42. Wyn #3
I walk over to him and kick his feet off my damn table, before sitting next to him. Now that his daddy’s there, Cody is all smiles, trying and failing to pick up the book. I take it from him and place it on the couch. He climbs back up, and I know he’s good for at least thirty minutes.
“I’m about to apologize for the third time. Are you ready to receive it or are you gonna continue to act holier than thou because you found out your ex-junkie friend is unsurprisingly not as perfect as you thought.” Folding my arms, I arch a brow at him.
He chuckles once, rubbing his waves with his good hand before looking out the windows toward the rest of downtown.
“I know you and Rico made up.”
“‘Cause he tells you everything?” he quips.
“No, not everything. But he told me that. And I’ll admit I’m jealous. I’m in the best season of my life. Shit we talked about is finally happening, and you’re nowhere to be found. The one person who never wavered. Hell, even Shaddy wavered. But never Set, not even when I blocked you on everything.”
“You always was petty as fuck,” he rasps, turning back toward me.
“We should have never crossed that line all those years ago. I’m sorry for that, and I’m sorry for not telling you and me and Rico.
It was fucked up, full-stop. If I had known I would lose a twenty-plus years friendship, I would have told in a heartbeat.
I know things will never be the same, I know that.
” I look away to wipe my eye, but only for a moment, before I force myself to hold his stormy gaze.
“I get it. I lied, and there’s consequences for that.
But I would like it if we can be back cool again.
At least cordial… I mean, it’s not like neither one of us is going anywhere.
And I actually can’t live without your wife, and you’re the one who is at fault for that, so.
” I shrug, and lean back on the couch, my teeth gnawing at the inside of my cheeks.
“Shit crazy. You remember what you said the first time you seen her? We was at Palace for Tati’s birthday.”
“Hmm, I don’t think that was the first time I saw her, but no I don’t remember. What did I say? Probably something dumb,” I snort.
“Nah… you said, ‘that girl wants you bad.’ I ain’t even think B was checking for me foreal, not until I seen how she looked like she was ready to snatch you off me. So really, it’s all your fault.”
“Tomato, tomahto,” I shrug, grinning. “So what do you say? Homies? Childhood associates?”
I stick my hand out to shake, but slowly pull it back when he looks at it like it has shit on it. I swallow around the huge ass lump in my throat and nod, standing from the couch. “I get it,” I say, even though I don’t.
He stands, too, I guess, because he grabs my wrist when I’m halfway to the hallway. When I turn around, this big ass nigga engulfs me in a hug. Heavy arms resting on my shoulders with his big ass head.
“Don’t ever fuckin’ lie to me again, bro. You don’t know how annoying it is tryna teach B why you can’t wear certain hats no matter how much it may go with the ‘fit.”
Laughter bubbles out of me, and my arms finally cooperate enough to hug him back.
“You just pissed me dead off, talking about ‘childhood associates.’ You think I’d be this mad over a muthafucka who don’t mean shit to me? I be letting you and Shad make it, ‘cause everyone loves him, but we all know who yo real best friend is.”
He finally lets me go, and when I see his dimples, I can’t help but grin back. “I’m pretty sure you can’t be besties with someone you’ve seen naked.”
Set waves me off. “Me and Ty lived together, remember? Unfortunately that rule don’t apply to me.”
“One: I’m telling Turk and Ty that you’re not claiming either one of them,” Brina announces, coming out of the hallway with a smug grin on her face.
“And two: Wyn is not your bestie, because she is my bestie. I will not be sharing her nor Auty. Lastly, my beautiful, caring, nerdy, annoying husband.”
Brina pulls him down for a kiss, before handing him a sleeping Cammy.
“If you mention the words ‘sample’ or ‘interpolation’ or even ‘Call of Duty’ again to me, I will be taking the kids foreal, and going back to Northupton. On Baby. Now, the marg has kicked in. Let’s get home and make up.
” She taps his chest before going to gather Boosie, and with a promise to call me later, the Washington family is gone out of my hair, leaving me alone again.
“Unpause the music!” I yell, cha-chaing to my phone. The first text makes me pause, effectively killing the mood I just had.
Rico
Something came up . I’ma hit you later
My thumbs move furiously across the keyboard.
Me
That’s fine. While you’re at it, don’t come to my album release either. My actual nigga will be there, celebrating me. Have fun doing whatever, slut.
I block him before he can reply, and change my playlist from oldies to She-Woman Man-Hater. Khia begins to play, and I start scrolling for some sushi.
“Whatever. If I close my eyes, my rose does it better anyway,” I rumble, annoyed I’m even lying to myself.