Free After Hours by Marie Rochelle Page A

from her, but he did because it was his job. Giving his career his all and being in love with her were two different things. He only prayed that Jametria would know the difference when the time came.
    “I love you more than my own life,” he whispered. “I hope you understand what I had to do when the time comes.”
     
    ****
     
    Flipping the pancakes inside the skillet the next morning, Jametria moved away from the stove and checked on the bacon inside of the microwave before adding two more minutes to the time. She couldn’t get last night out of her head. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of her life.
    Forbes finally told her that he loved her and she was excited about their future, but something was bothering him. He kept twisting and turning around in the bed most of the night. Every time she tried to move away from him last night, he would tug her right back against his body. His behavior was totally out of character for him. Sure he was a little possessive, but not to the point that she wouldn’t leave the bed at night. It was almost like he was afraid she was going to leave him.
     “I’m reading more into it than there is,” she muttered to herself as she finished fixing breakfast. Once all the food was done, she dished it up placing it in the center of the kitchen table.
    “Forbes, breakfast is ready,” she yelled into the living room. She had never dated a guy who watched the news as much as Forbes did. Any chance he got to squeeze in the news, he did it.
    “I’ll be right there, Baby,” he yelled back at her. “Just give me two more minutes.”
    “You better only be two more minutes or I’m not fixing breakfast for you anymore,” Jametria threatened, but Forbes knew she was only teasing with him. Yet, she knew something was wrong with him, but she couldn’t put her finger on it and she didn’t know if she wanted to ask and find out the answer.
    The ringing of the phone stopped her mind from wandering down a path it shouldn’t. She had fallen madly in love with Forbes.
    “I’ll get it,” she said, picking up the phone off the counter.
    “Hello.”
    “Is this my favorite niece?” a male voice asked with a hint of a southern accent.
    “Uncle Wayne,” Jametria screamed, sitting down at the kitchen table.
    “How are you doing?” she asked. “Is everything okay? I haven’t heard from you in such a long time. I thought you had dropped off the planet. You know better than to have me worrying about you.”
    “Everything is fine. I’m going to be in town today and I was wondering if I could drop by and see you,” her Uncle Wayne asked.
    “You know that you never need an invitation. You're more than welcome to stay with me if you want. You’re family. I haven’t forgotten all the times you let me stay at your place.”
    “Niece, I’m not staying in town that long. I’ll probably only be in Dallas for less than twenty hours then I’m headed on a long planned vacation.”
    “Oh, I hate to hear that.” She pouted, disappointed her uncle wouldn’t be in town long enough to get to know Forbes. Jametria wanted the two favorite men in her life to be good friends as well.
    “I knew you would, but I’ll be at your house in an hour or so. Is there anything new going on with you? It always seems like you have a surprise to tell me. How’s the writing?”
    Jametria peeked over her shoulder at Forbes laid out on the couch watching the news. She had a hard time dragging her eyes away from his bare chest and jeans covered legs. He was such a wonderful surprise in her life. Her uncle was going to be so overjoyed that she finally found ‘the one’.
    “I have a boyfriend,” she whispered into the phone then giggled.
    “Niece, please tell me he’s better than Roland was,” Wayne complained. “I hated that loser on sight.”
    “Roland was only a passing fling.”
    “Are you sure it wasn’t because he looked like Rick Fox?”
    “Uncle Wayne, please! I was young and made a