Chapter 2
“The nigga probably wasn’t thirty,” I told my brother, Kilo.
“Thirty ain’t that young. It’s less than ten years between them,” he countered.
“I’m being generous. I would’ve never thought she liked young ass boys.”
Kilo chuckled. “They’re both grown, and he’s older than her son.”
I shook my head because that was really all I could do. It had been a week since I’d run into Skye at the bowling alley. I was surprised to see her, but when I saw who she was with, I was shocked . . . and pissed.
I didn’t know her date’s exact age, but I knew he was several years younger than her just by how he dressed and behaved. I couldn’t believe she wouldn’t give me a chance, but she was fucking around with that little ass boy.
“I don’t know what to think of her anymore,” I said.
Kilo frowned. “What do you mean?”
It was Saturday afternoon, and Nyomi had left the twins with Kilo while she ran errands. He’d called me over to chill, and since I wasn’t busy, I came through.
“She’s almost forty and would rather fuck around with little boys—”
“Man, chill. You got her sounding like a damn pedophile because you’re in your feelings.”
“She’d rather hop from dick to dick than settle down with one person.”
“You don’t know what that woman does with her body parts, so stop making assumptions. You’re mad because she’s giving other niggas a chance but won’t give you one. Admit it.”
“Hell yeah, I’m pissed. I don’t know what it is about her, but I can’t seem to get the idea of me and her out of my mind. We haven’t so much as kissed, but I still can’t stop thinking about her ass. Is this what falling in love feels like?”
“It sounds like you could be in love, and I feel you, Bruh. I also understand you want the opportunity to explore your feelings with her, but . . .”
“But what?” I pressed.
“She told you she didn’t want to get married or have kids. Is that something you still want to do?”
“Yeah.”
“I bet you think you can change her mind, don’t you?”
A year had passed since Skye and I went on a date.
We had a great time, enjoyed music, food, and dope conversation.
I was disappointed when she told me she wasn’t interested in exclusivity, marriage, or having a family.
The first thing that came to mind when she told me was that I could change her mind if given the opportunity.
“You don’t even have to answer, because I know your ego has convinced you that you can.”
“Maybe.”
He shook his head. “You shouldn’t even want that, Bruh.
You can’t pursue a woman who’s been upfront and honest with you about what she wants and doesn’t want, thinking you can change her mind or that she might change her mind over time.
You have to go into it with your eyes wide open, understanding that you may not get what you want, and be okay with that. ”
Kilo was right. I either had to accept that Skye wasn’t the woman for me or be okay with the possibility of never having children.
“I hear you, and you’re right. I wish at least one of the women I’ve gone out with stayed on my mind like Skye’s pretty ass. I low-key feel like she put a spell on me. I’ve never felt this kinda shit for a woman, and we haven’t even had sex.”
“That’s it right there. Skye is the first woman you’ve pursued who has denied you, so you’re hyper-focused on conquering her. She ain’t feeling you, so—”
“I never said she wasn’t feeling me because we got chemistry like a muthafucka. I low-key think her feelings for me are as strong as mine are for her.”
“I agree that y’all got great chemistry. She ain’t fucking with you, though, so now your ego is bruised.”
I wanted to agree with my brother, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I wasn’t drawn to Skye for no reason. She was special, and when I closed my eyes at night, I saw a future with her. We had a little girl who had Skye’s face with my skin tone, including my freckles, and a head full of thick hair.
I refused to believe the visions I had meant nothing, but I had no idea what to do. I couldn’t force her to give me an opportunity to show her how good we could be together. I’d have to do what she told me on the night we met and let the universe do its thing.
My brother and I talked for a while longer before the boys woke up from their nap. I stuck around to hang out with my nephews, and I was still there when Nyomi returned home. To my surprise, Skye was with her.
Nyomi made a beeline for Kilo, and after she kissed Kilan’s forehead, she planted a kiss on Kilo’s lips. I watched as they whispered something to each other. It was crazy to see my brother in love, but it warmed my heart at the same time.
“Hey, Titi’s babies!” Skye greeted the boys with excitement.
She kissed Nymeer’s chubby cheek before trying to take him from my arms, and I resisted.
“Let me see him,” she demanded.
“You didn’t even speak to me and think you can just take him from my arms.”
“My bad. That was rude as hell. Hey, Knox.”
She reached for Nymeer again, and I resisted again. She looked at me with a frown.
“Where’s my kiss?” I asked with a smirk.
“If you don’t give me my nephew!”
This time, I let her take him from my arms. I kept my eyes on her as she smothered him with love and wondered what she would be like as the mother of my children. She noticed me staring, and I didn’t look away.
“Why are you staring at me with that faraway look?”
“Just wondering what you’d look like holding our child.”
I thought my comment would piss her off, but instead, I could visibly see her soften. She looked back and forth between Nymeer and me. I thought she’d say something slick, but she walked away without a rebuttal. Nyomi approached her, holding Kilan as she leaned in to kiss Nymeer’s cheek.
“You Titi’s baby too, Kilan, but y’all are too big for Titi to hold at the same time,” Skye said, kissing Kilan’s cheek.
“Baby, can you get the bags from the truck?” Nyomi asked Kilo.
“Yeah. Come on, Knox,” Kilo said.
“She said baby, not Knox.”
“Nigga, if you don’t bring your ass and help me get this shit.”
Kilo was two years older than me, and even at forty-one and thirty-nine, he still tried to use that big brother shit to get me to do things.
I was about a half-inch taller than him and had about five pounds on him.
It had been that way since college, so it had been a long time since he could bully me into anything.
“You ain’t gon’ do shit if I don’t help, but you’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”
We brought the bags inside and placed them all on the kitchen counter. When we were done, Nyomi handed Kilan to Kilo and went to the kitchen to unpack the groceries.
“I bought some stuff for you to put on the grill,” she said as she moved around the kitchen.
“Stuff like what?” Kilo asked.
“Chicken breast, salmon, burgers, and hot dogs. My parents mentioned stopping by to see the boys, and who knows how many of your players will end up here with Nyeem later.”
“We ain’t responsible for feeding those lil niggas,” Kilo said.
“They always seem to show up around dinner time on the weekends, and I keep telling you it’s rude not to offer them food. Skye and I will make the sides.”
Kilo looked at me, shaking his head, and I shrugged in response. He knew not to argue with her, so he conceded. About thirty minutes later, Nyomi and Skye had cleaned all the meat, and Kilo and I were outside on the patio.
I entertained the boys while he prepared to grill, and from where I was positioned, I could see directly through the patio doors into the kitchen.
Every time Skye walked by, my stomach fluttered.
It pissed me off because I was a 230-pound, six-foot-three, thirty-nine-year-old man whose stomach had no damn business fluttering.
“You gon’ stare a damn hole into the glass if you keep it up,” Kilo said with a laugh.
“I don’t know what kinda hold she has on me, but you were right earlier. We want different things, and I need to let that dream go.”
Later that evening, Nyomi’s parents had left, Nyeem was out with his teammates, and the twins were down for the night. We were sitting in the backyard around the firepit, enjoying the night air.
We’d conversed about several topics, but it had grown quiet. Kilo and I sipped on a glass of Hennessy and Coke, while the ladies enjoyed a glass of white wine.
“I’ve been thinking about having some work done on my backyard,” Skye said.
“What kind of work?” Nyomi asked.
“One of those fancy patios you see in the gardening magazines. If I had a firepit, it would be hard to get me to go inside.”
“I know what you mean. When we get the playset installed for the boys, I’ll be spending most of my time out here,” Nyomi said.
“I know this was already here when you bought the house, but is there anyone you can connect me with?” Skye asked.
“I have someone, but you may not want to work with him,” I offered.
“As long as he or she knows what they’re doing and is professional, I’m willing to work with them. Do you have a card or their contact info?”
“You already have my number.”
She looked confused for a moment before she realized what I meant.
“You?”
“Yeah, me. Why do you sound so surprised?”
“Because I had no idea you were into landscaping and building patios in your spare time.”
“I developed an interest in landscaping and carpentry during the summers while in college, so after I got my MBA, I found a program and became licensed in landscaping and construction. If I weren’t a football coach, that’s what I’d be doing.”
I graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, about five hours south of Chicago and an hour from Missouri. I was on the football team and remained in town during the summers.
After my freshman year, my coach helped me get a job working with a landscaper and carpenter. I enjoyed the work so much that I went back every summer.
“Really? You’ve never mentioned it,” she said, still sounding shocked.
“You’ve never asked. Hit me up if you want me to stop by for a consultation.”
“Do you have pictures of any of your work?” she asked.
“He’s the truth,” Kilo said.
I picked up my phone from the small table between our chairs, unlocked it, and went to my pictures. After choosing the folder where I kept pictures of my work, I leaned toward Skye and gave her my phone.
She slowly looked through the pictures as I studied her face. I prayed she’d take her time because it would give me a reason to look at her longer, not that I needed one.
“Wow, Knox. These are impressive.”
“Thank you.”
I watched her as she swiped through the pictures. Suddenly, her face scrunched up, and her mouth opened and closed very quickly.
“Umm, Lorianna sent you a message,” she said, damn near throwing my phone.
I didn’t have to look at the picture to know why Skye frowned when she saw it. Lorianna was nasty as fuck, and when she wanted some dick, she didn’t hesitate to show me just how horny she was.
Although Kilo and Nyomi had been quiet while Skye and I talked, I felt three pairs of eyes on me as I checked my messages, which told me my brother and his wife were definitely tuned into the conversation.
I opened the message from Lorianna, and it was a picture of her playing with her wet pussy, and a message.
Lorianna:
She’s waiting.
I downed the rest of my drink and bid my farewell. I rarely turned down pussy, but when I did, it wasn’t Lorianna’s.
“I’ll check you tomorrow, Bruh. See you later, Nyomi. Aye, Skye, hit me up if you want me to come and take a look.”
Fifteen minutes later, I was fucking the shit out of Lorianna with thoughts of Skye’s pretty ass roaming through my mind.