Chapter 4
VASIAH
My palms were sweaty, and I hadn’t felt like this since middle school.
It was Monday, and I chose to work remotely to focus on our date.
It had to be perfect, and to be honest, I wanted to impress her.
She was unashamed about her love for designer purses and luxury travel, but I could also tell that she appreciated when people listened to her and paid attention to the things about her that weren’t always tangible.
After staying up all night researching and calling my Pops multiple times, I decided that we would go horseback riding at this Black-owned ranch called Cash Money Acres and then have a picnic on the grounds.
She mentioned during a FaceTime session that when she was five, her Nana took her and her twin brother to a petting zoo, and some Black cowboys were there.
They performed, and she got a chance to sit on a horse, but never ride one because her Nana felt that it was unsafe for her age at the time.
For food, I learned that her best friend was the owner of Mz.
Earline’s, a fire-ass soul food restaurant that my Pop and I went to a few times before.
She ate there pretty often, but they were rolling out an Asian fusion menu that combined soul food with traditional Asian dishes.
I ordered the salmon egg rolls, gumbo sushi, lump crab edamame, and Cajun shrimp fried rice.
“Yeah, Pop?”
“You there early?”
“Yup,” I sighed. “Can’t even hold you; I’m nervous.”
“Son, you already did the hard part. Now, everything after this should be smooth sailing. She already likes you,” he added.
“You think so?”
He let out a frustrated puff of air. “Lawd. I swear this new generation is a lil’ slow.
Yes, son, she likes you. You said it yourself that she walked up to you at the book bar.
She responds to your texts, y’all talk on the phone, and she asks you things about yourself.
Most importantly, she allowed you to take her on a date.
A gal like her with her own money ain’t just going out with niggas just because she wants a free meal.
Plus, you my son. Of course she likes you! ”
I smirked. My confidence was coming back, and while still nervous, the tight feeling in my chest was dwindling.
I thanked my pop and watched as the lady of the hour pulled up in a Tiffany-blue G-Wagon with burgundy rims, blasting some Chief Keef at an ignorant level.
She turned her truck off, and I stepped out of mine, meeting her by the driver's door to open it for her. She beamed when she saw me, and the words for how beautiful she looked got caught in my throat. She stepped out and had on a pair of distressed denim shorts, a red baby tee with the words Give Them Hell on the front, and those new Concrete Rose Jordan 3’s I had my eye on.
She smelled heavenly, like crisp green apples, and her hair was in a long, sleek ponytail that touched the top of her ass.
This woman was fine, and I’m sure she knew it, but I was gonna tell her every chance I got.
“Ya know,” she stepped out and beamed at me.
“I thought you were the type that would want to just take me to a fancy restaurant. Which is cool; I like those too, but this… this has already exceeded my expectations.” Her eyes bounced around in excitement.
I stood there, gawking at her until she threw her slender arms around my neck, hugging me.
Tighten up nigga. Act like a beautiful woman has paid you attention before. I could hear my Pops' voice in my head. But Reina was more than a beautiful woman. She was intelligent, funny, witty, assertive, and about her money. Her beauty was an addition, not the whole sum of who she is.
I broke the hug and cleared my throat. If she were nervous, I would never be able to tell just by looking at her. The look on her face was serene, and her pretty orbs shone with whimsy. She grabbed my hand, leading us to the entrance, and then paused.
“I actually don’t know where we’re going,” she giggled.
“Over here,” I led her to the correct entrance, and we were greeted by the owner.
“Welcome to Cash Money Acres. I’m the ranch owner, Dinero.
” He introduced us to two horses, Cash and Money, a brown mare and a white stallion.
Reina walked slowly toward both horses, letting them sniff her hands and nuzzle against her.
She pulled out her phone and took selfies with them, her eyes going into slits because her smile was so big.
The ranch leader just let her do her thang, and once she finished, he helped her mount the horse named Money, her long legs swung over the saddle effortlessly.
“Whew shit! I did not know horses could go this fast!” Reina exclaimed, tightening her hold on the reins. I whistled, and Money slowed down to a more gingerly pace.
“Wait. You speak horse?”
I chuckled. “Nah… I saw that shit on Animal Planet once and just tried it.” It was her turn to laugh, and then we rode in a comfortable silence, the summer weather pleasant enough to warm our skin, but not overbear us.
We eventually got to a picnic blanket that overlooked the small clearing of water in the distance.
“Vasiah?” She called out.
“Wassup?”
“This is really nice,” she admitted, and I smiled goofily at her.
Our first date was going off without a hitch, and it felt normal being with her.
“Ya know… this goes against my rules, but I think I wanna take you out.” She smiled shyly.
“Oh, you don’t have to –”
“Aye, what you doing tonight?” she cut me off.
“I was chilling…”
“Hmmm. You can chill with me,” she winked mischievously.
Dawg. What was this woman about to get me into?