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Chapter 2

Darwin Tolliver couldn’t help but think that there was something missing, and maybe whatever was missing was the reason he was so out of sorts. He looked around the enclosed office, observing the contemporary decor the television studio had paid far too much money to have installed. If the truth were to be told, the room really didn’t give him any warm and fuzzy feelings to get excited about.

Everything from the walls to the carpet and half of the furniture was done in a striking shade of ice-blue. The other half of the furniture was either upholstered in black leather or painted in a high-gloss black lacquer. Polished chrome accents completed the sparse ensemble. The room was supposed to be cutting-edge stylish but as Darwin sat in the midst of it, studying every minute detail, he wished he could have told the interior designer they’d hired that it actually felt very cold and impersonal. He sighed, blowing a warm gust of breath past his full lips.

Reaching for the telephone, he dialed quickly then leaned back in the black leather executive’s chair to wait for the line to be answered.

His twin brother’s voice bellowed from the other end. “Hello?”

“Hey, Mecan. It’s me.”

“Yo, Darwin. What’s up? How’s the new gig?” Mecan Tolliver asked.

Darwin shrugged, his broad shoulders reaching up toward his earlobes. “Starting out well. The show premieres next week and the initial reactions to the promos have been great.”

“I saw the commercial for the first time last night. You looked good, boy! You should have heard Jeneva on the phone calling her girls to check out the channel.”

“Your wife is too sweet. Tell her I said hello and kiss my niece for me.”

“Will do. Alexa’s been mimicking you since she saw you on TV. ‘Let me show you how it’s done!’” the man said, imitating his child’s singsong voice. “It’s too cute!” Mecan laughed, the wealth of it brimming over with pride for his five-year-old daughter. “So, for real, how are you doing? You sound a little down.”

There was a brief pause and Darwin sat listening to the television set playing in the background on his brother’s end. They’d been like two peas in a pod since day one. Mecan was the older by only five minutes and he was Darwin’s best friend and closest confidant. Darwin wanted to tell his brother that something was making him feel as blue as the room he sat in, but he hadn’t a clue how to express to his sibling what it was or why. Instead he shook the emotion away and changed the subject.

“Nah. All’s well here. Just felt like checking in with you.”

Mecan Tolliver nodded, his sixth sense kicking in. He shook his head slowly, oblivious to the fact that his brother could not see him through the phone line. “Sounds like there’s more going on than you’re saying. Why don’t we make plans to have lunch tomorrow and you can tell me all about it. We haven’t spent any time together in a good while.”

“That sounds good,” Darwin responded, a hint of gratitude seeping into his tone. “I could use some advice. Why don’t you meet me at the Andaluca Restaurant.”

“Where’s that?”

“In the Mayflower Park Hotel down on Olive Way. A friend of mine is the chef there. I’d like to show him some love.”

Mecan smiled into the receiver. “Why does that sound like you’re checking up on your competition?”

Darwin chuckled. “Hey, my boy Wayne’s one of the best chefs out here. There’s no harm in checking out what he’s up to.”

His brother laughed with him. “If you say so. I’ll see you tomorrow at one o’clock. Love you, bro.”

“Right back at ’cha.”

As the line went dead in his ear, Darwin suddenly felt even more out of sorts than he’d felt before he’d called. After hearing his brother’s voice and his excitement as he talked about his family, Darwin realized he was lonely. Labeling the emotion only served to further frustrate him. Perhaps some female companionship could change his mood, he thought, and hopefully help him move out of this stupor he seemed to have fallen into. Taking a quick glance at his wristwatch, he reached for his BlackBerry off the desktop, sorted through the address index for a telephone number, then pulled the phone receiver back into his hand as he dialed. Three rings later a female’s sultry voice answered the call.

“Hey, beautiful. It’s me. Got any plans for the night?”

There was something romantic about the atmosphere, Darwin mused as he took a seat in one of the gray upholstered booths in the Andaluca Restaurant. The room had an old-world feel to it with its rich fabrics, cherrywood accents and the exquisite contemporary designs that decorated the walls. He’d arrived a few minutes early, nudging his way past the blue-eyed hostess with the porcelain veneer smile to say hello to the chef. His friend had been guiding a staff of twelve almost effortlessly as they prepped for the lunch crowd.

As he waited for his brother to arrive he studied the menu, making mental notes about the food choices. The selections were very European, fairly simplistic, with generous offerings of grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and an incredible wine list. As Darwin mulled over the selections, it was only his brother’s prompt arrival that kept him from racing back to the kitchen to see if he could be of any service.

The commotion at the door caught his eye, the young woman leading Mecan to the table laughing warmly as the two headed in his direction. Darwin could almost visualize the events that had them chatting so comfortably. The confused expression on her round face, her neck snapping back and forth as she did a double take when Mecan had stepped through the door had probably been quite comical. It was a typical reaction when folks saw one and then the other, before realizing there were actually two of them. The young lady dropped a second menu on the table as she gestured toward the empty seat.

“Wow, talk about identical twins! I can’t believe how much you two look alike,” she exclaimed, her head waving from side to side. “Your brother scared me to death. One minute you were sitting here, then the next minute you were standing by my side. I didn’t know what to think at first.”

Darwin smiled. “Well, now that you see us together, you can see I’m the better-looking brother.” He gave her a quick wink.

Mecan shook his head. “He’s not shy, either.” He extended his hand toward Darwin, who came to his feet to give him a quick greeting. The duo bumped shoulders in a one-armed embrace before dropping down into their respective seats. “So, how’s it going, little brother?” Mecan asked.

Darwin nodded. “Can’t complain, big brother.”

“Your waitress will be right with you,” the blonde said sweetly. “If I can be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Darwin winked again. “Thank you.”

The two men paused briefly to watch as she sashayed back to the front of the restaurant, both appreciating the overt side-to-side glide of her lean hips. Mecan shook his head as he turned back toward his brother. Making himself comfortable, he clasped his hands together in front of him, eyeing his look-alike curiously. “You don’t look sick.”

The other man chuckled. “What made you think I was sick?”

“There’s something going on with you. I heard it in your voice last night.”

Darwin grunted, a low growl rising from his midsection. Mecan noted his brother’s avoidance, his eyes dancing around the room, hesitant to meet his.

“Yep. Something’s up with you. Spill it.”

Darwin heaved a deep sigh as he finally met Mecan’s gaze. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, an attractive woman with a rich blue-black complexion moved to the table, a pen and pad in her hand. She smiled warmly, a brilliant row of pearl-white teeth greeting them.

“Hello. My name is Mina. I’m going to be your server today. Would you gentlemen like to start your meal with drinks and an appetizer?”

Darwin nodded, almost grateful for the interruption. “I think we’ll start with a charcuterie plate, please.”

“Very good, sir.”

“And, for the entrées, my brother will have the crab tower salad, and I would like to try the North African risotto.”

Mina nodded as she jotted their orders quickly. “Will that be all, sir?”

“No, why don’t you bring us a bottle of that Bootleg Sauvignon Blanc. And, just to get it out of the way, for dessert we’ll try the cheese sampler with the bûche maître seguin, the fiore sardo and the tomino, and two pots du crème.”

“Yes, sir.” Mina smiled sweetly as she gathered their menus, her gaze sweeping from one dark face to the other.

Mecan moved his head from side to side as the woman made her way to the rear of the restaurant and into the kitchen to place their orders. “You kill me! Have we ever gone out to eat together where I got to order my own food?”

Darwin shrugged, the two men laughing warmly together. “Old habits die hard. Just stop me next time.”

“Don’t worry about it. You must have been reading my mind, ’cause I really wanted to try the crab. Now, what the heck is all that other stuff you ordered? The charcuterie and that cheese thing?”

“Their charcuterie is just like an antipasto. It’s a variety of salamis, pickled peppers, olives, and almonds. On the cheese platter, the bûche maître seguin is a goat’s milk cheese served with a black fig jam, the other is sheep’s milk cheese with paprika and almonds, and the tomino is a soft cow’s milk cheese wrapped in Cullatello and served with fresh honey.”

Mecan shook his head. “Do I dare ask what the cream pot is?”

His brother laughed. “Pots du crème! It’s caramel and mocha custards with Valrhona chocolate and cinnamon.”

Mecan adjusted his napkin into his lap. “Well, it sounds like I’ll be eating well this afternoon.”

“I told you I wanted to show the chef some love. You do that by ordering and eating well.”

His brother leaned back against his cushioned seat. “Now, let’s try this again. What’s wrong with you?”

Darwin cut his eye toward his brother, then dropped his gaze back down to the table. “Nothing.”

“Liar.”

“Says you.”

“Says anyone who knows you.”

The two men locked eyes, Mecan raising his eyebrows knowingly. “I know because it’s not often that you ignore a beautiful woman trying to get your attention and you’ve ignored two of them.”

“What two?”

Mecan shook his head. “I won’t even talk about our hostess, but how could you miss the eyes our waitress was giving you?”

Darwin looked over to the woman at the bar, casting furtive looks in his direction as she stood in conversation with the hostess and the bartender. He shrugged again. “You’re crazy. And how do you know they weren’t looking at you?”

Mecan tossed him a look of annoyance. With his elbows propped against the edge of the table he spun the gold wedding band on his left hand between the thumb and forefinger of his other hand. “I think the fact that I wear a wedding band and you don’t might have been the first clue.”

His brother rolled his dark eyes and tossed the woman a second look. This time she smiled nervously, embarrassment flooding her face as she almost dropped the platter she’d been carrying.

Leaning forward, his fingers still entwined in front of him, Mecan’s expression turned serious. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me nothing. I can see it all over your face. Something’s not right with you.”

Holding his brother’s gaze for a second time, Darwin suddenly felt like the younger brother. He leaned forward in his own seat and whispered as if the duo were conspiring together.

“Yeah, but I don’t know what it is. It’s like…” He paused, gathered his thoughts, then switched gears. “After I talked to you last night, I went to visit an old friend. She and I kick it every so often.”

“Kick it?”

“You know.” Darwin rolled his eyes. “We have a sexual understanding.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“You want to hear this or not?”

Mecan gestured for him to continue.

“Well, my girl set the mood right. Candlelight, a bottle of wine, some chocolate syrup…”

Mecan grimaced. “Too much information.”

“Don’t interrupt me.”

“Sorry.”

“We spent some time doing a little cuddling, a little tickling, then jumped in the Jacuzzi. Well, when the moment was just right…” there was a moment of hesitation as Darwin felt his cheeks flush with heat “…I couldn’t perform.” He let his last three words fall quickly from his mouth.

Mecan nodded, fighting not to let a smile cross his face, the muscles pulling against his resolve. Clearly, Darwin didn’t find the problem to be a laughing matter. His brother’s expression was too serious, a sudden wave of anxiety sweeping over the man. Mecan attempted to assuage his discomfort. “Well, that just happens every now and then,” he finally managed to say, his smile not quite a smile as he struggled to keep a straight face.

“Has it ever happened to you?”

Mecan tossed a quick glance over his shoulder, then cast a gaze around the room. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, words failing him.

“See. It doesn’t just happen. And that’s not all,” Darwin said softly.

“You mean there’s more?”

“I mean this isn’t the first time. I haven’t been able to get or keep an erection for weeks now,” Darwin confessed, embarrassment painted in his expression.

“Have you seen a doctor?”

He nodded. “The official diagnosis for my problem is—” he paused, leaning in closer as his voice dropped another octave “—erectile dysfunction, and they can’t find anything medically wrong to explain it. He thinks I should see a shrink, that maybe it’s related to something emotional,” he whispered.

“So, what are you waiting for?”

“I’m waiting for it to fix itself,” Darwin whined, exasperation balancing his words.

Mina moved toward them with their bottle of wine and two glasses. On her heels another waitress was bringing the appetizers. Once they’d been served, she stepped back, pausing for just a brief moment. “Can I bring you anything else?” she asked politely.

Mecan shook his head. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”

She smiled at Darwin again, the look she tossed him a clear invitation for something more. “And you, sir? Can I do anything else for you?” she asked, an air of seduction coating her tone.

Darwin forced himself to return the smile, his expression pained. “This is good for now, Mina. Thank you.”

The young woman nodded as she moved to another station, tossing them both a quick look over her shoulder. Her expression was hopeful yet Darwin seemed oblivious.

“I don’t know what to do, Mac,” he said, his eyes skating over his brother’s face.

Mecan took a deep breath. He could only imagine the man’s frustration. He had never played the field the way Darwin had, and the day he’d met his wife, Jeneva, he’d fallen hopelessly in love. He’d known almost instantly that no other woman would ever be able to make him feel the way Jeneva did. As he thought about his wife and their family and compared it to his brother’s life, an idea suddenly crossed his mind. As if a lightbulb had gone off in his head, he smiled and nodded.

“You need to settle down. That’s what you need.”

“Excuse me?”

“You need to fall in love and commit to one woman. I’d bet my last dollar that would cure your problem almost instantly.”

Darwin rolled his eyes skyward. “You’re crazy.”

“No, I’m very serious. That love stick of yours is probably just tired of being shuffled from one bed to another. And I think your heart is, as well. I’m certain if your heart’s no longer in it, then you’re sure to have problems.”

Darwin pondered his brother’s comments. He shook his head and the two men locked gazes. Maybe, he thought. Just maybe his big brother knew what he was talking about.