Chapter 35 Geneva
Geneva
Deeka would drop me off to meet the girls at Ida Mae’s, so I met him two blocks away from the diner. We’d been meeting like that for more than a week. Sneaking away during my lunch hour so that we could neck in the car like lovesick teenagers!
I used to meet him around the corner from the diner, but I had to change that because, one day, just when I was about to put my hand on the door handle, something said to look up, and who did I see but that nosy-ass Darlene!
She was pressed up against the wall, like I wouldn’t notice that bleached-blond hair and bright red lipstick!
“Hey, girl!” I yelled at her, waving as I swerved away from the truck and continued down the block.
Deeka knew to follow me to the corner.
Tonight, we sat two blocks away from Ida Mae’s, holding hands and talking as the rain poured down around us.
“I hate that we have to sneak around like this, ’Neva.”
Deeka had taken to calling me ’Neva, his pet name for me. I liked it.
He squeezed my hand and turned sorrowful eyes on me. “I want everybody to know that I love you.”
My heart stopped. Love?
Now it was one thing for me to be kissed and felt up by this twentysomething hunk of a gorgeous man.
I mean, I’d seen The Graduate fifty times, and Benjamin sure didn’t end up with Mrs.Robinson!
So I was prepared for this whole thing to go to hell in a handbasket.
I had had a long talk with myself and had convinced myself that I would keep my emotions in check; just have a good time while there were good times to be had. Nothing more and nothing less. Simple.
So where did this love shit come from?
I was enjoying the attention. He wasn’t pressuring me for sex—even though all I could think of was jumping his bones—and he was genuinely a nice guy who I enjoyed being around.
But love? I’d been to that place too many times before, and while it was a pleasure getting there, the stay often went sour and the leaving almost always killed me.
“Did you hear me, Geneva?”
I nodded my head.
His hand squeezed mine again, and he placed his other hand gently on my cheek and turned my face toward him. I thought he wanted an answer, but I had none to give him. Luckily all he did was kiss me.
“Okay, I’ve got to go,” I said, eager to get out of that space.
“Okay, what time should I pick you up?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll share a cab with Crystal.”
He was hurt. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted to hear me say I loved him too.
“Well, I’ll call you later, then,” Deeka said.
“Later, then,” I said, and waved at him as I started down the block toward the restaurant.