Heartbreak 'n Heels

Chapter 13

The inspection for Erica's studio had gone well.  There were some walls that needed to be knocked down to give her the space she wanted.  When she showed Deacan the ideas she had, he couldn't help but smile.  She had a good eye for maximizing the area and her excitement about it was contagious.

Deacan sat at his drafting table making changes to the plans when his phone rang. "What up bruh!"

"Same old same.  What you up to?" Clark asked.

"Working on some plans for a new project."  When he'd looked at the space two weeks ago, Erica had told him that neither Maya nor Clark knew what she was doing.  She wanted it to be a surprise.

"Cool. We doing lunch?"

Deacan looked at his watch then told Clark he'd meet him at The Pasta House in about 15 minutes.  He grabbed his keys and asked Cady if she wanted him to bring anything back for her.

"No, I brought something, but when you get back, let's talk."

"Cool. Later." Deacan continued on to his car and made his way to the restaurant. As he pulled into a parking spot, his phone sounded through the connection in his car. "Well, hello gorgeous!"

"You're such a flirt," Erica replied with a laugh.

Deacan couldn't help the huge smile that was planted on his face.  "True, but I was also speaking the truth." There was a loud knock on his window and Deacan jumped.  Clark stood outside, laughing hysterically. Deacan let down the window and flipped Clark off.

"I know that cackle. Hi Clark," she yelled out.

He replied, still laughing while trying to catch his breath, "Hi, bye!  Hang up, he's my friend today!" Deacan just shook his head and shooed him away. "I mean it. Five minutes! Bye sis!"  He began making loud kissing noises as he walked off toward the restaurant.

Erica laughed and Deacan imagined her coily hair bouncing from it. "Seems like someone needs some best buddy time," she teased.

"I guess. You know better than I do that he's nuts."

"That I do!" she said with a snort. Deacan heard her groan afterward and began to chuckle.

"That's my third favorite sound from you." Deacan felt his pants get a little tighter as he thought of what the first two were.

Erica coyly asked, "And what are the first two?"

Deacan answered, his voice low, "I'll have you do them for me later." He heard her gasp and imagined her cheeks reddening which caused him to chuckle. "Right now, lunch with our nutball friend."

"Fine, later. Have a good lunch."  Erica ended the call before she showed how desperately she wanted to continue the conversation.

Deacan walked into the restaurant and was taken to Clark’s table.  Before he could even sit down, Clark fired off at him, “Took you long enough. What’s the deal with you and Erica? Y’all had one date and you’ve disappeared.” 

“I do have work, you know,” Deacan laughed at him and shook his head.

"We're calling it work now?"

"Man, for real, I'm working on a new project." Clark eyed Deacan with suspicion. The server came to the table and asked them what they wanted to drink and if they were ready to order.  After ordering, Clark continued his teasing interrogation.

"So you in love with Erica? Got the googly eyes going, goofy grin when you hear her name, pulling a disappearing act. SPRUNG is the proper term, I believe!"

Deacan almost spit out his water and guffawed. "I don't even know how to answer that. Love?  Way too soon for that. Sprung? Getting there." Clark's mouth fell open at Deacan's admission. 

"You're serious?" Clark asked. Deacan nodded and took a drink of the water the server had placed on the table. "Don't hurt her." Clark looked him in the eye, no smile or teasing in this statement.

"Don't plan on it. There's a better chance of her hurting me." The server placed their food down and both began eating. They continued to talk about work and Clark spoke about a woman he was getting to know.  Her name was Sheri and they'd met when he was auditing the finances at her job. He wasn't ready to introduce her to everyone yet, in case it didn't go anywhere. 

Clark signaled for the server and paid for the meal. "Dec, it's on you next time." They headed out to their cars. "Seriously, you're a good dude, but Erica is like my sister. She'll always be first, so if you hurt her, I'll end you."

"I'm telling you man, you have nothing to worry about.  I like her and I wanna get to know her.  I'm here as long as she wants me here."

Clark nodded in acknowledgment of Deacan's statement and headed to his car. Before he got inside, he yelled over the hood, "DEFINITELY SPRUNG!"  They both laughed and went their separate ways.

When Deacan got back to his job, he walked to Cady's office and knocked on her open door, “You wanted to talk?” Cady from her computer and motioned for him to sit down.

“How are things with Erica Benz’s studio?”

“Good. I’ll be finished with the revisions by the end of the week, we’ll get approval, and then we can start construction.”

Cady nodded her approval and pulled up the drafts he’d sent to her earlier. They talked about the design of the building, the walls that needed to be removed, the number and size of the private rooms Erica wanted, making sure they had the right placement and specifications for the poles, plus a host of other details.

By the time they finished, Deacan was ready to head home and see Erica; one so he could tell her about what was discussed and two, he missed her. They hadn’t seen each other since their date because he was working on her studio and four other projects and Erica had been filling her time with dance classes at COCA or Forest Park Community College or working a few hours at YMCA and gyms teaching dance to keep busy and make a little money. Almost every night they’d talked on the phone or had video calls.

Getting to know her was easy because she was so open. She would answer pretty much anything he asked and if it was something she didn’t want to talk about, she told him. Deacan finished packing up for the day and grabbed Erica’s studio plans off the drafting table. He waved to Cady as they parted ways in the parking garage and got in his car, headed for home. When his phone connected to his car, he commanded it to dial Erica.

She sounded out of breath when she answered on the third ring.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Maybe,” she teased.
“Well, I’m headed home and I want to see you there. You can do whatever it is you’re doing with me.”

Erica laughed at the innuendo in his voice before she replied, “I was cleaning and moving furniture. I’m sure you don’t want me doing that with you.”

“Depends on what’s being cleaned and why the furniture’s moving,” he countered. She loved this side of him, the many different sides of him. He was sweet and gave her compliments and then he’d turn into this man that let her know he wanted her, needed her, craved her. Deacan wasn’t at all shy about letting her know exactly how he felt about her.

“Lord, what am I going to do with you?”

“Anything you want. Now here’s my address and I’ll see you in a few. And don’t shower, I want us to do that together. Also, bring a bag. You’re not leaving tonight.”