Chapter 22 #2
“Makes sense,” she beamed, loving the way he seemed to cherish his Mom. This was the first time she really heard anything about his Mom. That made her think long and hard. How was she in love with a man and never met his family?
He lifted her chin, calming those wild thoughts in her head. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “You’re welcome.”
He kissed her. “I love you, girl…so fuckin’ much.”
He didn’t wait to hear it back, just reached for his duffel bag. “Let me shower and change. We got a full day.”
Butterflies attacked Meadow as she rode in the back of the blacked out SUV limousine with Zaire sitting beside her, as cool as a cucumber. This felt real, like a life she never imagined to be a part of.
Earlier in the day, they all went back to the mall and with Zaire there, the shopping experience was like night and day compared to the day she went with Tia.
He picked out dresses he wanted to see her in, kissed her in the dressing room, and felt her up every time she was within arm’s reach.
He even went as far as buying her thongs which she felt cost too much even if they felt like the best cotton she’d ever touched in her life.
It was truly a fairytale that she never wanted the clock to strike twelve on.
Tia and Blain rode in a separate car that was equally as nice and she loved that for her and her girl. Tia’s makeup took a little longer than expected so they were running behind.
“You good?” Zaire asked, pulling his face from his phone. He’d been texting True about being out in public. He always wanted to be his authentic self but didn’t need another stain on his name so soon after a win that shook the league.
Of course, True told him to show up in his full Blackness.
Meadow nodded.
“Talk to me,” his hand landed on her exposed thigh.
The cream colored, form-fitted gown hugged her like a second skin and showed off those thick thighs he loved to be buried between.
“When is your birthday?” she blurted out, her nerves making her sound like a crazy person.
Zaire played along. “December 20th…yours?”
“September 31st,” she replied. “Favorite color?”
He smirked. “Come on, cuh…you know that.” He threw up his set.
Meadow rolled her eyes though she found everything he did, sexy. “Okay, blue…well, I like green.”
“Of course, Meadow Rain Green,” Zaire teased her about her name. “But what’s up? Why the twenty-one questions?”
“I need to know everything,” she sighed. “It’s the only way this makes sense to me,” she whispered.
He sat up. “Com’ere, baby.”
With no hesitation, she unbuckled her seatbelt and crawled into his lap.
Zaire kissed the side of her lips. “For what to make sense?”
“These big feelings I have.”
Sighing, he cupped both of her ass cheeks to ground her.
“I love you, Meadow. You don’t have to feel it or say it back.
I’m good with putting in more work to earn you.
The same way I practice my swing…I don’t mind practicing, loving you until I get it right…
until you feel comfortable and confident enough to love me back… ’cause you will love me back.”
“What if I already do?”
“Then do…” he hunched his shoulders, voice still laced with that west coast air she was desperate to feel against her skin, just once in her life, to understand where he came from. “No pressure though.”
Slowly, her lips curled into a smile. “You scare me, Zaire.”
“What does that even mean?” he laughed.
She wrapped her hands behind his head. “Something this perfect…that’s some scary shit.”
“Shit, we can be scared together, cuh.”
“Every time you say, cuh, my pussy jumps.”
“I didn’t even want to hear no music that bad,” he was ready to tell the driver to take them back.
Meadow cackled. “No! I’m not missing this.”
“Not even for dick?” His thick brows rose, teasing her.
Tapping her chin with her index finger, she thought about it. “Nope.”
“We’re pulling up,” The driver let them know.
Zaire grinned. “You better be glad we’re here or I’d make you handle that before we head into the ball.”
Meadow tucked her lip into her mouth, her sultry eyeshadow making her almond eyes stand out even more. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Always a promise, never a threat.” He gave her one last kiss before he tapped her thigh for her to get back in her seat. “You cool with the cameras?”
Meadow finally looked outside and damn near shitted on herself. “Um…I didn’t know it was going to be all this.”
“We can leave if you’re uncomfortable?”
“No… you’ve been in my world for months now.
It’s only right, I meet you in yours,” Meadow said even though her heart was racing out of her chest. What she was feeling was more than fear.
She knew this was like an introduction of her to the world even if Zaire didn’t say that.
She wasn’t naive. She’d seen enough famous couples go through this phase that she knew loving him, this was inevitable.
The SUV slowed to a crawl, black tinted windows reflecting the flashing lights up ahead. Voices swelled. Movement blurred. Meadow’s heart climbed straight into her throat.
She’d never seen anything like it in person.
Flashes cracked through the darkness like tiny lightning bolts. People with cameras jogged alongside the car. Security guards stretched their arms wide, forming a human wall.
Meadow blinked fast. “Zaire…this is a lot.”
“I know, baby.” His hand found hers instantly. “You don’t gotta do nothin’ but breathe.”
Her chest tightened when the SUV eased to a stop in front of the private entrance.
Zaire studied her face with recognition. “I promise I got you,” he assured her. “You ain’t walkin’ into nothing alone.”
The driver got out lightly jogging to her side of the car.
The moment he opened the back door, sound flooded in.
“ZAIREEEE! Zaire, over here!”
“Big win yesterday! How you feelin’?!”
“Cooks, look this way!”
“Is this your girlfriend?!”
Meadow sat frozen.
Zaire didn’t.
He stepped out first, taller than every flash, broader than every lens, cool as he ever was in Juniper Falls.
He had his diamond grill in and she almost didn’t let him leave the house looking like that.
His tattoos showed. His vibe alone pushed the crowd back a half-step because regardless of the money and fame, he was still a Crescent baby that never played about his respect and the industry knew it.
Security flanked him instantly, but he raised a hand like he didn’t need them yet.
He turned back toward the SUV and extended his hand. “C’mon, Marai.”
Her fingers slipped into his palm, and he helped her out gently, slow and careful, not because she was helpless, but because she mattered.
The first flash hit her eyes so bright she flinched.
Zaire slid his hand to her waist without looking down. “I’m right here.”
A reporter shouted, “Zaire! Talk to us about the win! How you feeling, man?”
Zaire looked dead into the camera with a smirk, dripping confidence and big Crip energy.
“I feel blessed…I feel Black, and I feel like the league gon’ have to get used to seein’ me in first place, cuh.”
The crowd erupted with laughter, hype, and more questions.
The glare of the flash surrounded them going off like dominoes falling.
Another voice shot out, “Is this your lady? The world wants to know!”
Meadow felt her stomach drop - fear, butterflies, disbelief, all twisted together. She stared straight ahead, but Zaire turned toward her first, his eyes scanning her face, checking if she wanted him to answer.
She swallowed.
He faced the cameras, pulling her an inch closer. “Yes, she’s mine.”
Meadow choked as she attempted to exhale.
Mine.
That four-letter word was heavier than the one, he kept dropping on her, that made her question if she even knew what love was. Mine felt certain…felt like a promise she wanted to stick her pinky out for just to make sure it was real.
The reporters screamed more questions.
“How long you two been seeing each other?”
“Is this serious?”
“Is she moving with you during the season?”
“How does it feel to be dating a golf champion?”
“What’s her name?!”
“Where did y’all meet?!”
“Is this why he won yesterday?!”
Zaire kept his arm around her waist, his thumb brushing the side of her face. Meadow didn’t think her heart could beat any faster, but it did, pounding as loud as the bright lights were flashing.
“Chill,” he told the reporters, lifting his chin. “Y’all not gon’ bully her…back the fuck up, cuh.”
A flash went off inches from her face.
Meadow jumped.
Zaire immediately stepped in front of her body, shielding her completely. Security surged closer without being told.
“Back the fuck up,” Zaire ordered. “Y’all gon’ respect her space on the gang, y’all is.”
He didn’t yell. It was just that quiet, dangerous West Coast firmness that made grown men straighten up on instinct.
Meadow blinked behind him, chest tight, heart overwhelmed.
The reporters slowed down.
Security opened a path.
“Let’s move,” one of them instructed.
Zaire took Meadow’s hand again, interlocking their fingers, squeezing just enough to remind her that he has her.
If she wasn’t a professional heel wearer, the melee would’ve had her tripping and falling. She had worn clear designer platform heels to bring her look together and give her some height. They were comfortable and complimented her French pedicure.
“You okay?” he asked through the chaos.
She nodded quickly. “Yeah, I’m just…this is a lot.”
“It’s gon’ be like this for a minute,” he warned, rubbing his thumb along her hand. “But I’m gon’ hold you down through all of it.”