The Talk of the Town

Chapter Twelve

“What is she talking about?” Gregory asked, confusion clouding his voice.

Heat engulfed Halle like a ball of flames straight out of hell. Why in the world would Kayla come out here and tell the whole world everything? Because Kayla was the world’s messiest gossip, that was why.

Halle hurried over to Kayla’s side and elbowed her cousin. “If you don’t stop playing, you’re going to start something.”

Kayla frowned. “Huh?”

“Oh look, there’s Robbie with the grill.” She pointed in that direction. “Gregory, can you help him with that? Quinton, will you go with Zachariah to set up for flag football?”

Thankfully, Quinton didn’t hesitate a beat. “Yeah, come on, Zachariah.” He walked over and grabbed Zachariah by the elbow and pulled him away.

Gregory looked ready to ask another question, but Robbie, as loud and impatient as usual, was already hollering for someone to help him pull the grill. Gregory gave her one last glance before hurrying to help. Once the guys were clear, Halle pinched Kayla’s arm.

“Ouch! What was that for?” Kayla rubbed her arm.

“Because you’re messy and starting stuff,” Halle shot back, not feeling an ounce of guilt for the pinch. “Please keep your mouth shut.”

“Why, isn’t that why he’s here, for everyone to know what’s up?”

“He’s here because he’s helping Cyril,” Imani jumped in. “That’s it.”

Shania crossed her arms. “I don’t know why we can’t just tell everyone. He’s here because he said he wants to be in my life.”

Halle took a long breath. “And he can be, but the cousins’ day cookout is not the day to tell the story.”

“Then when is the day?” Shania asked.

“Yeah, when?” Kayla followed up. “Because I can’t keep this secret forever.”

Halle barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “It’s not a secret forever. It’s just not the topic of conversation for today, okay? Now, keep this quiet or else I’ll tell Zachariah about all the boxes you ship to my house.” Kayla loved trying out new sex toys, but Zachariah hated when she used them, which Halle thought was dumb, but when Kayla asked if she could ship them to her place, Halle had agreed.

Kayla’s eyes narrowed. “You wrong for that.”

“And you’re wrong for blurting out my business like that. Now zip it.” Halle ran a finger across her mouth and twisted as if zipping her lips and locking them.

Sighing, Kayla threw up a hand. “Fine. Just for today.”

“Thank you. Now, will you go help your sister with her bags? She just showed up with her kids.”

Kayla pursed her lips but turned and walked away. Shania immediately came up to her. “Mom, are you going to keep this a secret from everyone?”

Halle placed a hand on Shania’s shoulder. “No, baby, but today, like this, isn’t the time or the place. Let’s enjoy the day and I’ll let everyone know soon.”

“I can’t pretend as if I’m not happy that he’s here.”

“I’m not asking you to. Just let everyone think it’s because he’s your coach. We’ll figure this out, okay?”

Shania sighed. “I don’t get it, but fine. I’ll go help him and Mr. Cyril set up.”

Halle watched her daughter jog over to Zachariah and Quinton. Imani wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Are you going to make it?”

“No. Did you know Quinton was coming?”

She’d hoped he wouldn’t show up. Prayed even, but she’d seen the look in his eye. The look that said she wasn’t going to ignore him. He wanted to be involved in Shania’s life, and honestly, she wanted him to get to know Shania. But she wasn’t sure if she was ready to have Quinton in her life.

Imani tilted her head to the side. “I didn’t, but I’m not surprised. I saw the look in his face yesterday when you said you wanted to keep things quiet.”

“What look?”

“It’s hard to describe it, but I think he likes you.”

Halle scoffed. “Quinton? Nah, he dates Instagram models and pop stars.”

“The man dated one R and B singer and they broke up. Why would that mean he doesn’t like you?”

“Because. I’m not his type. He told me.” Numerous times. The look in his eye the day before—that was just a challenge. Not because he really was into her. He’d lose interest in a day once he realized she didn’t give a damn about football that didn’t involve Shania, and that she was just as boring as people expected high school principals to be.

Imani bumped Halle’s hip with hers. “Yeah, well, the way he looked at you the other day said otherwise.”

“You’re seeing things because you’re in love now. Quinton is just being nice to Shania and me. That’s it.”

“I don’t know. I think the man is going to try and lay claim to you.”

A weird shiver went through her at the thought of him laying claim. She shook her head and moved out of Imani’s embrace. “Stop it. You’re just as messy as Kayla. Besides, I’m with Gregory.”

“Gregory isn’t the father of your kid.”

“Girl, stop! Quinton was a donor, that’s all. There’s nothing between us. Just mutual interest in doing what’s right. Now, will you please stop being messy? It’s cousins’ day and I need to set up the board games.”

“Who you calling messy? Miss got my man and baby daddy at the same event,” Imani said with a grin and a laugh.

Halle swatted at Imani, who easily evaded the hit. “Go find something to do and leave me alone.”

Imani continued to chuckle as she blew Halle a kiss and hurried over to help grab the food from Kayla and her sister. Halle shook her head. Quinton liking her? No way. She looked in the direction he’d gone with Zachariah. He was looking her way. She couldn’t read his expression, not with the aviator glasses and the hat he wore shadowing his face. Still, heat spread through her body. Tightening her nipples and sending a shiver down her spine. She spun away before she began to believe the foolishness Imani was spouting.

“The man is going to try and lay claim to you.”

Halle sucked in a breath and looked up from the cards in her hand to the field where the flag football game was about to start. Quinton wore those damn aviator glasses, but she swore he looked her way. She could feel the pressure of his stare just as surely as she could feel the cards in her hands. She quickly focused on the game. Now Imani was in her head with that foolishness.

But what if it isn’t foolishness?

She looked up from the cards again. Quinton’s attention was focused on Shania instead. What if Imani was right and Quinton was interested? She wasn’t interested in him. Not seriously. Sure, he was attractive, confident and good with Shania, but she’d never considered him as a potential dating partner before. She wasn’t going to mess up things with Gregory because Quinton may be attracted to her. She also couldn’t let Quinton get the wrong idea.

“Halle!”

Halle blinked as her cousin Cassidy’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Huh? What?”

“It’s your turn?” Cassidy said, raising a brow.

“Oh, my bad.” She was being a horrible spades partner. Imani quickly grabbed a card and threw it down.

Cassidy groaned while Kayla and her partner, their cousin Mick’s wife, Beverly, cackled with glee. Halle looked down at the table and cringed. She could have easily won that hand if she’d been paying attention.

“We might as well call this game because you’re too distracted to play,” Kayla said, sliding the cards on the table her way.

“No, I’m not.”

Kayla continued to smirk. “We’ll see.”

Kalya turned out to be right. Halle was distracted and they lost the game. She was going to get Imani for putting ridiculous thoughts in her head. The flag football game was ready to start. Kayla set her folding chair next to Halle’s on the side of the makeshift field where those not playing watched and cheered on the teams.

Gregory had joined the five-on-five setup. Halle hoped Shania would end up playing with Gregory but as the teams were chosen, she ended up on the opposite team with her cousin Mick and Cyril. Quinton served as the referee for the game.

Imani pulled up a folding chair on the other side of Halle. “Which team are you pulling for?”

“Shania’s, of course,” Halle said.

“Not going to cheer for your boyfriend?” Kayla asked with a smirk.

Halle rolled her eyes. She was not following up Kayla’s foolishness. “You can cheer for his team since Zachariah is on his side.”

“You know I will,” Kayla said, grinning.

Gregory ran over to Halle. “A kiss for good luck,” he said with a grin.

Halle’s eyes darted past him to where Quinton watched, and she immediately hated that she’d made the movement. She looked back at Gregory. A shadow crossed his features. Halle jumped up, lifted on her toes and brushed her lips over his.

“Good luck.”

His smile returned. “I’m going to need it. I told you I’m not athletically inclined.”

“Then why did you agree to play?”

“Why do you think? I did it for you.”

“Why me?”

“Because I like you, Halle. I like your family. Maybe one day, I’ll be considered a part of your family.”

Her heart squished and she remembered why she’d chosen him in the first place. He was nice. He said sweet things. He was the guy she wanted, and she wouldn’t get distracted.

“You’ve got this.”

He leaned in and kissed her quickly again before running back to his team. She hated the urge to look back at Quinton. To see if he’d watched and wonder what he was thinking. She ignored the urge and sat back down. Thankfully, Quinton blew his whistle to get everyone’s attention. He went over the rules and the game started.

The competition was all in good fun, and everyone had a good time watching the teams compete. Shania’s team had the lead and with each score on their part and fumble on Gregory’s part, Halle noticed that Gregory got more agitated. He didn’t like Quinton’s calls. Claimed everything was a foul against him, and grew increasingly upset as the game ended. Shania scored the final game-winning touchdown. Gregory’s smile was tight and drawn as the two teams slapped hands afterward.

Shania ran over to Quinton. “Did you see the way I blocked the pass before last?”

Quinton gave her a high five. A grin creased his face. A rare sight but she’d been right; he was cute when he smiled. More than cute. The guy was fine.

“You did a good job with that.”

“You think it’ll work in a regular game?”

Quinton shook his head. “The block worked because we were in flag, but you’ll have to go for the tackle in a regular game.”

“Wasn’t I in position for that?”

“Nah, you were reaching. That’s a way to get hurt.”

“Shania,” Gregory called, his voice sharp.

Shania and Quinton both looked up. Halle blinked and her mouth fell open as the rest of the family hushed.

Gregory cleared his throat and softened his tone. “You played well. Why don’t we pack up and then me, you and your mom can go celebrate with ice cream.”

Shania’s brows drew together. “Um... I’m going to spend the night with my cousins.”

Halle walked closer to the three. “We can do ice cream another day.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Gregory said, sounding disappointed.

“Yeah, another day.” Shania looked back at Quinton. “What are you doing tomorrow? Can you come by and show me some passes?”

“I’m sure your coach has other things to do,” Gregory cut in. “He can’t just come by the house and practice with you.”

“He’s not just my coach,” Shania said.

Gregory frowned. “He’s not your friend either. He’s a teacher and an adult.” He looked at Halle. “Isn’t that right, Halle?”

Halle opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat. She didn’t want to admit to everything here in front of her family on cousins’ day.

“He is her coach...and...”

Gregory’s brows drew together. “And what?”

Kayla leaned forward and eyed Halle. “Yeah...and what?”

Halle glared at her messy-ass cousin. “Kayla, hush.”

Imani started laughing, but the sound was thin and forced. “Oh man, look at the time. We better get things cleaned up. We only rented the park until four.”

Before the relief could settle in, Gregory held up a hand and looked back at Halle. “No, I want to hear this. And what, Halle?”

“Gregory, we can talk about this later, okay? Quinton is a good guy and there’s nothing to get worked up about.”

“Who’s worked up? I’m not worked up. I’m just asking a simple question.”

By now everyone was quiet and watching them. Damn Quinton for showing up and making cousins’ day awkward.

“He’s my dad,” Shania said. Loud and proud.

Gregory’s eyes widened and he spun toward Shania. “Your what?”

Quinton’s shoulders squared and he looked back at Gregory. “You heard her. My daughter.”

Kayla slapped her hands and cackled. “Finally. I couldn’t hold that in for much longer.”