Chapter 1 Blossom Reid #2
“Absolutely.” I picked the menu up. “I may be a little sad, but I’m never too pissed to eat.”
We shared a small laugh as I ran down my order for her.
The tomahawk might not do much to heal my heart, but it was a start.
While I waited for her to return with my food, I sat back in my seat and sipped my wine as I scanned the place.
Soft jazz played as couples laughed and conversed with each other.
I could see the love some of them shared, and I grew envious.
I wanted that for me. I wanted my partner to crave my attention and affection.
The more I sat and pondered, the more I wondered if TJ was that man for me.
Something had to give with us, and quickly. Sitting alone in a crowded restaurant was not something I would make a habit of doing when I had a whole man. If I had to take myself on dates as if I were single, then I might as well be just that.
“One thing about you, friend… You’re going to have us in the fuckin’ ghetto.”
I glanced over my shoulder and couldn’t help but snicker at my assistant and best friend, Stacy. The disdain on her face was warranted as she covered her nose to mask the foul scent. She still didn’t have to say that.
“I won’t lie, though. I see the vision.” She nodded as she walked through the living room. “I know you’re going to make this home beautiful. You never cease to amaze me.”
Beaming from her words, I continued to watch my step as I walked through the run-down house I’d just acquired from the city.
Grove Heights wasn’t the best area in town because of all the crime and drugs, but that didn’t mean the homes in the area had to be run-down and raggedy.
Poverty-stricken areas weren’t the only places I purchased homes to flip, but it was where I felt I thrived the most. I loved taking the ugliest domain and turning it into someone’s personal castle.
“I was thinking we could remove this god-awful carpet and replace it with hardwood tile.” I pointed at the stained mess as we walked through the front of the home. “Nothing too expensive, but I want it to look as modern as possible.”
“And the walls?” Stacy asked as she jotted down notes. “I know damn well you’re going to redo the plaster.”
“That’s correct,” I called over my shoulder as I made my way into the kitchen. Now it was my turn to frown. The cabinets were either missing or hanging off. Not to mention, the entire sink had been snatched. “Why in the hell would you steal a sink?”
“Girl, we’re in the damn Heights. You better hope their asses don’t come in here and try to steal your little ass!
” she fussed as she neared the kitchen. The clacking of her heels came to a stop as she stepped inside the disastrous area.
“Girl, God is going to bless you tremendously because the way I would call the bomb squad to blow this muthafucka to bits! The roaches in this damn house are bigger than me. Hurry up and handle business and get me out of here.” She began to twitch as she scratched her arm.
“Got me itching and shit. You owe me a new outfit and shoes too. I’m burning these as soon as we leave. ”
Rolling my eyes at Stacy, I continued to assess the home.
It was filthy with broken or boarded windows, stained walls and floors, missing doors, holes, and rodent droppings.
The small, single-family house had been abandoned for years before the city purchased it, but it had been rotting away ever since.
When I rode through the city looking for places to flip, I knew I had to have it.
“I was thinking I could knock this wall down to open up space for the kitchen.” I traced it with the end of my ink pen before I made my way back into the living room. I nodded as the wheels in my brain turned at the many ideas. “It shouldn’t be that hard to do.”
“How would you know what’s too hard when all you do is sit around, barking orders?”
Jumping at the sound of his scratchy voice, I turned and locked eyes with my older brother, Rowan.
I watched him as he scratched his scruffy beard and eyed the place.
He had his own construction business, so whenever I needed something fixed or remodeled, I would naturally call my brother.
If I were going to put money in someone’s pocket, it was going to be his.
Although we shared the same father and were practically raised together, he and I had the weirdest relationship. It seemed as if he hated me at times.
“Nigga, you better make some noise the next time you come in here.” Stacy scowled as she flew from the kitchen with her small handgun at her side. “Your blood will fit right in with the rest of the fluids in this dump.”
“Anyway…” I overtalked her as I turned to face my brother. He was already irritated, and I didn’t want to make matters worse. “What do you think, Row?” I practically bounced on my heels as I gave him my full attention. “Do you think you and your team can fix this place up for me?”
“What do you think?” He scoffed as he toured the place.
The stench of liquor hit me in the face as soon as he passed me and made his way down the hall.
“The beams appear to be rotting, the walls have molded, and the boards on the floors are so weak, you can damn near stomp through them. You’re looking at damn near eighty thousand—”
“For fuckin’ what?!” Stacy shrieked, causing me to snap my eyes shut. “Friend, get a damn bulldozer and knock this place to the ground. This shit isn’t worth—”
“Write me up a contract and send it over.” I raised my hand to cut her off. “The sooner we can get this done, the better. Whatever you and your team need, please let me know. Thank you.”
Speaking incoherently under his breath, I watched as he staggered back out of the house without another word. I loved my brother, but he had serious issues that didn’t go unnoticed.
“You do know your brother was drunk off his ass, right?” Stacy asked as she followed me out of the house.
We were done with scouting the houses on my list, and I needed to head back to the office and get some things done before the workday was over.
It was a little after lunch, and I refused to work past closing today.
“You may want to look into finding someone else to help with renovations.”
“Rowan and I will work together until we can’t.
” I gave her a knowing look as I hit the locks to my truck.
Right as I slid inside, my phone began to ring.
Seeing that it was TJ, I declined the call as I got settled into my seat.
“Just try to keep the slick talk to a minimum. The last thing I want to hear is you and him going back and forth. You both go too far.”
As I got ready to leave, my phone rang once again, but I allowed it to go to voicemail for a second time.
I’d been ignoring TJ’s calls since he decided to walk out and leave me alone in that restaurant two nights ago.
I didn’t want to make it seem as if I didn’t understand his passion for his work, but I refused to be placed on the back burner.
It was one of the reasons our relationship lacked intimacy.
“Girl, fuck your wino-ass brother.” Stacy shifted in the passenger seat and turned toward me.
“When he respects you and stops acting like you’re beneath him, then, and only then, will I treat him like a man and not a bitch.
Speaking of bitch’s, what’s up with you and your so-called man?
You’ve yet to tell me about your date night. ”
Glancing over at Stacy, I shook my head at her brashness. She was my best friend, my sister, but she was a bit much at times. I didn’t take offense to the things that came out of her mouth because I knew they were from a good place. Her delivery, however, was the worst.
“I didn’t speak on date night because it didn’t happen.” I shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal when deep down, I was still pissed about it. “We met at the restaurant, and he left shortly after for work. I haven’t spoken to him since.”
TJ and I have stayed up many nights talking about a life together and how things would be. We both wanted the house on the hill, with kids and dogs running all over the place. With each day that goes by, that dream does not seem like a reality.
“I don’t mean any harm when I say this…” I gave her a knowing look as I pulled into the drive-thru at Chick-fil-A because I knew she, in fact, meant harm.
“That man does the absolute bare minimum when it comes to you, and for the life of me, I don’t know why you accept it.
Canceling on date night at your house is one thing, but leaving you in a crowded restaurant?
Nah. You out here acting like TJ is your only nigga or something. ”
“Girl, he is.” I chuckled as I moved the car forward in line.
“He said he had to work, sis. What am I supposed to do? Beg him to stay? I never have, and I never will. TJ knows that I’m at my wits’ end with him, and the ball is in his court to fix it.
” I scoffed, over the exchange. Thankfully, someone was walking our way to take our orders.
“Forget that. I want to talk about this house. So… I was thinking we paint the walls sage.”
Sighing heavily, she turned back in her seat and let the conversation about TJ die before we moved on to something else. I could only deal with one issue at a time, and right now, I wanted to deal with the remodeling of the house and not my sham of a relationship with my fiancé.