The Nicest Guy in America Read online

  “I know, Tam,” Kim said, remembering the day two months ago Jim had come up with the contest idea. “At first I thought the whole idea was going to blow up in our faces. Thank goodness, other women had real nice guys in their lives because the ones I’ve had have been the pits.”

  “Like Marcus,” Tam said, speaking of her ex-husband. “I still can’t believe that jerk left me so he could marry that sleazy nurse. I practically put his behind through medical school and I gave him a daughter. I get mad every time I think about how stupid I was to think he ever cared for me or Melissa.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up,” Kim said, not for the first time. “It’s not your fault Marcus was a jerk. We’ve all had our share of jerks. Remember that I had Derrick, the man with the roving eyes.” Kim let her eyes scan the dining room without moving her head similar to the way Derrick used to do. As she’d hoped, Tam laughed. “The brother was always looking for something, or shall I say, someone.”

  Kim shook her head. While she knew she didn’t have the kind of looks that made men stop on the street for a doubletake, she also knew she could hold her own in the company of most women. At five-eight, she wore a size twelve, which meant she wasn’t skinny but then neither was she fat. Her skin was dark, which she knew turned some men off, but those men she didn’t want anyway. She liked her complexion, and except for a few weak moments in high school and college, she always had. And on top of all that, she was a kind and intelligent woman with a good job and good friends. As far as she was concerned, her break-ups with Derrick and the others like him who’d passed through her life was their loss.

  “I hope Derrick hurries up and finds whoever he’s looking for,” she said, “because he’s been through almost every woman in D.C. by now.”

  “And he still hasn’t figured out why he keeps getting dumped?”

  Kim shook her head again. “What can I say? Mr. Roving Eyes is slow. He still thinks he’s a nice guy being mistreated by cold-hearted women.”

  Tam chuckled. “You should have nominated him for the contest and I should have nominated Marcus.”

  Kim laughed with her friend. “I thought about doing it, girl. Then we began getting nominations and I saw how serious the sisters were about the brothers they nominated. Some of these guys sound like real princes.” She glanced at Reggie’s picture. “If one of them had come through my life, you can bet I wouldn’t have let him go.”

  “You know,” Tam said. “I bet a lot of your women readers will feel the same way. You’re going to be getting letters in droves after they see these brothers.”

  “I know you’re right,” Kim said. “I just hope Jim hires someone else to go through all the mail. He’s definitely not paying me enough to do it in addition to my regular responsibilities.” As a feature writer, her tasks usually included special projects like the Contest, which required a great deal of time—on and off the job.

  Tam plucked the picture of Reggie out of Kim’s hands. “This brother here is going to get his share of mail. I can already tell you that. Looks, a good job, knows how to treat women. Can you believe somebody gave him the boot?”

  Kim glanced down at the full-length picture of Reggie on the stack of photos in front of her. “And it wasn’t the first time.”

  “How do you know?” Tam asked, eyes wide. “Did someone else nominate him?”

  Kim pursed her lips. “More like some ones.” She picked up the short stack of letters next to the tall mound. “Look at this.”

  Tam took the offered letters and began to read. After finishing the first one, she went on to the second. “You mean he was nominated twice?”

  “Keep reading,” Kim said.

  Tam shook her head and went to the next sheet. “Three times?” she said with obvious surprise. “But he seems like such a nice guy. I wonder what’s wrong with him.”

  Kim’s sentiments exactly. Sure, Reggie Stevens was fine, had a good job and seemed to possess the qualities women always said they wanted, but something had to be wrong with him. He’d been entered in the contest so many times by so many women.

  “Wait a minute,” Tam said. “You mean to tell me that this guy was nominated six different times by six different women? Dag, something must be seriously wrong with this one. I don’t think he should make the finalist cut, Kim. The guy’s probably a drug addict or something.”

  Kim smiled. Tam’s overly imaginative mind was now in high gear. “You read those letters, didn’t you? Those women love that guy.” She thumbed through the letters Tam held. “Here, let me read you parts of this one. It’s from Christina Duncan from Boston. Apparently, she and Reggie dated before she got married. Here goes.”

  “Reggie is a very special man. I could tell from our first meeting that he was open, honest, considerate and fun to be with—traits that are becoming more and more difficult to find in men. And he never proved me wrong. When he learned I hadn’t gone to many amusement parks during my childhood, he took me to Six Flags Over Georgia and we spent the day like kids. I still have wonderful memories of that day. What I remember most is having tired feet from all the walking and having Reggie pull my feet on his lap and massage them. I almost fell in love with him that night.”

  “I think I would have fallen in love with Reggie had I not already met the one love of my life. When it seemed my love and I weren’t going to make it, Reggie offered the most wonderful of sacrifices, which I’ll leave to him to tell you about. He’s indeed a man among men and I wish him the happiness I found.”

  “Reggie told me once that he thought I’d get over the love I felt for my now husband, but I knew then he was wrong. I told him that one didn’t get over love, but I don’t think he believed me. He will when he finds that special woman. She’ll be a lucky woman whoever she turns out to be.”

  Kim’s heart filled with wonder as she read again the words she’d read many times before and she knew she had to meet Reggie Stevens. “What do you think?”

  “I wonder what great sacrifice he made and I wonder why she, and all those other women, dropped him if he was such a great guy. I don’t know, Kim. I’d be careful with this one if I were you. Dumped six times,” she continued with a shake of her head. “If he’s been nominated this many times, just think how many times he must have been dumped. What do you think? Sixty?”

  Kim picked up the full-length picture. There was something about Reggie Stevens that told her he was a man worth getting to know. Maybe it was the kind eyes and the sweet smile set in the most masculine of faces. Or, Kim thought as firecrackers went off in her belly, maybe it was his wide shoulders, tapered waist and firm thighs.

  “You’re not getting hung-up on this guy, are you?” Tam asked, leaning over her shoulder.

  “Of course not,” she answered quickly. “I’m just doing my job.”

  “You’re not gonna make him a finalist, are you?”

  “I’m not sure,” Kim lied. Reggie Stevens was definitely making the finalist cut. She had to meet this man and find out for herself what about him attracted her and what about him had sent so many other women packing. “Let’s make it through the stack and then decide.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Reggie knew he wasn’t going to like what he found when he walked into his house as soon as he turned his blue Nissan Maxima onto Southwest Atlanta’s Roman Street. Cars were lined up and down both sides of the street. Although he hoped he was wrong about where all those drivers were, he knew deep inside that he wasn’t.

  He heard the music even before he reached his drive and found it blocked by four cars. Luther had to go. This was it. His neighbors were probably already getting a petition together to force him out. He slapped his hand against his steering wheel and continued clown the street looking for a place to park. He really didn’t need this. Not tonight. After his date with Deborah, he needed some chill time. A brother needs time to lick his wounds after a sister breaks his heart.

  He found a spot around the corner from his house and grudgingly pulled his car into it. W
hy am I doing this? he asked himself. I have a house with a two-car garage and I’m parking around the block. Luther has got to go. This is the last straw.

  Reggie got out of his car, pressed down the lock and slammed the door shut. Yes, he had to give old Luther the boot, just as Deborah had given it to him.

  “I want to see other people,” she’d said, her eyes sparkling. “For the first time in my life, I feel in control. I want to have a little fun.”

  Reggie could still remember when he’d met Deborah at the wedding reception of a mutual friend. She’d caught his eye because she’d looked so sad and so out of place. He’d immediately walked up to her and struck up a conversation, determined to see her smile before the afternoon was over.

  Getting that smile had been a difficult task though since Deborah hadn’t wanted to talk. But he hadn’t let that stop him. He’d talked. He’d told her about himself, his family and a little about his work as a computer security specialist. But it was the stories about his nephews that got to her. First, she smiled. Then she laughed outright. There was something in the timbre of her laughter that made him think it had been a long time since she’d really laughed. He determined then to make sure she laughed more often.

  As the afternoon progressed, she’d gradually opened up to him and told him about her last relationship. Apparently, she’d come home one day to find her live-in boyfriend gone, along with her stereo system, color TV and a few choice prints she’d bought. It wasn’t until she got a call from her bank a few days later that she realized he’d almost cleaned out her account, too. She’d been so distressed about the entire situation that she’d been unable to function in her receptionist job and, after numerous warnings, she’d been let go. The day Reggie met her had been the six-month anniversary of the day she’d come home to find the deadbeat gone.

  Now, Reggie knew some brothers would have gotten as far away from Deborah as possible after hearing only part of her story. But not him. Her story had the exact opposite effect on him and he’d asked her out. Her reluctance had charmed him and he’d known pursuing her was the right thing to do. That was six months ago. And tonight she’d given him his walking papers.

  Reggie sucked in his breath when he reached the walkway to his house. Luther had to go, he told himself. No more excuses. He made his way up the walk and into the house. It was a miracle the loud music that greeted him didn’t shatter his eardrums. And as loud as the music was, he was surprised it didn’t sound louder outside. He thanked God for his thick exterior walls.

  A small hand grabbed one of Reggie’s buns and he jumped. “Hi, handsome,” a soft, sexy voice purred.

  He turned and looked down into the smiling eyes of a Halle Berry look-alike. “Hi, yourself,” he said, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. It wasn’t this woman’s fault that he’d had a bad day.

  “Wanna dance?” she asked. He could tell by the smile dancing at her lips that she fully expected him to say Yes. Women like her always did. And men usually complied. There was a confidence and a surety about this woman that was the exact opposite of what he’d seen in Deborah when he’d first met her. But, he realized with a jolt, the confidence in this woman’s eyes now had been in Deborah’s earlier tonight.

  “Save one for me,” he said with a forced smile. “I’ve got to find the host and take care of some business.”

  She gave a practiced frown that said she was disappointed. “I’ll be waiting for you. Don’t forget me.”

  “How could I?” Reggie said with the teasing grin he knew was expected and the woman walked off. The male in him didn’t miss the invitation in her hips as she moved away from him.

  He forced his eyes away from the Halle look-alike and scanned the living room for Luther. He spotted him behind the bar, preparing drinks and no doubt giving a line to the three women seated around him. Only three women tonight, Reggie mused. Luther must be off his game. Women usually felt all over themselves for what Luther called his Tavis Smiley-ish looks and his Denzel-ish charm.

  With purpose, Reggie walked over to them. “What’s up, man?” he said to Luther.

  The surprise in Luther’s eyes was almost reward enough. Almost.

  “Ahh, ladies,” Luther began, “You’ll have to excuse me for a minute.” He winked. “I gotta see a man about some business. But I’ll be back. Have a good time while I’m gone, but not too good.”

  Luther quickly moved from behind the bar and clapped Reggie on the shoulder. “I didn’t expect you back tonight, partner. I figured you’d be spending the night with your lady.”

  “Well, you figured wrong. What’s going on here, Luther? I can’t believe you’ve turned my place into a nightclub when you have a real one across town.”

  Luther laughed, all the while leading Reggie away from the party crowd and back to his bedroom. When he stepped in front of Reggie and eased the door open, Reggie knew he was making sure no one was using the room. A relieved look on his face, Luther turned and let Reggie enter the room before him.

  “What were you doing, Luther? Making sure none of your friends were making use of my bed?”

  Luther grinned. “You know how parties are, man. I didn’t want you to be embarrassed.”

  Reggie dropped down on the foot of his king-sized bed, not even bothering to turn back the comforter as he normally did. “This isn’t working out, man,” he began. “You have to find your own place.”

  “I’m looking,” Luther said. “But you know it’s hard to find the right house in the right neighborhood at the right price. I’ll be outta here as soon as I find something that’s right for me.”

  Reggie didn’t even want to think about how many times he’d heard that spiel. Luther had been living with him for almost a year now, when they’d originally planned for him to only stay a couple of months. “Well, you’d better start looking harder. I’m giving you a month, Luther. Four more Saturdays and you’re outta here.”

  Luther pulled up the burgundy leather armchair in the corner of the room and sat down facing Reggie. “What happened with you and Deborah?” he asked, concern in his voice.

  “I don’t even want to talk about it. Just get these people out of my house so I can get some rest.”

  “She dumped you, didn’t she?” When Reggie didn’t answer, Luther said, “I knew it. She did, didn’t she?”

  Reggie fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He noticed a couple of cracks in the crown molding and made a mental note to call his builder. “She doesn’t want an exclusive relationship anymore.”

  “She dumped you, man. I don’t care what pretty words she put around it.”

  Reggie knew Luther was right, but he didn’t want to hear it right now. “Why don’t you go and get your party people out of my house?”

  “I knew this was going to happen, man,” Luther said, ignoring Reggie’s request. “I told you that chick had too many problems. Never date a woman with more problems than you. Didn’t I tell you that?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Sure, I told you. But did you listen to me? No, you didn’t. What did you do? You loaned the sister some cash, helped her find a new job and let her cry on your shoulder. And what did it get you? Dumped. I’m telling you, man, never date a woman with more problems than you, ‘cos once they get themselves together, you’re history. History with a capital H.”

  Reggie grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at Luther. “Get out of here and get these people out of my house. I need some sleep.”

  Luther stood up. “Okay, man,” he said. “I know you’re feeling down right now. But remember there are plenty of women out there. Hell, there are plenty of women at this party. Next time just make sure you don’t choose a woman with more problems than you.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Kim hung up after talking to Melvin Gaines, her fourth Nicest Guy finalist. Now she only had one more finalist to call. Reggie Stevens. She picked up his black-and-white photo again. What was it about this guy that tugged at her heart so? she wondered for the hundredth ti
me. Sure, he was good looking, but she’d come across good looking men before. It was more than Reggie Stevens’ looks.

  Since reading his nomination letters, she felt that she and Reggie were soulmates. She knew she sounded like some lovesick teenager, but that’s how she felt. His nominators had all said he was a good guy, a nice guy. Someone they could depend on. A man who was always considerate of them and their feelings. Yes, she concluded, Reggie Stevens was truly one of the good guys. Not like Derrick. No, Derrick was a number one player in nice guy clothing. The kind of guy you had to watch. But Reggie Stevens was the real thing. At least, she thought he was.

  She picked up the phone and dialed his number, telling herself there was no need to be nervous. She’d already called the other four finalists, so this one should be a piece of cake.

  The phone rang five times and she began to wonder if he was even home. “Hello,” a deep, masculine voice said after the sixth ring.

  His voice didn’t surprise her. It was strong and sure, just as she’d imagined it would be. “May I speak to Reggie Stevens?” she asked anyway. She didn’t want to come across as too sure of herself.

  “This is he,” Reggie answered. “How can I help you?”

  Such good telephone manners, she thought. “My name is Kimberla Washington and I’m a writer with Urban Style magazine.”

  “Urban Style,” he said, surprised and maybe even a little impressed. “I subscribe to your magazine.”

  “Well, ah, thank you,” Kim said. “The reason I’m calling, Mr. Stevens—”

  “I’m Reggie,” he said, interrupting her. “My father is Mr. Stevens.”

  “Well, Reggie, the reason I’m calling is to inform you that you’re a finalist in a contest that we’re sponsoring.”

  “You mean somebody nominated me for Bachelor of the Year?” he said, referring to the yearly spread the magazine did on the country’s most attractive and successful bachelors.

  Kim cleared her throat. “Not exactly. This is a new contest. We’re calling it The Nicest Guy in America.”