The Sweetest Encounter Read online

  The Sweetest Encounter

  The Country Meets City Romance Series-1

  Karlene Pitters

  Published by: Jacanie, Llc

  Bronx, New York

  This work is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real, people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Any names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright@ 2019 by Karlene Pitters

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  Edited by Claudette Cruz, The Editing Sweetheart

  Dedications

  To my readers and potential audience, I appreciate you and hope you will indulge in this series. I wrote this story before No Ordinary Girl, and it’s now time to share with you. I hope you enjoy the characters in this book. I had fun writing them.

  To my family and friends, I appreciate you and thank you for always supporting and encouraging me to continue living my dream.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Books By Karlene Pitters

  About The Author

  Prologue

  Dallas, 6 months ago

  My fiancé Hank was away on a business trip to Hawaii and would return tomorrow. I gripped the steering wheel and turned, exiting the highway. I planned on surprising him when he came back home by staying overnight at his condo in downtown Dallas. I miss him so much. My body tingled when I pulled into the garage of his high-rise building. I drove the BWM coupe into a reserved spot next to his black Ferrari. My brows creased when I spotted the car. I wonder why it is here; he usually parks it at the airport when he goes out of town. Maybe he came back early to surprise me too.

  Giddy with joy, I grabbed my large leather bag from the backseat and stepped out of the car. The door slammed shut, and I walked briskly towards the elevator, my heels clicking across the concrete. The door slid opened and I stepped inside, inserting the keycard for access to the penthouse. My heart sped up, eager to be with him. The elevator opened into the foyer, and I dashed into the living room. A jumbo black Louis Vuitton bag lay on the floor next to the sofa. Poor baby, he must be tired after the long trip and is sleeping. Dropping my bag on the couch, I moved towards the bedroom.

  A grin spread across my face as I tiptoed down the hallway. I halted in front of the bedroom and clutched the doorknob, pausing when I heard slapping sounds. I shoved the door back. My jaw dropped, and blood rushed to my head as the scene unfolded in front of me. Un-fucking believable! Hank was banging my best friend, Amber, in the ass.

  “Oh, Amber,” he grunted, slapping her ass. “You feel so good. Come for me, baby.”

  “I’m coming,” she squealed. “I’m coming.”

  The asshole professed his love for me two hours ago and was now fucking that traitor? My eyes stung with tears and a snarl emitted from my throat. The cell phone slipped from my hand and tumbled onto the floor with a loud thud. His head swung around from the noise, and all the color drained from his face when he noticed me.

  “Dallas, suga!” His eyes popped out, and then he pushed away from Amber. “Darlin’, I can explain.” I flipped out and darted after her. Her eyes widened in terror and she placed a pillow in front of her body, trying to hide her nakedness. My body quivered as I grabbed Amber by the throat. Not in the right frame of mind, I squeezed her neck, and she gasped for air.

  “I can’t breathe,” she uttered.

  “Dallas. Stop!” Hank yelled, and I came to my senses. I want to fucking kill her. My heart was racing in my chest, and I loosened the grip around her neck. Then the whore had the nerve to push me. Blinded by madness, I snatched handfuls of her hair extensions, pulling out a few strands. She slipped from my grasp and flew towards the door, clutching her clothes.

  “You slimy bitch,” I hollered. “How could you?” A shot of adrenaline flowed through me as I leaped after her. “Run, you fuckin slut. When I catch you? I’m gonna put a hurting on your ass.” Hank grabbed my arm and dragged me back into the bedroom.

  “Dallas, stop it, darlin’.” He held on to me as I wiggled out of his arms. “Calm down. I can explain.”

  “Fuck you, Hank,” I said, whacking him in the face. My hand throbbed from the impact. “I don't want to hear your excuses, you dirtbag. Can you explain why your dick was in Amber’s ass? Huh?” I glowered at him. My heart pounded in my chest, and I was numb all over. It’s a nightmare. “How long have y’all been fucking? Tell me, you son of a bitch!” I banged on his chest with my injured hand. He gripped it and stared at me as tears gathered in his chocolate-brown eyes.

  “Oh, darlin’,” he said in desperation. “It happened in Hawaii. Amber is just a passing thang. I love you so much, suga. I want you to be my wife. She seduced me, and it just happened.” He tried hugging me, but I wrenched away. Nausea swept through me. I did not want to breathe the same air as him. “Darlin’, I never meant to hurt you. I adore you, suga.”

  “Don’t you suga me,” I spat out with a fierce look. “You don’t know what the hell love means, Hank. You fucked my so-called best friend in the same bed we shared.” I paused for a moment, catching my breath. “You disgust me! You hear me? I never want to see your sorry-ass face again. You lying bastard. Here’s your fucking ring.” My head felt as if it was about to explode, and I yanked off the 4½-carat pink diamond ring, tossing it in his face. I bolted out of the room, snatched up my bag off the couch, and sprinted toward the foyer. His footsteps thudded behind me.

  “Dallas!” he called out. “Come back here. Don’t leave like this, suga. Let’s work it out. I can’t live without you.” I blocked him and his lying words out as I dashed into the elevator, pressing down on the button. He banged against the door when it slammed in his face.

  Chapter One

  Dallas

  Sighing, I stared at the view of Central Park from the living room window. My new home was a five-bedroom penthouse on the Upper West of Manhattan. I moved in a few days ago. My father insisted that I live in the best neighborhood in New York City. He was not happy that I wanted to leave Texas. My friend, Poppy, my old college roommate, had offered to sublet her two-bedroom loft in Tribeca to me while she was in London. Daddy wasn’t having it, and arguing with him was not fun; keeping the peace won out. The place was too humongous for me alone, but he coerced me into buying it, saying it was large enough for the entire family to stay in when they came to town. I stopped making a fuss.

  After I caught Hank and my former best friend, Amber, six months ago, I could not get it off my mind. I had to get out of Dallas, and then Gillian Smith, an old college mentor, offered me a job as a stylist at her company, Diva Fashions, in New York City. I jumped
at the chance to leave Texas—too many bad memories. It was daunting getting the picture of them together out of my head.

  When Daddy found out about Hank’s cheating, he threatened him with his shotgun. However, my mother tried to convince me to work it out. It was appalling that she would suggest it, but Mama always wanted me to have a big society wedding. My grandmother was outraged that she was so thoughtless. My heart was aching, and Mama was encouraging me to get back with that idiot.

  I loved my grandmother; I affectionately called her Mama Mabel. She had my back.

  The lying louse stalked me for a month. It got out of control, and Daddy had to threaten him again with his shotgun. He kept sending flowers and broke into my condo. I had to change the locks several times. The slut, Amber, had the nerve to apologize after she fucked my man. If Mama Mabel did not talk sense to me, I would have put another beating on that hussy.

  We had been friends since middle school, and I was shocked she would stab me in the back, although I knew deep down she had always been begrudging of my relationship. The double-crosser. Our mutual friends dropped the word about her coveting my man. She had been waiting to pounce on him. Hawaii was the perfect opportunity. It was how their little affair started. I didn’t know if I could ever trust another friend around any future boyfriend again. My heart still ached over it.

  The ringing cell phone brought me back out of my muddled thoughts. I picked it up from the coffee table. Up on the screen popped the Facebook profile of my little cousin, Janique.

  “Howdy.” I beamed and plopped onto the plush sofa. “It’s so good to hear your voice, suga.”

  “Girl, you better get rid of that country accent,” she teased. “You’re in the Big Apple now. You lived here for three years, and you still sound country.”

  “Hush your mouth, girl, that ain’t never gonna happen.” I laughed along with her. “You better get used to it, because you’re going to see me all the time now. Do you want to stop by?”

  “Hell yeah!” she squealed. “I told my girl, Natalia, that you lived on Central Park West. She thinks I’m making it up. She doesn’t believe I have relatives from Texas. Can I bring her with me?”

  “Sure, honey.” I grinned, bringing my feet under me. “What time are y’all getting here?”

  “Around six,” she answered. “I have to go back home first. I’m finishing a project at school.”

  “Hey, I’m invited to a party at Nova, a new club in Chelsea. Do you want to come?”

  “Of course I want to come,” she squealed in my ear. “And it’s at Nova? It’s hard as hell to get up in that spot. Do we have to bring our fake IDs?”

  “No need, suga.” I chuckled at the thought. “It’s a private party. Y’all will come inside with me. Just make sure you and your girl don’t order drinks at the bar. You’ll need an ID for that. I’ll get the drinks for y’all in the VIP section.”

  “Awesome,” she said, sounding giddy. “I’m happy you’re here. I cannot wait to see you.”

  “Same here, honey.” I unfolded my legs and strode toward my bedroom. “Remember I’m in penthouse B when y’all get here.”

  After ending the phone call, my mind veered to our crazy family tree. Janique’s mom, Aunt Desiree, known as Dez, was my mama’s twin sister, and they lived in Queens. Aunt Dez was a nurse, and Janique was in her third year at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). She wanted to be a fashion designer; we had that in common. I graduated from Parsons School of Design with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and worked in the industry. Tyree, her brother, was away in college at Penn State University.

  Mama and Aunt Dez were born in the Bronx, and Mama Mabel, their mom, was from the island of Jamaica. They were not on friendly terms right now. Mama Mabel always changed the subject whenever I asked about it. It was odd. Our family did not celebrate the holidays together because of their squabbles.

  Let me stop thinking about my crazy family. I stepped into the walk-in closet in my master bedroom to search for an outfit. I would be meeting my new coworkers tonight at the club. The only people I knew were my boss, Gillian, and her secretary, Melissa.

  ∞∞∞

  A few hours later, the concierge called, announcing Janique and her friend. I went to the foyer to greet them. The elevator door slid opened, and Janique shrieked when she spotted me. She dashed over, wrapping her plump arms around me. “Dallas! You look gorgeous. It’s great to see you. I missed you so much.”

  “Relax, suga.” I chuckled and stepped back, looking at her happy face. “It’s good to see you too.” We hadn’t seen each other since last Christmas.

  “You lost weight,” she said, eyes perusing me. “What’s your secret? My fat ass needs to drop pounds too.”

  She was a little over five feet tall and plump, with a smooth mocha latte complexion and big brown eyes. Both of us inherited our large orbs from Mama Mabel, but mine were a lighter shade of brown. She wore a strapless sequin pink top with black leggings that hugged her thick thighs.

  After the breakup, my appetite was nonexistent, and I lost twenty pounds. Mama Mabel fussed that I needed to fatten up because men did not want “sticks and bones.” I used to be a size eight and could fit into fours now. Thank Lord that I still have my curves and boobs.

  “Hush, darlin’, you’re looking good. Don’t be getting all worked up,” I said, my accent more pronounced.

  “Natalia!” Janique screeched, glancing over at her friend. “Did you just hear her accent? I told you that my cousin was from Texas. See, I wasn’t making it up.”

  I peered over at her friend, Natalia. She was a cute little thing with long black hair cascading down her back. Her eyes were the greenest I’d ever seen. Natalia looked younger than Janique; I guessed she could be around eighteen or nineteen. Janique just turned twenty a few weeks ago back in July. Natalia looked adorable in her short silver dress with black open-toe platform shoes.

  “Howdy.” I nodded. “It’s a pleasure, Natalia. Y’all come on inside and make yourselves at home.”

  “You’re so awesome,” Natalia said, gawking at me as we stepped into the living room. “Your accent is amazeballs. I’ve never met anyone from Texas before.”

  “Why, thank you, honey.” I accepted her praise. A huge grin spread across her face and dimples popped up on her cheeks. Then she darted over to the window to stare out at the view.

  “Wow,” she said, eyes bulging. “This has to be the best view in the whole city. Janique, you never said your cousin was rich. Is everyone from Texas loaded? My brothers are so not going to believe me. This place is freaking sick! It’s a mansion. And there’s upstairs?”

  “You’re such an idiot, Natalia.” Janique smacked her in the head. “Everyone from Texas isn’t rich, dum-dum. Dallas does not differ from you and me; she just has more money.”

  I smiled at my cousin. Money and the trappings were never important to her. It was why I loved her so much. When she came to visit us at the big ranch in Fort Worth, it never wowed her. She was happy to spend time with us and the horses. She loved to feed and chat with them while brushing their manes. She reminded me of Aunt Dez. They still lived in the same neighborhood in Queens Village where she bought her first home over ten years ago.

  A few years ago, Mama offered to buy Aunt Dez a new house on Long Island, but she turned it down. Mama Mabel told her that she was a damn fool for not accepting money from Mama, who had a shitload of it. Unlike Mama, Aunt Dez was proud and unpretentious. She divorced when my cousins were small children, and never remarried.

  My stomach rumbled, signaling I needed food. I glanced at the girls, who were taking in the scenery.

  “Y’all want something to eat?” I called out, walking towards the kitchen. “I made country-fried steak, mash, and biscuits with gravy.” My friends might call me a pampered princess, but I loved to get my hands dirty. Cooking was one of my vices. Mama Mabel always said a real woman should know how to feed her husband and kids. I was in the kitchen with her and my mama f
or as long as I could remember.

  “Hell yeah,” they shrieked.

  “I’m starving like a motherf’er,” Janique said, rubbing her stomach. “I skipped lunch today and then I had to rush home and change. Ooo Mmm Gee. I can’t wait to taste your country-fried steak. Natalia, my cousin can cook her country ass off.”

  “Why do you cook?” Natalia asked as she stepped into the kitchen. “If I were loaded, I would hire a full-time chef.”

  “It doesn’t matter how rich you are, honey. Everyone should know how to cook.” I moved over to the cabinet, taking out the dishes and plating the food.

  “Well, I hate it,” Natalia said, pouting. “I’m the only girl in my family. I’m always stuck cooking. My lazy ass brothers, except for Franco, do not lift a finger to help me. But Franco has his own place now, and I get no help.”

  “That’s a shame, suga.” I looked at her in empathy. “I have younger twin brothers myself. I know just how you feel. How many brothers do you have?”

  “She has five brothers,” Janique cut in, fanning her face. “And the three older ones are hotness.”

  “Oh my.” I glanced over at her again. “Honey, my heart aches for you. You have five brothers and a daddy?”

  “That’s right,” she grumbled. “I can’t bring any boys home. Janique had to go to the prom with me, and she graduated a year before me. They are afraid to ask me out on a date. My dad is a police sergeant, and two of my brothers are training to be police officers.”

  “Oh, honey, I am sorry to hear that.” I walked over to the breakfast bar in the kitchen to place the utensils and dishes. “If it will make you feel better, my daddy was the worst. I had to put my foot down when I turned twenty-one. Ask Janique. He used to chase every one of my boyfriends away with his shotgun.”