Chapter 6
Six
Irish shook her head as Jovanis’ voicemail came on.
After three calls with thirty minutes between each, she had arrived at the point of irritation.
It was their night to go to the movies, and he had suddenly become MIA.
Glancing at her appearance in the mirror, she hated how she had wasted a good outfit when Jovanis wasn’t answering her calls.
All day, she had been hyped about their movie date and even grabbed them some liquor to sneak inside.
It wasn’t often that Jovanis stood her up.
He usually kept his word when he promised to spend time, but this had proven to be one of those rare occasions where he dropped the ball.
“This man really made me get cute to sit in the damn house,” she fussed.
Irish scrolled through her call log and stopped at Cali’s number.
The nosy part of her wanted to call and see how the breakup went but she refrained from dialing her number.
As badly as she wanted the details, she would allow Cali to call and update her when she was ready.
Irish then tapped on her contacts and stopped at a name that made her cheeks blush.
Noble
Confliction arose within her. She wanted to be bold and call him, yet something stopped her.
What would he say if he answered? Hell, what would she say to him if he did?
Irish tapped out of the contact and peered forward.
Her reflection showcased how unsettled she was.
She wanted something different. Something that inspired her.
Nothing had given her that boost that she craved.
Irish had nothing to call her own and it annoyed her that it could possibly be the case in the future.
“Fuck it,” she mumbled, tapping on Noble’s name and calling him.
The first ring caused her pulse to quicken.
The second ring made her stomach bubble with anticipation.
By the time the third ring graced her ears, Irish was queasy.
The courage she’d just possessed dissipated with each breath she exhaled.
Suddenly, she felt foolish for even reaching out to him.
Irish’s finger hovered over the red button until she heard his bass-filled tone.
“Hello?”
Her body froze, not sure of what to say next. Would hey suffice or should she explain why she dialed his number at ten o’clock at night? They had nothing to talk about. There was no history and no beginning. Just one shared conversation where Irish had revealed too much.
“Why you ain’t saying nothing? Childish-ass girl.”
Irish burst into laughter before shaking her head. She wondered if people knew Noble had a humorous side.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t know what to say.”
“A simple hello would’ve been good. What you need?”
“Why do you think I need something?” she quipped, giddy that she was on the phone with him.
“Because, you calling me for no reason isn’t plausible. There’s gotta be a need.”
Irish stood up and slowly began pacing back and forth. “Honestly, I don’t know why I called you.”
“You need to talk?”
Her forehead furrowed at his question. “Why did you ask me that?”
“‘Cause I only gave you my number in case you needed someone to talk to.”
Pondering his answer, she remembered the exact moment he saved his number in her phone and the reason why.
“I guess in a way, I could use someone to talk to.”
Irish didn’t have a particular topic she wanted to discuss. They could talk about The Disney Channel, and she would’ve been satisfied to share dialogue with Noble.
“I’ll send my location.”
“Wait, what? I thought we were just going to be talking. Why do you need to send me your location?”
“I don’t talk on the phone, Irish. Shit, this conversation has lasted longer than I wanted to. I’ll send it.”
The call ended, causing her to look at her screen to ensure he had hung up. Seconds passed and a text from Noble came through the phone. Irish walked into her bathroom to touch up the light makeup she’d applied earlier. After fluffing her shag haircut, she grabbed her purse and left the house.
The entire ride to Noble was a nervous one.
Seeing him would be a treat but what would they discuss?
Their discussions couldn’t continue to consist of Jovanis.
Irish had already shared too much and didn’t want to compromise her friendship any further.
Following the GPS, it led her downtown to The Glass House.
After finding a parking spot, Irish strutted toward the entrance and walked inside.
This was a bar that consisted of two floors.
Everything was made of glass, giving her clear panoramic views.
The crystalline walls reflected on the floor, painting it with shifting patterns of light.
It was beautifully constructed as Irish headed to the bar.
Ordering an old-fashioned, she sent a text to Noble, alerting him that she was there.
After a few minutes, he responded telling her to come to the second floor.
“Here you are.”
Irish grabbed the drink from the bartender and left a twenty-dollar bill on the counter.
She then made her way to the top floor. Once she arrived, she noticed the vibe was more laid back than the lower level.
A fire pit feature lined the perimeter of the room while ambient LED lights washed the walls with a lavender color.
Irish’s gaze scanned the club in search for Noble.
Right away, she found him in the corner.
“Damn,” she whispered.
Regal, sexy, and debonair were a few adjectives that came to mind.
A drink was nestled in the crook of his index finger and thumb.
Noble donned a black collared shirt, black slacks, and hard bottom dress shoes.
The first two buttons of his shirt provided her with a preview of his milk chocolate chest.
His gaze shifted to hers, and he gestured with his head for her to come over to him.
The taps from her five-inch heels echoed through the room.
They were the only two inside, making her anxiety spike just a bit.
Irish had no business being here with Noble, yet nothing would propel her to leave this moment.
“Is this your spot?” she asked, taking a seat on the sofa that was angled toward the chair he sat on.
Shaking his head, he answered, “No, this is my cousin’s place. I just come here and check up on it sometimes.”
Irish nodded, taking in more of the décor and settled her stare on the TV that showed highlights from a college football game.
Trying to relax around Noble was next to difficult, especially when his gaze was centered on her.
Leaning back, a subtle smirk rested on his lips, making her squirm internally.
“You look good. I know you didn’t put that on for me.”
Oh, I would’ve worn nothing for you…
Irish chuckled to herself while pushing her naughty thoughts to the back of her mind.
“I didn’t. I was actually supposed to go somewhere but plans changed.”
“And you thought of me?” Noble’s features showcased his amusement.
“I did. Is that a problem?”
Leaning forward, Noble placed his glass on the table in front of him. He then returned his attention to Irish, prompting warmth to settle between her thighs.
“Come take a ride with me.”
He stood, not giving her a chance to protest. Not that Irish would anyway.
Instead of going through the way she’d come in, Noble ushered them out of a back door and into a parking lot.
He walked toward a black car and opened the passenger door for her.
Sliding inside, Irish took note of the soft leather and the new car scent.
Here she was again, riding shotgun with a man she had been secretly interested in.
What would Jovanis say about this? She knew him like she knew the thread counts on different fabrics.
This was too close to home for Jovanis. A man that gave him orders wouldn’t be his first choice for Irish.
Somehow, her husband’s approval wasn’t a factor right now.
Jovanis was doing him and with no protest from her, so why couldn’t she do the same?
The sounds of Jay-Z’s The Prelude brought her back to reality.
Noble drove, bobbing his head while Irish watched him closely.
He was a smooth man as he whipped the luxury car with one hand.
When they arrived at the beach, he got out and Irish followed suit.
Grabbing her hand, he led them to a tower that gave them a rapturous view of the ocean.
“You’re showing me all kinds of secret spots that I wasn’t aware of,” she joked.
He eyed her. “You haven’t seen much, huh?”
Honestly, Irish shook her head. “Not really. My upbringing didn’t allow me to explore like that.”
“You smoke?”
Quickly, she shook her head. “No.”
“Good.” He pulled out a blunt. “You don’t need to.”
She grinned as he lit the end and inhaled the contents. “Are you one of those men who don’t like women who smoke?”
“No, I just like that you don’t smoke.”
The skunky smell of marijuana surrounded them as the nighttime wind blew through her ginger hair.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
She exhaled, silently picking what she wanted to converse about first.
“I don’t know… I feel like I’ve been stuck in this state of uncertainty for a while. It feels like I’m lost a lil’ bit.”
“Lost about what? Your love life? Your career? Sanity?”
“Everything. There’s something missing in my life, and I’m not sure what it is.
I have my brand, which is doing good, but I want it to be better.
I can see celebrities wearing it and making it a luxury brand.
My love life is… well, it could be better.
I guess I just need some excitement in my life. ” She chuckled. “Am I boring you?”
“No.” He simpered, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Keep talking.”