Chapter 14
Fourteen
Mila
I tried my best to control the stupid smile on my face when I walked back into my apartment. I had just placed KJ on the bus for school and was preparing to get ready for work. As soon as I opened the door, Trey turned the corner and smiled.
"We good?"
I nodded. "We're good."
He moved closer to me and wrapped me in his arms, lifting me off my feet.
I squealed like a little girl as he lifted me, spinning me in a circle.
Tremaine kissed me, and I melted in his arms. For the past two weeks, this had become our norm.
He would come over at night once I got KJ down.
Then, when it was time to get KJ ready for school, he would remain in my room until I got KJ safely on the bus.
When it was the weekend, we would have Tremaine pretend to show up early in the morning at the door while KJ was doing his morning routine.
Even though the arrangement was a lot, and I constantly told Tremaine we didn't have to live this way, he repeatedly reminded me he was okay with the way things were.
Once he finally got his fill of kisses, he placed me back on my feet.
"We should probably get ready for work. I feel as if I've been showing up late every day since this arrangement."
He shrugged. "Mila, you act like I'm not the boss. I'm the one making you late. Stop worrying about it."
"I get that, but I still have to be respectful of my position and this company."
He crossed his arms across his chest. "If you're trying to be an employee of the month, baby, you've already surpassed that."
He pulled at the string of my sweatpants and pulled me closer, sliding his hand down my butt and gripping it. "One of the best," he kissed me. "And the most delicious employee I'd ever had."
"Trey!"
"Shit, I mean it. I can taste you all day. I wouldn't mind a taste now." He licked his lips.
My honeypot heated, but I remembered how sore I was from the night before. As soon as Tremaine hit the door, he pleased my body 'til the wee hours of the morning. In the moment, I didn't care, but now my body was paying the price.
I backed away from him, putting distance between us. "No, Trey. My coochie needs a break. Plus, I need to shower and get dressed. You should do the same."
"Please?" he asked, poking his lip out. "I can't help it. I'm addicted."
"Trey..." I warned. "I'll make it up to you later, I promise. Plus, I need to get to the office soon. Susanna wants to go over what I need to pack for this conference."
He rolled his eyes. "Stuff like what?"
"Girl stuff," I replied with a smirk.
Susanna wanted to gossip with me about the things that went down at these conferences. She also wanted to go over outfit options and other essentials that I might need.
"Yeah, whatever. Don't let Susanna get your ass in some shit you can't get out of. Stay out of these niggas' faces and be by my side at all times. That's all you need to worry about."
I scoffed and placed my hands on my hips. "I know you're kidding."
"I'm not."
"Trey, I still have to build my life. I plan to network with others and get to know people while I'm there. Shit, I might even consider going into real estate, but I won't know that until I mingle with people."
"Why do you have to talk to people when you can just come ask me?"
Even though Tremaine was right, I couldn't rely on him to help me get my foot in the door, no matter how easy it would be.
"Trey, I'm not doing this with you right now. I'm going to network with men and women while I'm there. Then I will make it my business to make sure I come to see you when the night settles."
He raised a brow. "See me at night?"
I nodded. His question confused me.
"Alright, Mila. Let's get dressed before we're late."
He walked to the other side of the apartment to use the spare bathroom.
I could tell the mood had shifted, but I wasn't sure what the reason was.
He needed to understand that I needed to create a foundation for myself.
For many years, I lived in Kyle's shadow.
I could no longer subject myself to living like that again.
I listened for the bathroom door to shut before I walked to my bathroom to get ready.
As soon as I finished brushing my teeth, my phone rang. It was an unsaved number, yet I answered.
"Hello?"
"Wow, I have to call you from a different number for you to answer? You must've thought I was one of your niggas you're fucking."
My blood instantly heated, realizing it was Kyle calling from a different number.
Since my consultation with my lawyer, Kyle has received strict orders to stop calling and harassing me.
Any communication between the two of us went through our lawyers only.
We had a hearing coming up to determine the custody of KJ.
"Kyle, what do you want?"
"Damn, don't sound disappointed."
"I'm disappointed that you're still calling, bothering me even though we have an agreement not to be in contact with each other."
"Man, fuck all that."
"Bye, Kyle."
I was preparing to hang up the phone when he called my name. His tone was different, which made me stop from hanging up.
"Mila, wait a second. I really just called to talk, like two adults."
I rolled my eyes as if he could see me. I didn't want to talk like two adults. Kyle had the opportunity to do that but failed miserably a long time ago. When I wanted to talk, he had no time for me. Now he wanted me to make the time for him, and I wasn't feeling it.
"Kyle, what is it? It's too early for your games."
"Mila, I just want to apologize."
I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at it.
I couldn't believe what I heard. Kyle had been harassing and making my life a living hell, and I did nothing wrong.
He wanted the divorce, and he was the one who cheated.
He blew up his family, not I. In the beginning, I would've taken what he said as law, but after Kyle had shown his true colors, I took his apology with a grain of salt.
"I shouldn't have broken my family up like this, Mila. I was wrapped up in my own personal shit and fucked up what we built. I want you to forgive me."
"Kyle, this apology that you are trying to push out is only for you.
My guard will remain up and will stay until KJ turns eighteen, and then after that.
Your apology is way overdue, but I'm not accepting it.
Now, if there is nothing else, please get off my phone, and if you need to get any message to me, your lawyer has my lawyer number. "
"Who is he, Mila?"
"Huh? Who is who?"
"The man who's got you forgetting the love we had. The man who has you not even wanting to accept my apology."
I sucked my teeth. "Bye, Kyle. I've already spent too much time on the phone with you. Goodbye."
I didn't even wait for him to respond this time. I ended the call. There was nothing left in me to give him. The only thing that he was right about was that there was a man who made me forget about him, and that was Tremaine. Kyle could keep his apology because it meant nothing over here.
I had finished getting ready and made my way out of the room. Tremaine stood by the door with keys and his bag in hand.
I smiled. "Ready."
He didn't bother to look up at me. He kept his eyes on his phone screen and nodded.
"You okay?" I asked.
He finally looked at me and then quickly back at his phone. "Yep. Let's go."
He opened the door and held it for me. I quickly grabbed my items and headed toward the door. Tremaine was still looking at his phone as if whatever were on was more important than anything in the world.
"Are you sure you're good?" I asked again as he shut the door.
"Let's go, Mila. Make sure the door is locked."
He walked away from me as I double-checked that the door had been locked. Tremaine was being strange, and I did not know why.
By the time we made it to the office, Tremaine had only spoken a few words to me. He asked me for my breakfast order, and that was it.
"Just an iced matcha with vanilla syrup, two pumps of brown sugar, with sweet cream foam, and a blueberry muffin," I said.
Tremaine repeated the order and added himself a black coffee with two shots of espresso and a blueberry muffin as well. Once we received our order, we headed toward the office in complete silence. I kept stealing glances at him, but his expression never changed.
As soon as we made it to the office, he went into his office and closed the door. The mood was still off, and I didn't know why. My plan was to ask him around lunchtime what was wrong because something was off, but until then, I decided to busy myself with work.
I sat down to work, and before I knew it, it was lunchtime. Susanna brought lunch, and we were talking about the conference. Susanna was ranting about how, at night, it turns into an orgy on the low.
"How do you know this stuff?" I asked while biting into the salad she brought me.
"Girl, the people talk. Pay attention to how people are acting on day one. Then watch how they act by the end of the conference. Most of these people are married, but they don't give a damn."
My eyes ballooned. "Are you serious?"
She nodded. "As a heart attack. It's insane! But I will say there are so many eligible bachelors there. A good bit of them aren't married, and you can spot them because the women flock to them. Maybe you may come across them." She wiggled her shoulders.
I shook my head. "No, thank you. I'm not looking."
She sucked her teeth. "Mila, you're divorced, not a nun!"
I looked at Susanna, confused because it made little sense in what she was saying.
"Susanna, what are you talking about?"
"I'm saying, just because you're divorced doesn't mean you can't look, feel, taste, or eat a man. A woman has needs, unless you are a nun."
I burst out laughing, and Susanna joined me.
"I'm serious. Don't let grass grow under your feet. Get out there, mingle, and you may meet a friend." She giggled.
"Thanks for the advice, Susanna."