The Favorite Son Read online

  Blaine shook his head at Amber as Dawn walked out of the bedroom. When Blaine saw Dawn’s outfit, not only did his jaw drop again, his eyes bucked out of his head. Akil’s too.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I’m already self-conscious,” Dawn said.

  Blaine couldn’t remember ever seeing Dawn’s curves on full display. In fact, he had always regarded her as kind of frumpy. Clearly, that impression was only because of the clothes she wore. Dawn was anything but frumpy.

  She reminded Blaine of a video vixen or pinup girl in one of those hip-hop magazines. Her full and heavy breasts strained against the bikini top and her round bottom and curvy hips filled out the bikini bottom. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on her either. Her waist was tiny and the curves were in all the right places.

  Blaine cleared his throat. “Um, you need a cover-up too, Dawn. I can’t look at you looking like that all day.”

  Dawn grinned. “Does that mean it looks good?”

  “You’re my brother’s girl. I’m not saying if you look good or not. Put some more clothes on.”

  Dawn seemed to perk up as she put on a sarong that wrapped around the lower half of her body. Her top half remained uncovered, but it was enough to make Blaine’s heart stop beating so fast.

  They took the elevator downstairs and headed straight to the beach. The girls took off running toward the water and the guys hung back, taking in the sights.

  There were beautiful women everywhere. It was a manwhore’s playground. Blaine had no doubt that he was going to slip up at least once, and maybe more than once this weekend.

  “You know someone told my dad about what we did in Houston,” Blaine said to Akil.

  “What? How did they know? I thought we were careful.”

  “We were. I think my dad has spies all over the place. He gave me some tips on how to creep and not get caught.”

  Akil frowned. “I need my pastor not to have creeping tips.”

  “Please! I need my father not to have creeping tips. Especially when he’s stepping out on my mama.”

  “Who you think he’s hooking up with? You think the rumors about Delores are true?”

  Blaine kicked some sand into the air and sighed. “Yeah. They’re true.”

  “Would you ever tell your mother?”

  “No! Camden might, if he had proof. But I wouldn’t.”

  “You always seemed closer to your father anyway. I would hate to be caught in the middle of something like that.”

  Blaine did hate being caught between his parents. He would never betray his father about Delores, and it didn’t matter if he did, because he was sure that his mother was fully aware of what was going on. Blaine wondered if Regina would be like that too, or if she would demand that he be one hundred percent faithful. The thought of it made Blaine’s heart rate increase as if he was having a panic attack.

  He had to admit, though, that Regina had definitely improved her bedroom skills since the first time they dated. He wondered how much practice she’d had and who with. She’d rocked his world a few times, which was pretty strange. It was usually Blaine who did the world rocking.

  “I am closer to my father,” Blaine said after snapping out of his memory of Regina. “Camden is my mother’s favorite. He’s almost like her daughter.”

  “Ooh!” Akil said. “You wrong for that.”

  “I’m just saying. That Royce dude is absolutely suspect, and he’s got Camden living up in his house. Like maybe Camden said something or did something that let Royce know he was on the other team.”

  “That’s your twin, Blaine. Don’t you think you’d know?” Akil asked. “Has he ever done anything that would make you think that he’s gay?”

  Blaine looked up at Dawn and Amber, who had shed their cover-ups and were frolicking in the water. His mouth watered at the sight of Dawn and he looked away.

  “He’s never slipped up with Dawn,” Blaine said. “I didn’t know she was holding like that. How could he not have tapped that, as badly as she wants it?”

  Akil tilted his head to one side. “Yeah, she is banging. But maybe he just wants to protect her. You know she’s a virgin, right?”

  “If you ask me, she’s past ripe.”

  Akil shook his head. “Man …”

  “Nah, I would never do it. I just think that Camden is gonna lose her if he doesn’t decide to make that official. As soon as she figures out that she doesn’t have to wait for him, he might be in trouble.”

  “I think you’re right about that. He better wife her soon.”

  At dusk, Blaine, Akil, Amber, and Dawn had grown tired of the beach and found a nice restaurant for dinner. They’d chosen it because of the expensive dining options and because Pastor Wilson had given Blaine a credit card to use for their food. They were going to live it up on his dime.

  “I think I want the biggest steak on the menu,” Akil said. “And a lobster tail. Gotta do seafood at the beach.”

  “I want one of those big pretty drinks with an umbrella in it,” Amber said.

  “You think you should?” Dawn asked. “What if someone sees you?”

  Amber shrugged. “Jesus turned water to wine. Do you think he would actually be leading folk to drink if it was a sin?”

  “Right, like our Lord and savior would be entrapping folk,” Blaine said. “The Bible talks against drunkenness. One drink with an umbrella isn’t going to send her to hell.”

  “So, is that what you’re going to tell people over your pulpit?” Dawn asked. “That Oklahoma City congregation is about to be crunk!”

  They all laughed, but Blaine considered her words. “You know,” he said, “I will probably tell them to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Not everyone can handle every vice. For some, alcohol will lead them to a pit, but for others, it’s a pretty woman. I guess everyone has to know their own weaknesses and seek out their own soul’s salvation.”

  Akil, Amber, and Dawn all gave Blaine blank stares. He started laughing. “Y’all act like I can’t do this pastor thing. Like really? I’ve been ministering for years when we sing.”

  “It’s just that what you said was really wise,” Dawn said. “I didn’t expect you to be wise.”

  “Thank you for the vote of confidence!” Blaine said.

  “Boy bye!” Amber said. “We been knowing each other forever and she’s just keeping it real, Blainesky. I’m glad you’ve got some skills, ’cause some of the people that are gonna walk through those church doors …”

  “Right,” Akil said. “They’re going to need something real. I think you can do it, though.”

  Blaine said, “So, what do y’all think about leaving Dallas and coming to Oklahoma City too? I already asked Akil and he’s on the fence. Maybe if everybody comes, he’ll want to come too.”

  “I would have to ask Camden,” Dawn said. “We may end up in Atlanta for all I know.”

  “That’s true. Do you want to move to Atlanta?” Amber asked.

  “I haven’t really thought about it. I would miss Dallas.”

  The waitress came to the table to take their orders. She was a cutie for sure. She gave Blaine a dimpled smile that melted his heart. She looked like she should be on the cover of a magazine or in a movie.

  “What would you all like? I’ll start with the ladies.”

  Amber said, “I will take the summer crab cake salad, but no strawberries. I’m allergic. And I’ll also have the piña colada. With two umbrellas.”

  “I will have the seafood boil and a Coke,” Dawn said.

  The guys ordered their expensive steak dinners and drinks too. Blaine watched the pretty waitress as she walked away. Dawn and Amber laughed out loud.

  “You’re mesmerized,” Amber said. “I’m glad Regina isn’t here because she would’ve punched that girl out.”

  “She would’ve,” Dawn said.

  “I didn’t do anything. I just looked at her. God is the one who made her look like that. I think that she’s a gift to the Body of Christ.”


  “What if she’s not a Christian?” Akil asked.

  “Then she’s a gift to the body of Blaine. Or she could be.”

  Amber rolled her eyes. “He went from wisdom to hodom. That was quick.”

  “Well, we need to start one of those round-the-clock prayer wheels for him,” Dawn said. “The church mothers love that kind of thing. Then maybe he could get delivered of his ho spirit.”

  “Or maybe he can go to the tarrying room and the mothers can have one of those cast-the-ho-spirit-out sessions. Remember they did that with that stripper who joined the church?” Akil said.

  “That was crazy. That poor girl ran right back to the strip club! They scared her to death,” Blaine said.

  “Did you get her number before she left?” Amber asked.

  “I’m shocked and appalled that you would even ask me that,” Blaine said.

  “Answer the question.”

  Blaine giggled. “Yeah, I got her number.”

  “You are a lost cause,” Akil said.

  “No, he’s not. The blood still works,” Dawn said. “God is still a miracle-working God.”

  Laughter filled their little corner of the restaurant as if Blaine’s serious womanizing issues were something to be joked about. It was bad enough that Blaine wasn’t sure if he’d be able to do it. He needed his closest friends to believe in him.

  The waitress brought their food to the table and gave Blaine another dimpled smile. “Does everything look good?” she asked.

  Everyone nodded and dug into their food. Dimples seemed satisfied with that response and went off to another table.

  “You gonna get her number, Blainesky?” Amber asked.

  Blaine scrunched his nose. When Amber said “number” and “Blainesky,” it sounded more like “numma, Bainefy.”

  “Are you okay?” Blaine asked.

  Dawn’s eyes widened. “Oh snap, you’re breaking out in hives.”

  Amber looked at Akil. “Aw, man! You got Benadryl?”

  “Waitress!” Akil yelled.

  The dimpled girl rushed back over to the table. By the time she got there, Amber’s face was puffy and she was scratching her neck.

  “What was in this salad?” Akil said. “Did you tell them no strawberries?”

  “Oh yes. The salads are premade. They took the strawberries off. Was that not good enough?”

  Amber shook her head. Akil growled. “She’s allergic to the juice in the strawberries too.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Akil pulled Amber up from the table. “Come on. I’ve got Benadryl at the hotel.”

  “Do you need us to come too?” Dawn asked.

  “No. Meet us back at the hotel later. Amber will be done for the rest of the night, though. That medicine is going to wipe her out.”

  Akil led Amber out of the restaurant while poor Dimples stood there with her eyes glistening. She was probably worried about her tip.

  “Is she going to be okay?” she asked.

  Dawn nodded. “Yes. I’ve seen her allergic reactions before. After she takes the medicine she’s okay.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Blaine said. “You didn’t prepare the food. It’s okay, really.”

  “I’m going to take all of their food off your bill. Try to enjoy the rest of your dinner.”

  Dawn shook her head as the girl walked away. “It was absolutely her fault.”

  “No, it wasn’t. She didn’t make the salad.”

  “You’re just excusing her because she’s hot and you wanna hook up with her later.”

  Blaine laughed. “I don’t want to hook up with her. She’s cute, but she’s not exactly my type.”

  Dawn rolled her eyes. “That girl is every guy’s type.”

  “Nope. She’s too skinny.”

  “Too skinny? Are you kidding me?” Dawn asked. “I wish I looked like her. Shoot, I’ve dieted trying to look like her. I can never seem to lose the weight, though.”

  “You are perfect, Dawn. You don’t need to lose any weight.”

  Dawn gave Blaine an incredulous look. “Get the heck out of here, Blaine. I’ve been called pleasingly plump my entire life.”

  “Well, that’s because those people have never seen you in a swimsuit.”

  Blaine gazed at Dawn for just a moment too long for her comfort, because she averted her eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” Blaine said. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. You just look really good. I didn’t know.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but your clothes do absolutely nothing for you. You need a whole new wardrobe.”

  “Rude! You are so rude!”

  Blaine shrugged. “I’m just saying. You working with all that and nobody knows. Maybe that’s what’s taking Camden so long to seal the deal. Has he … has he seen you? I mean, has he seen you naked?”

  “Blaine!”

  “’Cause if he had, I was just thinking y’all would already be walking down the aisle.”

  Dawn sighed. “Well, no. He hasn’t seen me naked, but not because I haven’t tried. I have. He says he wants to wait until we’re married.”

  “That’s honorable,” Blaine said. “I guess.”

  “I know, I know. I should just be glad that I have a man of God who respects my virginity. But …”

  “But what?”

  “We’ve never even been hot and heavy. You know? We’ve been alone so many times, and we’ve never even gotten close. All my friends that are dating can hardly keep their boyfriends off them. But Camden never touches me. He gives me kisses so chaste it’s like an uncle or somebody.”

  Blaine lifted his eyebrows and took a sip of his drink. He didn’t know what to say to this. The YouTube video played in his mind. If what Dawn was saying wasn’t an exaggeration, then maybe there was truth to it.

  “I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” Dawn said. “You don’t understand.”

  “I do understand. You want to feel like a woman. You want to know that your man desires you, and with my brother you can’t tell.”

  Dawn burst into tears and Blaine switched seats so that he was able to comfort her. He put one arm around her and squeezed.

  “What if it’s true, Blaine? What if it is? That woman. That Ivy? Why would she say those things? Why wouldn’t she say that he wasn’t gay? She wouldn’t deny it. Maybe she knows something.”

  Blaine rubbed Dawn’s back as she sobbed into his chest. He didn’t know the words to make her feel confident. He wasn’t confident himself.

  “Blaine, am I really attractive to you? Did you mean that?” Dawn asked.

  “Yes, of course, I meant it. I wouldn’t lie about that.”

  Dawn slowly released one of her clenched fists and spread it across Blaine’s chest. He groaned under her touch. She tilted her head up and planted soft kisses on his neck.

  “Dawn, don’t….”

  She shook her head. “Make me feel like a woman, Blaine. Please …”

  Dawn kissed Blaine with a hunger he’d never encountered. It made him dizzy. Even though he knew it was wrong, he was responding to her touch. If she’d kissed his brother like that, Blaine didn’t even believe the Holy Spirit could keep him from sinning.

  That could only mean that Camden was gay.

  If Blaine went there with Dawn, she would never be able to look Camden in the eyes again, which would be for the best. Dawn could move on with her life and Camden could be free to stay in whatever closet he chose. Royce London’s or his own.

  Blaine kissed Dawn on the forehead. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I’ve got you.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Camden still hadn’t gotten the chance to confront Ivy about the interview. At the rehearsal, he knew that he was still too angry. The moment he’d seen her, he’d felt ready to explode. That was not where he wanted to be when he had the conversation.

  But today was different. She had just done another song for her record in R
oyce’s studio. It wasn’t one of Camden’s songs, so he wasn’t present, but as soon as he heard her heels clicking on the marble floors in Royce’s foyer, Camden rushed out of his bedroom.

  “Hi, Camden,” Ivy said.

  “Ivy.”

  “How have you been? We haven’t spoken since I … well, since I tried to kiss you.”

  Camden’s nostrils flared. “Since you kissed me.”

  “Yes. I’m sorry I did that, Camden. I don’t want you to hate me or not talk to me. I asked Royce what I should do because you just seem so very angry with me. You didn’t say a word to me at the rehearsal. I’ve never made a man so angry with a kiss.”

  “You think that’s the reason I’m not speaking to you? Because you kissed me?”

  “If that’s not it, then what? You said I disrespected you, and I-I’m sorry. If you only knew me and knew about my life, you wouldn’t hate me so much.”

  Ivy took Camden’s hand and pulled him inside his bedroom. He was momentarily disarmed by the tears freely flowing down her face, but he wasn’t going to be fooled again.

  “I don’t hate you,” Camden said, “and your life is really none of my business. I just want to know why you let that interviewer insinuate that I was gay.”

  Ivy looked genuinely surprised. “Is that what you’re angry about? Oh my Lord. No one takes her seriously! She is the biggest joke in the gospel industry. Dr. Rae has accused just about every man in gospel and every megachurch pastor of being gay. She’s obsessed. And the ridiculous thing about it is that she never loses any viewers or listeners to that little raggedy radio show she does.”

  “You didn’t say that I wasn’t gay,” Camden said. “You could’ve said that.”

  “Camden, I don’t know where you put your private parts. And to be honest, I don’t care. I think you are a talented and anointed musician.”

  “But you felt confident enough to say something about Royce.”

  Ivy looked at the floor, and whispered, “I do know for a fact that Royce is not gay, Camden.”

  It took a moment for Ivy’s words to sink in, but when they did his eyes widened. “You and Royce?”

  “It was only once, before he got married, when I first moved here. He broke my heart when he got married. I was in love with him.”