Chapter 5
The thing about Addison Payne was that she was always going to give me something to think about. Her words forced the unanswered text to the forefront of my mind.
I cleared my throat and forced myself to look at my aunt. “So, um, if I did go hang out with Lamar, what time is Rose coming tomorrow?”
“She said she’ll be here when the doors open. So, while I catch up with her, you’re going to go on your date. And when it’s over, you’ll come here and tell me about it.” Her lopsided smile grew, and her eyes twinkled. “If it goes really well, you’ll come here on Monday and tell me about it.”
My head fell back, and I let out a laugh. “Auntie! It’s not like that!”
“While I’m laid up in this room for the next couple of weeks, you would deny me the opportunity to live vicariously through you?”
I shook my head, slumping back into the chair. “You can’t use your condition like that.”
“What’s the saying? Use what you got to get what you want.”
I rolled my eyes. “You must be stopped.”
She looked like she was about to say something when an extremely buff physical therapist came in to take her to her session. While she was gone, I pulled out my phone and responded to Lamar’s text.
Jazmyn Payne: Eleven sounds good. See you tomorrow.
Between physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychotherapy, Aunt Addison returned four hours later exhausted, borderline defeated.
My heart hurt watching her get settled back in bed.
She was out of it for the rest of the afternoon.
I rubbed her hand and watched TV with her until she nodded off soon after dinner.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Aunt Addy,” I murmured as I gave her a hug.
“Date,” she mumbled, turning her head toward me.
Sadness swept over me when I left the rehab facility. I thought about her the entire ride back to her house. And as I closed my eyes and prepared to sleep, hot tears slipped from between my lids and slid down the sides of my face.
For years, I’d kicked off my summer by spending time with my favorite aunt.
But being in the stillness of her house while she wasn’t there felt empty—and not just because the house was.
My aunt had such a big presence. Before her therapies, it had almost felt like she was getting back to herself when we were compiling our lists.
But afterward, she was a shadow of herself.
And as I’d watched her lying in that bed, unable to walk, unable to move her left side, unable to enunciate when she spoke, unable to hide her frustration, my heart had hurt for her.
And it still hurt for her.
I didn’t remember falling asleep, but when the phone rang loudly, I startled awake.
“Hello?” I answered, almost frantic when I saw my aunt’s cell phone number. My heart thumped in my chest. “Aunt Addy?”
“Did you check my closet?”
I sat up abruptly. “For what? What do you need?”
“Not for me. For you. You need something to wear today. Something nice.”
My mouth hung open for a second as my brain caught up with what she was saying. “What?”
“You can’t wear jeans and a T-shirt on your first date in years.”
“I don’t have just T-shirts. I have some nice shirts in there, too.”
“So, you don’t have date clothes?”
“No, but…” I fell back against my pillows. “It’s way too early for this,” I groaned.
“You’re not backing out of it, are you?”
“No. I’m still hanging out with him … in three hours. And I’m wearing something from my bag. It’ll be fine.”
“Don’t back out of this, Jazmyn.”
“I’m not!” My voice was a mixture of amusement and annoyance.
“Good. Now, they just came to get me for breakfast, so I’ll talk to you later. Text me his name and information. And a picture. And what you decide to wear.”
“I will,” I assured her. “Enjoy your breakfast and your time with Rose.”
We said our goodbyes, and my lips pulled into a sleepy smile.
Even though she wasn’t accepting visits from everyone, I was happy that she’d agreed to let Rose spend time at the facility with her.
I stretched my limbs, pointing my toes and extending my fingers. Yawning, I pulled the sheet over my shoulder and rolled onto my side. I was still a little tired, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what Aunt Addy had said.
“Wearing jeans is fine,” I grumbled as I forced myself out of bed and into the shower.
But Aunt Addy’s words lingered in my mind as I cleaned, ate breakfast, and then stared into my suitcase.
Shit.
Except for the one dress I packed for church, I packed only jeans or yoga pants.
When I visited Chance, I only planned outfits for our usual activities—movies, dinners, walks, and days in her garden.
And while I’d been fully committed to wearing jeans and a cute top, I found myself in front of the full-length mirror in my green strappy sundress.
I undid the top two buttons to show a little cleavage, and my look went from churchy to cheeky.
“The girls would be proud,” I mumbled to myself as I pulled the flower charm from the crease between my breasts.
My locs were pinned back behind my right ear to show off my dangly gold earrings.
With the gold sandals, gold bangle bracelets, and gold-rimmed sunglasses, I sparkled and shined as I twisted from left to right.
The dress fanned out around me, showing off a glimpse of my thighs before settling at my knees. It wasn’t too dressy, but it was nice.
I looked good, and my lips curled into a smile. I took a picture with my cell phone, and then it vibrated in my hand.
Lamar Anderson: The house with the flowers?
Jazmyn Payne: Yes. I’ll be right out.
I went to grab my bag from the bedroom, and as I made my way to the living room, a knock stopped me in my tracks.
My stomach twisted nervously.
My last first date was nine years ago—when I was twenty-one years old.
It was awkward with Tyson, and I should’ve never said yes to a second date, let alone his marriage proposal.
After reflecting on my first date with Tyson and comparing that to the ease and effortlessness of my time with Lamar, my nerves dissipated.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.
Gaaaaaaaaaaaahdamn, I thought as my nerves came right back.
Lamar Anderson had looked good under the artificial lights in the sports bar. But with the sunlight beaming down on his mahogany skin, he somehow looked even better. From his thick dark eyebrows accentuating soft brown eyes to his full lips spreading into a bright white smile, I was mesmerized.
“Jazz! Wow.”
My cheeks flushed as I stepped onto the porch. After locking up, I caught him staring. “Am I overdressed?”
“No.” His eyes swept up and down my body. “Not at all.”
I glanced down at my dress. “I know I’m just reviewing your business plan, but I didn’t know what else the tour entailed.”
“Jazz.” His tone forced my eyes to meet his. “You’re beautiful,” he asserted softly.
“Thank you.” I checked him out in his gray shirt stretching across his defined chest and biceps. His blue shorts displayed his muscular calves and expensive-looking blue, white, and gray sneakers. “You, too. I mean, handsome. You’re handsome.”
Seeming to smile at my awkwardness, he stated, “I’m going to show you around Spring Hill and then take you to lunch.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He escorted me to his black SUV. I noted his license plate number as we approached. Opening my door, he smiled. “You need help?”
Without waiting for an answer, he placed one hand on the small of my back and took my hand in his, guiding me into the vehicle.
I stepped onto the side rail and eased into the buttery leather seat, exhaling as he closed the door behind me.
Glancing around, I noticed the clean burgundy-and-black interior.
Sending a quick text to my aunt, I gave her the make and model of the car with the Maryland tags.
“Your car is nice,” I complimented him as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
He flashed me a lopsided grin. “I appreciate that.”
I slipped my phone back into my bag. “This interior is so…” I looked around again, unable to put it into words. “It’s rich.”
“Rich?” He chuckled, pressing the button to start the engine. “I mean, yeah, it cost a little bit extra because it’s custom.”
“I mean, it does look expensive,” I told him. “But I’m talking about rich in color. This shade of red is so beautiful.”
He sat back and assessed me.
Our eyes locked, and initially, I waited for his response. But after a few seconds of silence, we were just staring at each other. His cologne filled my nostrils. I inhaled deeply, realizing how long we’d been looking into each other’s eyes. Inexplicably, I couldn’t look away.
“Bordello,” he said finally.
“Hm?”
“That’s the…” His eyes dropped to my lips. “That’s the name of the custom color.” He tore his eyes from me and put his car in reverse. “You ready to see what Spring Hill has to offer?”
I exhaled. “I’m ready.”
“So, Jazmyn…” He glanced over at me before driving away from Aunt Addison’s house. “What did you get into yesterday?”
“Spent time with my aunt.” I fidgeted with my seat belt. “How was the trip to get plants?”
He let out a dry laugh. “It was cool. They didn’t have what the website said they did, so my mom switched up what she wanted. We were there for a lot longer than we were supposed to be. But it was fine.”
We fell into an easy conversation about his mom’s newfound love of gardening and my aunt’s love of plants in general. I did more listening than talking, but we exchanged stories of their overzealousness. His mom sounded a lot like my aunt.
“She lost her mind in Richmond.” Lamar laughed.
“We went from the nursery to the hardware store and then back to the nursery until she had everything she wanted.” He shook his head as he drove us out of Chance and entered Spring Hill.
“I love my mom, but it’ll be good for everyone when I head back. ”
“Why do you say that?”
“The longer I stay, the more she finds for me to do. And because Bill threw out his back, she got me doing everything she can think of.”
“Who’s Bill?”