12. Mercy #2
“You really are an addiction, you know that?” he asked, and I shrugged. “But it’s cool cuz I like being a fiend for you.”
“Remember that when I crash out,” I laughed and stepped back. “Because I’m going to remind you that you said it.”
“That’s alright,” he said, then took my hand. “Come on, or we’ll miss our reservation.”
When we left the house, I was surprised to see a car waiting for us. Any other time I’d seen Givens, he was always driving. The driver's door opened, and a man rounded the car and opened the back door for us. Givens stepped back, allowing me to get inside first and then followed me inside.
“Where are we going?” I asked once the driver returned to the car and we’d pulled off. “And before you ask me to sit back and ride, please understand that my family is tracking me right now.”
“Why?” Givens asked as he got comfortable in his seat. The Navigator we rode in was spacious, but that didn’t stop me from sitting close to him. Luckily, he didn’t seem to mind. He pulled my legs into his lap and gently brushed his hand against my leg. “They don’t trust me or something?”
“My family only trusts family,” I answered, and he nodded. “They don’t take well to outsiders. We are cordial, not friendly.”
“Good thing I already talked to them,” he said. I laughed and shook my head. There was no way that he spoke with anyone with the last name of DeCorte. “You don’t believe me?”
“No,” I honestly said.
“Call Mary and ask her, then,” he said, picking up my purse to hand it to me. “She’s a nice lady; I can't wait to meet her Sunday.”
“You did not call Mary DeCorte.” I took my phone from my purse and called my grandma. The phone rang three times before she answered. “Madea?”
“Yes, Mercy,” she said, sounding like she knew I would start fussing.
“Did you speak to Givens?” I asked as I watched him. His eyes were on me, and a smile tugged at his lips.
“Yes,” she answered. “He called me while Krude was here with the baby. We spoke for a few. He’s a nice young man.”
“What did you talk about?”
“Not your business,” she said, and I kissed my teeth. “He’s a nice young man, though. Not what Krude described him as.”
“How did Krude describe him?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Mercy, it's Krude, so it doesn’t matter,” she said, and I rolled my eyes. “Now, get off my phone and enjoy your time with that young man.” She hung up, and I set the phone on my lap.
“I told you,” he laughed, then licked his lips. “Now, just sit back and relax. The drive ain’t long.”
“Where are we going?” I asked as we got onto the highway.
“Just relax,” he said as he patted my knee. “Trust that I got you. Can you do that?” I hesitated, and he gently took my chin and made me face him. “I wouldn’t do shit to hurt you or put you in danger, DeCorte. Understand that.”
“Okay,” I agreed as I stared into his eyes. His words, voice, and actions told me I could believe him. Givens nodded, then kissed me. This one felt different; it was gentle and caring, not the usual heart-stopping, dominating kiss that we usually shared.
“Let’s go have some fun,” Givens said after he pulled back. I wiped the traces of lipstick from his lips and nodded. The door opened, and Givens got out and helped me out of the car. To my surprise, we were at Control, an upscale private restaurant owned by the St. Thomas family.
“Have you ever been here?” I asked as we walked inside. The atmosphere was inviting, even though it was a private setting. The dark marble floors, black walls, and white and purple color scheme pleased the eye.
“Nah.” The hostess guided us to the room that would be ours for our visit. Once seated, Givens looked around before picking up his menu. “I thought about coming a few times but never had a reason to until now.”
“Oh really?” I put my elbow on the table and rested my chin in my palm. “Tell me more.”
“So, there’s this woman; she’s mad cool, right?” he said, and I nodded, loving that we didn’t have to put on airs around each other. This was just us being us. “I have been watching her for a minute.”
“Very stalkerish,” I interjected, and he shrugged. “You didn’t deny it, I see.”
“I wasn’t stalking her, just keeping an eye from a distance and letting her vibe out,” he said, and I playfully rolled my eyes. “Anyway, she started breaking into my house and taking advantage of me, so I thought it would be a good idea to take her for some food and shit.”
“Get the fuck outta here,” I laughed and sat back in my seat. “No one has taken advantage of you.”
“I see you didn’t deny that you’ve been breaking into my house.” He pointed at me and smiled. “I still gotta figure out how you are doing that shit. I pay too much fucking money for my security system for you to be making it look like shit.”
“I didn’t say it; you did,” I said with a laugh and picked up the menu. “Now, I’m not going to lie. I would’ve been okay with going to Cool’s, grabbing some wings, and hanging out.”
“You don’t like doing this dress-up shit?” he asked, and I shook my head. “Get the fuck outta here!”
“I really don’t,” I replied. “Nothing about me or how I live says I’m a dress-up kind of girl.”
Givens grilled me for a few seconds before nodding and picking up his glass of water. “I mean, you never know,” he said after taking a drink then sitting the cup down. “So, what are you into besides playing ball?”
“Spending time with my family when I can, and that’s it. Before coming to KC, I lived in Vegas and Denver. I have been away from my family more than I’ve been with them since I was seventeen and in college.”
“You didn’t miss them?” he asked, and I nodded. “So why not come around more often? Don’t get me wrong, I know it was probably hard with your schedule, but did they not come to see you?”
“All the time,” I answered. “My grandparents didn’t miss a game my entire college career and have only missed a handful as a professional. My cousins are the same way. They always showed up, even when we were scattered across the country.”
“Where are your parents?”