Free Crystals by Theresa L. Henry

smiling while he did it.
    “You’re something
else, do you know that?”
    “What?”
    “I tell you that
you look handsome and all you can say is, you know . How about returning
the compliment? No wonder you didn’t have a date for tonight.”
    “Crystal, I’m a
free spirit. I don’t need a woman to define me or tie me down. I willingly give
of myself to many. I call them and they come. Or, maybe that should be, I
stroke them and they come.”
    “Shut up, you
whore!” Crystal teased but she couldn’t help laughing at his self-absorption.
    “Did you notice
how long my locks are now? What do you think about the color at the ends?” He
asked ignoring her put-down.
    Knowing he
wouldn’t stop until she answered, she turned and looked him over. There was no
way anyone would ever call Owen handsome because he wasn’t. He had something
way better than mere good looks. He had a mixture of confidence and that
indefinable something that women found irresistible—charisma.
    Crystal had seen
him in action on more occasions than she cared to remember. He had somehow
worked out how to speak to a woman to make her believe, at that moment, she was
the only person he wanted. To his credit, he never told them he was interested
in anything long term. Yet they hung around him as though he were the holy
grail of manliness.
    Owen was around
five-nine and spent most of his free time in the gym. His dreadlocks were now
past shoulder length, and since the last time she’d seen him, he’d dyed the
ends a golden brown.
    “Your hair looks
lovely, Owen.”
    “You look good
too. My boy’s a fool.” Without warning, Owen fired another question at her.
“Did Gwendolyn get to him?”
    “I don’t know for
sure, maybe.”
    “Well, he better
man up. That woman likes cracking nuts. And if he lets her get away with it, as
soon as he grows another pair, she’ll break them as well. ‘ Owen ,’ his
voice rose a couple of octaves, and that one word was enough for him to sound
exactly like her mother. ‘ I only entertain your presence because I know you
and my daughter are just friends. Should that ever change, you will no longer
be welcome here! My daughter is meant for someone far better than you will ever
be. ”
    “She did not say
that to you,” Crystal exclaimed in genuine shock.
    “Yes, she did and
I’m still around. As I said, my boy needs to man up! Although I can’t lie,
Gwendolyn scares the shit out of me!”
    ~~~
    Shane couldn’t
stop thinking about the error he’d made. Crystal was his priority and he had
allowed her overbearing mother to get into his head. He wasn’t like his brother
and father. He had never been like them. Molly, in her detached way, had seen
to that.
    Finally at his
destination, Shane pulled into the car park and was
immediately surrounded by the trappings of wealth.
    Before him were
some of the vehicles that had always been a part of his youthful dreams. He
spotted Porsches, Bentleys, Range Rovers and even a Rolls-Royce.
    He wavered again,
but Crystal wanted him here. Therefore, he straightened his suit jacket and
walked towards the entrance with long strides of determination.
    The security at
the entry of the venue took his name, and spent such a long time finding it on
the guest list, he knew something was going on. Even though he was reading
upside down, he found his name immediately.
    When he finally
stood inside the banquet suite, Shane searched the crowd for Crystal. The first
person he saw was Gwendolyn, who was staring at him as she removed her mobile
phone from her ear. She had obviously instructed security to inform her if he
turned up, hence their hesitation at allowing him entry. Shane disregarded her
look of disapproval as his gaze moved on.
    Another sweep of
the room and his glance landed on Crystal. To him, she looked as beautiful as
always. Her dress was gold with threads of black running through the material.
There was something about that particular shade of gold that fought to pull