Church
Production went well into the evening. “Oh my goodness,” Mari said, once the last bottle of conditioner had been placed in the box. “That took forever.”
“Well, Coco & Coils is our biggest customer, outside of the lodge.”
She was hardly paying any attention to me because, apparently, a more interesting text had come through. “Um.”
“Um, what?”
“I just got invited on a date.”
“For real? By who?”
She sucked her teeth. “Guess.”
I rolled my eyes. “Absolutely not. Just tell me.”
“Lex. He asked me if I wanted to go see that new movie with Jordan B. Michaels over at the Red Leaf drive-in.”
I didn’t bother trying to contain my smile. “Do you?”
“Do you? He’s saying that Jones is probably rolling too.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I’m good. There’s no way I’m about to be seen with Jones.
Do you not remember how Jenna showed her ass in Butterscotch Café earlier today because she heard I was in his truck?
What would she do if she found out he was at the drive-in with me?
I would definitely have to whup her ass. ”
She sucked her teeth a second time. “If you wanna go, you should go. Jones isn’t with Jenna. Men are never with Jenna. They have sex with her. They do not claim her.”
“Irregardless,” I joked, and we both laughed. “No seriously. Regardless of what he’s doing with Jenna, I don’t wanna be seen with him.” I paused. “But you should go with Lex. He’s so cute.”
“He is,” she admitted. “But he’s like family.”
“Uh, you’re a Strong. He’s a Sumners. Your uncle married his auntie. There is no blood relation. You are free to date him.” I lowered my voice to a stage whisper. “And have his babies.”
“Shut up!” she screeched. “I do want to see that movie, though.”
“You should go. And tell him to leave Jones at home so y’all can have a real date without a third wheel. Or maybe Jones can invite Jenna.”
She eyed me. “You really won’t mind if I go? You won’t feel like I ditched you for a man?”
“Girl,”—I bugged my own eyes—“you’re not ditching me. I planned to leave here and go straight home, change into my comfort clothes, and chill. Go have fun. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I told no lies to Mari. I wasn’t home very long at all before I hit the shower.
I followed that up with changing into a favorite lounge set and setting up shop on my sofa.
After a FaceTime call where I helped Mari choose an outfit for her date, I went to the freezer and put a few scoops of ice cream into my favorite bowl.
I was back on the sofa and deep into my bowl of caramel ice cream when I got a text.
Unknown Caller: Can you come meet me? I’m at your production room door.
Me: Uh, who is this?
Unknown Caller: Stop playing. Jones.
Me: How you get this number?
Unknown Caller: You concentrating on the wrong thing, lil’ mama. You want somebody to see me outside your shit and start some rumors or you wanna talk once I’m inside?
Me: Who said you’re getting inside?
I typed back my response, but in actuality, I was already off the sofa and moving toward the back of the house because he had a point.
The last thing I needed was for some running-their-mouth-ass local to see him outside of my place.
I made my way to the space that would soon be my production room.
After contemplating raising my newly installed garage door, I decided against it.
I didn’t need the noise of it going up to alert any neighbors.
Instead, I hustled over to the side door.
“Come in,” I told him as soon as I opened it.
He stepped inside my future production room, holding a bag, looking handsome, and smelling good. He let his eyes move slowly over my frame. “What’s up?” he asked finally.
“That’s my question. What’s up? Why are you here?”
“You didn’t wanna go to the drive-in, but I figured you still needed to eat.” He shrugged his shoulders while holding up the bag.
My stomach gave a growl. I ignored it. He didn’t, giving me a knowing smirk. “I actually did wanna go to the drive-in. I love the drive-in. I just didn’t wanna go with you.”
He widened his eyes in fake surprise. “Damn. You don’t hold ya tongue, do you? With your pretty ass.”
I didn’t acknowledge the compliment. “It’s not a secret that I don’t mess with you like that, Jonah.” The aroma from the bag caused my stomach to growl again. “Where’s your truck? How’d you get here?”
“I had Lex drop me off on his way to grab Mari. I didn’t want to take a chance on somebody seeing my truck outside your house.”
“So you’re stuck here until the movie ends?” We didn’t really have a thriving rideshare community in Jackson Falls, nor did we have any form of public transportation except the bus system that the local university ran. In Jackson Falls, not having access to a vehicle basically meant you were stuck.
He gave me a sheepish grin. “Kinda.”
I huffed out a semi-fake sigh. “Come in the house. Since you brought food, we should eat it.”
“She just wants me for my food,” he mumbled, following me into the house through the kitchen door.
I stopped at the island. “What’d you bring?”
“I stopped by STG Homestead.”
STG Homestead was located inside the Manor at Sienna Sunset Resort. It was one of three restaurants located on the lodge’s property. Good Ashes was the more upscale restaurant, while STG Homestead was more “elevated” casual with delicious American fare.
“I got two elevated turkey classics,” he continued.
“My favorite.” I clapped happily and did a little shoulder shimmy. The elevated turkey classic was roasted turkey served on a sourdough roll with gouda cheese, honey mustard, microgreens, and cranberry aioli.
“Can I use your bathroom? I wanna wash my hands and take a piss.”
I shook my head jokingly, but then I led him to my powder room. While he was taking care of his business, I grabbed two plates from the cabinet. A sandwich went on each plate. I was celebrating the fact that he also got us truffle fries when he came back into the kitchen.
“Okay. Food makes you really happy. Got you doing your little dance and shit.”
My grin matched the one on his face. “I’m a foodie, and I’m from Chicago. I can’t help but appreciate delicious food because I’m from the Mecca of good food. Nobody’s food is as good as Chicago’s. I don’t care where you travel.”
“You’re from Chicago? I thought you were from around here.”
I frowned my face. “Nah. I’ve only been living here for about five years.
I came when my mother relocated to be with Bayliss.
My mom moved here to pursue a relationship with Bayliss.
Collins and I came with her. Collins came because she was falling in love with Beckham.
I came because I didn’t want to live in a world where my mama was thousands of miles away from me.
Perkins came about two years after us to give her girls a different childhood than the one we had growing up.
Bailey came about a year after that because her marriage fell apart, and she needed the support of her sisters and her mother. ”
“Chicago girl. Got it. I’m still tryna get there.”
“Oh, really? I heard you moved around a lot. Never made it to Chicago, huh?”
“Nah. Can’t really fuck with the weather up there. Winter’s too harsh.”
“I can’t argue when you’re right.” I took a bite of my sandwich and shimmied my shoulders again. “Yes!” I cheered because it tasted so good.
Jones laughed aloud.
“Where are you from, Jonah?” I stuck a fry in my mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the flavor.
“Why you keep calling me, Jonah?”
I shrugged. “It’s the name your mother, or somebody gave you. And it honestly seems like it’s fitting. Jonah, the Hebrew biblical prophet, was headstrong and disobedient. I mean, he basically gave his middle finger to the Lord. Who does that?”
“And you think I’m like that?” He smirked at me.
“I definitely think you’re headstrong and . . . maybe not necessarily disobedient, but definitely mischievous.”
He laughed. “Jonah, the prophet, also got tight as hell at seeing his enemies get forgiveness. That’s some shit I can’t stand either. I need my damn revenge.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Oh, wow. Okay, so you’re headstrong, mischievous, and vindictive.”
“At times. If you really wanna see how I am, you shoulda went to the drive-in with me. You could’ve seen date Jonah.”
“I’m seeing him right now.”
“What you think of him?”
I eyed him as I chewed a bite of my sandwich. “I think he’s probably a nice guy, but the promiscuity isn’t my scene.”
“I won’t apologize for liking sex.” He shrugged. “But I will admit that I could’ve been more selective, . . . more discriminating about who I hooked up with. Still, fucking available women ain’t all there is to me.”
“Well, if you want people to know that, you need to show that.”