Chapter 1 #2
We reached his truck and he opened the door for me to get in. “That’s understandable. Then how do you expect to get full?”
He didn’t leave room for me to answer his question because he had already closed the door and rounded the truck to the driver side. Once inside he started it up and glanced in my direction, he asked, “Where do you want me to take you?”
I rattled my address off to him, then settled into his seat. It was so soft and buttery that all my exhaustion from the last few weeks surfaced. Momentarily, I closed my eyes, thinking he was about to turn the music on to decompress from his day like most.
“Are you going home to somebody?” His voice was weighted. Much more weighted than it had been throughout the night.
“Nope. Well, unless you count the dog I just purchased from your sister-in-law as somebody, then yeah.” I laughed at my own joke to ease my nerves.
He laughed as well.
“What about you? Are you going home to someone?”
“Nah. I’on even have a dog. My daughter spends a few days with me and the rest at my brother’s crib. After I drop you off, I have a long ass drive ahead of me.”
“Why such a long drive? You don’t live in Chicago?”
“Nah, I live on the outskirts. Corn county and things like that,” he answered easily and honestly I wasn’t shocked.
“That sounds interesting. How about I give you my number and talk to you during your ride?” I shocked the hell out of myself with my offer, but I had already said it, so oh well. Plus it wasn’t like I’d be sleeping at that time or anything.
He chuckled. “You’d interrupt your sleep like that for me?”
“I don’t sleep as much as I should. I’m in the middle of opening my second location, planning a family vacation, and keeping the one location I have afloat. When has the sleep not been interrupted?”
He chuckled. “Aight, then I’ma take you up on that.”
True to my word I spoke to him his whole ride after he dropped me off. His presence was so weighted, but with every chuckle and chortle it was lighter. He struck me as the type to deprive himself of laughter because he carried so much. It was strange, and so was he, but I liked his strangeness.
“What was so serious you couldn’t tell me over the phone?” Beyah’s voice made me look up from the lemon spritzer I was currently drinking.
“Nothing was serious, I just couldn’t risk you being in the house with your husband and having the damn phone on speaker. You have that bad, and before I know it, I’ll have all of my brothers in my business.”
She laughed. “First of all, I told you I had the phone on speaker because I was getting dressed and couldn’t find my headphones and those two fools are going to be in your business regardless.” She took a seat across from me before glancing out of the window.
“But you didn’t tell me you weren’t alone. Now my brother knows I’m thinking about having a one night stand to have a baby.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t realize you were gonna say that. And it was wild, Jade. Anyways, how was your date with Preston?”
“Horrific.” Then I commenced to explain the worst date of my being to her. I also didn’t leave anything out, therefore mentioning Mr. Oden. That had her giving me a toothy grin by the end of my recalling.
“So, he fed you, drove you home, and talked you to sleep.”
“Um yeah, when you put it that way that’s exactly what happened.” I couldn’t help the goofy grin on my face.
She laughed. “Oh, your brothers are going to kill you.”
My face grew serious. “For what? What did I do?”
Beyah laughed. “Listen, babe. I know the man I’m married to and I have gotten to know your brothers.
You are the only female. I don’t think this family can produce girls, that in turn makes these niggas nuts over your business.
Yes, you’re grown and they know that, but in their eyes no man is good enough for you. Even family affiliates.”
I waved her off. “Whatever. I’m still grown. And it was nothing.”
She laughed. “Girl bye, nothing doesn’t make you smile like this. But I get it, trust me I do.” She wore a grin.
I spent a while longer, eating and catching up on life before I had to head out to check on my store.
Maybe that was my problem, I’d never have enough time for a man or family because I liked making my own money.
I mean, of course I liked spending that of my siblings, but I loved making and maintaining my own.
Over the years I had worked so hard to create my own space and brand that I didn’t know how to back up or slow down.
I only knew how to strive for and work toward my goals.
My eyes then went to the counter where a vase of red roses sat. It was addressed to me from a secret admirer. Who the secret admirer was; I didn’t know, but I guess I was grateful for the flowers that I’d leave here. I wasn’t too keen on taking any and everything into my space.
“This place is coming together nice, Jay. I’m proud of you.” A voice flushed annoyance through my veins and sent my eyes to the ceiling.
With my arms crossed, I turned and faced the man, who at one point, I thought I’d be with forever. Too bad forever only lasted through the honeymoon stage and wasted time. “Why are you here, Gavin?”
He smiled in my direction, but that was met with a mug.
I literally hated this nigga. Not only because of his whorish ass ways, but because he was who he was outside of the fact that he couldn’t get over himself.
I felt like I spent so much time auditioning for his affection that now every time I looked at him, I got an ill feeling.
“I was in the area and wanted to see you. It’s not like you answer an email or anything. You did block me.”
“Ha. For good reason.”
“It was a misunderstanding. I fucked…” His sentence trailed off right where mine picked up.
“You fucked my brother’s trifling ex. But that was years ago and not worth bringing up now. So why are you here? Why do you think it’s okay to intrude on my life now?”
“I’m not intruding, Jade. I fucking miss you. It took me years to face you, to finally see that I can’t keep letting a past I didn’t mean to let happen dictate my future.”
“Oh, so the fact that my brother told you to stay your trifling ass away from me isn’t enough to dictate your future. Negro, please.” I waved him off.
“You deserve to be mad at me, maybe even hate me, but that ain’t gonna make me love you no less, Jade.”
“I don’t hate you nor am I mad at you. I learned a long time ago to leave shit in the past. You, I’ve left in the past. So, why won’t you stay there?”
“Because I love you. So, do me a favor and think about it. I know you don’t have my number anymore, so I’ll leave it on the counter. I love you, Jade.” Then he walked off.
When he exited, I turned and found my eyes on the mess before me.
I had so much to do and so little time to do it.
Then again that could’ve been me overthinking and not allowing myself time to inhale.
I was constantly on the go, never truly allowing myself to breathe or smell the roses.
It was a gift and a curse, as I never felt fulfilled, because I always felt like I could have done better.
“Everything is fine, boss. We will have everything together by next month. I promise,” Ava voiced.
Ava was not only my assistant but someone I just recently considered a friend.
Though most of her professional life revolved around me and what I had going on, she offered sound input, honesty, and a shoulder when needed. She was present.
“I know. It’s the overthinking.”
“That you shouldn’t be doing. Everything is going to go off perfectly as always. Just know you got this and nothing else matters.”
I grinned. “You’re right. What would I do without you?”
“The same damn thing you’re doing now. And please tell me why Gavin was walking out of here?”
“Trying not to allow his past to dictate his future. Whatever the hell that means. I really wish he’d crawl back into whatever hole he dug his way out of. I don’t have the space for his mess.”
“You’re right; you don’t. You’re too busy working on becoming a mogul. So, I speak for you when I say you don’t have time or space for anything attempting to waste it.”
Her words echoed in my brain. What she said was true, but maybe I needed to waste some time for once instead of always being so caught up in work.
“Who bought you the flowers?” Ava’s voice brought me back to where I was presently.
“I don’t know. They got here a little bit after I did. I’m not aware of any secret admirer. Shoot, they could be from ol’ boy from last night. However, I did ditch him, so you never know.”
She laughed. “To be young and beautiful. Flowers just start appearing out of thin air.”
We both laughed.