Free Wearing My Halo Tilted by Stephanie Perry Moore Page A

gentleman that held the elevator door open for me. But the part of the caramel man I saw was masculine, but tailored. When I stepped on I was speechless. It was him! Bryce Maddox was standing before me, even sexier than he ever was on TV. I stared with my mouth hung open.
    â€œOkay, it seems you know me, but I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of ever meeting you, lovely lady,” he said, extending out his hand.
    He looked at me so intensely it felt like his eyes were cutting through my flesh. Instinctively my eyes batted. I couldn’t have disguised my blushing. Oh my, gosh. What in the world is happening to me? I thought.
    â€œYou look so pretty in that black dress. Tell me you’re going to the play tonight,” he said in a flirtatious way that attracted me to him even more.
    A big smile came across my face and I had to look away. His glare was overpowering. I felt my womanhood warm. My husband hadn’t been that into my appearance in ages. It felt as refreshing as the smell of a full load of clothes coming from out of fabric softener. As I turned around toward him, the confidence that had escaped was quickly back.
    Clearing my throat, I said, “I’m going to the play. I hear the story line is quite inspiring. I wouldn’t miss it. And don’t tell the lead, but he’s my favorite singer of all time.”
    Winking at me, he smiled and said, “I won’t breathe a word to that Maddox guy. And though he’s alright, the story is powerful.”
    Hoping the elevator wouldn’t stop, so we’d have privacy until we reached the lobby, I said, “Seriously, why are you doing a play?”
    â€œMy career needs a little boost. I’ve been doing the gospel thing for so long and I kinda wanna do some R&B too. I figure this play can give me a little bit of both. The music in it is real funky, but some of the songs help spread His message.”
    â€œIsn’t this from a book?” I asked, wanting to see his reaction.
    I thought Bryce was all that, but knowing he never really read the book would certainly put a stamp of reality back in place. Dillon had never read any of my stuff. My husband refused to read my stuff, giving every excuse known to man, and it actually ticked me off. He wanted my support, but he couldn’t support me. I just knew the star before me was also the stereotypical brotha’ who did not read a thing.
    â€œYeah, and I actually liked the book even better than the script. You know with plays, all the good details can’t be captured. To get into character though, I read the book three times,” he said, causing my jaw to drop open once more.
    Still not believing him, I questioned, “What’d you really like about the book then?”
    â€œOh what, you think I’m a brotha’ that don’t read,” he said, feeling my thoughts. “Well, I’m ready for that question. I tell everybody about the book. You have this famous boxer who, through the first part of the book, was doing his own thing. Sleeping with all kinds of women, cheating on his wife. But yet every time he won a match, he would say, ‘To God be the glory. Thank you, Lord.’ I mean it was like so fake, so phony, so unreal, and then God spared his life by not having him on a airplane that killed everybody close to him. And right there it was like his life changed. He realized that at the way he kept going, he’d be going to hell if he didn’t get his life straight. The book is moving. And the physique of the dude in those pages made me have to work out extra hard to play a boxer. Get my abs in shape.” Bryce did a cute jab move.
    I was impressed. Before I could respond and tell him I was the author, the elevator doors opened and five women came on and huddled around him. They weren’t groupies or anything. I could tell by the way they were practicing their lines and saying they were part of the cast. Quickly, he had