Chapter 1 #2
“I’m not asking you to keep a secret. Shiloh won’t bring it up, so don’t volunteer the information.”
Loso blew a laugh from his wide nose. “I’ve always said you’re a sneaky little something.”
“I’m not sneaky. I’m selective with what I share. There’s a difference.”
Shiloh’s house wasn’t the ideal place to kill time before a date, but he lived closer to Downtown Silk Hills than I did.
My date asked to meet a little later than we initially planned, and the longer I waited at home, the more chances I had of getting stuck in traffic.
Thanks to the brisk breeze, I put on an off-the-shoulder sweater dress and red bottom boots.
The top of my dress wasn’t as fitted as I would have liked, but no cleavage meant I wouldn’t have to hear my brother’s mouth.
Shiloh wasn’t the oldest Sharpe kid, yet he was the most protective.
I was twenty-seven-years-old, and he would lecture me about my clothes like I was one of his three daughters.
As I checked my appearance in my handheld mirror, Caleb’s name popped up on my dashboard.
My relationship with the professor furthered once I started working as a teacher’s aide, and we were forced to spend more time together.
I had always found the tall, dark, and handsome man attractive.
I just never imagined he would bend me over his desk one night while we were supposed to be grading papers.
Only three months into whatever we were doing, I didn’t feel the need to demand a title.
Caleb kept me on my toes and kept a smile on my face. That was good enough for now.
“Hey, handsome,” I sang when I connected the call.
“My favorite lady. Do you miss me?”
In my compact, I watched frown lines crease the corners of my mouth. “You know I do. Where are you? I’m sitting in my car with no panties on.”
Caleb released a strangled breath. “Please, don’t tell me that. It’ll just make me feel worse about having to ask for a raincheck.”
“Raincheck? Nigga, just say you’re flaking on me!”
“No, because that’s harsh,” he countered calmly. “I have to meet with a few professors before everyone leaves for break.”
“And that’s more important than being with me? My pussy is too good to be put on hold.”
“You’re right, but I promise it’ll be worth it. Don’t I always come bearing gifts?”
“I’m more interested in you cumming than the gifts.” My head sank back, colliding with the leather headrest. “I’ll give you a pass this time.”
“That’s all I need. I promise, when we take our trip for Christmas, this day will be an afterthought. Call me later?”
“Nope. You put me on ice. Take me off when you’re positive you’re free.”
There was no time for Caleb to respond since I hung up in his face.
Being aware of how much a feisty woman turned him on, I regretted my actions.
We weren’t building a fairy tale, but even if we were just friends, I expected him to keep his word.
If that was too much to ask, I knew I was too much for him.
For a second, I thought about leaving without going inside of Shiloh’s house, but considering he checked his cameras religiously, I knew the idea would lead to a long conversation about respect.
When I stepped out of my car, the city smelled like the holiday season—warm and sweet.
Lights covered the outside of every house on the block, wraths christened the doors, and electric props settled on the lawns.
Shiloh’s house was just as festive, resembling something out of a movie.
So caught up in the sights, I didn’t have the chance to knock on the door since my niece’s voice interrupted my daydream.
“Auntie Essen! What are you doing here?” Mia, Stevie and Shiloh’s oldest daughter, looked me up and down.
“I was on my way to the library, but I decided to stop by first,” I answered, following her into the house.
“The library?” She giggled. “Yeah, okay. I’m thirteen not four.” She started up one side of the dual staircase. “Come see me before you leave. I want to show you a few of the pieces I have for our vacation. My Instagram is about to go up!”
I gave Mia a thumbs up then listened for my brothers’ wives. In the kitchen, Stevie focused on a sink of dishes. Church’s wife, Blaze, sat on a barstool with her phone in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.
“Sistas!” I exclaimed as I journeyed further into the room.
Stevie’s slanted eyes spread wide. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going on a date.”
I stood still. “I never told you that.”
Blaze snickered. “Yeah, but at this point, going to the library is code for going to get dick.” She mouthed the last part.
“Whatever. I was running errands and decided to come see you guys. I have to spend as much time as I can over here since y’all are leaving me in a few weeks.”
“I know.” Stevie sulked. “Please, pray for me. I don’t know how I’m going to handle Shiloh and Durk for four days straight. They act like two bad ass kids when they’re together.”
Without warning, my lips crumbled into a ball. Though I was positive about my decision to skip the family trip, I was still annoyed at the thought of missing out.
“Girl, stop frowning.” Blaze reached out and pinched my cheeks. “You’re choosing to stay in Silk Hills to . . . study. Nobody is making you do a damn thing.”
Despite the bond I built with Blaze and Stevie, I kept my relationship with Caleb to myself.
Even though he hadn’t been my professor in years, I knew it wouldn’t change how they would react to me sleeping with an educator at my school.
I had little doubt they would tell my brothers, but I was positive I would never hear the end of it.
Stevie would preach about valuing myself, and Blaze would give a sermon about draining Caleb’s pockets.
Both conversations were ones I didn’t feel like entertaining.
“The study group is something I committed to two months ago,” I replied. “Flaking would be selfish.”
Stevie dressed me with a confused expression. “It was selfish for someone to schedule a study group during winter break.”
I swallowed down the second lie and combed my hair back as I thought of another. “The group is for students who don’t travel back during break. Not everyone has a meddling family in their corner like I do.”
Blaze’s head slanted to the side. “Oh, so you’re doing charity work for the holiday.
I get it. Next time, just write a check.
” She shrugged. “At least you won’t be in the city by yourself.
Loso isn’t going up north either. We’re leaving the same weekend as his parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary party.
I wish we had known before we booked our trip. ”
“Loso being in the city doesn’t mean a damn thing to me. He probably has a list of hos he’s ready to knock off while his besties are away.” A memory lifted my brows. “Let me stop. He’s not so bad. I called him last Saturday, and he drove almost an hour to set things straight for me.”
Stevie pressed her back against the sink. “Where were you? Why didn’t you call your brothers?”
I explained what went down a week prior, leaving both ladies looking at me sideways.
“What’s the problem?” I quizzed.
Stevie giggled and shook her head while Blaze’s hazel eyes examined me.
“Oh, hell no.” I shook my head, catching their drift. “I know what you two are thinking, and you’ve got it wrong. Loso has been in my life since I was like eleven. There has never been anything special between us.”
Blaze smirked. “You’re doing all the talking, Princess.”
“And we can dead it. Aside from Loso being my brother’s best friend, he’s a whore.”
“You act like somebody is telling you to settle down with the nigga. You can’t lie and say the weight loss doesn’t look good on him. You better sit on his lap. Christmas is around the corner.”
“Loso has always been handsome, but he’s not my type.” I paused. “Well, I don’t really have a type, but I know he’s not it.”
Stevie walked around the kitchen island then sat next to me. “Though I don’t believe you and Loso are a match made in heaven, dating isn’t a bad idea. Maybe a little romance could help you relax. You’ve been tense ever since you started the program.”
“Ugh. I know. This semester has been more . . . eventful than any other.” I sighed. “It’s not anything I can’t handle. I just need to do better with time management.”
“Since we’re on the subject of school, have you decided what you’re going to do with your second degree?”
“No,” I whined. “I love that my school offers a specialized program for event planning, but I’m still on the fence. Don’t get me wrong, I love throwing parties for the club. I’ve even started booking clients a few times a month. I think I’m just tired of being the helper. I want to be the boss.”
In the last three years, I organized everything from baby showers to events for the city of Silk Hills.
Some days, I was content with planning social events, and others, I wanted to expand my business.
I tried to remind myself that I didn’t need to rush to settle on a career plan, but I overthought that part of my life like everything else.
“Anyway.” My voice dragged. “Even though y’all don’t feel bad about leaving me, don’t be stingy with the pictures. I want to see my babies in the snow.”
“Then maybe you should bring your ass up north with your family,” Shiloh replied, entering the kitchen with a box of Christmas ornaments spilling over the top. “I don’t like the thought of you being alone for the holiday.”
“This ain’t an episode of Home Alone. I’m twenty-seven. Besides, you guys will be back a few days after Christmas. You have to if you’re going to collect your trophy for having the best lights on the block.”
He kissed the sweet lady he named Blue then focused on me. “Sis, you saw my lights. These white boys can try, but they not fucking with me. For one, I’m richer than them, plus, I’m black. Anything I do has more flavor, baby.”
“You did amazing, Shiloh, but don’t you think the black Santa Claus on the roof is too much?”
“Yeah. That’s the point.” He winked.
From my seat, I watched his chest swell as he ran down his plans to buy a second Christmas tree.
My brother had been a menace in the streets, had taken a bullet to the chest, and now, he was fawning over his wife and holiday decorations.
The change was refreshing to witness, especially knowing how many times I almost lost him.
“Let’s get back to what I was saying before you changed the subject,” he declared. “You should be able to join us in Polar Pointe once your little session is over.”
“I could.” My voice fragged. “But I don’t want to drive or fly alone. During the holidays, traffic and airports are insane.”
Shiloh’s light brown gaze burned into me as he slowly nodded his head. “Yeah. Okay. Whatever, Essen. If you change your mind, there’s room for you at the house.”
“I’ll remember that.”
The holiday season always put my brother in a chipper mood, and I wanted it to stay that way.
On the regular, Shiloh wasn’t a tyrant who demanded perfection, but he read my body language like he earned credit for clocking my moods.
He had been that way since we were kids, and I would go mute after my mom dropped me off with our dad’s mother.
Shiloh wouldn’t be able to relax until he knew I was comfortable.
“All right, family,” I called out while abandoning my seat. “I’m going to go before the golden girls come down here tripping. I promised they could spend the night next weekend, but if they see me, they may convince me to take them today.”
Shiloh sucked his teeth. “Don’t talk about my kids.”
“Negro, please. I didn’t lie. Mia already caught me at the door with demands.”
“They couldn’t go with you if they wanted to,” he replied. “Tonight, I’m taking them and Blue to sing with the carolers in the neighborhood.”
The excitement on Stevie’s face let me know this was news to her.
On her tippy toes, she reached up to pull him down for a kiss, yet he swept her off her feet.
They had been together for four years, but anyone who met them would believe their union was at least a decade old.
A tricky situation led to Stevie and her daughter, Mia, moving in with Shiloh after knowing each other for a short time.
He had two girls himself, however love led them to create two kids together.
The thought of having five kids made my head spin, but Shiloh and Stevie made it look easy.
I gave everyone a hug goodbye then started toward the door, but the sensation of my phone going off in my purse paused my steps.
“Hmm. Hello?”
“Damn. You answering the phone like you don’t have my number stored,” the caller replied. “A week ago, you were blowing up my line.”
A grin caught my lips. “See, and that’s why you can’t ask a man for anything.”
“You can ask me for just about anything. You sit on the throne, baby,” Loso teased, his voice calmer than before. “How is your day going?”
“It’s . . . going. I had plans that fell through, but I’ll live. Now, what can I do for you? I know you aren’t calling to check on me.”
“Is that something you would like me to start doing?”
I snickered as I aimlessly roamed to the living room. Just like on the surface of the house, the inside was decorated with gold, green, and white adornments.
“Loso, I swear, you would flirt with a flea. Get to the point.”
“All right. Remember the favor you mentioned?”
My brows rose in a slow arch. “Do you mean the favor you said you wouldn’t cash in on? Yeah. I recall.”
I heard him laugh before saying, “Well, I lied.”
The yearning in his tone probably wasn’t intentional, but it persuaded me to find a seat.
“What do you need?” I asked after a spell of stillness.
“You,” he replied. “I need you to help with my parent’s party. Their anniversary is the same weekend as Christmas, and the bitch they hired had to back out. I started to cash in my favor and ask you to beat her ass, but I figured you helping with the party would be more beneficial.”
“Oh, well I’m happy you used your big head for once.”
“Both of my heads big, baby,” he boasted. “When can we meet up?”
“Time is money, baby. A consultation isn’t free. Since we’re family, you can treat me to dinner. Pauline’s just released their seasonal menu. I’ve been dying to taste their cinnamon pasta. I know it sounds crazy, but don’t knock it until you try it.”
Light strains of his amusement filled the line. “You on your own with that one. I don’t just put anything in my mouth.”
“Ha! I’ve seen the material you keep on your arm. I beg to differ.”