Chapter 25 Kevin
KEVIN
“Bro, you shoulda told me shorty was a hottie. Man, you gon’ have to get your girl to hook me up fo’sho!” Troy exclaimed.
“Dawn is decent, I suppose. From what I have seen and heard about her she can be a bit on the feisty side.”
“Shit, that’s how I like ‘em! The feistier they are, the more I’m into them! You know them feisty one’s be the freakiest.”
“You would know, bro!” I laughed at my cousin as I cut my eyes over at Ava and smiled.
“You must really, really, really like her, Kev.”
“I do, how can you tell?” I asked.
“Shit, by the way you look at her. With that goofy ass grin on your face, she must have your mind gone. How long you been hittin’ that?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I responded.
“Try me dude, ‘cause it must be a minute. You doin’ all of this moving for her and shit and for free at that! I know you, cuz. You don’t go hard for folks you not rockin’ the long way with.”
“True dat! But man, Ava and I are just friends. Ever since we started working together, I have been attracted to her, but all it has ever been, was playful innocent flirting… nothing more,” I started to explain but Troy cut me off.
“So, wait… hold up! I’m confused.”
“I’m serious. Things didn’t really pick up between us until her marriage fell apart. I was there to be that shoulder she needed to cry on, and so far, that’s really all it has been.”
“Wait… you sayin’ you haven’t tapped that ass yet?”
“I couldn’t tell you what it looks like much less how her shit feels.
In time though, hopefully, that will change.
I’m just being the gentleman that I am and giving her some time to get her affairs in order and her life back on track.
Hell, her divorce ain’t even final yet, not that it matters to me.
I know that she is done with dude ‘cause the shit he did to her was unforgivable. Ava ain’t goin’ back to his ass…
that I know for sure. I could care less about a piece of paper that says she’s still married to a fuckboy who she’s separated from, to be honest. I’m giving her space and time ‘cause once she’s mine there won’t be no turnin’ back. ”
“You sound so sure of yourself. You betta be careful, bro.”
“Careful about what?”
“You being her shoulder to cry on and shit, looking out for her and she not even your woman and all, then boom!” Troy said doing the hand gesture for a bomb exploding before continuing.
“She’s off and laying up with a new nigga and you get yourself played.
You don’t want to be her rebound relationship. ”
“I highly doubt that. I know Ava wants me just as much as I want her. I can see it in her eyes. It’s just a timing issue right now.
She just lost her best friend and husband at the same time, and now she is in the middle of a divorce and having to start her life over.
I think being patient is the best thing for us both right now. ”
“I feel you my dude, just don’t be nobody’s fool is all I’m saying cuz. I’d hate to see you all heartbroken and shit over her ass. I can tell she has you wide the fuck open, just by how you be looking at her and that’s what I’m most concerned about.”
“I’m good, fool! You don’t need to concern yourself with what’s going on with me. You just worry about grabbing the end of this dresser so you can help carry it into the house,” I replied as we both started laughing. However, I was serious and meant what I said.
Ava and her sister had finished unloading her car and were now in the house unpacking and watching the people from the furniture company put together the pieces of furniture that she had delivered. There was so much going on at one time, not to mention I was starting to get hungry and thirsty.
“Hey Kev, I fixed you and Troy a cup of ice water. The cups are over on the kitchen counter,” Ava said as Troy and I walked into the kitchen. “Dawn and I are trying to decide what to get to eat.”
“Thanks love, I appreciate that. I was just about to ask for something to drink,” I replied.
“Me too, I’m thirty as fuck! And hungry as hell. My stomach is touching my damn spine,” Troy said.
“I’m going to Uber us some food. What do you guys want me to get?” Ava asked as she laughed at Troy then continued to scroll through the Uber Eats app on her phone.
“Shit, anything to be honest. As hungry as I am, I could eat an ox if I had to,” Troy said making us all laugh again.
Dawn was unloading a box that had kitchen plates and glasses into a cabinet. I peeped her and Troy stealing glances at each other. In my mind, I thought they’d make a great couple, so I hoped Dawn gave my cousin a chance.
“Pizza would be great, just no anchovies,” I said as I looked over Ava’s shoulder at the menu for Mike’s pizza.
“Ewwww! You don’t have to worry about that. Anchovies are gross!” Ava replied with the stank face.
She ended up getting everyone’s pizza requests then ordered four large pizzas. I saw that she had spent over seventy dollars on the food, so I pulled out my wallet and handed her a hundred-dollar-bill.
“What’s this for?” Ava asked looking at the money that I had placed in her hand.
“It’s for the food,” I replied.
“I told you I was going to get us all dinner. You don’t have to pay for it. You’ve done more than enough as it is.”
“Girl, let that man be a man!” Dawn shot from across the room.
Troy was handing Dawn the plates out of the box as she put them in the cabinet.
“Yeah love, let me be a man,” I agreed looking into Ava’s eyes. “If you feel you want to do something for me so bad, how about fixing me some more of that good ass ice water?” I laughed, handing her my empty cup.
Then I headed back outside to finish unloading the truck. By the time Troy and I were bringing in the last piece, the furniture company was long gone, and the pizzas were being delivered.
“Whew! Right on time!” Troy said rubbing his stomach.
“I swear ‘cause I’m starvin’ something serious!” I replied.
“Me too! All this manual labor almost took me out!” Dawn complained, causing us all to laugh.
Dawn and Ava did a lot; I’ll give them that.
But the majority of and just about all of the heavy lifting was done by me and Troy.
I could tell that Dawn was a handful, it was funny being around her and Ava because although they were sisters, they acted nothing alike.
After we all tore into the food and got pizza wasted, we sat in Ava’s family room looking at how much progress we had made, while glancing at all that still needed to be done.
“Okay, sissy, let’s get to work ‘cause if I sit here any longer it’s gon’ be a wrap,” Dawn said as she got up and started gathering the empty plates and pizza boxes.
“Let me help you with that,” Troy said, getting up to help Dawn.
Once they both walked off into the kitchen, I looked over to Ava and smiled.
“I think those two make a cute couple. What you think?”
“They really do,” Ava agreed slightly chuckling.
“Is your sister seeing anyone?”
“Not that I know of. What about Troy?”
“I ain’t gon’ lie, Troy single and enjoying life.”
“Same with Dawn.”
“We should hook them up,” I suggested.
“We should. Maybe we all can go on a double date or something.”
“Are you asking me out on a date, Ms. Ava?” I smiled in a joking manner.
“I mean, I—”
“Don’t be getting all nervous now. I didn’t mean to make you blush.
I would love to go on a double date. I think it’ll be fun.
” Seeing Ava smile and blush warmed my heart.
She had been through so much with that ex of hers.
Seemed like as soon as they said I do he started showing his ass.
“You have such a beautiful smile. It’s good to see you smiling and happy again. ”
“Thanks Kev, I appreciate that. It feels good to be happy again. These last couple of months have been hell, and that’s putting it lightly.”
“I know sweetie,” I replied scooting closer to her on the couch we both were sitting on. “You know I got you every step of the way. You’re not going to go through any of this alone. I admire the strong woman that you are. You have handled everything with such grace.”
“Thank you so very much. That really means a lot because it hasn’t been easy.
I owe you big time for everything you have done for me.
I truly appreciate you being here for me.
It really makes the process less stressful knowing that you and my sister have my back and that I’m not going through all of this alone. ”
“You don’t owe me anything, love. Just promise me that you won’t go back to that fool and you’ll consider me once you’re ready to being open to giving someone a chance to show you how you really deserve to be treated,” I suggested as she looked at me.
“I’m not asking you to rush into anything.
I do understand that you’re in the process of getting a divorce.
I personally don’t give a damn about your divorce not being final though, to be honest. As long as I know you’re not going back to dude, I ain’t trippin’ on that.
I would be lying if I said that I’m not interested in seeing where things could go between us.
I have always thought about that. Ever since the moment I first saw you, I have been attracted to you. I just respected your circumstances.”
“I appreciate you being understanding. I have always known that you’ve been interested in me.
I just think we should take things one day at a time.
You’re a great guy, Kev, and not too bad on the eyes either.
” Ava chuckled to lighten the mood. “I just don’t want to rush into anything too soon.
I need a little time to get my mind right before getting into a new relationship. ”
“I get it.”
“How about we continue to talk and plan this double date then see where things go from there? You cool with that?” Was she kidding me right now? Hell yeah, I was cool with that!