19/Renee #2
Her eyes practically rolled inside her head. “Danny girl, that man is huuung! And he can work it. He had me cumming all over the place.”
“Hell nah!” Now why couldn’t I meet someone like that?
“Renee, I can’t stop thinking about him. Even when I’m with Jordan I’m thinking about him. I feel guilty as hell.”
“Have you done anything to feel guilty about?”
She took a sip before saying, “He and I met and had sex without Jordan.”
My jaw dropped. “You’re lying.”
“No,” she began. She placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her fist. Nadine looked like she was going to cry. “We’ve met at a hotel at least three times since that night with Jordan.”
“Shit.” I paused, raising an eyebrow before responding. “Maybe you aren’t ready to commit yourself to a woman.”
“Maybe,” she said with uncertainty.
“Do what feels right.” I couldn’t believe I was saying this shit. “Life’s too short to do otherwise. I like Jordan ... but if you’re thinking about getting dick on occasion, maybe the two of you need to talk. Maybe adding a little dick every now and then might be good for your relationship.”
She frowned. “Jordan’s not going for it.
She was not at all happy about a man touching her.
If she doesn’t get pregnant this time, I don’t think she’ll go through it again.
” Nadine took a sip and shook her head like she was trying to rid herself of those thoughts.
“Listen, I love Jordan. We are planning to start a family. I didn’t exchange vows with her during the holidays for nothing. ”
“Then leave that fine-ass mothafucka alone.”
Nadine took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I can do that.”
Damn, this was more serious than I thought. “Then listen to your kitty-cat, ’cause the kitty don’t lie.”
“I thought it was the hips?”
I tossed a chip at her. “Bitch, you know what I mean.” We both laughed, and then Nadine changed the subject and started talking about nothing in particular. I think it was just to take her mind off her sudden need for dick.
“How’s the driving lessons going?” she asked between sips.
“Much better. I need to find a cheap little car for Tamara.”
“I’m selling that Honda I bought for Jay.” Her son went off to school and ended up buying himself a new car.
“I thought it wasn’t running?”
“It runs. It just won’t stay running for some reason.”
“So, what the hell am I gonna do with it?” I said with attitude. Why is she trying to push her junk off on me?
“Hondas are good cars. I could get my boy Kenny to look at it.”
I shrugged. “Depends on how much he’s going to charge.”
She pursed her lips and leaned closer. “Girl, he does really good work. But for Kenny, all you got to do is let him rub your leg and he’ll give you a discount.”
“What?” I laughed.
Laughter shone in Nadine’s eyes. “I’m serious. He’s been trying to get me to go out with him for years.”
“Is he cute?”
“Ugh! Not at all.”
“Shit, for some free repairs, he can be my type for the day.”
“Yuck! Glasses, goofy laugh. I’m sure you’ve seen him before. I think he’s Kayla’s cousin.”
My eyes searched her face. “He got a woman?”
She nodded. “He lives in Boonville with her. They’ve been together a long time. Her name is Reese.”
Reese? Reese? I shook my head. “I don’t know her.” Which was a good thing, because already the wheels were turning. “What does she look like?”
“Homely. He used to pop that head.”
“What! You trying to hook me up with a woman beater?”
“That’s what I heard. I don’t know how true it is. He’s got a daughter with Robin Hathaway.”
The name sounded familiar, but I really didn’t have a clue. “I don’t think I know her.”
“Yes, you do. Robin rides around in the 700 series BMW and always has the blonde weave in her hair.”
“Oh yeah, she used to fuck with my cousin Neal. That bitch is about her money.”
She nodded. “Yep, that’s her.”
“Hook it up,” I replied between sips. “Tell Kenny I’ll take him to lunch if he gives me a good deal. Hell, if it’s free, I’ll even let him lick my kitty.” We cracked up laughing. “How much you want for the car?”
“Five hundred dollars?”
“Sold,” I said and grinned.
* * *
On Monday afternoon, I left the veterinarian’s office and started bawling.
Nikki has diabetes. My first question was how in the world does a dog get diabetes?
But just like people, it’s all about diet.
I started blaming myself. Nikki had already lost part of her eyesight from the disease going untreated for so long and would have to take insulin for the rest of her life.
I was sitting in the examination room crying like a damn fool while Nikki lay across my lap, wagging her tail and looking at me as if to say, “Bitch, what the hell’s wrong with you? ”
The next thing out of the veterinarian’s mouth was, “We can put her to sleep.” I cussed his ass out, then asked him if he would kill one of his kids if they were diagnosed with diabetes.
He knew he had hit a nerve with me. I guess he thought I couldn’t afford it.
Whatever! He quickly wrote me a prescription for insulin and needles, instructed me how to check her urine, then sent me on my way.
I took my baby home, kissed and hugged her, and promised to take better care of her. I kept crying and blaming myself and swore to be a better mother.
I put Nikki in the kitchen and put up a baby gate, then rushed off to the pharmacy to fill her prescription. The doctor assured me that as soon as I started her insulin, the frequent urinating would stop.
I was waiting in the checkout line when I received a text from Nadine.
CALL 859-3212
Wondering where she was calling me from, I made the call while I waited for the woman in front of me to make up her damn mind. I expected to hear Nadine’s voice on the other end. It was a man instead.
“Hello?” I asked, wondering who I was speaking to.
“Hey, whassup? This is Kenny.”
Damn, Nadine moved fast. “Hey.”
“Nadine told me you had a car you wanted me to look at.”
His voice was country as hell. “Yeah, it’s a 2005 Honda she’s selling. I’m going to go by and look at it later. Nadine said it won’t stay running.”
“I’ll tow it to Boonville this weekend and take a look at it. Hondas are good cars. It’s probably not too much.”
“You gonna give me a good price?”
He chuckled. “Depends on whether I get to lick it.”
No, she didn’t tell him that.
“Boo, I don’t let everybody lick it.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I reserve that for special people.” I thought I was talking low, but a tall man standing beside me turned and winked at me.
“So, what’s it going to take to be special?” he asked, laughter in his voice.
“I’ll have to think about that one.”
“You do that.” There was a pause. “You married?”
“Well…” How do you tell someone you’re still married to a man who prefers dick?
“Be honest. I’m going to be straight up with you. My girl lives with me. We’ve been together for thirteen years, and we’re getting married in May.”
“Oh, okay, well, I’m going through a divorce. So, you’re committed, and I’m not.”
“I’m a man,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve always had another woman on the side.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah, I don’t know why or if I’ll ever change, but I always take care of my women.”
“Really? You got it like that?”
“I work at FedEx in the evening and run my auto body shop during the day. I own a small farm in Boonville that’s paid for.”
I was already adding the money I’d be saving in my head.
“Can you meet me for dinner tonight?” he asked, getting directly to the point.
I glanced down at my watch. It was almost three. “What time?”
“I take my dinner break around ten o’clock.”
I pretended I was giving it some thought before I agreed. I hung up and reached for my wallet to pay for Nikki’s prescriptions.
Tonight, I had a seduction to plan.
I chuckled. By the time I’m done with him, Kenny Johnson is going to not only fix my car for free but have it and me purring like a kitty-cat.