Chapter 10 #2
I made my way back to the other side of the island and leaned against the counter.
“Okay, another crazy idea, but dates to get to know each other. I figured we could at least become friends first. Well, work up to that since meeting my parents will have to be soon. I told my Grandpa Mackie I would tell them when I made it to my second trimester, and well, I’m a couple weeks in to it, and probably can drag it out to make it two if I avoid that old man and give him a date. ”
“Dates? You wanna go out with me, McKay?” I curved my top lip up as I watched McKay now give me a stoic expression.
I wasn’t paying any mind to her nonchalant attitude because it didn’t matter to me, either way.
The opportunity to even fake date McKay was all I needed… wanted. I would play her game though.
“For the sake of making this believable for my people and yours, yes, Burkeley. But that’s it. Strictly professional or transactional, however you want to see this.”
“Personal. You said become friends, and unfortunately, that title is only on a personal level for me.”
“You know what I mean. The dates will only be for the business side of this. We date to strictly get to know each other to pass ourselves off as a real life couple. Also, will your family and friends know I’m pregnant?
I mean, what am I saying? That's a dumb question. After a while I won’t be able to hide it. ”
I thought about her situation, considering her stomach would grow over the duration of the next couple of months.
“Am I going to tell my people that the baby is mine? Yes. For this whole thing to work between us, everyone must know the same story. If your parents meet me as your boyfriend and child’s father, then mine will too.”
“Then how will the breakup work then?”
If God is on my side, there won’t be any breakup.
She was thinking too far ahead when all I wanted her to do was stay in the present with me.
“I promise we have time to finalize all those details. Let’s focus on getting the beginning right.
So dates, I can do that. You said dinner in like two weeks.
My family holiday gatherings are beginning around the same time.
My mom throws this massive Halloween party and that tends to kick everything off. ”
“Wait, we’re considering Halloween a major holiday?
I was thinking you meant Thanksgiving, Christmas, and maybe New Year’s Eve.
Okay, so Halloween too. Does this mean you’ll be present for my family’s functions as well?
” I nodded while I smirked as I watched McKay fully process what this arrangement would mean.
“Yes. My brother and his wife are starting us off a week early though. I was hoping you would be able to make it to the major ones for sure, and maybe if you can, the little ones too. Of course, as a good baby daddy, I will do the same for you.” She bugged her eyes while going for her half empty bottle of water, with me leaning up to get her another.
I could tell she was lowkey panicking right now as her chest rose and fell rapidly.
I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, then one on her chest, getting her attention.
“Ay, breathe, McKay. I promise you won’t be in this by yourself.
But in order for this to seem and be real, especially after we make the baby announcement, both sets of family should see us together on more than just the major holidays.
” My hand moved up and down, hoping to calm her, matching my motions with her breathing.
“No, you’re right. I guess… I just… No, you’re right, okay. Whew, this is a lot for one day.” She reached for the bottle I had just put down, but her hands were shaky. I stepped in, opening it for her.
“Now that the arrangements have been made, we can finish the details tomorrow if you want. On our first date,” I said, causing McKay to glance up at me with a smile on her face.
“Burkeley, nothing fancy. Remember, between us, the dates aren’t real.
We can end up at Korean BBQ and that’ll be fine with me.
” She turned to face me so she could get up.
I stepped back, giving her space, holding my hand out, awaiting hers.
I smirked at McKay. I wasn’t listening to shit she said.
This was my chance to prove that I was worthy of being the real deal for her.
I would make every effort to impress her when it came to our dates.
I grabbed her jacket, holding it open for her to turn into it, placing my hands on her shoulders, holding her close to me as I whispered into her ear.
“One thing you gon’ learn about your man McKay is I don’t half ass anything. So, yes, I’ll be picking you up, and yes, there will be flowers and shit. These are things you better get used to and real quick considering we have two weeks to make this real for the outsiders. So be ready at six.”
She tossed me a knowing look over her shoulder.
“Too comfortable too fast with that title, Burkeley,” she teased before she continued.
“I’ma take it all as practice for you. But, okay, I’ll see you tomorrow at six.
” I chuckled as I walked her toward the door, pulling it open for her.
I stood in the frame, watching her until she was backing out of my driveway.
I closed my door and smiled hard.
I was now one step closer to getting McKay for real.
I blew out the smoke from the cigar I had just lodged between my lips.
The guys and I were at Flavor since Art’s big ass mouth let it spill that I had McKay over the house today.
Instead of avoiding them, I thought it was best to get things moving with telling them first. I was just thankful Art’s ass wasn’t able to make it, leaving just Tino, Boss, and me for the night.
I had never kept a secret from my brother this big, but unfortunately, I knew he pillow talked with Amber.
So, he was left out of the loop with this sensitive topic.
This way, things would seem believable. I was sure Anna would already have a shit ton of questions since she had seen that picture of McKay I was now regretting taking and keeping for as long as I had.
I wasn’t too worried though. I could tell Anna I wasn’t ready to say anything and she would believe me, but the guys knew better, so the truth would have to do, just my version.
“Fool, you ready to tell us about this mystery woman Art was talking about in your place today? I heard she’s nice as hell too,” Tino joked while he blew out smoke.
I glared at him. This was the second time he’d referred to McKay in such a way, and even if he didn’t know it was the same woman yet, it still bothered me.
“Ay, easy, watch yo’ mouth. And her name is McKay. You might remember seeing a picture of her, Tino. It’s baby girl from the single picture you developed a couple of weeks ago.” Tino’s eyes stretched wide with his mouth doing the same, a cheeky grin spread across it.
“Oh shit. You told me you didn’t know her. I knew your ass was lying by the way you reacted when I said something that day. How long y’all been kicking it?” Tino asked while Boss was now paying close attention.
“I didn’t but let’s just say fate brought us together. But, that’s not even the wild part. She’s pregnant,” I said, taking another puff.
“Whoa! Pregnant?” Boss said.
“BK, she’s cute and all but please tell me you don’t think it’s yours. I know it’s been a while since you got some pussy but let me explain the birds and the bees to you again. You see, when a man—"
I laughed so hard it cut Tino off from trying to play me.
“Fool, I’m fully aware that the baby isn’t mine biologically, but the plan is to make her and the baby both mine.
Well, at least make our relationship and me being the father believable to our families.
We currently have an arrangement going. We just got started today.
Her baby’s father lied and skipped town on her, and with Mama on her matchmaking shit, I came up—” I cleared my throat then I continued.
“…we came up with a plan that will help us both. I play her baby’s dad and she pretends to be my woman for the holidays,” I said, going for my glass of Black Ops and taking a sip, giving them time to process what I’d just said.
I imagined Tino would speak first but it was Boss, which surprised me.
Out of us, he was the most chill and laid back and only spoke on shit when it mattered.
“Hold up, hold up, hold up. So let me get this straight, you and shawty are fake dating so she can pass you off as her baby daddy and her as your girl?” I nodded.
“Why not just be with her for real?” Boss asked while he shrugged. He made it sound simple and in a world where McKay and I both knew each other, it would make sense but we were strangers.
“Because for one, we don’t know each other, and two, did you not just hear me? She just got out of a fucked up situation and is still dealing with the aftermath. Even if I wanted to, McKay isn’t ready for anything serious beyond planning for motherhood and adjusting to becoming a single mother.”
“Wait, and you’re still making her a single mother? Damn, you’re almost worse than the original baby daddy,” Boss said, shaking his head in disgust. And trust, I got how this all looked. It had played in my mind many times since I’d come up with the idea.
But I don’t have any plans of making McKay one.
I just wasn’t ready to tell anyone that. The thought alone was crazy, even to me.
“And how long is this going on for?” Tino asked.
“Through New Year’s. We’re going to talk about the breakup scheme at a later date. For the moment, I’m just trying to get through our first event. McKay suggested dates to help us get to know each other.”
“So, real dates throughout the duration of your fake relationship? Yeah, at this point just call her your damn woman who's pregnant and you decided to help raise the baby.”
Another reasonable option but not a solution, not for McKay’s situation.
“It sounds good, but not for her. It still leaves room for her people to ask about that bum ass nigga who left her. So, we eliminated his ass altogether to avoid that. Going forward until further notice, even if Art asks, McKay is my woman. We’ve been together for the last six months and recently found out she’s pregnant, okay? ”
I wanted my boys to know the history I made up for our backstory.
“Oh no doubt, whatever you need from us. Shit, if you want pictures to use as evidence I can help with that too. You know I got that editing app,” Tino said as he leaned up, reaching to give me dap with Boss following suit.
“Yeah, BK, you already know, whatever you need. I think there’s a simpler way to handle this, but y’all grown. You gon’ fuck around and fall in love, playing.”
That’s the plan.
“Naw. In the words of McKay, it’s strictly business.”
“Okay, so she’s coming to the pumpkin patch and apple picking outing? Or whatever Art’s ass got us doing.” Boss groaned, making me chuckle. He was like me, not seeing the point of these festivities.
“Man, I’m not understanding why the hell we gotta do this shit just because his ass got married. Amber’s not my wife, so not my responsibility for making her happy,” he said.
“Speaking of, that fool needs to give me an itinerary for these so-called extra season events or we won’t be there anyway. But, yes, that’s the plan, McKay will be in attendance with me.
“Ah shit that we came out too fucking easy, BK. Ay, Boss, how much do you want to bet these damn fools fall in love within the first week of this shit?”
“Uh uhn, I ain’t betting against that shit happening. But I’ma put two hundred on it by the third week they’re both in love.”
“Fuck y’all. And two hundred, really? That’s all our love is worth to you?” I questioned, making this fool bust out laughing.
“Oh hell, I’ll take that bet. Make it four though and by the end of week two for both,” Tino stated as they slapped hands, locking it in while I flipped them off, making them laugh harder.
“No but seriously. Keep your dick and your heart intact and you’ll be fine. Save those wes and usses for when it’s needed to prove the relationship. Simple words like that will have you forgetting you’re single for real,” Boss said while I sipped my drink, taking in his words.
If I didn’t already have growing feelings for McKay I would take heed to what he was saying, but I was already a goner. I wanted McKay in a real way.