Jones
As the month of October came in, my crew and I were wrapping up Church’s project.
All that was left to do was the finishing work and touch-ups.
She would be ready to start production of her products at her own home in less than a week from the upcoming Monday.
I wouldn’t be out of her hair completely, though.
She’d already asked me to come by and do a few projects around the house.
It was Friday, the night that the annual Jackson Falls Fall Festival kicked off.
It was my first October in Jackson Falls, and all the locals acted like the festival was the shit, so I agreed to meet Lex at the main stage.
A band I’d grown up watching my mama love, Londynville Steel, was scheduled to perform.
I found Lex in the crowd cupcaking with Mari.
She was in front of him. His arms were wrapped protectively around her at the shoulders.
Lex’s ass was gone. I’d never seen him do PDA with a woman. Ever.
He didn’t remove his arms from around Mari when he spotted me. “What up?” he questioned as I joined them. He held out his fist, still not releasing his lady.
I tapped his fist with my own. “Can’t call it.” I gave his girl a playful grin. “What’s up, Mari? You lettin’ this hoodlum be wrapped all around you in public?”
She grinned wide. “Just for today,” she teased.
He kissed her on the side of her face. “Whatever. You know you’ll let me wrap myself around you tomorrow, too.”
We all laughed. I spotted Church standing to the side.
“Ugh, I’m glad somebody else is here,” she said to me. “I was starting to feel like the third wheel. Hey, Jonah.”
“Damn.” I turned up my nose. “They been lovey-dovey and shit the whole time y’all been here?”
“And have.” She gave them a fake frown.
“We can walk away,” I told her. “We can leave them to their cakin’ and find someplace else to stand.”
“Right? It’s just that I came with my mother.
” She thumbed in the direction of the stage.
“This is her favorite musical group. She’s the one who convinced the festival committee to invite them back.
And Bayliss couldn’t make it, so I came with her.
” She turned around. Her mother was literally at the edge of the stage.
“Mrs. Alisha ain’t thinkin’ ’bout you, Church. She’s here for Londynville Steel. She left you,” Mari joked.
“She did. But she’s up there with Collins and Beck.”
“Jonesy!” My name rang through the crowd in a loud, high-pitched, feminine squeal. A few seconds later, Jenna came into view.
Lex shook his head. “Dawg. You can’t go nowhere in this town without your fan club finding you.”
Mari shook her head. “Should’ve kept it in your pants.”
She wasn’t lying. None of the pussy I’d fallen into since arriving in Jackson Falls was worth all the drama it invited. I mean, I’d had a good time with Jenna and Kylena, but not good enough to have to keep dealing with her thirsty ass.
“Always this little foursome, huh?” she questioned when she was close enough to take us in. “Hey.” She gave me a hug that was a lot of titty rubbing on my chest.
I broke contact quickly. “What’s up?”
“That’s what I’m tryna see.” She hit me with a seductive look.
Before I could respond, Kylena slid through the crowd and landed at Jenna’s side. “Hey, Jones.”
“What’s up, Kylena?”
“I told him, that’s what we’re tryna see.” Jenna informed her obvious partner in crime.
“You looking to have an encore performance with us?” Kylena asked me. She gave me soft eyes and placed the tip of her pointed fingernail in her mouth.
Instead of being turned on, I kind of wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
I’d felt like I’d been making headway with Church ever since the night we watched that movie together.
She was less hostile and judgy with me. She’d been way more open and friendly.
She actually came into the production room when my guys and I were working.
She talked to us, asked us questions, and even brought us out snacks and drinks.
Now, here was my past and bad decisions in her face where they couldn’t be ignored.
“I think he’s dealing with this one now.” Jenna jammed her finger toward Church.
Kylena gave Church the up-down. “Shit, as thick as she is, and she gotta pretty face? Tell her to bring her ass on. I wanna know what she tastes like.”
My gaze flew to Church just in time to see her eyes widen in surprise. Kylena kept talking. “I’ll strap up. Me and Jones can handle the two of ya.”
“I don’t think she parties, Ky.”
“That’s cool. I love virgins. I hit ’em with this tongue ring, put it right on the clit, and they never look at men the same . . . Shit, women either.” Kylena laughed at her own joke.
“I’m sure you’re fabulous with your tongue ring, but Jones ain’t no slouch with his, either. Thanks for the offer, but I’m good.”
I tried not to choke on my own spit. I couldn’t believe she said that shit. I didn’t even have a tongue ring. Jenna’s eyes clouded over then hardened. “So y’all are fucking,” she spat.
Church turned and walked away from us. I looked at Jenna. “I don’t have a tongue ring. She was fucking with you because you were fucking with her.”
“Why do you care who Jones is fucking anyway?” Kylena asked her. “You’re fucking me, . . . and we only fuck together.” Kylena narrowed her eyes. “Let me find out you’re fucking around on me, Jenna.”
“I’m not. I’m not. I was tryna see if he wanted to party with us. I wasn’t trying to have him to myself.”
I didn’t necessarily believe her, but Kylena seemed to. “Let us know if you wanna link.” Kylena winked at me. “Especially if you can get ol’ girl with the fat ass to join.”
“I don’t want her to join,” Jenna fumed.
“Don’t be selfish,” Kylena admonished as the two of them walked away.
I didn’t say anything, just glanced up at the sky in disbelief. When my eyes caught Mari’s, she gave me a sad smile. “Fuck your life?” she asked.
That was the perfect sentiment.
Saturday afternoon, I ended up back at the Fall Festival.
Jackson Falls wasn’t New York or Chicago.
There wasn’t really a lot to do, especially on a Saturday morning.
I figured I would walk down Second Street and see what was what.
I wasn’t there for five minutes when I spotted my cousin Bright and Bailey at one of the booths.
We exchanged a handshake and a quick embrace before I greeted Bailey. There was a bit of a crowd at the booth they were standing at. “I’m going to get some food,” Bailey announced, rubbing her pregnant stomach.
Bright gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Be careful.” She nodded before walking away.
“What’s happening here?” I gestured in the vicinity of the booth.
“The Dean of Discipline over at Jackson Woods High School and his wife lost their house to a fire a few weeks ago. The local chapter of Humanity for Community is putting together a team to help rebuild it. Jackson Strong is taking the lead on the build.”
Jackson Strong was his construction company. “Straight up? That’s what’s up.” I patted him on the shoulder. I didn’t know the dude who lost his house, but I appreciated the way that Jackson Falls and Chinook Woods residents planned to come together to take care of one of their own.
“Say, most of the people who agree to work on the project are gonna come in as volunteers. But I do have a small budget for a project foreman. It’s not your typical rate, but you wouldn’t have to be on-site full-time.
You’d stop through every day for maybe an hour or so.
I’d still have you on another project. It would be like part-time work, but at a reasonable pay rate. ”
I was about to tell him that I would definitely do it because I didn’t turn down making money. Besides, there really wasn’t shit else to do in Jackson Falls during the daytime hours on a weekday but work. But then he said something that gave me pause.
“Coming in on this project, in a visible way? That’ll help you reframe your current reputation.
It’ll help get people to stop talking about your .
. . escapades and talk about your work ethic, your skills, and your commitment to Jackson Falls as something other than a hunting ground for their daughters and granddaughters, especially if you’re thinking about staying here.
” He eyed me. “I know you move around a lot, don’t like to stay in one place for too long, but—”
“Nah,” I cut him off. “Jackson Falls is cool. I mean, it’s slow as hell. I’ma probably end up getting into hiking or camping or some shit to keep from going crazy.” We both laughed. “But it has its positives.”
“My baby sister-in-law? She the positive you’re talking about?” He put air quotes around the word positive.
I gave him a blank stare.
“Dawg, blank staring me ain’t gonna work.
I’ve seen three dudes get caught up in Kingsley women, myself included.
I know exactly what that looks like. You gotta thing for Church.
It happens. Church is a good look for any dude.
She’s smart, she’s a hustler, and she’s a businesswoman.
She’s also a homeowner, she got paper, she’s independent, and she’s capable, .
. . all that shit. But one thing about her, she’s private as hell.
She flies under the radar, and not too many people know a lot about her.
” He shrugged his shoulders. “Your name is on everybody’s lips.
All the old heads in town are calling you Casanova. Mr. Love ’Em and Leave ’Em.”
I opened my mouth to protest when another voice cut through the chatter going on around us.
“Hey!” Soon, a pretty, very curvy woman stood beside the two of us.
I recognized her right away. She was the woman I’d met and fucked on like my second day in town.
I’d met her at a bar on Second Street. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember her name.
“Hey, Jones.” Her smile was bright as she gave me a side hug.
I smiled back, “What’s up, lil’ mama?”
“Hey, Bright.” She cheesed at him. “I’ma gone ’head and give you a fist bump. I heard your wife is from the big city and ain’t scared to throw them hands.” She held out her fist.
Bright laughed as he bumped his fist against hers. “That sounds accurate. What’s up, Teeyah?”
Teeyah—that was her name.
“Nothin’. Just came through the festival to see if anything worthwhile was happening up here.” She cut her gaze at me. “Wasn’t expectin’ to run into you. You busy after this?”
“Damn.” I tried hard to put a regretful look on my face. “I just stopped through to holler at my cousin about a project I’m startin’ in a few days. It was good to see you, though.” I pulled her into a very loose, very quick hug. “You take care of yourself.” I turned to Bright. “Yo . . .”
“Yeah,” he said with a nod of his head. “I’ll get at you with the particulars of the job.”
I walked away. Constantly running into women I’d fucked wasn’t where it was at. Jackson Falls was entirely too small for me to have been leading with my dick the way I was. If I wanted to change the narrative, I was going to have to change the way I moved.