Chasing Faith - Stephanie Perry Moore

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your mind about getting married. At least to Eden, anyway.”

      I could have ripped every strand of sandy-brown hair off her conniving head in two seconds. And my foot had some definite plans for Dion.

      Then again, maybe there was a better plan. That fickle jerk wouldn’t have to make a decision about whether or not to get married. With one word to Eden, I could stop the wedding myself.

      As I started to ease the door closed, I heard Dion’s voice. “Quit tripping, Chyna. You’ve been pulling this kind of stuff for a long time now, and it’s got to stop. I’m about to get married to a woman I love, who’s supposedly your friend. She cares about you a lot, you know. You just can’t keep doing this. No more pushing me into bathrooms.”

      “Fine,” Chyna seethed. “Fine.” She stormed toward the door, and I quickly ducked behind the tall greenery.

      Dion came out behind her and walked past her without another word. She stared after him, probably hoping he’d turn around and give in to her. Disappointed, she stomped in my direction. I grabbed her tightly woven hair and yanked as hard as I could.

      She dropped back a couple of feet, her eyes wide. “What are you doing? Are you crazy?”

      “No,” I answered, my fist still full of her hair. “You’re the one who’s crazy. Dion doesn’t want you. He and Eden are happy together. If you want a man, get one that’s not already taken.”

      “Let go of me, Chris,” she cried, squirming.

      I opened my clenched fingers and she grabbed her scalp. “I’m gonna be watching you, girl. If you even breathe in Dion’s direction, I’ll do a lot more than pull your hair.”

      Chyna sighed and smoothed her hair. “Okay, so you caught me. But let’s be clear—Dion followed me into the john. I still have a thing for the guy. If he had left me alone, those feelings probably would have stayed suppressed.”

      “But I heard him telling you nothing’s there,” I said.

      She rubbed her brow. “Yeah, I heard him loud and clear on that one, too. Now I know where I stand. Eden gets the prize…if you can call him that.”

      “What do you know that I don’t about this guy?” I asked, trying to hear her out.

      Chyna touched my shoulder. “Stuff you don’t want to know.”

      We held eye contact. When she let her hand slide from my shoulder to my hand, I knew she was also concerned for Eden. I looked away.

      “Eden totally knows him. She wants to marry him, and maybe they will be okay,” she said, tightening our grasp.

      I glared at her for a moment, then nodded as we let go. She headed back to the group and I went to use the rest room.

      Once I left the ladies’ room, I finally got Eden’s attention. “Any after-dinner plans?”

      Eden grinned at me. “I’m headed back to the hotel. If I can’t get any sleep tonight, I might just come over for some late-night girl talk. Would that be okay?”

      “Sure, I’d like that,” I said.

      We drove separate cars to the hotel, then hugged in the lobby and went to our rooms. When a knock on my door woke me up at three-thirty, I wasn’t a bit surprised. I knew Eden needed me.

      I dragged myself to the door, pulled open the chain, and unlocked the dead bolt. But when I opened the door, there stood Max, looking ever-so-fine in a maroon turtleneck sweater and loose-fitting black jeans. What was I gonna do now? Slam the door—or explore?

      Chapter 3

      Uphill

      The love of my life was standing at my door. For a moment, it was as if no time had passed, and then he opened his mouth and I remembered Max had changed.

      “Dang, girl,” he roared, “you look tore up.”

      I wanted to slam the door in his face. “I wasn’t expecting any company. What do you want, Max?”

      “I was just playing,” he said, barging into the room. “Give me a hug.” He wrapped his arms around my waist before I could pull away.

      “Get off of me,” I snapped, smelling a little nip of something other than punch on his breath.

      He moved farther into the room, pushing me with him. “Hey, don’t be like that. You know you still love me.”

      I pulled out of his arms, fiddled with my hair, and put a robe on over my flannel pajamas. “Don’t flatter yourself. What do you want?”

      “Just to see how you’ve been.”

      “We can chitchat tomorrow.”

      “Tomorrow we have to take care of our friends,” he said, flopping onto the bed. “I want tonight to be about us. Last time we were together we had a good time.”

      I rolled my eyes. “It’s three in the morning. I no longer need you in that area. I’m well covered, thanks.”

      “I just want to talk,” he said. Unable to keep a straight face, he added, “Well, maybe I was hoping for more. Besides, whoever you’re with can’t make you feel like I can.”

      I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “You are so cocky.”

      He came over to me and ran his fingers along my arm. “Admit that it turns you on.”

      “Do not even go there,” I said, pulling away. “I’m not gonna play games with you. We want different things.”

      He stood beside me, his gorgeous brown eyes boring into mine. “No, I’m ready to settle down now. I’m still living in New York. Now I’m a full-fledged investment banker. I’ve paid all my dues, and now I’m starting to handle some accounts on my own. I want a family.”

      “You always wanted that. You just couldn’t forgive what I did,” I said angrily as I sank my bottom on the bed. I looked at him. “Yeah, we’ve kicked it over the years, but I don’t really want anything serious anymore.”

      Max got the nearby chair, pulled it in front of me, and sat down. “I love you. I was wrong. I know we need to spend some time dating seriously, but my goal is to make you my wife. I’m hoping your interest in the same hasn’t changed.”

      Okay, so I was totally caught off guard. But wasn’t that just like a man? Wanting things when he wanted them. There were so many days when I wanted Max to want me in his life forever, but I got tired of waiting.

      “Too late,” I said to him as I remembered the anguish he put me through.

      He took my hands in his and spoke softly. “Honey, I have dated many women since we broke up.”

      “You mean when you broke up with me,” I said, slightly salty, wishing I could have been more mature.

      “That’s fair,” he said. “No one fills me like you used to. Most are only interested in my growing bank account. You only wanted my heart.”

      The first time Max told me he loved me, we were sophomores and we’d been dating for over eighteen months. I’d told him how I felt several times before then, but he’d always held back.

      The day he finally told me, he’d just gotten back from his father’s funeral and I was comforting him at his apartment. “I realize life is short, Chris. But mine is meaningful because I found love.”

      “I know you loved your dad,” I said. “You’ll always have the memories.”

      “Being home and dealing with all that, only thinking of you got me through. I know I love you.” He kissed me and it was like the first time.

      We had many days of happiness back then. I knew when he had a headache and he knew my menstrual cycle. We were that close. I’d not found anyone since then to love

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