Chapter 14
Four months. Four months later he and Foxy were still going strong. About six weeks into their relationship, she overheard him referring to her as his girlfriend in a phone conversation. Once he ended the call, she corrected him stating that they had no such claims on each other. After a brief discussion which consisted of him bending her over his kitchen counter and filling her balls deep and repeatedly reminding her that he was her man, they came to an agreement on their status. She snarkily asked when they became a couple and was informed that it happened when his nephews continued to address her as Uncle Bubba’s girlfriend and she didn’t correct them. Some would consider his tactic a bit high handed, but he simply referred to it as a meeting of the minds.
“You are so petty, Noah.”
“Four months in and you just realized that, Foxy?” Noah lifted the weight from Leah’s grasp and racked the barbell into the housing. “You should have known as soon as I locked you down, I was coming back to the scene of the crime.” In actuality they’d gone to the gym multiple times together, but this was the first day they happened to come across the Pilates instructor. “You should be glad that Stacie ran into me that day and tried to get my attention. If not for her and her antics, we might not be together.”
“Are you saying she deserves a medal?”
“No, she deserves the show we are giving her.” When she rose, done with her set of chest presses, he added a peck on her lips to accentuate his point. Not that he needed the woman present in order to kiss Leah, but it was incentive. Since the beginning of the school year, their time together had been precious. He was glad they’d managed to get away to Bermuda for a week in the summer. Spending the time watching her in next to nothing during the day and stark naked at night had been a pleasure. Now Leah was deeply involved in mentoring three high school seniors, assisting with college acceptance letters, prom dresses, and other senior year moments. He learned that she sponsored a few girls each year covering the cost of their entire prom attire. She said it was as much for herself as it was for them because she never got to attend the prom herself.
He battled with himself daily with the idea of asking her to move in with him, but it was practically an unwritten rule. They rarely spent nights apart. The one time they came close was about a month ago. They had an argument about something insignificant, so much so he couldn’t recall what it was about or how it started. Leah grabbed her purse and stormed out of the front door of his home. Noah didn’t go after her right away, instead he cleaned up his home, washing the dishes that they used for dinner, packed a bag and jumped behind the wheel of his truck. When he arrived at her house, she was sitting in the driveway still fuming. He hopped out of his truck, duffle in hand, tapped on her window and said, “Since you don’t wanna be at my house, I guess we’ll be at yours.” After entering the house behind her, he fucked her on the floor of her living room and with her naked body still quivering beneath his, he peered down at her and said, “We don’t not talk. If we have a problem, we’re gonna talk it out. I love you too much to let little bitty shit drive a wedge between us.”
The surprise he’d seen in her eyes at his statement had been worth the somewhat unromantic declaration. He wasn’t sure how he planned to share his feelings, but doing so after ripping her out of her clothes and fucking her damn near in the doorway hadn’t been the plan.
“Can you have lunch with me today?” He dug a bottle of water from his gym bag, popped off the top and placed it in her hand.
“No, I’m having lunch with the girls. After we go prom dress shopping, I want to kind of pick their brains about what they see for themselves after graduation. Not everybody is on the college track and a lot of girls haven’t heard that. I want to give them an opportunity to, being in a space with I don’t wanna say a successful Black woman…”
“You are a successful Black woman.”
“Rule number one about being a Black woman. You might not know this as a White male, but we’re taught to be quiet as to not intimidate.”
“Why would you do that? You’re brilliant and you’re beautiful. You have a lot to say and a lot to offer.”
“I know that. Now going back to what I was saying. I want to give them an opportunity to pick my brain. One of the girls told me that she wasn’t applying to her dream school because she felt like they would turn her down. I told her that you never tell yourself no. You give them the opportunity to turn you down. And while it might hurt to get a negative response, you’re not stuck with the ‘what if’. Never talk yourself out of an opportunity before you even try.”
“That’s literally how I ended up with you, Foxy.”
“It’s always about you, isn’t it? Now come help me do these weighted squats.”
Noah grinned at her. “Sure thing. I love spotting you.” After positioning himself behind her, he placed a smack on her ass.
“It’s also a matter of you pissing on my leg.”
“I don’t know what you mean, Foxy.”
“I saw the way you were mean mugging my trainer. That man is married.”
“He’s married, not dead.” Noah threw a withering glance in the man’s direction and received a smile in return.
”I don’t know if you know it or not, but he’s married to a man so he could very well be looking at you and not me.”
“Oh no, he’s looking at you. He told me and I quote ‘I like everything. That girl of yours is fine’.”
“I swear men are ridiculous. You guys look for conflict where there is none.”
“Drop down a bit lower, Foxy. Now push-up using your quads.”
“I love how helpful you are when it comes to me working on my legs.”
“Don’t you remember you were working them that day we met. I appreciated them then and I still do.”
***
Leah watched as Caitlin and Whitney oohed and aahed over Meela’s dress. The jubilant girl turned to and fro before the large mirrors that allowed a view from every angle. “What do you think, Leah?”
The violet dress looked stunning on the high school senior. As she spun on her toes to check the length in heels, Leah quickly dabbed her eyes, fighting the tears that always appeared whenever she went through this. Her heart tugged every time she reached this moment. Each year, she chose three girls to mentor. She helped with college applications, senior projects and her favorite part, she supplied everything needed for the young women to attend their prom, if they chose to go. “You look beautiful, Meela.”
“Do you think the back is too low?” she said as she swung to let them see the area of concern. The satin fabric scooped just under the shoulder blades.
“That’s up to you. It doesn’t violate the dress code, so if you’re comfortable with it and love the dress, we’re good to go.”
Truth be told, this part of the mentorship was more for her than it was for the girls. Giving them the prom of their dreams was a bonus in her estimation. Seeing the happiness on their faces as they tried on dress after dress healed a bit of the teenage Leah that missed out on this milestone growing up. Now she lived vicariously through the girls she mentored. The thousand watt smiles never got old, even after seven years. “This is the one I want.”
Leah nodded. “Alright then. Go get dressed and then we’re off to lunch ladies. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving.”
Soon they were seated at a brightly lit Japanese restaurant, eating sushi as they watched the hibachi chef prepare the table’s fare. She knew she would be wiped once she was done with the girls but she still needed to prepare for the crowd expected at the rink tonight, not to mention packaging orders that needed to be shipped for EZE-Skate. You don’t have to be Superwoman. Noah”s words from breakfast this morning still reverberated in her head. She had a capable crew that had proven time and again they could handle the day to day activities at the rink. There was no need to micromanage. Maybe she’d go home and veg out on her sectional and binge watch that new period piece series everyone was raving about. Or maybe she’d start reading that mystery that she’d been putting off until she ‘found time’.”
“Miss Leah!” The insistent tone at which her name was hissed brought her out of her musings.
“Yeah Whitney?”
“There’s a tall White man staring a hole in the back of your head. I’m surprised your back ain’t on fire from the way he’s gawking at you!”
“This is not the dating game, Whit.” According to the man she slept with last night and for almost every night for the last four months, he was her man. And she begrudgingly agreed. “I’m not in the market for a man.”
“He’s coming this way!” Meela said under her breath, nudging Leah under the table. “Oh, he fine fine!”
“I thought that was you, Foxy.” Noah’s voice took her by surprise, his dulcet tone flowing over her like smooth honey, warm and velvety. She pivoted to meet his face and swallowed the gasp that rose in her throat. She”d seen the man just a few hours ago. He’d slept next to her last night, but he somehow managed to make her swoon. He was still dressed in the blue knit shirt and dark khaki pants he’d put on after their work out. The woodsy smell of his cologne teased her nose and kick started her libido. The scent of him clung to the hall coat closet as he refused to claim his suit jacket even after all these months and the garment still hung in her home. Each morning the delicious smell greeted her when she opened the closet door to retrieve her sneakers.
“Hey, Noah. What are you doing here?” Lord, if she didn’t have these responsibilities, she would order a bottle of sake. How was it possible that the way he looked at her still made her feel like a teenager with her first crush? The man had been face deep in her pussy last night and yet she could barely keep her composure with the man fully clothed standing ten feet from her in a crowded restaurant.
“I’m just grabbing lunch. You know the dealership is right across the street.”
Leah felt the inquisitive eyes of her mentees on her, but she forced herself to maintain eye contact with Noah. “We’re doing the same. These are the young ladies I mentor.” She made the introductions, noting the smirk on each girl”s face. She was gonna catch hell when he left.
“I won’t hold you. I need to get back to work, but I’ll see you tonight, Foxy. Nice meeting you ladies.”
Noah was barely out of ear shot before the girls started in. “He likes you a lot, Ms. Leah.”
“You’re reading too much into a very short conversation, Meela.”
“I don’t know what you were seeing, but in his mind, y’all go together, real bad.”
“Whit…”
“Real bad,” she emphasized, pointing a finger at her before taking a sip of soda. “Am I lying, Cate?”
“Ms. Leah, I have to agree. He’s very interested in you. The way he was looking at you was hot enough to cook this food.”
“This time is not about my supposed love life.” Leah needed to steer the conversation away from Noah and back onto the objective at hand.
“It ain’t supposed,” Meela chimed in.
“This is about you guys.”
“And we want to know about the man that calls you Foxy.”
Leah sighed, giving her head a shake. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”
“Our determination is your fault.”
“Well, I’ll tell you this much, you little noseys. Noah and I are seeing each other.”
“And why does he call you Foxy?”
“It’s an inside joke. I call him Texas.”
“Y’all got cute nicknames and that’s not your man?”
“Eat your food before it gets cold.” Leah stuffed her mouth with a California roll. She spotted his shirt out of the corner of her eye and she was helpless not to follow his form.
“That’s your man, Ms. Leah. You better hurry up and accept that.”
“Girl, he’ll wait for her to catch up. That man ain’t going nowhere.”
Leah looked up at the spot where she last saw Noah only to find the man in question staring back at her. He tossed her a wink before finally making his exit. “Foxy and Texas sitting in a tree…”
Leah felt her cheeks flame and she took a sip of her water hoping to cool the warmth she felt spread across her face. The time at Kiawah had been a bit of a turning point. The first night there when Noah discovered the room they would occupy had bunk beds, he practically threw a fit with her and stated that he wanted them to leave for her place on the island. Leah reminded him that they’d made a date to have a pancake breakfast with his nieces and nephews. She placated him with a shared shower and promises of them getting away for lunch the next day which would include an afternoon delight.
“Stop that.” The words were for the girls and to herself as well. She needed to put that to the side for now and focus on her mentees. “Now, enough about what y’all think I got going on. We have the dresses out of the way like I promised.” She would deal with the rest of the prom attire closer to the event. The dress was always the centerpiece, and she wanted her girls to pick from the cream of the crop. Bright Blue Bridal kept a list of the dresses sold and wouldn’t sell the same dress to another girl from the same school so each girl would be unique at their last big school event. “We still need to talk about your senior projects.”