Right Beside You

by Mary Monroe

Genres: African American Women's Fiction

Synopsis

New York Times best-selling author Mary Monroe presents a heartwarming, uplifting novel about two long-time co-workers who seem unlucky in love. But this Christmas may give them a surprising chance to find themselves — and each other....

With a successful career, money in the bank, and a solid future, Felicia Hawkins has almost everything she ever wanted. But getting married is the one holiday wish she can't seem to get. And it's not helping that she's hopelessly in love with her co-worker, widower Richard Grimes. They have the perfect office partnership, and he's as supportive as he is kind. But Felicia doesn't want to wreck their friendship by letting him know how she really feels....

Richard has his hands full juggling pre-Christmas work demands and raising two teen daughters. But he's not too busy to wish his relationship with Felicia could become much more. He's drawn to her calm spirit and determination, along with everything they surprisingly have in common. And just once he'd like a chance this season to dare tell her the truth....

But what Felicia and Richard get instead is a cascade of misunderstandings; messy, well-meaning matchmaking from family and friends, and a long-distance transfer Richard can't refuse. Finally, in the middle of one chaotic snow-struck day, it will take all their courage and compassion to risk opening their hearts to each other - hopefully for many more holiday happily-ever-afters....

Release date: September 24, 2019

Publisher: Kensington Books

Print pages: 304

Sample

November 23rd

I usually wore my shoulder-length, dark brown hair in a style that would enhance my delicate features. But this particular Friday, I’d spent so much time on my couch, lying on my back and shifting from side to side, that my hair was a hot, matted mess. Rather than fuss with it, I had covered my head with a black scarf my cousin Wendell had left at my place a couple of weeks ago.

I was not trying to impress anybody dressed in a bulky sweatshirt and jeans, so it didn’t matter that I looked like a frump when I decided to make a trip to Ralph’s Market a few minutes after seven p.m. It was only a couple of blocks from my apartment. I didn’t think I’d be out long enough to run into anybody I knew.

I was sorry I hadn’t put on my earmuffs, muffler, and gloves. Northern Ohio was known for its brutal winters and late November was when it began to get bitterly cold. There was already a thin blanket of snow on the ground, but I knew that as early as next week, the snow could be up to my knees. That was the reason I owned several pairs of thigh-high boots. The ones I had on now had flat heels, so I didn’t look as tall as I did in the four-inch Louboutin high heels I owned.

“Excuse me. I’m sorry, ma’am.” The deep voice belonged to a man who had accidentally bumped into my shopping cart with his in the health-care products aisle. When I turned around, he did a double take. His eyes widened as if he’d just been frightened. I was so embarrassed I wanted to run out the door.

“Felicia, is that you?” His eyes returned to their normal size as he slowly looked me up and down. I couldn’t tell from the expression on his finely chiseled, nut-brown face if he was disappointed or amused to see what I really looked like without help from various cosmetics created specifically for women of color. In his black wool overcoat, red muffler, and leather gloves, he looked as dapper as ever. I held my breath as he gently caressed his goatee. This was the first time I’d noticed a few flecks of gray in it, but it still looked distinguished and sophisticated.

“Um, yes. It’s me,” I replied meekly as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. The large bottle of Gas-X Extra Strength I had just plucked off the shelf was still in my hand. “How was your Thanksgiving, Richard?” I silently prayed that he wouldn’t detain me too long. Richard Grimes and I had been coworkers and commuter bus seat mates for over eight years and he’d never seen the “real” me until now.

“It was great. The girls and I had dinner with the family in Cleveland. And boy, what a feast! Turkey, ham, dressing, collard greens, and all the other trimmings. My mother-in-law bakes such mean sweet potato pies, I ate a whole one by myself.” He grinned and patted his stomach. “I’ll be counting calories for the next few weeks. How was yours?”

“Mine was great, too. We had a meal fit for a king. My grandmother bakes mean sweet potato pies, too. I ate three slices one right after the other without leaving the table, and enough of everything else to feed an army,” I said with a chuckle as I sucked in my stomach.

“Did you make it to any of the Black Friday sales today? You mentioned doing so a few times on the bus the other day.”

“Well, when I thought more about it, the idea didn’t sound so appealing anymore. I decided to skip all that chaos this year. I spent most of the day watching holiday programs. This is the first time I left my apartment today.”

Richard rolled his sparkling black eyes and continued. “I wish I could say that. I’ve been in and out of my house all day. With two teenage girls in the house and other female relatives popping in and out, we’re always out of something.” His cart contained hair products, toiletries, toothpaste, and a huge box of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn.

I got lightheaded when I noticed how he was staring at the items in my cart: corn removers, bunion pads, an enema bag, Poligrip denture adhesive, and a large bag of Cheetos. “Picking up a few things for my grandmother,” I quickly explained, gently placing the Gas-X into my cart. I made a mental note to visit the spirits aisle and grab a bottle of wine for myself. After this embarrassing encounter, I would pop it open as soon as I got home.

I rarely ran into any of my coworkers away from the office. I couldn’t believe that with all the stores in Mandell, Ohio, I’d ended up at the same one the same time as a coworker when I looked like a frump. And pushing a cart that contained such embarrassing merchandise. If it had been anybody other than Richard, it wouldn’t have bothered me. I had never heard him say anything malicious or unflattering about another person, but I didn’t want to know what was going through his mind now. No matter what it was, I didn’t care because Richard was everything I wanted in a man. He was good-looking, sensitive, responsible, socially active in the community, patient, and stable. He was three years older than me, and very well kept for a forty-year-old man. The most handsome and eligible bachelor I knew had lived in the same house since birth, worked for the same company for fifteen years, and attended the same church on a regular basis. What more could a woman ask for?

This man makes my knees weak. And he had no idea.

I was glad he interrupted my thoughts. “Do you have big plans for the weekend?” he asked.

“Um . . . just more shopping. Christmas is still over a month away, but I have a very long gift list. I don’t want to wait too much longer to get started. I still have to find a dress to wear to Marybeth’s wedding in January and I’d like to take advantage of some of the amazing end-of-year sales.”

“I advise you not to buy one that’ll attract too much attention. My cousin Stella wore a dress to my wedding that was so over-the-top, our guests couldn’t keep their eyes off her. My bride was not happy about being upstaged on her big day.”

“I can understand that. When I get married, I hope another woman doesn’t steal my thunder.” I rarely said bonehead things. I couldn’t believe I’d just mentioned my wedding, because I wasn’t even in a serious relationship and hadn’t been in years.

I was about to excuse myself and go pay for my merchandise when a petite honey-colored woman in a beige wool coat and black leather boots with heels at least three inches high pranced around the corner. Regina Dobbins was the kind of woman who always looked like she belonged on a fashion magazine cover. She stood out in a low-end store like Ralph’s Market. Her makeup was flawless. Her thick auburn hair was in a French roll that made her look even more elegant. “Richie, I told you they’d be out of those—” She stopped talking when she spotted me. “Oh, hello.” From the confused look on her face, I could tell she didn’t recognize me, either.

“Reggie, you know Felicia Hawkins, right? She shared a table with us at our office Fourth of July picnic this year.” Richard nodded in my direction.

“Of course, I know Felicia. We had a couple of classes together in high school.” There was a reserved look on her face when she added in a sugary-sweet tone, “Are you still engaged to marry that football player?”

Before I could respond, Richard answered. “That’s Marybeth. She’s part of Felicia’s clerical support staff,” he explained.

“Oh yeah.” Regina paused and glanced at the items in my cart. “Doing some weekend shopping, huh? I didn’t attempt to make it to any sales at the big stores today. Black Friday brings out the worst in some people. Dozens of desperate shoppers stormed Walmart before daybreak this morning. What I saw on the news this afternoon scared me to death. The police arrested a woman for pepper-spraying another customer when she tried to cut in line.”

“Last year I was one of those desperate shoppers,” I admitted dryly. When Regina glanced at my purchases again, this time with her lips scrunched up, I said, “Like I told Richard a few moments ago, I didn’t bother with it this year. The only reason I came here this evening was to pick up a few things for my grandmother.”

“Guess who else was a desperate shopper this year?” Regina said with a snicker. Then she playfully elbowed Richard’s arm and winked at me. “This man stood in a block-long line at Walmart for two hours before daybreak this morning. And all he bought was a new case for his iPhone.”

“I didn’t see anything else I needed,” Richard said in a low voice with a sheepish grin. Then in a firm tone he abruptly told me, “Felicia, I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“Thank you. I hope you will, too.” I didn’t want to ask what he and Regina had planned for later tonight because I didn’t want to know. She told me anyway.

“I promised Richard a beer if he’d give me a ride home,” she stated. “My car is in the shop, so I took Uber to get here. I was lucky to run into him on my way in. I’m going to try and talk him into going to the Black Tiger bar with me later.”

“That’s a nice bar, so I know you’ll both have a good time,” I muttered. I was disappointed to hear about Richard’s possible “date” with this gorgeous woman, but I was pleased to see such a woeful look on his face.

Felicia’s comment about her getting married was still ringing in my ears. I was still so surprised that a woman like her wasn’t already married . . .

“Richard, what’s the matter? Why did you get so quiet and glassy-eyed all of a sudden?” Regina asked in a concerned tone as she shook my arm.

“Huh? Oh! I was just trying to remember if there was anything else I needed to pick up,” I fumbled. “I’m fine.” I gave her a tight, fake smile. I was glad she’d interrupted my thoughts. But as soon as she started chatting with Felicia again, my mind wandered off in another direction anyway.

I spent time with several different women, but Regina Dobbins was the one folks saw me with the most. I had dated her in high school and we had taken our relationship to the next level during our four years at Ohio State. We’d planned to have a future together. She’d balked when I told her I wanted to do a stint in the army before I settled down. But she wanted to stay in the relationship anyway. We got together every time I came home on leave and we corresponded by letter on a weekly basis. However, six months before my discharge, she stopped answering my letters. I called her a few times from Iraq and was never able to reach her. Finally, two months before my discharge, she sent the “Dear John” letter that ended our engagement—in the same envelope with the announcement of her upcoming wedding. By the time I returned home, she and her new husband had moved to Alaska. Less than a year later, I met a wonderful woman named Margaret Pritchard at a church fundraiser. I married her eight months later. While I was on my honeymoon, Regina’s husband divorced her and she returned to Mandell.

Five years ago, when my daughters were eight and nine, Margaret was diagnosed with uterine cancer. It was so aggressive, she died three months after her diagnosis. I was devastated.

Somehow, I recovered and started dating again four months after the funeral. Regina and I still socialized with some of the same mutual friends, so we’d bump into each other from time to time, always with other dates. When we finally ended up without dates at the same neighborhood cookout one weekend, we decided to start going out again. She wanted a more serious and permanent relationship. So did I, but not with her. The main reason was because she had no desire to have children, which was why her husband had divor. . .