Chapter Eleven #2
I blushed and smiled placing my hands on my face like a teenaged girl.
I knew that I shouldn’t have been entertaining Co because he was my trainer and I knew that he was the biggest hoe that the gym had to offer.
I also knew that I had an event coming up and I needed a date.
Co was a friend, he wasn’t someone I had to go out and quickly get to know, he was convenient, and he had already asked me on a date.
As long as I knew that this wasn’t going any further, I wouldn’t end up like any of his groupies who were sending nasty videos to his wife and bringing problems to the gym because of his dick.
ME: Actually, Crenley is being honored at the Mayor’s Ball this Friday and it’s mandatory for the whole staff to attend.
Do you have any plans for this Friday night around 8pm?
The Ball is going to take place at the Mayor’s Mansion where it is every year.
I don’t want to show up alone, so I was wondering if you would be my date.
Just as a friend. It could be a great business opportunity for you as well.
The who’s who of Atlanta will be in the building so it’s a great way to meet some potential new clients for Brick & Co.
COZART: I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to give anyone the wrong impression about us or anything.
I read his message and my smile immediately turned into a scowl.
That piece of shit had asked me out not once but twice, and the minute I took him up on his offer, he doesn’t want to go on a date with me because he didn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression!
Who the hell did he think he was, Morris Chestnut?
I was annoyed that I had even asked him.
I decided right then and there that I didn’t give a damn who was going to be there, I wasn’t going.
ME: k.
I typed back a single letter and swiped out of the conversation.
I then went over to Nordstrom’s website so I could take the dresses off hold.
Before I could log into my account my phone buzzed again.
Part of me wanted to ignore it because my feeling was hurt, the other part of me wanted to see what he had to say.
I opened the message and rolled my eyes so hard they felt like they were about to pop out of my head.
COZART: I was just joking. I would love to go to the ball with you, but I don’t want to feel like you asked me so I’m going to ask you. NY’Airy, there’s this Mayor’s Ball coming up this Friday at 8pm, would you do me the honor of accompanying me?
I sighed and twisted my face up hating the fact that I was smiling so hard.
ME: k.
I didn’t want to appear too eager, and he needed to pay for how he had just pranked me, so I figured one word was the best response. The bastard had almost caused me to cancel my dress fitting because he wanted to be petty.
COZART: Since all you are giving me are one letter replies then I’m going to assume the answer to all of the questions is “k.”
First question: Can you loan me two thousand dollars to pay my mortgage?
Second Question: Can I move in with you, so I don’t have to pay my mortgage?
Third Question: Can I drive your car, so I don’t have to pay my car note?
I almost choked on my own spit when I read his message. Imagining him eating my pussy instantly made me hot and bothered. I texted back so fast my phone felt like it was about to slip out of my hands as I tapped feverishly on the keyboard.
ME: HELL NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY THE FUCK NOT
COZART: There she goes, I knew you could type more than one letter. See you Friday night, I’m going to come and pick you up from your house so send me your address when you get the chance.
ME: k. Just kidding, I meant ok. See you Friday night.
“I can’t wait to meet this mystery man that has you smiling at that phone so hard,” my coworker walked past just as I was wrapping up my text message conversation with Cozart. I laughed with her, then when she was completely out of sight my smile turned into a straight line.
I stared at his last text message a few seconds longer. Larry had driven me to every company function we’d ever attended. It felt strange giving another man my address, but it also felt nice. I typed the address inside of the chat and hit send before I could change my mind.
“He’s just convenient, a means to an end,” I muttered under my breath.
I wasn’t going to make this a bigger deal than it was.
I thought about Renee’s statement about how hard Cozart had me smiling at the phone and it wasn’t him that had me smiling, it was the banter.
It had been a while since I exchanged flirty words with a man.
It had been a while since I talked to a man and didn’t see Larry.
No matter how much I had been hurt, I was still a woman.
A rose could make me cum three times on Sunday, but it couldn’t tell me funny jokes.
I would never allow myself to like someone like Co, but it still felt nice to entertain the thought.
He was the biggest hoe at the gym, he was still legally married, and his wife had just come and busted the gym window because he was fucking some other woman and she received a video.
His situation put the M in Messy. No matter how funny he was.
No matter how good he looked without a shirt.
I would never allow myself to get caught up with Cozart.
Besides, someone had taken my husband, and I would never knowingly do that to another woman after knowing what that kind of pain felt like.
I would not be the reason somebody else had to sit in the dark and cry over a man who didn’t understand the words for better or worse, rich, or poor, sick, and healthy, until death do us apart.
Not until you gain weight and you are no longer desirable to me.
After finishing my workday earlier than I anticipated, I went over to Nordstroms to try on dresses and shoes.
I found a pair of gorgeous Manolo Blahniks, a matching clutch purse, and went into the dressing room to try on the four dresses I had on hold.
The one that I loved was too loose, and that made me both happy and sad.
After putting in an alteration order with the in-house seamstress, I purchased the dress, paid for alterations then went home floating on a cloud.
I had accomplished securing a dress, accessories, and a date within a few hours.
The week went by in a blur of outside workouts, gym workouts, and a bunch of trying not to stare at Cozart while being in the same room with him.
The fact that he had become even more popular since his scandal definitely made it easier for me to remember that I only wanted friendship from him.
The number of women who had joined our workouts with no real intention of working out, just wanting to be near him was laughable.
I didn’t understand how they could be so obsessed over a man that wasn’t and had never been theirs.
My obsession with Larry was nothing like their obsession with Co.
Larry had been mine once and he would be again.