RELIVING

◖ 23 ◗

The whole drive to Santa Barbara, Anicia listened to music and sung along with the songs. She pulled her car in front of the refined hotel on the beach with the valets awaiting at their post. She switched gears to park, removing her heels to cover her feet with ankle socks, and slipped on the Tom Ford trainers. She turned off the engine that cuts off the music and grabbed her tote before getting out the car as she popped the trunk.

A male valet stood near her car door. "Do you need someone to help with your suitcase?"

"No, thank you." Anicia respectfully declined as she accepted a ticket from him then grabbed her suitcase from her trunk before heading into the hotel lobby to the receptionist desk. "Hello. I'm looking for someone's room."

"Name?"

"Booker. Toby Booker."

She looked in the computer and let Anicia know he was in one of the beach house suites on the first floor along with the room number. Anicia walked there and the closer she got to his beach house, her heart pounded in her chest. What am I doing?

Anicia may not have made the flight Toby told her about, but there she was, standing in front of the door of the beach house with her ex-boyfriend and first love on the other side than being home with her current boyfriend and lying to him about being there.

She took a deep breath, building the courage to knock on the door with her closed fist. She was there now and no turning back. She just waited on the door to open and smoothed her hand down her olive green jumpsuit.

Momentarily, the door opened and revealed the chocolate man with her smile conflicting with confusion when she noticed the man wasn't Toby.

"Well, well, look what da' cat done drug in." his stature leaned on the doorway as he smirked.

"Um...hey, De'Aundre." She greeted with confusion, "I thought—"

"That Toby was hea'?" De finished as he laughed quietly, "Yea', I kno'. He hea'; sleep tho'."

"Oh..."

De chuckled at her pause and pushed the door open. "You can com' in, girl. I'll wake 'em up. I kno' you ain't drive out hea' on a dry mission."

Anicia walked in behind, sitting her suitcase near the door and further into the furniture beach-facing suite. De disappeared into the room as she stared out the terrace patio doors at the ocean. "Stand me up at the terminal but show up hea'..."

The rich, baritone voice caused her to turn around to face Toby, who stood there in a plain T-shirt and sweatpants with a silky durag protecting his waves and the cape of it tucked. Even with him wearing something simple, she was still turned on by the sight of him.

"Yeah, sorry." She apologized, smiling.

"Na', yeen' gotta apologize, baby." he sat on the armrest of the chair, "Don't worry bout De ass eitha'. He in the one next door but he always seem to follow me where I lay."