Sweetness Read online

  Sweetness

  A novel by:

  S.L. Gonzalez

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or fictionalized. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, businesses, or locations or events is coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1491020098 ISBN-10: 1491020091

  Sweetness Copyright @ 2013 By S.L. Gonzalez All rights reserved.

  For my Nanny. Thank you for always believing in me. Your guidance and faith in me never faltered. For that, I am eternally grateful.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I would first and foremost like to thank my family for always allowing me to be the best me I can be. I thank my husband, Tony, and my kids from the bottom of my heart, for picking up the slack and helping out while I was locked away for hours on end. John and Cassandra, you are the best kids I could ever ask for. Your constant selflessness is admirable and I will be forever in awe of your kindness and generosity. I love you both more than words can say.

  And to my friends and family who have supported me from day one. Taryn Wilson, Charlene DePrizio, Denise McCarthy, Jennifer Williams, Nora Zebrowski, LeighAnn Burgos, Kathleen Quinlan, Kelsey Hummel, Jodi Blazas, & Colleen Kenny. And to my online friends, Chrissy Sharp, Andrew French, E.A. Stanbridge, Amber Slagle, and Sophie Monroe, I am honored to know each and every one of you.

  Finally, I would also like to thank my readers, online friends, and followers. Without your encouraging words and constant faith in me, I would have never had the courage to finish.

  PROLOGUE

  “Mommy, Mommy! When is my playground going to be finished?”

  I was watching the men in the yard, put up my new playground today. My daddy bought it for me, for my birthday. It is so pretty and really big. Just like the playground at the park.

  “Soon Emma. It will be done in time for your birthday party next weekend. 5 years old already, baby girl. Where did the time go?” Mommy says while hugging me and kissing my cheeks.

  “I want to play on it now!”

  “I know sweetie, but it’s not done. How about I drop you, Mark, and Mrs. Cross at the park before I get my oil changed and the garage?”

  “Ok mommy.”

  **********************************

  “Mrs. Cross look how high up I am!”

  “Very good, Emma. Be careful,” Mrs. Cross tells me. She is always afraid I am going to fall and get hurt. I really like having Mrs. Cross as my nanny. She always plays tea party with me and we bake cookies when mommy is out running errands.

  “Hi, my name is Holly,” says a very pretty girl with black hair. Her hair is not blond like mine, but it is very nicely pulled into pigtails with fluffy bows made of ribbon.

  “Hi, I’m Emma. I like your hair bows. They are very pretty.”

  “Thank you. Your dress is pretty too. Is that your mom?” Holly says and she points to Mrs. Cross.

  “No. Mrs. Cross is my nanny. My brother, Mark, is sleeping in his stroller and she is sitting with him.“

  “Oh! My mommy is over there,” Holly points towards the place where the older kids are playing, “pushing my brother Glen on the big kid swings.”

  “Do you want to play with me?”

  “Sure. Lets go.”

  ******************************

  “Emma! Sweetie, its time to go,” my mommy yells, standing next to Mark’s stroller.

  “Holly, I have to leave. My mommy is here. I hope I can play with you here again soon.” I tell her as I sit on the yellow, plastic slide

  “Did you have fun?” Mommy asks me as she catches me at the bottom.

  “Oh yes, mommy. I met a nice girl named Holly, and we played princess.”

  “Really. That’s great baby,” she tells me as I wiggle out of her arms.

  “Mommy! You are in trouble. You always tell me not to wipe finger paint on my clothes, and you put your hand on your butt.” Mommy looked at the back of her pants and saw the black smudges. She pulled out her jacket from the trunk of the car and wrapped it around her waist.

  “It’s not paint, baby. I must have gotten some grease on me at the garage.”

  ******************************

  “Daddy, daddy! You’re home.” I hug my daddy tight around his neck. I missed him so much. He is always at work and I hate when he is away.

  “Yes, baby, I’m home,” Daddy said as he gives me a hug so big his arms wrap all the way around me. “Mrs. Cross can you please take the kids outside to the playground for me. I would like to speak privately with Mrs. Hill. Any idea where she might be?

  “Certainly, sir. She is in the gym downstairs. Come, children. Lets go outside.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Cross. You kids run along now. I’ll see you in a bit.

  ******************************

  “Mommy, where is Daddy? He hasn’t been home in a long time.”

  “Daddy has been busy with work, baby. Look, I have a friend coming over today and he has a daughter about your age. Would you like to meet her?”

  I hear the doorbell. Mommy’s friend is here. I like new friends. I run to open the door and mommy is right behind me telling me to slow down.

  “Holly! Mommy, it is the girl from the park.”

  “Hi, Emma! My daddy brought me over to play with you today. This is my brother, Glen.”

  “Oh jeeze, now there are two of them. Dad, do I have to be here? Can’t I go back and stay with mom?”

  “Kids why don’t you go and play at the playground.” My mommy says.

  “Sure. Come on, Holly. We can be princesses and pretend my tree house is our castle.”

  “No gurlz in da’ twee house,” Mark whines as we run out of the house.

  ******************************

  It is Saturday, and Holly and Glen are sleeping over again. I like when Holly sleeps in my room. We have fun. Holly and I are playing dolls in the TV room and Glen is sitting on the couch watching TV. Glen is screaming. Why is Glen screaming?

  “DAD!” Mom and Paul come in the room to see what Glen is screaming about. Everyone is starring at the television; they look scared. The man on the TV is saying something about a woman who drove off a cliff near our house. The TV man is showing a red car that looks like Paul’s, being pulled up by a big machine. I love Paul’s red car. He drives it fast, it is very loud.

  “Oh my God,” says mom. She looks at Paul, who is holding onto Holly. Everyone is crying. I am scared. I stand next to Mrs. Cross and hold her leg. I don’t know what is happening but I don’t like it.

  ******************************

  Mom and Paul are yelling again. I don’t like when they yell. Since Paul, Holly, and Glen moved in, they always yell. I wish Daddy were here. I miss him. I walk across the hall to Holly’s room to see if she wants to sleep with me. I jump and run faster when I hear glass breaking.

  “Holly? Are you awake?”

  “Get out of my room.”

  “Holly, I’m scared. Can I sleep with you?” “No! Get out. It’s your mom’s fault they are

  yelling. She made my mommy die, Glen told me. Now get out.” “I am sorry that your mommy died, Holly.“ I start to cry and run back to my room. I see Glen standing in the doorway of the room next to mine.

  “Leave my sister alone you little bitch.” “Glen, I’m scared.”

  “You should be.” He closed his door and leaves

  me all by myself in the dark hallway. I run down the hall to Marks room, where he is sleeping, and I climb in next to him. I drape my arm over him because I don’t want him to wake up and be afraid, too. I cannot hear any more yelling from Marks room, so I fall asleep.

  CHAPTER 1

  The sound of The Z100 Morning Show, echoes through my room, startling me f
rom my sleep. Opening one eye, I see the time on my alarm clock, 7:30 am. I reach over and turn off the offending noise, while stifling a moan into my pillow. On a typical Saturday, I usually get up at 7:30 am and go for a run with Max before my morning class. However, as of yesterday I am officially a college graduate. Today, I am able to sleep a few extra hours and believe me I am going to take them. I roll over and clutch my pillow. Desperately trying to fall back to sleep, noticing that my head is throbbing from all the celebratory drinks last night.

  “Morning sleepyhead!” bellows Wanda as she barges into my room.

  Wanda Lopez has been my roommate since freshman year in college. She is energetic, beautiful, smart, and unlike me, definitely a morning person. Wanda always has this determined drive towards everything in life and she does everything with gusto. God I hate her sometimes.

  “Errrhhh,” I groan hoping she gets the hint and leaves me alone.

  “Oh, does someone have a headache?” she mocks. “I guess you will not be going on your morning run with Max?”

  “No! It’s too early,” I whimper into my pillow.

  “Told you not to drink that last pitcher of margaritas, Emma,” Wanda chuckles.

  “ERRHHH, you are too chipper for me Wanda,” I manage to squeak the endearment out of my extremely dry mouth, proving that once again, she is correct. I should have quit while I was ahead.

  Wanda, Max, and I went out last night with some friends to a trendy bar in our area that has the best margaritas in Brooklyn. We were all out drinking and singing and dancing until 2 a.m. Today, Wanda being Wanda, looks as fresh as a daisy while I feel as though a truck ran me over.

  “What do you want so early?”

  “Clothes, silly. I heard your alarm so I thought you were getting up. I need something to wear to your graduation party today. Oh and-“

  Out of the corner of my eye I see Max in the doorway. All six feet of handsomeness, with wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes, Maxwell Reed looks like he just stumbled off the cover of a magazine. Max has been Wanda’s best friend since they were kids and after she moved in with me he soon became a very good friend to me as well.

  “I was hoping to walk in and see someone naked in here,” Max pouts.

  “-Max is here,” mumbles Wanda as she rolls her eyes after popping her head out of my closet.

  “You going to get up Hill,” Max asks as he flops on my bed next to me. “Or are we staying in bed today?” Max raises his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive, yet playful manner, and I know that he would be far too happy for me to invite him into my bed. “I would prefer we stay in. Who needs a run when I can get all the cardio I need right here?”

  “Not a chance buddy, now get off my bed.” I push him over so he twists to his side, his body facing mine. “I’ll get up…but no run. Not today. Shower, coffee, food. That’s about all I can manage before I have to face the crazies of Hill House.”

  “Crazies of Hill House. I love how you say that with such enthusiasm,” laughs Wanda as she holds up two designer dresses my fathers wife Mia sent me for an early graduation present. “Which one are you wearing Emma?”

  “The green one I guess. On second thought you wear the green one. I’ll take the blue. The green one is more clingy and with show off your ass,” I giggle knowing how much Wanda enjoys compliments about her greatest asset.

  Wanda’s Puerto Rican, flawless, light caramel skin, long, black curly hair, and gorgeous, light brown eyes, perfectly outlined with long black lashes, make men swoon. Standing five foot six, with a perfectly shaped, coke bottle body, and an ass that most men can’t keep their hands off of, she is every mans wet dream. Bitch.

  “Good deal. Thanks Emma.” I give her an unenthusiastic thumb up and toss my arm over my eyes. I feel Max squirm closer to me and toss his arm over my torso, reminding me he is still on my bed. And I have to pee.

  “Um, Mr. Reed, could you kindly exit my room while I get out of bed,” I say very sweetly. “I am only wearing my panties and tank top and although I know it would be the highlight of your day to see me half naked, you have to go and I have to get up.” My eyes meet his as he stares back at me, contemplating weather he wants to tease me or just do as I ask. “Please.”

  “Hummm, I don’t know… but since you asked so nicely, I will be a gentleman and go. Can I peek through the keyhole?”

  “Out Max!” I yell playfully as I hit him with my pillow.

  “OK, jeez. So rough. I’m going,” he protests as he walks out of my room closing the door behind him. “But I won’t guarantee I won’t peek through the key hole,” he says on the other side of the door.

  I pull off my comforter and throw on a pair of sweats so I can exit my room without giving Max a peep show. Max and I are always very flirty and although neither of us ever sought out to be more then friends, we do enjoy the cat and mouse game of teasing and seduction we often play. Max is extremely sweat, and definitely easy on the eyes. He is going to make some woman very happy one day.

  I exit my room in route to the bathroom and I hear the familiar banter coming from the kitchen.

  “Max! Dios mio, what the fuck?” Wanda scolds him, “ You are making a mess in my kitchen.”

  Max and Wanda have a different relationship then Max and I have. They were childhood friends and after he turned 16 he moved into the Lopez house

  permanently. They have been siblings at heart ever since.

  “Relax, chica. I’ll clean it up. It’s just spilled juice. Chill out,” he states while holding up his hands in defense of Wanda smacking his arm.

  Wanda and Max both come from very poor families. Both are also the first of their family to graduate from college. Max lived with Wanda the last two years of high school. He was taken from his parents at a very young age due to neglect and shuffled from foster home to foster home. By the time he was 16 his new foster parents no longer cared what he did. Wanda’s mother Maria is like a mother to him and always made sure he had a safe place to lay his head at night and food in his stomach. After a while Max stopped going home all together and Maria spoke to his foster parents. Maria made a deal with the foster family, the Lopez's would take Max into their home permanently and they would still be able to keep the money they state was giving them for Max living there. As the story goes his foster parents jumped at the opportunity for easy money and one less mouth to feed.

  He had never had a real family and Wanda’s family is the best anyone could hope for. Maria and Juan Lopez are the most loving and affectionate parents I know. And Max, even though he had a rough start in life, he is always kind and gentle, never lets life get him down.

  The two stooges, making a production of cleaning up spilled juice in the kitchen, made a pact their senior year of high school, they would do this together. They agreed to go to the same college in hopes if they had each other to rely on they would push each other to go the distance and finish school. And finish they did, both with honors. Juan and Maria Lopez couldn’t be more proud of them, unlike my family who didn’t even bother to show. Not that I made a huge effort to invite them but still; your kid graduates, you insist.

  When I step into the bathroom I can see the after effects of a night of hard drinking. My eyes are puffy with black eye-makeup smudged all around the rims, my skin splotchy, and my hair is a disaster. I reach for the Advil in he medicine cabinet and down two pills before pealing my pants off and turning on the shower. I remove the rest of my clothes and climb under the steady stream of hot water, washing the previous evenings good time away.

  Times like this make me glad when my father was apartment hunting for me, he bought an apartment with more then one bathroom because if I did decide on a roommate I could spend as long as I want in the shower. Wanda’s room is considered the master suite because it has a bathroom attached, but my room has the bigger closet so I conceded to let her have the master. An anticipated knock at the door tells me Max has something to ask me. He always has something important to ask me as soon as I am in the s
hower. Seeing as the glass is frosted and smoked all the way around the floor to ceiling glass enclosure I always let him come in. He can’t see anything so if it makes his day to be in the same room with me while I am wet and naked, then whatever.

  “Come in Max.”

  “How did you know it was me?” he says after he peeking his head in.

  “It’s always you. I think you purposely wait until I am in the shower to ask me something.”

  “Ah…good point. I brought my clothes with me so I can get ready here. Can I use your shower after your done? Wanda said I boy up her bathroom and after I used her expensive shampoo last time she refuses to let me back in. “

  “Of course. As soon as I am done.”

  “How about we conserve water and I join you?”

  “How about you get out before I tell Wanda that you are the one who jammed her printer last week and almost made her miss her deadline for her final project.”

  “NO! Please. She’ll kill me. She thinks I am a nice guy for offering to take it to Staples and print it off for her. Let’s not piss her off. I’m going.”

  Max reminds me of my little brother Mark. It makes me miss him even more. Thankfully he is going to be staying with us for a few days in Brooklyn before Wanda and I move out next week. My father is graciously giving me an apartment in his building in the city, so not only will I be closer to work but I can see my father more often. When he offered I jumped at the opportunity. Who wouldn’t? Besides Wanda is coming along with me which is a bonus. I got so used to living with someone I don’t think I would want to be alone in that big place. Free apartment in one of the best areas in Manhattan, living with my best friend. Score!

  I am so excited to be working at my fathers company because hopefully one day I will run Hill Marketing, but first things first. I have to work from the ground up. My dad offered me a cushy assistant job to one of the VP’s but I refused. I want to be an intern and learn the ropes from scratch. I know I will always have the stigma of being the owner’s daughter but I don’t care. I know if I work my way up on my own merit I will have earned it. I will earn my promotions and work my way up the ladder myself, at least until daddy retires. Than I hope to take the whole damn thing.