Chapter 7 #2
“How are you doing, Pops?”
“I’m here,” he answered keeping it short. “Shop still going good?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.” He nodded while going to grab a beer. “You sent your lady friend over here. She seems smart.” He scoffed. “I always told you a good woman could help you get your mind right. I guess you listened to me for once.”
“Law,” Mama bear grumbled.
“I ain’t said nothing wrong, Terri. I haven’t seen this boy in a month of Sundays, and he showed up because some—”
“Her name is Essen,” Loso cut him off to say.
Mr. Lawrence smirked as he squared his shoulders. “Essen. You came running over here because of Essen.”
“Are you jealous?”
My eyes sprang wide. “Loso!”
His eyes found me, and I mouthed the words, calm down.
“I don’t know if you’re insulting me or giving me props.” Loso spoke to his father with more respect.
“That’s always been your problem. You think I’m your enemy when I have always been on your side.”
“I can’t tell. No matter what I do, you press me like I’m the same seventeen-year-old kid messing up. Nothing is good enough for you.”
Mrs. Terri treaded into the center of the half-circle. “How about you two take this conversation to the garage, baby?”
The men mugged one another, triggering an awkward silence that made me leery to breathe too loud.
“Yeah, baby. I can do that. Let’s go, boy.”
Even with a full beard, I could see anger grab Loso by the jaws. His eyes raced over to me, and I made sure to smile. I knew Loso wouldn’t move if he sensed I was uncomfortable.
Despite the tension between the Bricks men, Mrs. Terri never parted from her cheerful demeanor. Questions about their history convened on the tip of my tongue, but I wanted to hear the story from Loso’s perspective.
“Don’t worry yourself, Essen. They’ll be all right. Trust me,” Mrs. Terri stated as if reading my mind. “Now, let’s get back to work.”
Cooking wasn’t my forte, but Mrs. Terri was patient with me.
She giggled when I struggled with cinnamon measurements and praised my cutting skills.
I thought a strawberry and banana buttermilk cheesecake was a mouthful, but as Mrs. Terri progressed around the kitchen, I was sure she knew what she was doing.
Our culinary lesson lasted another forty-five minutes.
By the time we were done, Loso and his father were back in the house.
They didn’t seem chummy, but the heaviness weighing on Loso’s broad shoulders was gone.
He gave his mama a kiss goodbye, and I did the same along with scheduling a time to speak before the party.
When we made it outside, Loso’s quiet spell lasted longer than I liked.
“Are you good? Did things go well with your dad?”
He gave me a one shoulder shrug. “We talked. That’s more than we’ve done in a very long time.
” He roped his around my shoulder and pulled my head into his chest. “The three wise men visited Jesus, but a wise woman spoke to me. You said I need to have an open mind. I guess it’s working out for me.
” He kissed the top of my head. “You got plans for the night? I have something reserved for us.”
“What about my car?”
“I’ll make sure it makes it home.”
“Ooh. Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere you’ll love,” he said confidently. “Get on the bike. Let’s ride.”
I batted my lashes. “Mm. That’s all I need to hear. I have an extra helmet in my car.” I leaped from his arms. “I’ll be right back.”
At lightning speed, I raced to my trunk. Plans of going home and getting in bed became an afterthought. Time with Loso left a mark on my heart every time we were together. I was excited to see what he came up with, but honestly, it didn’t matter what we did. His effort counted for everything.
Comfortable with my arms wrapped around his body, my head rested on Loso’s back.
The big man had gained muscles, yet his frame was soft.
Safe. He didn’t speed or do tricks like I was used to seeing.
Loso cruised, being gentle with the steel.
Surprised at the sense of euphoria that packed my bones, I rolled my eyes at a fleeting thought.
I preferred to be on my bike and used to curse my brothers out when they tried to make me ride with them.
Yet here I was ready to ride to the North Pole with Loso being my driver.
When the highway view turned into a familiar setting, I bolted upright.
Memories of the first time we kissed in the downtown restaurant came to mind when we sped down a nearby block.
Loso didn’t give any details about where we were going even once he parked his bike, but after a few steps down the street, I didn’t need him to.
A line of horse and carriages tugged my lips back.
“Loso, is this for us?”
“One of them is. The city is hosting a light show that runs a few blocks long.”
“And the horse and carriage is taking us? Oh my God! This is amazing. You don’t do stuff like this.”
“I’ll do anything for you. Christmas is a few nights away, and you’ve been working hard to make sure my folks are good. I can sacrifice my earlobes and eyes so you can enjoy yourself.”
I moaned and stepped into his chest. “A man willing to sacrifice his time and money is something sexy, Mr. Bricks.”
He caught my bottom lip between his teeth, making me giggle.
“If a little Christmas turn up gets your panties wet, I can only imagine what you’ll let me do to you when you see how I go up for Valentine’s Day.
” He spun me around and led me to the first carriage in a line of ten.
As soon as I got comfortable in my seat, I tossed my legs over his lap and snapped a picture of my custom UGG boots and the ice on Loso’s wrist. I knew Caleb’s nosy ass was watching my Instagram story, and I wanted to give him something to look at.
He may not have been willing to forgo time for me, but the man massaging my ankles certainly did.
By the second, I could see The Grinch evolved into someone more open minded.
He went from snarling when someone said the word Christmas to complimenting dramatic lights.
I stuck my hand out, catching pieces of snow on my fingertips. “I can’t believe it’s starting to snow out here. Do you think the weather is going to be bad on Christmas?”
“I hope not, especially if we’re going to drive up to meet the family,” he suggested, pulling me close.
I snuggled up to Loso, prepared to enjoy the rest of the show, yet my vibrating phone caught my attention. At first, I ignored the notification, but seeing multiple pop ups on the screen put me on alert.
“Aye. See who that is,” Loso insisted with a layer of invasion glazing his delivery.
“Don’t say it like you’re running shit.”
He squeezed my ankle. “I see you doing what I said.”
I smirked at his sly comment, but my grin dropped below the carriage when I opened the family group chat.
Blaze: Bitch! Have you lost your mind? You and Loso go together?
Stevie: *Smiley face*
Blaze: It’s not funny. Your brother is having a fit.
What are y’all talking about?
Stevie: Don’t try it. You and Loso both posted pictures at the light show.
Blaze: Now, it all makes sense
A thumping rhythm in my throat made me uneasy. It came to a halt when I saw my brother calling.
“Hello?” I answered nervously. “Did you guys make it?”
“Essen. I’m going to ask you something, and if I think you’re lying, I’m going to drive back to the city and squeeze the truth out of you.”
The ringing in my ears grew louder. “Are you and Loso fucking around?”
“What? I—”
Loso snatched the phone from my grasp. “Yo! Don’t ask her no weird shit like that. If you want to have that conversation, you call me.”
“Call you?” Shiloh yelled. “I trusted you around my folks. I thought you would look after my sister, and you building snowmen and rubbing her ankles? Fuck you!”
The men went back and forth, both getting louder every time they spoke.
Shame caused my warm skin to turn cold with fear.
Shiloh wasn’t the type of man you tested, so I prayed he didn’t ditch the family vacay to come home to fight.
If something happened to my brother because of me, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
I already wanted to turn into a piece of coal at the idea that I ruined his friendship. I didn’t want to ruin Christmas.