Chapter 25
Laughs
Knight
“Why areyou all so horrible at this game?” Rem laughs as everyone fails once again to identify what Bop has been trying to mime as we all play charades at Bishop and Saga’s.
She’s not wrong, everyone here sucks at this shit. It’s hilarious to watch. I have stomach cramps from laughing so hard. Game night has turned out to be extremely entertaining.
Bop needs to stick to playing guitar for Bishop’s band because he sucks at charades and dance revolution. Fendi and Thrush have been throwing him dirty looks all night. Their team has the lowest score of the evening.
“That was in no way Pitbull. Like, how were we supposed to get that one?” Isha says through a fit of laughter.
I would never have guessed he was trying to mime the rap artist, that’s for sure. There’s a full house tonight. My brothers are here, the band is here, my cousins are here, Legend and his wife are here, and Isha, Saga’s best friend has shown up as well. It’s good to see Rem and I can hang out as friends and things not be uncomfortable.
I think our night out at the bar may have helped out a lot. Although, I haven’t missed the strange looks she’s been giving me as if she has something she wants to ask me. I noticed it from the time I showed up, but I haven’t been able to get her alone to ask about it.
“I don’t know who’s worse. Prince or Bop. We should just put them on their own team together. What’s going on with you tonight, Bro?” Lord says, eyeing a distracted-looking Prince.
Prince cornered me as soon as I got here. I had planned to wait until the end of the night to send him the email with the information he asked me for. However, as soon as I walked through the door, he dragged me to the side and demanded I send him what I had.
“I’ve got some shit on my mind,” Prince mumbles.
“Well, swallow that shit. You have us out here looking like losers,” Lord growls and rolls his eyes at his twin.
Prince huffs and tosses Lord the finger. They both hate losing, but Lord will become unbearable as the night goes on if he doesn’t win. I sort of feel bad for Prince.
I cover my mouth as I try not to laugh at my older brothers. Rem comes to sit beside me. She then elbows me in my side.
“You know you want to laugh. Let it out,” she leans in to whisper.
Her scent fills my head. I want to lean over and take her lips, but I fight to stay right where I am. We’re friends.
“Hey, everyone, the wings and subs are here. Come eat,” Saga calls.
“Food,” Kegan croons.
I shake my head and stand as Rem gets to her feet. Everyone else files from the room before us. Reaching for Rem’s arm, I hold her back.
She turns to look up at me. I stare down in her eyes, searching for answers. A rueful smile comes to her lips.
“What? What’s that look about?” I ask.
“Nothing,” she sings.
“Rem,” I drag out.
“It’s nothing. I just had a talk with your mom, and I was wondering if you had something to do with it,” she says.
I knit my brows. “A talk with my mom about what?”
“About you of course. Don’t worry. I see it now. You knew nothing about it. I think she may have gotten the wrong idea about us,” she replies.
“What makes you say that? What did she say?”
“It isn’t what she said, it’s how she said it. I think she thinks?—”
“You guys better hurry up before everything is gone,” Bishop calls interrupting her words.
I pull a face annoyed that she’s been interrupted and that my mom has decided to meddle. I go to pry, but she holds up a finger. Then she turns to call over her shoulder.
“Save me some lemon pepper wings, please,” she says. Then she turns back to me. “I get the feeling your mom thinks you have feelings for me. She doesn’t get that we’re just friends. No big deal. I didn’t think too much of it. Let’s eat,” she says and shrugs.
My first thought is to stop her and tell her I do have feelings for her, but I don’t. Not now. There are too many eyes and ears. Instead, I nod to myself and move for the food to get whatever is left.
“Are you sure everything in the report is true?” Prince comes to my side to ask right as I take a bite of one of my wings.
I chew and nod my head. “Yeah, I double-checked myself. That’s everything I could find on her. It’s all accurate.”
He nods slowly to himself then hands me his unfinished plate. I look down at it and then at him as he walks off.
“Hey, where are you going?” I call after him.
“I have a plane to catch,” he calls over his shoulder.
“What the fuck is that about?” Lord comes over with a frown on his face.
“Your guess is better than mine.”
I don’t know why Prince asked for that favor. I only know what I dug up for him. I couldn’t say what any of it means to him. I did find it interesting that he gave me a specific time frame to look into things along with guidelines on what exactly to look into.
Rem’s laughter pulls my attention. I turn to look at her. She’s gorgeous in the yellow fitted T-shirt and tight blue jeans.
She has this relaxed vibe about her tonight. I go to put down Prince’s forgotten plate and move to get closer to her, just to be near to her. However, my phone rings right as I get ready to get close.
Shit.
* * *
Reminisce
Tonight has been somuch fun. I haven’t stopped laughing since I arrived. The games were hilarious, and Bishop’s band members are too funny.
“I’m so glad you guys all came over,” Saga says with a smile on her face and a wine glass in her hand.
The ladies all moved outside to sit around the fire pit. The guys are scattered inside the house, and a few are outdoors sitting here and there.
Knight and Dwayne are by the pool with their feet in the water. This backyard is huge and still couldn’t be big enough for me not to feel Knight’s gaze on me. I take a sip of my wine and try to ignore the feeling.
“I’ve had a good time. I’ll be here next time for sure,” Isha says.
“You can count me in too,” Anita, my brother Legend’s wife says.
“Um, Rem will be here as long as Knight is,” Saga hums.
I glare at her. I know she’s not about to out me in from of them. She looks down into her glass and blinks as if she knows she’s talking too much and the wine has loosened her lips.
“Bishop is going to write another album,” she murmurs to change the subject.
“Wow, really? I thought he was done,” Isha says excitedly.
“How is he going to top that last one he wrote for you?” Anita asks.
I know my sister. She’s not completely happy about this. I bank that thought for later to ask her why.
“He’s off to a great start. I’ve heard the first song,” Saga says.
“That’s awesome,” I say.
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to head inside to the bathroom,” Anita says.
We all remain silent as she goes inside. I finish my glass of wine and pour another. Isha sits staring at Saga.
“Hurry up and spill. Why don’t you sound happy about the album?” she says with her eyes narrowed.
“I was thinking the same thing,” I say.
Saga runs a hand through her hair and sighs. I can see the war in her eyes as she decides whether or not to tell us. I know the moment she decides to share.
“I trust my husband, and I know he loves me. It’s this new singer-song writer they want him to work with. She’s a piece of work, and I can see her from a mile away.
“Bishop keeps brushing it off because he’s not interested, but that never means anything with women like her. Things have always been so good between us. This just seems like a test we’ll have to make it through because it’s always been so easy,” Saga says.
“That sucks,” I say.
“Yeah, it does, but like you said. Bishop doesn’t want her, and you trust him. Don’t let some non-factor come in between that.
“That man doesn’t even acknowledge other women, no matter how gorgeous they are. You guys will get through this,” Isha says reassuringly.
“Yeah, I hope so,” Saga says into her glass.
As if knowing his wife needs him, Bishop comes out of the sliding doors and heads straight for Saga. He walks up behind where she’s sitting and grasps her by the throat to tilt her head back. Dipping his head, he takes her lips.
I have to shift in my seat just from watching the heated kiss. He devours her. When he breaks the kiss, he moves to whisper something into her ear, then kisses her forehead.
Saga stares up at him looking all dreamy eyed. I have no doubt they’re going to be okay. Whoever this woman is, she’ll never get between the two of them.
I turn my head and find Knight looking right at me with an intense look on his face. My cheeks heat. I have to remind myself quickly that we’re just friends. The look on his face says he’s thinking about devouring me like his brother just did my sister.
Maybe it’s time I call for a ride home. As if reading my thoughts, Knight stands and saunters over to where we’re sitting. He leans into my ear.
“Come take a walk with me,” he whispers.
“I was just about to call for a car. I’m going home,” I say, looking up at him.
He gives a little frown. “Don’t go yet. Stay. I want to talk to you for a bit,” he says.
I pull my gaze from his and think about it for a moment. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stick around and talk for a bit. That night at the bar turned out to be fun, after all.
“Come on. I’ll make sure you get home. We can share a ride,” he coaxes when I don’t reply right away.
“Okay, fine.”
He gestures with his head for me to follow him. I reach to pour some more wine in my glass to top up before I walk away. Isha has her focus on her phone, and Bishop and Saga are wrapped up in each other.
I get up and round my seat to follow Knight. We move to the grass in the yard, and Knight takes a seat. I get ready to gripe about my jeans and grass stains, but he takes his shirt off and places it beside him for me to take a seat.
I take the hand he offers and sit down on his shirt, making sure not to spill my wine. After I settle, I bump him with my shoulder and smile at him. He turns to look down at me.
“What’s up?” I say.
“How’s work?”
“Everything is good. How about you? How’s the leave going?”
He shrugs. “Too much time on my hands if you ask me. I have loads of time to think about what I want and don’t want.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
“Yes and no.”
“Why no?”
“Because there’s this gray area. What I want is right within my reach but still so far away.”
I look down in my wine glass. I’ve been feeling the same way about the things I want in my life. I can’t find the words I need right now, so I remain quiet.
“Rem, I?—”
“Yo, Knight. You have to come weigh in on this,” Kegan calls cutting him off.
“I’m going to go to the bathroom. You go ahead and see what he’s talking about,” I murmur and stand.