Phase Two

1. Alise

ALISE

“Somebody keeps blowing you up,” Jada stated with raised brows. My phone was on silent but every time the screen lit up with a notification or a call, her nosey behind made note of it.

“Thanks, Nosey Nelly. If it wasn’t for you, I would have never known,” I batted my lashes and smiled at her before placing the glass against my lips and taking of sip of wine.

“Yes, I’m very nosey. And so is Apple because even though the number isn’t saved in your phone, it’s saying maybe Trey Washington. You still dealing with rug rat?”

“Wow,” I sighed. “I’m officially at the age where someone that’s thirty-five is referred to as a rug rat. You act like I’m sixty,” I frowned.

“It’s more about him than you,” she waved my comment off.

“He doesn’t act his age. I mean I’m all for going out and having fun but he’s thirty-five,” her nose scrunched.

“He’s still hanging in clubs every weekend, and he’s still trying to be a rapper,” her frown deepened making me snicker. “It’s time to hang that dream up.”

“Leave that man alone. We’re never too old to follow our dreams. He has a good job, a nice car, and he’s a homeowner. If he wants to keep spending money on studio time that’s him.” I shrugged passively.

“And since he has so many good qualities why have you been ignoring him for the past two months?”

“Because,” it was my turn to frown. “He’s annoying.

Maybe I’m broken, but I don’t want to have sex three or four times a week.

Honestly, with him, I don’t even want to have sex three or four times a month.

He’s great at keeping me maintenanced, but he’s not anyone that I take seriously.

Therefore, I’m not at his beck and call.

We fuck when I want to. And when I don’t want to, we don’t. ”

“Straight like that,” Jada popped her lips and picked her glass of wine up.

We were at a cute little jazz spot in downtown Diamond Cove, North Carolina.

One of my friends actually wanted to go to the club for her birthday the following weekend, and I was going to go.

I didn’t care who did what but as for me at the grand age of forty-five, I wasn’t really into clubs.

I would go once or twice a year, but that was about it.

I liked to spend my time at sip and paints, trap karaoke, wine tastings, plays, and concerts.

My favorite rapper was Jay-Z, so I wasn’t above throwing on some Timbs and seeing him at Madison Square Garden or some other venue.

I was still Alise. Just a little older and refined.

I even enjoyed the occasional joint. I hadn’t smoked a blunt in twenty plus years.

I was officially an old head. Give me rolling papers.

Trey was ten years younger than me and had been servicing my needs on and off for the past five years.

The sex was amazing. He was a good guy on paper and very handsome, but he wasn’t it for me.

No matter how many times I felt lonely, I hadn’t reached the point of desperation in my life just yet.

I knew exactly what I did and didn’t want and if a man wasn’t that, he didn’t get taken seriously.

Sadly, I hadn’t taken a man seriously in five years.

I got a divorce, and the dating pool had been scaring me away ever since.

I had accepted the fact that I might die alone and with each passing day that was becoming increasingly okay with me.

“It would be nice to get some tonight.” I eyed the empty wine glass while enjoying the slight warmth flooding through my veins. For one brief second, I contemplated calling Trey back.

“Well get some. He’s called like three times.”

“Oh my God, you are nosey.” I flipped my phone over, so she couldn’t see the screen.

“But if I do, he’s going to be worrisome.

The man can’t take a hint. If I don’t answer he just keeps calling and texting.

I legit get tired of telling him no, but it’s my fault.

Every time I cut him off, he harasses me for a month or three and then I get horny enough to give in.

I’ve made him think that if he keeps at it, he’ll wear me down eventually.

Poor tink thinks I can’t leave him alone.

If only he knew. I don’t have the energy to bother with new dick. ”

“Men think they’re so smart. When you think about it most of them are actually dumb as fuck,” Jada giggled.

“Overly.” The waitress placed the black folder on the table, and I gave her a smile before picking it up. “I think I’m going to go ahead and stop having sex now. Maybe by the time I’m fifty the desire will have left me completely.”

“Didn’t you just remind me that you aren’t sixty,” Jada pointed out. “You still have time to find your soulmate.”

“Time?” I drew back. “Girl, please. I have asthma and anemia. I don’t have time to be playing with these young niggas, and I’m not a CNA.

Don’t come to me trying to settle down when your teeth are falling out your mouth, and you can’t get it up without a blue pill.

Men spend their best years being dogs then want to settle down when they have one foot in the grave.

Fuck out my face,” I scoffed pulling my debit card from my card holder.

Jada was laughing so hard a tear rolled down her cheek, but I was serious as a heart attack.

It was actually funny to me when men my age thought older women were mad that they dated younger women.

These lil’ young chicks could have these niggas.

I hoped they ran their pockets and dipped out on them as soon as congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and diabetes started kicking their asses.

“How old is the guy you met at the grocery store last week?” she wheezed out.

That question made my lips turn up. “Ewww you keep digging in the trash. That fool is thirty-nine, and he’s been blocked.

First of all, I don’t knock anybody’s hustle, but the nigga told me he has a valet gas business.

I’ve never heard of that, so I did some research.

Looked him up on social media. He pumps gas, and he works for tips.

Again, at least he has a job, but I don’t date outside of my tax bracket.

Not sorry. And you know, I deserve everything I get because even with me knowing that he makes significantly less than me, I kept answering the phone for him. ”

“Oh Lord, what did he do?” The fact that Jada was so entertained was insane. My love life had become a literal joke, and I hated that for me.

“Mind you, me and this man had all of three conversations. THREE! The first two conversations lasted all of fifteen minutes. The man never even asked me for my last name. The third conversation, he told me to put his address in my GPS and see how far it was from me. He lives in Golden Waters. I told him like it’s an hour away.

He says I get off at seven. You leave home at seven and get here at eight. You can spend the night with me.”

Jada’s mouth fell open, and it was at that moment I knew I hadn’t overreacted. “No, he didn’t.”

“Yes, he did. The man doesn’t know my last name.

We haven’t talked more than one hour combined with all three phone calls.

He didn’t even ask me to come, so he could take me out.

He wanted me to come spend the night. And when I fixed my mouth to tell him I wasn’t coming, he said I wasn’t asking, and proceeded to tell me that he was going to tame me. ”

“I know you fucking lying.” Jada was just as appalled as I had been. “I know you cursed him out real bad.”

I shook my head. “Nope. I didn’t say a word. I did, however, block him so fast, I hurt my finger.”

“I still think you’re going to meet the man that’s going to sweep you off your feet. Look at me. I got married at thirty-six, had my first child at thirty-seven, and my second one at thirty-eight. Babe, I’m thirty-eight.”

“I know how old you are. You’re seven years younger than me. I’m fine, friend. Honestly. I have a beautiful daughter, and I was married once. I have experienced love. I had a baby. It was wonderful. If this is it, I’m good.”

“If this is it? Don’t piss me off. Have you talked to Lauren?” she asked as we stood to leave.

“No. She’s ducking me like I’m ducking Trey. I’ll give her another day. Then I’m popping up at her house.”

“Let me know, and I’ll pop up with you.”

“Excuse me.”

Jada and I both turned around to see who the masculine voice was calling out to.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a very handsome man.

Well, there were two of them, but I only saw one.

I wasn’t even sure if he was the one that had spoken.

The stranger stood about 6’3 which was perfect because I was 5’8, and a short man would kill the fantasy a little bit.

I wasn’t quite sure of his age, but the word distinguished came to mind.

He had a low cut with a few waves in it.

Grey was sprinkled here and there. There wasn’t really much on top of his head, but his beard was seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper.

His cinnamon-colored skin looked as if it had been kissed relentlessly by the sun.

Even through the blue Polo shirt he wore, I could see bulging biceps.

Unc was dressed in khaki pants, a blue Polo shirt, and blue, suede, Clarks. Damn.

My eyes followed him as he bent down and picked something up off the ground. “You dropped this.”

Narrowing my eyes at the object in his hand I noticed that it was the miniature Eiffel tower that my daughter brought me from Paris. It had fallen off my keychain. “Thank you so much,” I took the keychain then gave him a smile. “I didn’t even hear it fall.”

“You’re welcome.” His eyes scanned my hand, and I wondered if he was looking for a ring. His friend stood beside him quietly because either he was taken, not interested in Jada, or was respecting the rock on her finger. “What’s your name?”