Chapter 19 Noa
Quade had been at my house for a week, and I was loving every damn minute of it.
He was sleeping in my bed, bringing me flowers every morning, and digging in my guts every night.
We both were just floating on cloud nine, pretending the world outside didn’t exist. It was reckless, and we were probably moving too fast, but it felt like the perfect beginning.
The best perk about having him here twenty-four-seven was that he’d finally finished my art studio.
Though he was kind of living here, he was still clocking in every day faithfully.
Last night, he stayed up late, determined to finish it, and voila, it was done.
We didn’t waste any time breaking it in either.
“You over there cheating,” he said from across the studio.
I glanced up, my brush still in hand. “What?”
“You supposed to be painting like a beginner, not Picasso.”
“Boy, please.” I laughed, shaking my head. My eyes drifted to his canvas, and the sound caught in my throat. “Okay, what in the hell is that supposed to be?”
He lifted his canvas from the easel and turned it toward me like he was so proud. I stared at the black smudges and blue streaks with my mouth wide open.
“It’s what you told me to paint,” he said defensively.
“I said paint what you feel.”
“And I did.”
“You feel like a kindergartener?”
“Girl, this is abstract. I’m expressing my stress.” He laughed.
“If you’re that stressed, I am not doing my job,” I muttered, flicking a small amount of baby-pink acrylic paint at his arm.
“Nah, you doing your job. Doing it good, too.” He blinked, and a small smirk crossed his face as he reached for his own brush.
“Quade! Wait! Don’t you dare—” I squealed as paint splashed across my chest. “Oh, that’s what we’re doing?”
“You started it.” He shrugged, and I flicked another splatter of paint at him.
“Keep playing, and you’re gonna be spread eagle on the floor with paint up yo’ ass.”
I leaned back in my seat, barely able to contain the laugh that escaped me.
“You over there laughing, but I’m serious.” Quade cocked his head and gave me that slow, dangerous grin he made when he was about to have my ass folded like a pretzel. He made his way toward me, slow and sexy.
“Oh, I know you are,” I said, holding his gaze. “And that’s exactly what makes it so funny.”
“Oh, I’m a joke to you?” He leaned down and kissed my lips.
“Mmm.” I hummed, still smiling into his mouth as his arms wrapped around me, preparing to lift me. Before we could get lost in the moment, a knock sounded at the front door. Quade groaned dramatically.
“I got it,” he mumbled, irritated that whoever was at the door was ruining the moment. I followed behind him in my chair. When his body stilled as he looked through the peephole, my heart sank.
“Who is it? Is it press?”
“Nah, my damn family.” He unlocked the door and swung it open without even giving me a chance to prepare.
“Noa, this is my big sister Jessica, my nephew Zy, and her boyfriend Ron. He owns Northside,” Quade rushed out as his sister stormed into my house, curls bouncing, with a big buff man and a teenage boy trailing behind her.
“You don’t have enough sense to come home, huh?” she started, hand on her hip. “I got to do a pop-up just to make sure you are still breathing. I know the blogs have been doing a lot, but falling off the face of the Earth ain’t gonna help nothing.”
I smiled at Quade’s sister. He’d told me she’d practically raised him, so I understood her overprotective, motherly energy. I liked it, and that made me more nervous. What if she didn’t think I was good enough for her brother?
“I’ve sent you multiple texts, Jess. Plus, I was checking in with Ron every day.”
“I told her you were fine and not to come over here,” Ron said as he closed the door behind them. My eyes darted around my foyer as I closed up my robe. I wasn’t sure if I should speak or just stay quiet.
“And yet, here you all are,” Quade replied dryly.
“I’m here on business,” Ron said, raising both brows. “I wanted to see the progress of the home.”
Quade smirked. “Right. And I guess Zy is the intern?” He gestured at his nephew, and his sister rolled her eyes.
“Nah, he’s here because Mr. Sneaking Girls in the House over there can’t be trusted home alone,” Jess said.
“You snuck a girl in the house?” Quade blurted at his nephew. “You strap up?”
“It wasn’t like that, Unc. We were just watching a movie.” His nephew shrugged, but Quade grabbed his arm.
“Movie or not, don’t disrespect your mom’s house like that. You want to chill with a girl, let somebody know.”
“I hear you, Uncle Quade.” He wandered past me and into the art studio like he was trying to get away.
“Whoa,” he whispered. “You did all these paintings?”
I smiled. “Yeah. You like art?”
“Yeah. I got a sketchbook, but people always saying it ain’t gonna make me no money.” He shrugged. “I mostly do cartoons and bubble letters.”
“Art, like any career, is what you make it.”
He stared at me like I had just unlocked something and smiled. “That painting over there of weird flowers is dope!”
“Thank you,” I said as Quade’s sister stepped closer, giving me a full onceover. I don’t know why, but suddenly, my posture straightened, and my heart pounded. I guess I wanted her to like me.
“You must be Noa.”
“I am,” I said, extending a hand and offering my best ‘I’m not freaking out’ smile.
“I’m Jessica, JaQuade’s big sister. Everybody calls me Jess.” She shook my hand, then glanced over her shoulder at her brother. “She’s gorgeous. She’s gorgeous. I guess I’ll give you a pass for not checking in.”
I laughed, biting back my nerves.
“I told him he could at least go home for a day. Or show his face at the office,” I said.
“Exactly!” Jess pointed at me, like she was happy to finally find someone who agreed with her. “He acts like checking in is going to kill him. I understand he’s grown, but still.”
“He’s stubborn,” I said, shaking my head. “Don’t listen.” I glanced up at Quade, who was shaking his head at me. Did I feel bad for throwing him under the bus to get in good with his sister? Yes. But I’d make it up to him later.
“Mmhmm, tell me about it. He has been like that since he was born. Wouldn’t even let me give him his bottle as a baby. He was trying to hold it himself.”
I smiled. “Sounds about right.”
“I like her for you.” She looked at me and over Quade.
“So y’all just gonna bond over talkin’ shit about me, huh?”
“Yep,” Jess replied without a second thought, and we started laughing. I took a deep breath.
“I would offer y’all a seat in the living room, but it’s still under construction. The kitchen? Anybody want some water?” I wheeled off toward the kitchen.
“At least you have manners.” Ron followed behind me. “I’ll take a water, Noa.”
“Whatever. I ain’t tell y’all ass to pop up over here,” Quade muttered as we all piled into the kitchen like it was a family reunion. I opened the fridge and retrieved several bottles of water. I was raised by my father, who was raised by his grandparents, so I had some manners.
“I got it.” Quade took the waters from my hands and set them on the table before sitting in the chair closest to me and placing his hand on my knee. “Y’all see me. I’m good.” Quade leaned back in his chair, and suddenly, the energy shifted. All the eyes in the room landed on Ron.
“You get those messages I forwarded you?” Ron asked. Quade didn’t even blink before he responded.
“Yeah, I got ’em.”
“So… you not gon’ respond?” Ron cocked his head.
“Nah, ’cause I ain’t doing it.”
“Man, come on. Why not?” Ron let out a short laugh.
“I’m not interested in throwing myself back into the spotlight just to chase my glory days. Rapping ain’t me no more.”
I glanced over at him. “Wait. What are you talking about? What messages?”
Ron answered before Quade could. “The team over at Eight24 Records hit him up. YFN Money got a tour stop here next weekend, and he wants him to do a surprise performance. They’re offering him 10K.”
My mouth flew open. “And you don’t wanna do that?”
“I don’t rap no more.”
“You rap to me,” I said quietly, and he turned toward me like he didn’t want me to say that out loud.
“Oh, is that right?”
“Man, it wasn’t even like that,” he mumbled.
“No, but it is like that,” I pushed. “You said something to me not that long ago. You said, ‘Just because your life takes an unexpected turn, it doesn’t mean you stop moving. You adjust. It’s okay to find a new rhythm.’”
That shut him up, and he looked at me like I was betraying him. Ron looked between us and nodded like he was cosigning everything I said.
“You can’t stay ducked off forever, bro. You’re building something, yeah, but that doesn’t mean give up on yo’ dreams.”
“I enjoy being ducked off,” Quade said under his breath. “It’s quiet.”
“But is it you?” Ron pressed. “For real? You really want to trade yo’ mic for construction boots? I mean, come on, Q. When I offered you the job, I never thought you would make it a permanent thing.”
His sister tapped her nails on the counter. “Just go out there and do this one performance. Feel it out. See if you get a spark.”
Quade didn’t respond. He just sat there like a kid called to the principal’s office. His mind was already made up. I reached for his hand and wrapped my fingers in his.
“You told me the best things you’ll ever do in life, you’ll do scared. Remember that?”
He swallowed. “Yeah, I remember,… but I’m not scared.”
“I think you are.” I squeezed his hand. “I think you’re scared of failing again, of putting yourself out there to be let down. Maybe now it’s your turn to do something scared.”
He stared into my eyes like I was the only opinion that mattered, like all the noise from his past, his fears, his hesitation, none of it could hold weight against my words.
“I’ll do it,” he said quietly, thumb brushing over my hand. “Long as you’re there.”
Before I could respond, Ron slapped the counter with both palms. “That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. Listen to your girl!” he hollered.
“About time,” Jess added. “Quae Lo back outside!”
Quade shook his head, like he wasn’t excited, but the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.
“Tell me I get to go!” Zy cut in from the corner. “Please tell me I get to go. I love YFN Money. I know all his songs.”
Quade raised a hand, stopping him. “Slow down, lil’ man. We’ll see.”
Zy nodded his head and grinned like he already knew he was going. I used my other hand to pull Quade’s face back to mine.
“I’ll be there.” I leaned my head against his shoulder, and he kissed my forehead. He was really doing this, and it felt good to be the inspiration behind him following his dreams again.