The Last Husband by J. S. Cooper Page B

to you.” I reached into the shirt and started to undo
the buttons.
    “Uh
uh.” She shook her head. “Let’s go and see the Johnsons today.”
    “Can’t
we go after a quickie?” I winked at her.
    “No.”
She laughed and jumped off of the bed.
    “You’re
so mean to me.” I laughed and watched her walk towards the door. “I hate to see
you leave, but I love to watch you walk away, baby,” I called out in an Italian
accent.
    “You’re
so cheesy, Zane.” She paused at the door and grinned at me. “Now hurry.”

 
    ***

 
    I
looked at the text messages and missed calls on my phone and quickly put it in
my pocket before Lucky saw the screen. I thought back to our earlier
conversation and how Lucky wanted me to share everything with her, but I knew
that there were certain things I couldn’t share with her. Not if I wanted to
keep her in my life. I wasn’t sure she would understand just how complicated
everything was. How complicated I was. I knocked on the door and smiled when
Mr. Johnson opened the door.
    “Good
to see you again, Mr. Johnson.” I shook Sidney Johnson’s hand and accepted his
wife’s hug gratefully. “Thanks for having us back so soon. Lucky just had some
questions for you before we shot the video.”
    “I
hope you don’t mind,” Lucky interrupted me. “I had a new idea I wanted to
pursuethat I think will make the documentary
even better.”
    “You
can come over anytime you like, my dear.” Sidney smiled. “Betty and I are happy
for the company. Our children are still in the Midwest, you see.”
    “I’ve
never been to the Midwest, though I’d love to go one day.” Lucky smiled and we
followed the couple back to their living room.
    “Maybe
your young man will take you.” Sidney smiled at me and we all took a seat while
Mrs. Johnson got the tea ready in the kitchen. “So what’s this new idea of
yours?”
    “Well,
it’s mine and Zane’s.” She nodded at me and looked a bit guilty. “We both
decided.”
    “My
dear, I’m sure Mr. Beaumont won’t mind you taking the credit for your own
idea.” Sidney laughed. “I mean, the first time he contacted me, he had no clue
what was going on.”
    “Oh.”
Lucky looked at him in surprise and I stifled a groan. Here we go again, I thought. I debated speaking up now or waiting
to see exactly what Sidney was going to say.
    “When
I asked Zane why he was interested in residential segregation, the phone went
silent.”
    “I
think he took on the project because it was his brother’s.” Lucky’s voice was
soft and she smiled at me sweetly.
    “I
see.” Sidney looked at me and I knew that he knew there was more to the story.
There was an awkward silence and I cleared my throat.
    “So,
Lucky, I uh, I kind of heard you talking about history andcivil rights in the diner one day.” I smiled at her,
hoping she wasn’t going to freak out. “So I decided to create this project with
the hope that I could convince you to work on it.”
    “What?”
Lucky’s eyes popped open and Sidney laughed.
    “I
say that’s the sign that a man really wants you.” He grinned at me. “Good man,
Zane. I always knew you were a man who went for what you wanted.”
    “Thanks.”
I smiled at him and looked at Lucky to make sure she wasn’t too overwhelmed.
Maybe I should have told her about the documentary when she found out about the
party. I just didn’t want her to think I was going to be a total creeper. Or
the lengths I had gone to get to know her better. Or—if I was honest with
myself—the lengths I had gone to get her into my bed. I’d never tell her
that part, though. Women didn’t understand that men thought with their small
head first.
    “I
didn’t know how to tell you, Lucky.” I watched her face closely to try and
figure out how she was feeling.
    “We
can talk about this later, Zane.” She frowned at me and turned back to Mr.
Johnson. “I’m sorry about this. I didn’t realize that …”
    “Lucky,
I’ll let you know