Dying to Love Her Read online

  Dying To Love Her

  Tina Martin

  Copyright 2014 @ Tina Martin

  Smashwords Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, photocopying and recording, without prior written consent of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and products are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events is entirely coincidental.

  Dying To Love Her

  Andre

  . ~ .

  ANDRE WAS FILLED with excitement as he waited at the gate at Miami International Airport, soon to board a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. His eager anticipation was well hidden behind a charcoal Tom Ford suit, his well-tamed beard and overall business persona. He would be in Charlotte for a week, maybe even two, to finalize the merger between his company, Rockwell Computer Components and a Charlotte-based electronics company, Able Gadgets.

  He single-handedly started RCC and therefore, he took pride in his company and the ability to stand out as a leader in his field. Only twelve years in, RCC was a supplier to major computer companies around the world and was on target to hit an all-time earnings record of two hundred million dollars this year.

  The success was nice, but he had absolutely no personal life. But did he really need one? He was on his private jet more than most people used cars, and though he was engaged to be married, that didn’t stop or force him to slow down. His company was his life – board meetings, status updates, conference calls and traveling at the drop of a dime – and he didn’t seem to mind it one bit. His blood was pumping though RCC and without him, he figured the company that beared his name would not function.

  His parents had their own theory – that their son was using his job as a distraction from his upcoming wedding to Michelle Wright – the woman he’d dated for only a year and surprisingly popped the question New Year’s Day, one minute after midnight, ringing in 2013 with a bang and a new fiancée. The move shocked everyone, even his best friend, Todd Westbrook, who felt snubbed by his Andre’s surprise engagement. They were as tight as brothers. If anyone should’ve known of his plans, it was him.

  Michelle got busy making preparations for the wedding she wanted to have in late July or early June. Even though she hadn’t seen Andre in three months, she was unfazed, handling all the arrangements herself without asking him for any input. She didn’t want to disturb him, and usually when she’d tried to call him at work, she’d get his executive assistant, never him.

  That didn’t bother her. She encouraged his success. She too was a corporate shark, working her way up the ladder in her field, albeit by shady means, but she did it. Rumor had it that she’d slept with a few top executives, sexing her way from one promotion to another. Success was everything to her, and money was tantamount to love. Money was tantamount to everything. Andre wasn’t her lover. He was her financial safety net.

  Andre folded his laptop and secured it. He had asked Michelle to come to Charlotte with him. He wasn’t the least bit surprised when she turned him down. She said she had too much going on at work and then reminded him that he needed to find the perfect tuxedo for their nuptials.

  Something didn’t feel right about it...

  He heard the rumors about her reputation as everyone else had. But she was a catch, everyone told him. They would be Miami’s power couple. So what if they weren’t in love? Men like Andre Rockwell weren’t supposed to marry for love. They married for status.

  However, Andre had married for love, once before, to Ava Flowers – the woman he met while vacationing in Nassau, Paradise Island two years ago. It was a quick, in-the-moment marriage, but still, it was a marriage and thanks to Ava he knew what true love was.

  He would never forget her. To this day it still surprised him how quickly he’d fallen in love with her. He never fell for a woman so easily. With Ava, however, he felt a spark he hadn’t felt with any other woman, and after only one week of knowing her, he fell for her in paradise. But when the week ended, he never heard from her again.

  He tried to call her and waited patiently for her to return his calls and texts. He was so desperate to locate her, he even hired a private investigator but was still unsuccessful. The investigator couldn’t find a thing on her, almost as if she never existed, leaving Andre at a loss – as if the five days he spent with her was something he dreamt.

  All he knew about Ava was what she told him – that she lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina and was a waitress. He gave the investigator a description of her – she was twenty-six, (she would be twenty-eight now) and had short, curly black hair that suited her face. She was petite, a size eight, and had an adorable smile.

  Everything else he knew about her was non-identifying information. She was not the loud, finger-snapping, corporate type of woman he was accustomed to dealing with. She was mild with a playful side. She liked to dance. She had an adventurous spirit and was up for new things. She was a breath of fresh air, and he enjoyed every second he spent with her. Even though she was seven years younger than him that didn’t inhibit their getting to know one another.

  He still remembered the day they met...

  He was lying on a towel that he’d spread out on the sand, relaxing, staring up into the blue skies and getting much needed tan for his light skin. There were no phones, no emails to respond to. No urgent flights. It was just him, lying there with no worries. No cares. This was the life.

  Then, as if appearing out of thin air, there she was, Ava, dancing along the shoreline. There was no music, but she was dancing – wearing a two-piece white and blue-striped, nautical style bikini – using a white sarong as if it was a flag, waving it about in the air.

  Through his dark-tinted Louis Vuitton shades, he watched her...the way her body moved and swayed elegantly as she pranced across the sand. She seemed not to have a care in the world, completely opposite of him.

  He was worried constantly about his company, wanting to make sure it maintained its reputation and status. He had to keep that mindset. He succeeded in everything. That’s just the type of person he was, but being such a person forced him to be a java-drinking, work addict. That’s why seeing how free Ava was intrigued him so much, he asked her out to dinner.

  She accepted, and over wine and appetizers, they discussed their personal lives. He told her he was an accountant even though that was a lie. He was a multi-million dollar business owner but telling her the truth, he thought, would be ostentatious. He wanted to impress Ava, not with his finances, but with his charm, his personality, his true self.

  Ava told him she was a waitress, had been single all her life and had no desire to have a relationship, get married – none of that. She just wanted to live life and be free.

  Odd. Andre had never met a woman that didn’t express interest in wanting to get married. It was every woman’s dream, right? And why wouldn’t a young woman as beautiful as her not want to get married, have a couple of good-looking kids and live happily ever after? Her anti-relationship stance fascinated him and heightened his desire to know more about her.

  After their casual first date, they spent every day of their vacation together, and he fell in love with her that week. They married, that week. He couldn’t understand how it happened so quickly but it did, and he looked forward to starting something beautiful with her. And then the vacation ended…

  Ava never called him, and he couldn’t find her so finally, with a heavy, morose heart, he decided to end his search. After all, if what they had on the beach two years ago was real, then she would’ve called him, or at the very least answered the phone when he attempted to call her. And, whe
n he finally came to terms with the fact that the woman he loved obviously didn’t love him or want to share her life with him, the same as he wanted to do with her, he called his lawyer to have their marriage annulled. There was no sense in holding out hope, especially after two years.

  I’ll always have the memories, he thought, as he boarded the plane, finding his first class seat and stuffing his bag in the overhead compartment. When he sat down, he closed his eyes and took a breath. He was heading in a direction towards her, towards Ava. He wouldn’t see her, but the feeling of being in the same state with her gave him a serendipitous feeling of hope that made his heart smile.

  Michelle had never been able to evoke such deep emotions within him.

  * * *

  “So how has it been going Benji?” Andre asked.

  His flight had landed a few hours ago, and he’d already checked into his room at the Omni. He met Benjamin at the bar on the main floor, to talk business face-to-face for a change. Most of his correspondence with Benjamin had been over the phone. They met once, a year ago, when they first began talks of a merger.

  “I’m well,” Benjamin answered.

  Benjamin Sparks was the owner of Able Gadgets. He was about the same age as Andre, but was more laid back, a tall, dark-skinned guy with a black fade. At a quick glance, you would think you were looking at Idris Elba.

  “Good,” Andre replied. Having a casual dinner meeting with him was one of the first steps in ensuring the merger would go through without hitch. Benjamin was a very hardworking, decent guy who started Able Gadgets around the same time Andre started RCC. However, he lacked the sales and expertise it took to take his company to the next level and that’s where Andre came into play.

  Andre had major success in the world of computer electronics and was even featured in PC Magazine and Forbes as well as a few local papers and magazines in Miami. He’d also purchased companies that were smaller than Able Gadgets, thus growing his empire and making him a pioneer in the field of electronics while proving he could successfully take over companies, grow his business and not lose a dime in capital while doing it.

  That’s why when he got wind of Able Gadgets possibly running into financial trouble, he jumped at the chance to partner with Benjamin. He even assured him a top executive position with RCC after the merger was completed. That was a win-win for both parties – Benjamin would remain a top executive, and Rockwell Computer Components would benefit from his knowledge of being one of their top competitors over the years.

  “So how was your flight, man?” Benjamin inquired.

  “Smooth sailing as usual. I would’ve taken the private jet if I thought I’d be here only for a day or two. But I have a feeling it’s going to be longer than that.”

  “Yeah...probably will be. The lawyers are going through every document with a fine-tooth comb.”

  “Sure...I would expect them to. We need to make sure this thing is starting out right from the get-go. That way, we’re all eating. You feel me?”

  Benjamin nodded, then looked around, checking out the place. He’d never been inside the Omni before. A resident of Charlotte, he had no need to stay at hotels in the area.

  “So you’re staying here?” he asked Andre.

  “Yep. This is where I usually stay when I visit Charlotte.”

  “You must come here a lot.”

  “Not a lot, but I’ve been to a few conferences here. I was here about six months back when we purchased Circuits Galore.”

  “I remember reading about that in the paper.” Benjamin took a sip of water. “So getting down to business...what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”

  “Um...let’s see.” Andre sipped some Moscato and glanced around the restaurant. “Um...tomorrow is Monday, right?”

  “Yeah, man.” Benjamin grinned. “See that’s what happens when you run a company as big as Rockwell.”

  “Exactly. It’s a work hazard.” Andre yawned.

  “Apparently, so is lack of sleep.”

  The men laughed together.

  It had been a long day for Andre and even though he was tired, he was still at it.

  “So, yeah, tomorrow we’re meeting the rest of your team for a working lunch to discuss new job roles. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we have meetings with the lawyers.”

  “Okay. Where exactly are we meeting for lunch tomorrow?” Benjamin inquired.

  “Preferably some place where eight guys can sit together with notebooks and still have enough elbow room for food and drinks. You know of a place?”

  “Ah...” Benjamin said, thinking.

  “Just need to be some place pretty laid back with good food.”

  “We could do Ruby Tuesday or Texas Roadhouse.”

  “Hmm...not too familiar with Ruby Tuesday, and Texas Roadhouse is far too loud for what we’re trying to do.”

  “I got it...what about Aria Tuscan Grill, right there on Tryon. That way you won’t have far to go, and it won’t be a problem for my team to meet you.”

  “If that works for you it works for me. How ‘bout we meet around eleven-thirty?”

  “Sounds good. I’ll get my guys on the same page and we’ll see you tomorrow, man.”

  “Cool.” Andre stood up. “Well, I’m going to go get some sleep...been a long day for me.”

  “Okay, partner,” Benjamin said, standing, extending his hand and shaking Andre’s hand.

  Andre paid for their drinks and headed to the elevator. On the way up to his room, he wondered what Benjamin’s true feelings were about their companies merging. Though he seemed okay with it, he knew, had it been RCC nearly under water, he would be devastated to see a company he grew and invested in succumb to being taken over by the competition. That’s why he was a workaholic. RCC could never be in a predicament like this, even if that meant he had to work crazy, ridiculous hours to ensure his company remained on track.

  In his room now, Andre kicked off his shoes, undressed and stepped in the shower. He loved long showers. It gave him time to think, meditate and run through his mental to-do list, getting his mind ready for the next day. It also gave him a moment to think about the wedding.

  Michelle wasn’t the woman he wanted. She wasn’t even his type. She was just there and after a year of a few casual dinners, he proposed. They hardly saw each other, and he flooded his life with work to hide his frustration. His parents were wrong about him using his job as a distraction from the wedding. He was using it as a diversion from thinking about a woman he couldn’t find – Ava.

  Ava

  . ~ .

  “MOM, WHY DO you insist on eating at this restaurant every time you come to Charlotte?” I asked my mother as I take out a packet of baby wipes from Drew’s diaper bag to clean off the sticky high-chair that the waitress brought over. My son, Drew, who’s just over a year old, is sitting in my mother’s lap, bending his little body like Gumby trying to get a yellow crayon that’s rolling across the table, heading in the direction of the salt and pepper shakers.

  “You know I love the butternut squash ravioli they make here. I can’t find it anywhere else.”

  Yeah. I’m sure in all of Raleigh, you cannot find butternut squash ravioli.

  “Have you actually looked for it anywhere else?” I asked her, not that I have anything against Aria Tuscan Grill, because the food is amazing. However, this restaurant is not one of my regular sit down joints. I come here only when mom comes to town. She’s somewhat made it a tradition for us.

  She ignores my question and continues playing with Drew.

  I take Drew from her lap and strap him in the high chair. Then I take his sippy cup from the diaper bag and place it on the table, put the wipes back into the diaper bag and after hanging the bag on the back of my chair, I’m finally able to sit down and take a breath.

  Shrew.

  That’s why I don’t like going out with Drew. It’s tiring, because whenever I decide to go anywhere, it becomes a production – I pack his diaper bag with wipes, extra diapers, r
ash cream, a change of clothes, socks, snacks, juice and an extra pacifier. Then, after making sure he’s properly dressed, I go on a scavenger hunt, looking for his sippy cup, because he can’t live without that particular cup, even though he has five of them in varying colors.

  Once I’m ready to head out the door, I throw my purse on my shoulder along with his diaper bag. Then I pick him up, somehow manage to lock the door as I’m holding close to twenty-five pounds, and while I’m stumbling to my car, I search my keys for the one that unlocks the door. After all that, I’m too tired to go anywhere. And that’s what I am now – tired.

  A waitress comes by to take our drink orders. We both request water with lemon, then I inform our eager, customer-service oriented waitress that we needed a minute to look over the menus.

  “Tickle, tickle, tickle,” Mom says to her grandson, poking him with her index fingers, watching him squirm and giggle.

  Andrew, better known as Drew, is the light of my life, the child I wasn’t supposed to have with my heart condition. Even though being a mother is exhausting, I can’t imagine my life without him. The screaming, crying, temper-tantrums and all...he’s my world.

  I can still recall the doctors begging me not to have him, trying to scare me by saying that if I went full-term with the pregnancy, I could die, the baby could die or even worse – we both could die. Then they told me if I was fortunate enough to have the baby with no complications, I wouldn’t see him grow up. Said there was a possibility he could have the same heart defect I have. Said I should enjoy however much time I had left on this earth without over burdening my body with a high-risk pregnancy.

  Doctors – they can be so insensitive at times – but no matter what they threw at me, my decision was solid. There was no way I would terminate my pregnancy. I’d rather die than even think about such a thing.