart’s not right?” she said, tilting her head to the side, making it sound more like a pronouncement than a question.

Victoria didn’t know why, but something in her daughter’s tone put a chill on her arm.

“Daddy’s fine, princess.” Ted smiled, grabbing Alexandria and tickling her until she dropped her frown and began smiling along with him.

Victoria tried to smile, too, but she felt unsettled by Alexandria’s comment and reaction to what should have been a playful moment. She looked into her daughter’s eyes, wanting to reassure her again. “Sweetie, your father’s fine. He was just playing around, okay?”

Alexandria nodded in compliance but still didn’t look completely convinced. “Can I watch Big Bird?” she asked in her small, high-pitched voice.

“Sure, princess. I’ll set it up for you downstairs.” Ted reached under the comforter, pulled his pajama bottoms up to his waist, then leaned over and whispered into Victoria’s ear. “When I get back, we’ll pick up where we left off.” He winked, then scooped Alexandria off the bed and headed downstairs.

Victoria watched her husband and daughter as their heads disappeared down the long hallway. She marveled at the way Alexandria had Ted wrapped around her finger. It reminded her of the relationship she’d shared with her own father when she was growing up. Alexandria was Ted’s little princess, just as she’d been her father’s little queen.

Victoria stretched her arms high above her head and thought about the busy day that lay before her. First on her list was dropping off Alexandria at her first Jack and Jill playdate, then making a quick trip to her office to go over the remaining details for a large celebrity wedding she was coordinating next weekend. After that, she planned to head back over to pick up Alexandria, drive across town to pick up Ted’s dry cleaning, and then swing by the grocery store before she took Alexandria to their neighbor’s house for a sleepover.

At times, Victoria felt as though she didn’t have time to think, let alone breathe. She always seemed to be going to this, hurrying there, or coming from that. Running her business required her to put on a good face for the public, even when she felt crappy. Motherhood demanded that she appear eager and attentive, even when she felt exhausted. And being a wife meant she had to master the delicate art of compromise, even when she wanted to do her own thing.

But she knew there were worse things than having a busy life, and she knew that a lot of women would gladly trade places with her in a heartbeat. She was blessed to have a happy, healthy daughter who was as smart as a whip, and whose loving spirit made her a joy to raise. And even though she wished her husband spent more time at home and less time away on business, and had fewer late nights at the office, she knew that he loved and adored her. She lived in a custom-built home in an exclusive, gated community. Her child-care service was reliable and trusted, and she was fortunate to have neighbors and friends who gladly pitched in to help. She had quit her corporate job several years ago to pursue a passion she’d had since childhood, and to top it all off, she was in good physical health. Yes, she knew she was blessed, and she knew there were worse things than busy days.

After Ted secured Alexandria in front of the TV, with her juice box in one hand, the remote control in the other, and her favorite DVD playing, he hurried back upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. When he walked into the bedroom, a smile slid across his face.

Victoria was waiting for him, perched on her knees in the middle of their king-size bed. Her silk teddy and lacy thong had been tossed to the side, and the look on her face said she remembered his parting words. She was ready to pick up exactly where they’d left off.

Ted was struck by the fact that even though he had seen his wife’s naked body a million times, her sensuous allure and striking beauty never failed to stir him. He loved the velvety smoothness of her deep chocolate brown skin, which always felt soft to the touch. He took pleasure in running his fingers through the silky thickness of her long, black hair, which draped the slender elegance of her neck. And he felt he could lose himself in the gentle curve of her lower back, which gave way to the seductive pull of her soft, round behind. Motherhood had given her slim figure slightly more weight and an added sexiness that he loved.

“Damn, you’re beautiful,” he said, removing his pajama bottoms. He pulled the door closed behind him and walked toward the bed.

Victoria smiled, enjoying the look that always came over Ted’s face when they were about to make love. It let her know that he wanted her. He climbed into bed, covering her naked body with his. She embraced the feel of her husband’s tall, muscular frame as she prepared herself for the pleasure to come.

He kissed her slow and deep, gently tweaking her hardening nipples with his fingers before moving down, alternating between his hands and mouth as he suckled her soft mounds of flesh. He eased his way farther down her body, placing small kisses along a man-made trail, until his head rested between her legs.

“I love it when you’re this wet,” Ted breathed, gently rolling his tongue over her throbbing tenderness. Victoria threw her head back, digging her heels deep into the mattress as she clenched the bedsheet between her fists. He placed one hand under her hips and the other at the center of her warm middle. He worked with diligence, licking, sucking, and gently kissing her glistening folds. He took his time, devouring every inch of her sweet spot until she shuddered into a creamy orgasm that made her tremble. She released a deep, ecstasy-filled moan that rumbled in the back of her throat.

After a brief moment, Victoria regained her senses, ready to give Ted the same intense pleasure she’d just received. She secured her hands around him, holding him in her firm but gentle grip as she stroked his hardness, massaging him with care. A long, slow “mmm” escaped his lips as Victoria worked her magic. She opened her mouth wide and swallowed him, sucking and licking with controlled precision. When she squeezed the tip of his head deep into her tightening mouth, he could barely hold on any longer.

“Ooh, V,” Ted moaned, perspiration dampening his skin. He shifted positions, gently laying Victoria on her back as she wrapped her long legs around his waist, arching her pelvis into the air to meet his. He slipped inside her with smooth, even strokes as they made love. Her body received him as he moved in and out, delighting and electrifying her all at once. Their rhythm was a slow and easy grind that flowed into a growing and heated frenzy as Ted went deeper, increasing the speed of his thrusts. Victoria moaned, clinging to his sex-drenched, sweaty body while she worked her hips at an equally hungry pace. Finally, they both surrendered to a second wave of pleasure.

Victoria reveled in her husband’s ability to fulfill her sexual desires. He knew exactly how to please her, anticipating her wants and knowing her most intimate needs. Over the course of their six-year marriage, even though the frequency of their lovemaking had slowed, he had never left her wanting. This was yet another one of her many blessings, and again, she knew there was a multitude of women who would kill to be in her shoes.

She had heard more than a few of her friends and clients complain about their dead sex lives, citing disgruntled husbands, overactive children, and underactive libidos as major culprits. One of her best friends, Debbie Long, who was like the sister she’d never had, had recently confided that since the birth of her son seven years ago, her love life with her husband had dwindled to a state of near nonexistence.

“We’re like roommates,” Debbie had told Victoria a few months ago. “We love each other, but the passion is gone. We’re just going through the motions. As a matter of fact, I can’t remember the last time Rob and I made love,” she’d complained.

Victoria had been shocked to learn that Debbie and Rob’s marriage had shriveled into the dull, sexless picture her friend had painted, especially since she and Rob had always been romantic and affectionate with each other. Aside from her parents’ strong and lasting union, Victoria had regarded Debbie and Rob’s relationship as the gold standard by which marriage could be measured.

But as Victoria would soon come to learn in the weeks ahead, time and circumstances were instruments that could change the tune of one’s life in shocking and unexpected ways.

Looking at her own relationship made Victoria feel grateful that she and Ted were still going strong. She knew their marriage wasn’t perfect, but they had love and trust as their anchors. The sex was hot, and he made sure that he pleased her. He was in excellent physical health, and his age-defying good looks made him appear a decade younger than his fifty-two years. His vanilla-hued skin had a hint of olive and was taut and supple, with hardly a trace of wrinkles, and the subtle hints of gray that now peppered his thick, black hair added to his outrageous sex appeal. He kept his muscles strong and well toned with regular workouts, and jogged several times a week to round out his physical fitness regimen. Having a mate like Ted was what Victoria had always dreamed of, and again, she knew she was blessed.

After making love, Victoria lay next to her husband, running her fingers across the faint dark hairs on his broad chest. “Alexandria’s movie is probably half over by now,” she said.

“Uh-huh,” Ted answered in a dreamy, after-sex voice.

“I’m gonna take a shower and go downstairs to make Alexandria’s breakfast. We have a busy day ahead, and I need to run a few errands before I drop her off at Susan’s later this afternoon.”

“Another sleepover?”

“Yep.”

Ted pulled Victoria on top of him and grinned. “That means we’ll have tonight all to ourselves.”

“Mmmm, we sure will.” She nodded.

They enjoyed a long kiss before Victoria rolled out of bed.

Fresh from the shower, Victoria headed downstairs. She walked into her large family room, adjacent to the gourmet kitchen, and found Alexandria engrossed in the classic Big Bird’s Big Adventure. The movie held her complete attention. It was a treat for Alexandria, because Victoria and Ted didn’t allow her to watch television on weekdays unless it was educational programming. Weekends were her time to “veg out,” as they liked to say.

Victoria poured Alexandria’s Cheerios into her cereal bowl and set it on the breakfast table, along with a glass of orange juice. “Alexandria, come and eat your breakfast, sweetie,” she called out.

Alexandria walked slowly toward the breakfast table, pulling out the chair closest to the family room, angling it so she could see the large-screen TV from where she sat.

“Wash your hands before you eat, young lady,” Victoria said as she split a bagel and popped it into the toaster.

“Yes, ma’am.” Alexandria made her way over to her step stool by the sink, singing along with the song that Big Bird was belting out.

A few minutes later Ted walked into the kitchen, still wearing his pajama bottoms and T-shirt. He came up behind Victoria at the large, granite island and rubbed his pelvis against her curvy backside. He lifted her heavy mass of hair to the side and kissed the crook of her neck.

“Ted, your daughter’s right over there,” Victoria playfully cautioned, tilting her head to where Alexandria was sitting at the breakfast table.

“She’s so into that DVD, she doesn’t even know we’re here.”

“You’re probably right,” she laughed. “Didn’t you get enough this morning?”

“Not hardly.” Ted held Victoria close and kissed the side of her neck again. She was his second wife, but his first and only love.

After being trapped in a miserable marriage by a conniving, gold-digging wife for more than twenty years, Ted had given up on the possibility of emotional happiness, let alone the idea of love. Instead, he had concentrated on his career, successfully achieving the professional goals he’d set for himself by following in his father’s giant footsteps. But after moving from Los Angeles to Atlanta seven years ago to assume the position of CEO and part owner of ViaTech, one of the Southeast region’s leading telecommunications companies, his plans all changed the day he met Victoria Small.

At the time, she worked in ViaTech’s human resources department. When he first met her, it was literally love at first sight. She was tall, elegant, and startlingly beautiful. Everything about her had captivated him. She had earned an MBA from Wharton, which told him she was smart, and in a few short years she had risen to become one of the company’s youngest senior directors, which meant she was ambitious and business savvy. They were qualities he admired, and she ignited a fire in him that wouldn’t go away until he had her.

He had spent months trying to get close to her under the guise of developing a professional working relationship, and his plan to woo her would have succeeded much sooner had it not been for Parker Brightwood. Parker had come into Victoria’s life one weekend and had swept her off her feet. Ted cursed himself for not acting sooner or telling Victoria exactly how he felt about her from the beginning. But he had been caught in a delicate situation. He was her boss, and at the time he was still married.

He removed the largest obstacle by filing for divorce, ending the paper-thin facade he had called a marriage. But there was still the sticky proposition of having an office romance, so he used discretion in his pursuit. Then there were the other issues: age and race. He was twelve years Victoria’s senior. It wasn’t a significant age gap and didn’t seem to bother Victoria in the least. But what Ted soon discovered was that the larger issue at hand was his race. He was white, she was black, and she’d made it clear that the two didn’t mix in her romantic dealings.

Initially, Ted was disappointed to learn she felt that way. And to compound matters, his mother and Victoria’s father had both expressed contrary views on the subject. He almost felt defeated because Parker had an automatic leg up by consequence of birth. His ethnic heritage guaranteed him a seat at the table. But after nearly a year of quiet, yet patient pursuit, Ted finally won Victoria’s heart. He knew the love they shared was real, and it conquered a world of challenges.

Victoria and Ted joined their daughter at the breakfast table, and soon each of them was immersed in their own world: Alexandria chomping down on her cereal in between songs and giggles with Big Bird, Ted reading the Wall Street Journal while trying to balance his bagel and coffee, and Victoria checking her BlackBerry in between sips of her peppermint tea.

After a few minutes, Ted lowered his paper and turned his attention to Victoria. “What time does that thing start today?”

Victoria stopped in midtext and stared at him. She knew exactly what he was talking about, and she didn’t like the way he had just referred to Alexandria’s first Jack and Jill playdate as “that thing.” She knew that Ted was still uncomfortable about their daughter’s membership in the elite social organization for African American children. It had taken several discussions on the matter before she finally convinced him to let Alexandria join.

They’d gone round and round about the issue. “Ted, growing up, I was a member of Jack and Jill, and it was a wonderful experience,” Victoria had told him several months ago, when she filled out Alexandria’s legacy membership application. “This will give Alexandria a chance to interact with kids who look like her, and it’ll expose her to social and cultural experiences that I know you’ll appreciate once you give it a chance.”

For Victoria, their daughter’s membership in the organization wasn’t an issue that was up for debate. Alexandria was one of only a handful of black children in the exclusive neighborhood where they lived, as well as at the preschool she had been attending for the last two years. And while Ted was as white as any white man could be, thanks to Victoria, Alexandria’s complexion clearly provoked questions about her racial background. She was a lightly toasted cream color, and she stood out in the sea of white faces that surrounded her every day.

“It’s not a thing. It’s a playdate,” Victoria said with slight irritation, “and it starts at eleven. They’ll have games and lunch for the kids, and then I’ll pick her up around two this afternoon.”

When Alexandria heard the word playdate, she turned her attention from her movie to her parents. “Will there be lots of kids for me to play with?” She brightened.

“Yes, sweetie.” Victoria smiled. “There will be lots of kids there.”

“Yea!” Alexandria cheered. She was an only child, and she eagerly jumped at any opportunity to be around other children.

Ted shifted his weight in his chair. “Will there be other kids there like her?” he asked, this time with a little irritation in his voice, too.

Again, Victoria knew exactly what he was hinting at. “Certainly, all the children attending today will be in her age group, and from what I’ve been told, there’s almost an even number of girls and boys. She’ll have a ball.” Victoria smiled, leaning over and tickling Alexandria on her side.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know exactly what you meant,” Victoria responded in a sugary sweet voice, cutting Ted a look that contradicted her tone. She was happy that, for once, her naturally intuitive daughter was so caught up in the excitement of her pending playdate that she hadn’t picked up on the tension that had just blanketed the room. She pushed Alexandria’s empty cereal bowl to the side. “Sweetie, why don’t you go upstairs and start brushing your teeth. I’ll be up in a minute to help you pick out a nice outfit for today, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy.” Alexandria obeyed. She hopped down from her chair and headed upstairs.

Victoria and Ted sat in silence until they were sure their daughter was out of earshot.

“What’s wrong with you?” Victoria asked, peering into Ted’s deep ocean-blue eyes. “How could you ask a question like that in front of Alexandria?”

“V, you said that you wanted her to join this organization so she can be around kids like her. Well, she’s not just African American, you know.” Ted folded his newspaper, placing it to the side. “Will there be any white kids or biracial kids there?”

Victoria let out a huff. “We’ve been through this before. You know full well that it’s a black organization.”

“My point exactly. I don’t understand the necessity of her joining Jack and Jill. She’s already in a playgroup at her school,” Ted pointed out. “I thought we decided a long time ago that we weren’t going to expose Alexandria to anything that was exclusionary.”

Victoria threw up her hands, taking a deep breath as she looked out their large bay window. “Well, we better put the house up for sale. Take a good look around you.”

“This neighborhood isn’t exclusively white, but Jack and Jill is exclusively black,” Ted responded.

“Other than the two black families in this neighborhood—whose children are in high school, by the way—and half a handful at her school, Alexandria’s always in the minority in her everyday environment. I know what that’s like, Ted . . . but you don’t. And even though Alexandria just turned five, she sees the difference, too.”

“What do you mean, she sees the difference?”

“You know that she’s always been inquisitive and is a bit more knowing than the average child her age. . . .”

“Yes, I know, but what are you saying?”

Victoria put down her BlackBerry, locking eyes with her husband. “The other day Alexandria asked me, ‘Mommy, if you’re black and Daddy’s white . . . what am I?’ ”

They sat in silence again, staring at each other. Ted was at a temporary loss for words. He had been warned by his mother that this day would come, and logically, he knew this was a natural question for Alexandria to ask. But he hadn’t anticipated it to come so soon. His little princess was still so young.

“What did you tell her?” he asked.

“I told her the truth. That yes . . . Mommy is black and Daddy is white, and that she’s the best of both of us,” Victoria said, leaning back in her chair. “It seemed to satisfy her, but, Ted, whether you want to face it or not, society has already labeled our child. There will be times when she will have to identify.”

“Why do you always think she’s going to have to choose one over the other?”

“Why do you think she’ll never have to?” Victoria countered, shaking her head.

This was an issue that sometimes left them at odds, the struggle over their daughter’s racial identity. Victoria knew that the discord would only grow as Alexandria matured in age, and the thought of having to constantly fight to infuse her African American roots into her daughter’s life was something that she knew would wear thin.

“Because we live in a global world,” Ted continued. “Things have changed since we were Alexandria’s age. You act like we’re living in the Jim Crow era.”

Victoria smirked. “Hah, Jim Crow was blatant. What I’m talking about is the subtlety of twenty-first-century racism. It’s cloaked so well that you don’t even see it. Hell, it’s got you drinking the Kool-Aid. You haven’t been ostracized in your social circle for being married to me, but it’s only because of who you are and the economic status you hold. But trust me, they’ve talked about us under their breaths.”

Ted shook his head, turning his eyes away from his wife, knowing she was right.

“As much as you love Alexandria and me, and as open-minded as you are, you still have a blind spot when it comes to race. Are you just that oblivious, or do you purposely choose to ignore it?”

The air between them became thick with discomfort.

“I’m not oblivious about how things work,” Ted answered. “I’m immersed in corporate America, remember? I understood the prejudice we were going to face long before we got married,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “We simply have different views on the subject. Alexandria’s just five years old, V . . . five years old,” he stressed. “I don’t want her to feel like she has to choose anything right now.”

“But, Ted, we’ve been teaching her how to make choices since she was old enough to speak her first words. Please, let’s be clear about this.” Victoria paused. “You don’t want her to have to make choices when it involves race.”

“V—”

Victoria interrupted him. “Before we got married, I told you my concerns about us raising children and the struggles we would face, and you were the one who said you were ready to deal with anything that came our way, remember? Well, it’s time to start dealing.”

Ted let out a deep breath filled with frustration. He didn’t want to argue so early in the morning, especially after they had gotten the day off to such a good start. He decided that it wasn’t the time to tackle such a delicate debate, so he reached over and put his hand on top of Victoria’s. “I love my family, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and Alexandria. I’m not oblivious, and I won’t make blind decisions that will hurt us. This is just something I feel strongly about.”

“And so do I.”

Ted leaned in close, prepared to give in, but only for the moment. “I hope Alexandria has a good time today.” He smiled. “I really do.”

Although Victoria knew that he meant every word coming from his mouth, what he just said didn’t arrest her worries, because she knew what her husband didn’t—that this was just the beginning. She wished she could wave a magic wand and change the last three hundred fifty years of American history. This was a war she had been suited up to fight all her life, but it was a new battle for Ted, and she knew that he would never fully understand the complexities of what it meant to be black in America.

“I’m heading upstairs, because we’ve got to leave soon,” Victoria said. She grabbed her BlackBerry and rose from the table. She leaned over and kissed Ted lightly on the lips. “We’ll work through this, together.”

Ted kissed her back and nodded his head. He watched his wife as she walked out of the room, and thought about the question his daughter had asked. What am I?

Victoria’s stomach was a bundle of squiggly lines and nervous jitters. It had been that way since she had arrived at Hilda Barrett’s house a half hour ago. She looked down at her watch. Damn! Thirty minutes to go. That was how long it would be before she could get the hell out of there!

She couldn’t wait to make a . . .