Chapter 12
CHAPTER
TWELVE
LANE
Lately, I had so much pent-up anger toward my father that I was just trying to get through my days.
It stemmed from how I felt he did my mother to the disrespect he was dishing.
That day at the restaurant, I didn’t expect him to dismiss me like I some was chick on the streets.
I expected him to be my father and explain this situation.
I guess I didn’t deserve it though, because he told me he’d call me later and never called.
They said a woman’s first heartbreak should never be her father because then he fucks it up for every man coming in to her life.
I mean, I was never one of those girls who saw her father as larger than life, but I did see him as a man who wouldn’t embarrass his family the way he was doing now.
“You’re blanking out, sweetie. Are you alright?
” My mother’s voice broke my thoughts. She was in the kitchen making dinner for her, me, and Taurus tonight.
She had enough of me sneaking out and being absent with a man she still hadn’t been introduced to, so this morning, she called me and threatened me.
I couldn’t do anything but laugh and agree to have him come over for dinner tonight.
I wasn’t worried, but I then again, I knew my mother.
This lady would attempt to question him until he lost his mind.
She was that good and had that many questions floating around her mind.
“Nothing. I’m just a little tired these days.” I shrugged my shoulders.
She looked confused. “And why is that? Too many new clients?”
I laughed. “No. It’s just the new space and the expansion.” I had recently left a firm to branch out on my own.
“I’m proud of you and all that you’ve accomplished.” She leaned over and hugged me.
“Thank you, but if you’re interested, I am looking for a partner.” I picked her resume up from the coffee table. I didn’t need to look over her resume to know how accomplished my mother was. I knew she’d been doing interviews, trying to get back into the flow of things.
“You are so sweet and so—”
“You. I’m a direct reflection of you, Ma. ” I finished for her.
She smiled. “That isn’t getting you out of cooking tonight, because I will be nowhere near a stove. Instead, I’d like to be getting to know my future son-in-law.”
“You’re hilarious.”
“I am serious. I can tell by the way you look when he’s mentioned that he’s your one. Also, by the way that I don’t see you until you come straggling in to get a few outfits every so often.”
“It’s not like that, Mama.” I tried to explain.
“Girl, bye, I know love when I see it. There’s no need to conjure up some excuse for me. So what are you cooking?”
“He’s bringing homemade chicken pizza.” I smiled. Taurus was an asshole, but he made sure I got what I needed and wanted.
“From?” she asked.
“His home. His chef made it.”
“Oh, so he has a chef?” She looked at me with her eyebrows lifted.
“Yes, Mama, he has a chef.”
“And what does he do that he can afford to have a chef?” The questions were already starting.
There was a knock at the door before I got the chance to respond to her.
Now I was nervous and wondering how this night would go.
My mama was meeting the man who put butterflies in my stomach on a regular.
I didn’t know whether to run in the opposite direction or open the damn door.
Safe to say I opened the door, and the moment I did, he was giving me a sour expression.
“What took you so long to open the door?”
I gave him the same sour ass expression back. “I was wondering if I should cancel this or see how it crashes.”
“After you had me get chicken sausage and spinach on this pizza? You had me fuck up a perfectly good pizza. Nah, baby, lemme meet mama so we can go watch that new movie tonight when we get home.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead, then walked his ass right into my house like he owned it.
I swear I didn’t get how the movie had anything to do with the pizza or meeting my mama.
“Lane, I thought you said I was meeting ya’ mama, not your sister.” His voice carried from my kitchen to where I was.
I shook my head. There this charming ass nigga was about to start his stuff. He just didn’t know my mama. She wasn’t easily charmed, or at least that was what I thought until I turned the corner and he was kissing her hand. She had a big ass smile on her face. Alright now, Mama!
“Well, Lane, you definitely didn’t tell me that my future son-in-law was this much of a charmer.” My mama had her hand on her hip. “I’ll go get the plates.”
Once my mother exited the room, he waited until I was within arm’s reach and pulled me into his space.
His lips were near my ears when he murmured, “I missed you.” Then he pressed his lips against my forehead.
I hadn’t seen him since before court earlier.
I had to be up extra early because I had to go to my office before I went to the courthouse.
It warmed my heart and made me blush knowing he missed me as much as I missed him.
I grinned up at him as our lips collided. Besides being in the courtroom this morning, being in his arms was one of the better parts of my day.
Dinner with my mom was surprisingly nice.
Halfway through the dinner, I realized I didn’t know why I was even worried in the first place.
Taurus had a certain cool about him that let people know that he wasn’t easily spooked or thrown off of his square.
He went with the flow and answered her intrusive questions as they came.
When she noticed that, she stopped trying to give him the third degree as a lawyer and actually got to know him.
Dinner was done, and she had something to do.
She had me looking upside her head because she called herself being all secretive and shit.
“So since ya moms got a booty call to go to, that means we’re about to go home, right?” he leaned over and asked me loud enough for only me to hear. He had the expression of a child.
It wasn’t on purpose, but I cracked up laughing before I looked over at him with wide eyes. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t believe he had just said that. “Taurus, are you serious?”
“Look, baby, ain’t nobody judging her, but you know how that shit goes. The only thing open at this time of night is legs and lips. Shit, when we get back north, I know yours will be.” He winked and then sat back with his hands rested behind his head.
I didn’t have a response for him, because I should’ve already been used to his mannish ass.
Instead, I hit him in his shoulder. Then I stood to my feet just as my mother emerged from the bedroom she occupied since she’d been there.
I guess he was right because she had changed her entire outfit from what she was wearing during dinner.
“What are you kids getting into tonight?” She looked from me to Taurus.
“Well, hopefully, the bed. What are your plans?” I looked at her sternly. What Taurus said and the way she was now all dolled up had me thinking.
“Considering the fact that I am your mother and grown, I don’t think I should be receiving that look from you. Isn’t that right, Taurus?” She looked at him and then me.
This nigga had a big grin on his face as he answered her. “That’s right, mama. She’s grown, Lane.”
“I didn’t ask Taurus. I asked you.” I cut my eyes in his direction before focusing back on my mother.
She was leaned over in the mirror, applying another coat of her favorite MAC lipstick to her lips. “If you must know, I’m having drinks with an old friend. It’s completely platonic.”
I shook my head. “Sure. Then why is that much lipstick necessary?”
“I can’t go with my lips bare, can I?” She smiled at me. My mama knew when it came to me, she had no business to herself or secrets.
I decided to not push her right now, but we’d have a long conversation very soon. “Have fun and be safe.” Then I turned and looked at Taurus. “Are you ready to go?”
I didn’t have to ask him twice, because before I finished the question, he was standing to his feet.
After we said our goodbyes to my mother, we were out of the door and in the elevator. He draped his arm around my shoulder, and I rested against him.
“You do know yo’ mama is grown, right?” he asked after a few moments of silence.
“I know. I just—” I started.
“Don’t be so hard on her, Lane. Let Stella have her fu—”
“I just knew you couldn’t be serious for shit.” I tried to get out of his space, but he tightened his other arm around my waist. He was laughing at his own stupid ass joke.
“And besides, your mama ain’t finna go do half the shit you about to do to me. You’re on baby-making time. Mama is just trying to test some water.” He shrugged.
“Taurus.” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling.
“You’re gonna learn to stop rolling ya fucking eyes, counselor. When those motherfuckers get stuck, ain’t nobody gonna wanna look at yo’ pretty, bad-eye ass.”
I turned around and looked up at him with amusement embedded in my face. “Bad eye?”
“Hell yeah, because it’s only one eye usually fucked up in the pair. Then you got the confused eye, and that mother—”
I didn’t even want to hear any more of his flawed ass explanation. “Taurus, you have serious problems,” I mused as the elevator finally opened on the main floor. He grabbed my hand, and we stepped off, walking in the direction of the parking garage.
“Nah. I don’t. I just research and look up the shit that yo’ ass won’t. That way, I can educate you on lil’ shit like eyes that are cocked like a thirty-eight.”