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“Would you excuse me?”
“Certainly.” Quentin expertly dodged Irys as he made his way to the bathroom. Ileana was ready to be out of there.
A few hours later, Irys asked for everyone’s attention. “I just want to thank you all for coming and celebrating our upcoming marriage.”
“Yes, thank you. And please join me in a toast to my bride-to-be,” Quentin added.
All the guests raised their glasses. Ileana was glad the festivities had come to an end. Quentin wasn’t the only one to have a reaction to their dance. She’d felt herself get wet and her nipples harden as he rubbed himself against her. It had been a while since she’d had satisfying sex. It was going to be a long night.
Irys pulled Ileana to the side. “Did he flirt or say anything while you were dancing?”
Ileana sighed. Did she really think her fiancé was that classless? “No, amiga. He didn’t say anything inappropriate at all.”
“I know you think the whole thing is silly. Thanks for humoring me.” Irys hugged and kissed her. They circled the room with their arms linked as Ileana said her good nights. Irys’ brother walked them downstairs as they hailed a cab for Ileana.
“See you tomorrow?” Irys asked as she held the door open for her friend.
“Yes, I want to hit the stores. Nothing like shopping in Manhattan.”
“Get home safe. Call me in the morning.”
Ileana tossed and turned as she tried to get some sleep in her mother’s huge bed. The evening had gone nothing like she’d expected. She didn’t want to do her girl dirty, but she had to admit that part of her wished Quentin would show up on her doorstep. She craved a good man. Then she realized that if he did come to her that would not make him a good man at all.
Just as she was about to drift off to sleep the doorbell rang. Ileana forced her eyes open and saw that the digital clock read three-thirty. She groped around for her robe to cover her nakedness. When she got to the door, Ileana was surprised to see Irys through the peephole.
“Are you okay? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”
“I have a mystery to solve.”
“Come on in. Talk at me;what’s up?”
“The funny thing about all of this is I didn’t have to develop a scheme to see how Quentin really felt. All it took was one look at you,” Irys said.
Ileana didn’t like the sound of what her friend was saying. “What does that mean?”
“Don’t worry; I don’t blame you
. You didn’t even let on to him that you knew him. I’m sure you remember, though. Quentin would be very hard to forget. For a lot of reasons.”
Ileana didn’t see the point of denying it. “When I met him a few years ago his name was different.”
“Yeah, Jontarius. That’s his first name, actually. He didn’t think corporate America would dig it so he goes by his middle name. He said that he couldn’t cheat himself or me by pretending that you didn’t have an effect. He swore you never came on to him or vice versa, but he felt so drawn to you he wondered how he could call himself in love with me.”
Ileana was shocked. “The wedding is off?”
“Looks like.”
“Irys, baby, I’m so sorry.” Ileana was a little concerned that her girl wasn’t showing much emotion about the situation. “Can I get you anything?”
Ileana moved toward the kitchen, but Irys blocked her path. Before she realized it, Irys had covered her mouth with her own. An awkward kiss that felt strange to Ileana’s lips.
“My so-called my man is leaving me because of you, my brother acts like an idiot over you and even my own father wanted to get with you. I just have to see for myself what is driving these men to distraction.” Irys inched closer.
“I know you’re upset;you have a right to be. You must be…”
“No, Ileana. I know exactly what I’m saying. I’m not even that upset about Quentin. Sure I wanted more than anything to be married to him, but something about it just didn’t feel right even before tonight. I didn’t really want to admit it to myself, but I don’t believe he was ever in love.”
Ileana felt uncomfortable as her friend stroked her face. She gently grabbed her hand. “How about I fix us a drink? Then again maybe alcohol is the last thing you need.”
