All I Want Is Forever Read online

  “Yeah.” Karl’s mouth lifted at one corner. “Good as this place is run, you gonna have time on your hands. Have some fun.”

  “Once I’m sure Mama Rose is stable again, I’ll be going home.”

  “Louisiana is home, Talia. Where you start will always be part of you.” Karl wore the look of a sad wiseman for an instant, before the bright smile came back. “I better get goin’, or my wife will have my backside. Don’t forget, baby sister, Sunday dinner.”

  “Thanks, Karl.” Talia smiled back at him. “I’m really happy for you.”

  “Bye now.” Karl gave her another quick hug and left.

  “He’s right on both counts.” Mama Rose stood in the door without the walker. She wore a blue floral housecoat and powder blue slippers to match.

  “Just what do you think you’re doing? I’m going to get that walker and march you right back to bed.” Talia put her fists on her hips.

  “Don’t take that tone with me, Talia. My doctor says I shouldn’t lie around like an invalid, and I should walk without that thing if I can. I’m not sleepy.”

  “Fine. Sit and watch television. I’ll call the kitchen and order your dinner. What do you want?”

  “There is nothing on television I want to see. I’ll order my own dinner, thank you very much.” Mama Rose sat down on one of two large easy chairs.

  “You are so rebellious! What did Karl just say?” Talia glared at her.

  Mama Rose waved a hand, dismissing her disapproval. “I wiped his bottom and yours. I’m a long way from taking orders from two babies.”

  Talia shook her head. “You’re driving me up the wall.”

  “Now back to Derrick. He’s a good boy, even if he still is kind of wild.” Mama Rose fluffed a throw pillow and positioned it behind her back.

  “What do you mean?” Talia forgot to be irritated with her. She sat on the sofa across from her.

  “He’s been in the papers at least three times. Everybody knows he’s the reason the district attorney got reelected.” Mama Rose scowled. “A few brainless Black folks say he sold out.”

  “Because he helps gather the evidence to convict people.” Talia tucked her legs under her.

  Mama Rose nodded. “Exactly. Course they don’t like to dwell on the havoc those no-good criminals cause. You wouldn’t believe it, but we’ve had drive-by shootings in little old Rougon!” She sighed. “Times have changed for the worse, sugar.”

  “Let’s not talk about that kind of thing. You’ll get all worked up and want to go back to your volunteer work at the community center.”

  “My doctor says I should keep active. I’m in charge of the summer reading program for the children. And—” Mama Rose stopped at the look Talia gave her and smiled impishly. “You busted me.”

  “That’s right. Forget it.” Talia rose and went to the phone. “I’m going to order dinner for you before I leave.”

  “Okay, I give up. For now,” Mama Rose added quietly.

  “I heard that,” Talia shot back.

  “Will you see Derrick tonight? The house is all fixed up. That nursing service sent an aide over.”

  “I’ll be back. The social worker here said I can spend a couple of nights with you. Just until you feel comfortable,” Talia said.

  “Nonsense, go home and have dinner with Derrick.” Mama Rose gazed at her.

  “Stop with the Derrick stuff. Nothing is going to happen between us.” Talia spoke through clenched teeth.

  “Interesting. I never said anything was going to happen. Which tells me it already has,” Mama Rose murmured.

  Talia pretended she hadn’t heard her. “Yes, this is for Mrs. Travis in suite 344-B.” She ordered the dishes Mama Rose had checked on the menu list. “You’re all set.”

  “Good. Don’t let me keep you, sweetie. The six o’clock news is coming on.” Mama Rose waved at the door. “Now go.”

  “The way you’re rushing me out maybe you’ve got a hot date,” Talia said with a grin.

  Mama Rose turned on an icy glare. “Out!”

  “Uh-huh, you can give it, but you can’t take it.” Talia darted out the front door just in time to avoid what was surely a razor-sharp reply.

  Talia drove toward Mama Rose’s house thinking of her older brother. Seeing him again hadn’t been at all what she had expected. Karl had always been as much of an embarrassment to her as Monette. As a child she’d endured taunts first about Monette and then Karl. Still, they were her family, and she’d gotten into fights when other kids called them names. Then Monette would take off with yet another boyfriend, and Karl would get arrested again. More and more she’d given up trying to defend them.

  As impossible as it seemed, Karl had turned his life around. Could Monette be trying as well? Talia tried to imagine Monette living a conventional life. All she knew was the flamboyant, unreliable woman who’d left her alone to face a scary world. And from what little Derrick told her, Monette hadn’t changed at all.

  “Just let me help Mama get straight and out of this state before she lets the dogs out,” Talia muttered as she turned into Mama Rose’s driveway.

  A week later Talia talked into the headset of her cell phone while making notes. She walked around the temporary office she’d created in one of the five bedrooms of Mama Rose’s house. Pete gave her a rundown on what was going on at the office in Washington. Talia had insisted over objections from her colleagues, assuring them that things were going very well with Mama Rose. Although she wouldn’t admit it, Mama Rose actually made friends and enjoyed the recreational activities at St. Francis. Still, she never missed a chance to say that she fully intended to return to her home of forty-five years.

  “Yes, Pete. I’ll meet with Larry Perrilloux next week on Wednesday.” The phone on a desk rang just as the doorbell sounded. “Geez! The other phone is driving me crazy and someone’s at the door. Let me call you later. Right.”

  She let the answering machine take care of Mama Rose’s phone while she jogged to the door. Mrs. Lanier, one of her foster mother’s longtime friends, chirped that she would visit and bring a casserole later. The woman had three eligible nephews and thought all of them were perfect for Talia. Talia had spent the last week dodging her attempts at matchmaking. Then she’d had to deal with leaking faucets, the tree-cutting service for the acres around the house, and a host of other domestic duties.

  “This was supposed to be a relaxing visit once Mama got settled. What the hell happened?” Talia muttered.

  She opened the door prepared to deal with yet another late repairman. Instead, Derrick stood on the front porch. “Tall” and “gorgeous” were the first words that popped into her head as she gazed at him. His muscular biceps bulged from the white short-sleeved knit shirt tucked into olive green slacks. He still held his car keys in one hand.

  “I hope you don’t mind.” Derrick’s dark brows drew together over the rim of his sunglasses. “I could come back another time if you’re busy.” He gestured to the headset.

  Talia blinked at him, still dazed by his appearance. “What? Oh, I just hung up anyway.” She took off the headset.

  “How are things going?” Derrick fidgeted with the car keys. “Mama Rose is doing very well from what I hear.”

  “Yeah, and loving every minute of being difficult.” Talia shook her head. “Payback for all the trouble I gave her as a teenager I guess.”

  Derrick grinned. “You weren’t that bad. But she looks great.”

  “Oh?” Talia looked at him.

  “I went to see her the other day. You’d just left.” Derrick cleared his throat.

  “I see.” Talia stepped back and opened the door wider. “I’m losing my mind. Come in out of the heat.”

  “I just stopped to say hi is all. I don’t want to interrupt your day or anything.”

  “It’s okay. Come on in and have some peppermint lemonade.” Talia beckoned him inside. “Whoa! I sound like a Southern country lady.”

  Derrick laughed as he came in. “In anoth
er three weeks you’ll be wearing Miss Rose’s favorite yellow apron with the ruffles and baking a cake.”

  “When pigs fly!” Talia retorted. She led him down the hallway past the living room. “Come on into the kitchen and don’t say a word.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Talia opened the refrigerator and took out a glass pitcher with large lemon slices floating in it. On the counter was a plate of tea cakes. “Not one word,” she repeated. “I only made this because of all the folks trooping in and out of here.”

  Derrick pressed his lips together for a moment before he spoke. “Miss Rose’s special peppermint lemonade recipe. Confess, Talia. You wore the apron.” He took off his sunglasses and placed them on the countertop.

  “No, I did not!” Talia fought the urge to grin back at him.

  “Alright, if you say so.” Derrick shrugged. “Next thing you’ll be making little lace doilies.”

  “You want to drink this lemonade or wear it? I’m not into domestic chores.”

  “Right. You’re a high-powered, big-city consultant, a twenty-first-century career woman.” Derrick nodded. “But I’ll bet you look darn cute in that apron.”

  “Very funny!”

  Talia started to toss a plastic straw at his head, but he caught her by the wrist. Heat shot up her arm and went straight to her head. The feel of his smooth skin against hers set off an erotic tingle. His grip was loose, more like a caress. She stared at him in a trance as he pulled her against his chest. Her heart beat faster with each breath. Closer and closer his face came toward hers, until their lips were only an inch apart. Derrick’s gaze drifted up to her hair. He touched the curls against her forehead with such tenderness she gasped. Then he traced a line down her cheek and along her jaw with the tip of his forefinger.

  They stood that way for several minutes, with only the ticking sound from the wall clock breaking the silence. Talia fought off the sexual hunger that was slowly building into a roaring storm. Derrick leaned down just as she moved away. She escaped to the other side of the kitchen.

  “You want a tea cake with your lemonade?” She turned her back to him and took two glasses from the cabinet.

  “I want whatever you have to give.”

  When he spoke right over her shoulder she dropped them. Derrick’s hands shot out with lightning speed, and he caught both before they hit the floor. He put them on the counter without taking his gaze from her face. Talia swallowed hard at the double message in his response.

  “I don’t know how much I have to give,” she said quietly.

  Derrick wore a wise and patient smile. “You’re going to be here at least another month, maybe two. Even though the time will rush by, I won’t rush you.”

  “I’m going back to D.C. There’s no doubt about that,” Talia said.

  “I know. But I can’t pretend you’re not here and that I don’t want to see you,” Derrick replied.

  Talia gazed at the hard chest outlined by the soft knit cotton of his shirt. She imagined rubbing her hands over the skin, savoring the texture of soft curly hair on it beneath her fingertips. As if he could read her mind, Derrick leaned forward, placing his palms flat on the counter on either side of her. He was making it hard to resist temptation. Every ounce of common sense she had screamed at her to back away from this man. He was too much of what she had left behind. Still, she struggled to remember exactly why being with him was dangerous. She tried hard to conjure up the fear and pain that had driven her from Rougon years before.

  “You don’t have to run from me. I’ll let you go.”

  He was offering her heaven even if it was fleeting. Talia closed her eyes, dizzy, as her mind argued with her body over what to do next. Reason said she should tell him to get out. The woman inside her said, “Take him, girlfriend!” She opened her eyes again to gaze at him. As though sensing she was overwhelmed, Derrick backed away.

  Talia crossed her arms in a posture of emotional defense. “No, you won’t let me go. I make my own decisions.”

  He picked up his car keys. “Maybe I’d better leave.”

  Talia wanted to lighten the moment and make some kind of peace with the strange electricity between them. She would leave Rougon. There was no doubt in her mind about that. Still, she wanted to be with him for the few weeks she’d be in town.

  “Without tasting my version of Mama’s lemonade and tea cakes? Chicken.” Talia hoped her smile worked.

  “Okay, I’ll hang out with you. Just don’t give me the ‘We’ll always be friends’ speech.” Derrick smiled back, his head tilted to one side.

  Talia felt a flush of sexual energy at the simple gesture. He made it hard for her to give that speech with his sensual magnetism. She forced her gaze away from the full, smooth lips that called to her.

  “Agreed. One tea cake or two?”

  “One is fine.”

  Derrick sat down at the square-shaped kitchen table and watched her pour lemonade in the glasses. Talia placed the plate of tea cakes between them and sat across from him.

  “So what’s up?” Talia took a sip of the cool liquid.

  “What do you—” Derrick stopped at the look she gave him over the rim of her glass. “Monette called me from the prison. She knows you’re in Louisiana.”

  “Don’t tell me. She wants to see me for a touching mother-daughter reunion,” Talia added with a grunt. “Who told her I was here?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Your brother had already called Monette. I just confirmed you were in Rougon.” Derrick picked up a tea cake. “It won’t hurt to see her once.”

  “With Monette once is too much.” Talia shook her head. “I separated from her a long time ago just to survive.”

  “I know she took you through it and back.” Derrick started to reach for her hand, then stopped. He picked up his glass instead. “At least think about it.”

  “Can we talk about something else?” Talia pushed away thoughts of her biological mother.

  “Sure. Dinner is a good subject. We could go to Satterfield’s tonight.” Derrick wore an innocent expression.

  Talia squinted at him. “I’m not sure.”

  He held up both hands. “No hidden agenda, I swear. I’ll treat you to a good meal, and we’ll talk about the weather. Don’t tell me you’re going to eat your own cooking.”

  “Hey!” Talia swatted his arm. “Just for that I’m going to cook you a great meal.”

  “Uh, I appreciate the offer, baby girl. But you’ve been working hard all day. Let’s go out.”

  She stood. “I get the hint. Before I leave you will eat my cooking.”

  His expression softened. “That sounds great.”

  The temperature of the air around Talia suddenly shot up. Without thinking, she’d stepped closer to the edge. “Ahem, right. Come back to get me around six-thirty. I need to check on Mama Rose and finish a few projects first.”

  Derrick drank the rest of his lemonade and grabbed another tea cake. “Will do, ma’am. I’m looking forward to it.”

  Talia felt a spike of anticipation and apprehension when she looked into his dark eyes. “See you then.”

  She walked ahead of him down the hall. She was conscious every step of the way of his gaze on her body. By the time they reached the front door, all her nerve endings seemed to tingle. When she turned around to say good-bye one last time, the desire in his eyes shook her to the core.

  “I’ll see you in a little bit.” Derrick leaned down and brushed her forehead lightly with his lips.

  Damn, he’s not playing fair! Talia suspected from his expression that he knew exactly what effect he had on her. She squared her shoulders, determined not to give in. “Good deal, pal.”

  Instead of a frown, Derrick gave her an affectionate pat on the cheek and a smile. “Right.”

  She watched him walk away, admiring the way his broad back narrowed at the waist and the great butt. As his black Toyota 4Runner drove away she took a deep breath. At least she had hours to fortify herself a
gainst another shot of Derrick Guillory’s potent charisma. Why hadn’t she just said, “No, I have plans”? Talia got busy with work to avoid thinking about the answer.

  Chapter 5

  Talia took another turn around the Louisiana State Capitol building. Located in Baton Rouge, it towered over the compact yet busy downtown area. The historic building had beautiful marble floors that reflected images like glass. The regular legislative session had ended in June. She glanced at the large round watch face on her left wrist. Ten minutes until her appointment with Senator Jackson. She took the stairs down to the legislative offices instead of the elevator. Plush carpet the color of golden sand stretched down the hallway. Having scouted out the territory twice before coming, she knew the way to the offices of the chairmen of the three judiciary committees. Senator Jackson chaired Committee C, which handled the issue of sentencing laws. His legislative assistant, Marti Campo, was talking to a secretary when Talia walked through the door. Marti stood tall in three-inch heels and a form-fitting navy skirt. Her blond hair was neatly cut short and framed her heart-shaped face perfectly.

  “I’ve got a few changes on this summary for the governor’s people, Layla.” Marti shuffled a thick sheaf of papers as she found her notations.

  The secretary, a young woman of about twenty-five, pursed her lips as the older woman talked. “Looks like more than a few changes.”

  Marti’s frosty blue-gray eyes sparkled with anger. “That’s why we call this ‘work,’ right?

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll need a perfect copy no later than noon,” Marti said in a clipped tone. She turned to Talia. “I hope you’re Ms. Marchand. I’ve got to stay on schedule.”

  Talia stood and extended her hand. “You will be.”

  “Thank God! This has been a day, and it’s not even ten o’clock.” Marti glanced at her wristwatch. “This way. Senator Jackson had another meeting called at the last minute. Layla, do we have fresh coffee?” she called over her shoulder as she marched ahead of Talia down a short hall.