Read Online Accidentally Yours by Bettye Griffin - Free Book Online

interested in seeing me again. I thought we’d hit it off pretty well.”
    “ Did you tell him you were my friend, the one I had wanted to introduce him to?”
    “ No. I thought about it but decided to let things progress on their own, which, of course, I know now was a mistake.”
    “ I’m so sorry it didn’t work out. One thing I can say about Zack, he does tend to enjoy female attention…and he gets plenty of it. I’m afraid it’s swelled his ego just a little. He’s a bit of a scoundrel, but he’s so charming about it he manages to be loveable.”
    Something else had occurred to Vivian as she considered the reasons for Zack ’s lack of interest in her, and she knew Desireé would understand. “Do you suppose…Well, is he one of those men who go for the Halle Berry type?”
    Desireé chuckled. “I haven’t met a man yet who wouldn’t go for someone who looks like Halle Berry. The girl is gorgeous.”
    “ You know what I mean, Desireé.”
    “ I do, and the answer is no. Zack likes all women, all shades.” Desireé did not add that she had asked Zack this herself before suggesting he meet her new friend. She and Vivian were both of a darker hue, and just like some white men preferred blondes, some black men wouldn’t look twice at a brown-skinned sister. “Maybe he thought he would see you when the buses arrived back in New York.”
    “ If he did that wasn’t too bright an idea. It was dark by the time we got back to the parking lot we left from, and everyone was exhausted and anxious to get in their cars and go home. It was a Sunday, and most of us had to work the next day. But the club is holding a Valentine’s dance tomorrow night. I hope he’ll be there. He mentioned that his shift rotates.”
    “ But Valentine’s Day is over, Vivian.”
    “ I guess scheduling is hard when it falls during the week, even though I would have thought they would hold it the week before rather than the week after. Maybe the price to rent the country club went down.”
    “ Well, please call and let me know what happens. Hopefully you’ll see him again…without anyone getting hurt.” Desireé chuckled.
    “ I will. And congratulations to both you and Austin, Des. I know you’ll be happy together for the rest of your lives.”
    *****
    Vivian was pleased with the way she looked. Since she had a number of dressy outfits in her closet, most of which she had only worn once, she decided against buying a new one for the occasion. Besides, she wanted to reserve her cash for the travel and activity expenses she would have in her quest for a mate.
    She had left work an ho ur early and gone to a local salon, where her short hair had been washed and styled, then brushed back from her face with a few waves, courtesy of skillfully applied gel. She’d also had her naturally thick eyebrows shaped. Her eyebrows had a way of growing unruly when she wasn’t looking, but when they were shaped they opened up her entire face. She wore minimal eye makeup; her brows said it all.
    Instead of a dress, she wore a black tunic with shirred shoulders, sleeveless, with a gen tle drape and cinched waist over matching loosely draped slacks. The tunic had no sleeves, but she wore long black gloves that would warm her arms and be compatible with the required semiformal dress, as well as hide the fact that she hadn’t had time to do anything to her nails. Her jewelry was her best small ruby drop earrings with a matching necklace and bracelet worn on the outside of her gloves. She figured most of the women would be wearing dresses, and red ones at that, given the Valentine’s Day holiday.
    The phone began to ring, and, as it had become her habit over the last few weeks, she checked the caller ID first. When she saw Gordon Wilson ’s name, she didn’t answer. The creep had made a dinner date with her and then stood her up. He’d been calling ever since, but as far as she was concerned, he was too late. Unfortunately, she had written her home