The Two Antonias: Two Sassy and Sexy Short Stories From the Wonderfully Wicked Women Series. T. Goodman

      Chapter 13

      Stix always knew everyone important at the parties, and Jamie was right by her side. People just naturally flocked around her, especially men. That unnerved Jamie. He had to make sure that no one replaced him. It was a difficult job because he didn’t want Stix to meet anyone, but he wanted to get a chance to meet some of the rich ladies at the party. It was tough, but Jamie managed to get a few phone numbers. It amazed Jamie how competitive women were. They would see him with another woman and they still felt compelled to try to take him away from her. Even though Jamie was looking for someone rich, he had to make sure he kept Stix satisfied. He made sure that when they left the party he was all hers.

      Jamie did get in touch with some of the women he met at the parties. But as it turned out, most of them were only looking for a booty call. They weren’t interested in a serious relationship.

      One of them said point-blank, “You’re not the kind of a man that I can take out in public, sweetie. You are strictly for undercover work. I’ll make it worth your while.”

      Although Jamie wanted to have money, that made him feel cheap. He cursed her out. Jamie quickly realized that without Stix he was worth nothing to the crowd she ran around with. He started to get very discouraged. To make matters worse, he received an invitation from his good buddy Aaron inviting him and Cat out for a weekend at his new house. Aaron was like a brother to Jamie. He was African-American and grew up poor also. He invited Jamie to come down in his boat because he had a dock in the back of his house. This is where Aaron kept his new yacht. Jamie was miserable. He had lost the bet. He and Aaron had made a bet long ago. The first one to have a house with a dock in back for their yacht would owe five hundred dollars to the other one. Jamie was starting to get really depressed.

      Jamie was not going to embarrass himself by sailing his tiny boat to Aaron’s house. He and Cat would drive down. He invited Stix to come, but she had a speaking engagement in Chicago. When he and Cat arrived, it was just as Jamie suspected. The house was beautiful. It was like something out of a magazine. Aaron was waiting for them and greeted them with open arms. “Welcome, old friends,” Aaron said sincerely. As Jamie and Cat entered the house, both of them gasped. The house was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside.

      After the buddies had engaged in their usual bantering, Aaron gave them a tour of the house. The house had five bedrooms. Each room was huge. Aaron and his wife had just had another baby.

      “The nursery was designed by an interior designer,” Aaron’s wife stated. Aaron’s wife was white. She was a homely woman, but she was a professor at a major university. With Aaron’s salary, they were bringing in six figures easily.

      “Let me show you the backyard,” said Aaron.

      They went outside and walked along the beautifully landscaped yard. At the end of the yard was the dock. Jamie could see the yacht as they were walking. What a beauty! Jamie could hardly stand it. He was so envious.

      “Pay up, old friend,” Aaron said with his hand outstretched. Jamie was prepared. He put the money in Aaron’s hand. Cat looked into Jamie’s face. He was really worried about his friend. Jamie had been really depressed lately, and this was just one more thing to add to his misery. Cat hoped this wouldn’t send Jamie over the edge again. Mary, Aaron’s wife, called them to dinner.

      They had just started to eat dinner when the doorbell rang. Aaron went to the door. When he opened the door, there stood this pretty black woman. “Hello. My name is Antonia Grimaldi. Lieutenant Wingo invited me to have dinner with you.”

      Aaron was shocked. He had never seen Jamie with a black woman before. She was pretty and very classy. He knew Jamie’s ultimate goal was to marry a rich white woman. Was his old friend becoming wiser in his old age? “Come in,” he said. “I’m Aaron!”

      Stix had flown on the private jet. She wanted to surprise Jamie. Somehow she felt that he had been depressed about something lately.

      As she walked into the room, there was a loud gasp. Mary, Aaron’s wife, cried out, “Stix Grimaldi. You are Stix Grimaldi.”

      “Yes, I am.” Stix smiled.

      “And you must be Mary.”

      Mary was so excited. “Oh my god. Oh my god. Stix Grimaldi is in my house. Wait until I tell my friends.” She turned to her husband. “This is Stix Grimaldi, the author of the women’s empowerment series. You know the seminars I like to attend. This is whom I go to see. I can’t believe it!”

      Jamie saw how Mary was so awestruck, so he went over to kiss Stix. “This is my girl,” he said.

      Mary looked very surprised. She had heard a lot about Jamie and didn’t believe Jamie could attract someone like Stix Grimaldi. “This is your girl?” she said puzzled.

      Aaron chimed in, “How the hell did you pull a girl like that?”

      All of a sudden, Jamie started to feel better. The dinner turned out to be fantastic for Jamie. Mary and Stix talked and talked. The baby had been asleep. Mary heard her crying. That was the only thing that interrupted their conversation.

      Mary brought the baby downstairs. She was beautiful. She had the biggest brown eyes, and her skin was like coffee with too much cream. Stix fell in love with her. Stix asked if she could hold her. Mary handed her to Stix. “Of course,” she said. This was the one thing that was missing from Stix’s life, a child.