20. Have It All
Have It All
The week was going from sunshine to shit in record time.
Nadine’s calendar was full of meetings to the point of her having to eat standing up at her desk.
The tension with Mitchell was also at an all-time high.
She tried her best not to snap at the guy, especially after Nadine’s assistant said that it was inconclusive that Mitchell switched her data in the cloud.
On top of the madness of work, Nadine had committed to attend EJ’s school play.
He’d come home every day reminding her about the play and she couldn’t break his heart.
This is why she was up at the crack of dawn the day of the play, making cupcakes for the entire class.
It wasn’t enough to just be there; she had to make her presence known to the stay-at-home moms that judged her endlessly.
Her motherly guilt was getting the best of her.
Ugh. Dr. Flournoy would not approve of this behavior.
She was taking the last tray of cupcakes out of the oven when Zaire entered the kitchen. Nadine bit her lip as she took her in. She wasn’t sure what was more enticing, Zaire or the warm cupcakes. She was pretty sure Zaire wore leggings most days to drive her crazy with the way her ass jiggled.
Zaire rounded the island. The smell of her perfume mixed with the sweetness of the cupcakes. “I should start calling you Little Debbie, the way I’m always catching you stress baking at odd times of the day.”
Nadine shook her head. “Sometimes baking is just that. Baking. These are for EJ’s class.”
Zaire raised a brow. “So you are coming to the play? He’s going to be so happy.”
“Yeah, I had to shift some things around this afternoon, and I am sure my team isn’t pleased, but I am tired of missing things in my kids’ lives.” Nadine sighed as she began piping icing on the cupcakes. “I shouldn’t have to keep doing this.”
“So quit,” Zaire said.
Nadine paused icing. “If I quit, then what would I do all day?”
Zaire looked Nadine up and down, her eyes lingering on her lips. “Trust me, we can think of plenty of things to occupy your time.” She swiped her finger in the bowl of icing and licked. “Oh my god, this shouldn’t taste so good.”
Zaire reached for a finished cupcake, but Nadine playfully tapped her hand.
“Get out of there, girl!” She turned to the counter, picking up the half dozen caramel cream cupcakes that were under a cake dome.
“These are just for you. They have all the sugar and good stuff. Not the gluten free, sugar free, organic nonsense I am taking to the school.”
“Aww! Thank you, Deanie.”
Nadine watched as Zaire carefully lifted the top of the cake dome and inhaled the sweet scent of the cupcakes. She gave Nadine a soft smile, eyes a little misty. “Like I said, you’re definitely the sweetest.”
Nadine was about to lean in for a kiss when heavy footsteps snapped her out of it. She almost forgot that Eddie was still here. He had a late morning meeting and decided to sleep a little later than usual. He was dressed in a suit, looking as handsome as than ever.
“Looking good, Mr. Moody,” Zaire replied, admiring Eddie’s suit.
Eddie visibly blushed. “Thank you, Zaire. I thought I smelled something sweet.” He smiled as he came over to place a kiss on Nadine’s cheek. “I see you’ve been baking up a storm.”
Nadine wiped her brow. “Yeah. It’s just a little something for EJ’s class.”
Eddie looked at Zaire, who was now devouring a cupcake. “I see you can’t resist Nadine’s sweets either.”
“I sure can’t! I swear, anything she makes, it’s irresistible.” Zaire licked her lips slowly, then licked the remnants of icing off her fingers. The act made Nadine press her thighs together as she watched. She was clearly making a show of it.
Nadine peered at Eddie, taking notice too. He cleared his throat, then adjusted his tie. She bet if she felt his slacks, she’d feel a hard as a brick dick.
“Yeah, I get it,” Eddie said with a slight chuckle. “Her pastries are pretty irresistible.”
Zaire smiled and gave a wink. “Definitely. Well, you have a nice day. Let me get EJ ready for the day.”
Nadine and Eddie both watched her leave the kitchen and head up the steps.
“She really likes leggings,” Eddie mumbled, trying his best to tear his eyes away from Zaire’s jiggling ass. “Sorry. No disrespect, Nadine.”
Nadine shook her head. “Nah, I get it. The girl is thick. If I had a body like that, I'd live in leggings too. Thank God you’re such a good guy. You’d never fuck the nanny.” Nadine had to pause at her words, picking up her coffee cup to take a sip. She was one fucking the nanny. What a cliché.
Eddie shook his head as he poured coffee in a travel mug. “I’m not trying to blow up my life over some ass. I mean, even if it is a nice ass.” He paused, staring curiously at Nadine. “Just wondering…would Z be your type?”
Nadine nearly choked. “Uhm, she’s a little young, don’t you think?”
Eddie shrugged. “True, but I mean physically? I am trying to get to know what you like. What you’re attracted to in women. We never really discussed that.”
Nadine was trying to carefully think of what to say.
Zaire was definitely her type, but she liked all kinds of women, if she was being honest. She thought about it.
“I mean, I messed around with mostly femme women. Maybe one soft stud. I think that’s how she identified.
Not sure we called it that back then. I honestly am still learning. ”
That was the truth. When Nadine was younger, she hadn’t thought about the type of women she was attracted to until she discussed it with her therapist. Now, she had the language to really talk about the specifics of her attraction.
If she had to categorize Zaire, she was a “stem”.
Some days she was ultra femme, other days she was very tomboy. Nadine loved the way she changed it up.
“Interesting,” Eddie mused. He looked at his watch, then grabbed his coffee. “Shit, I gotta go, babe. Meeting about NILs and our athletes. I am going to try and make it to the play if I can. See if I can move stuff around.”
Nadine was surprised. “Really? You sure you have the time? You have a lot going on.” This was Eddie’s first year coaching collegiate basketball. He had a lot riding on his rookie season as a coach. If he missed this play, Nadine understood. There would be others.
“Yeah. I realize that I can’t miss out on EJ’s life either. Like you said, time is flying. And you can’t be the only one making sacrifices. That’s not fair.” Eddie gave Nadine a peck on the lips, grabbed a cupcake, and headed out the door.
Nadine felt a shit-ton of guilt at Eddie’s words. Eddie was such a good man. A great husband and a tremendous father. She needed to tell him the truth about Zaire soon. He deserved it.
Nadine and Zaire hadn’t stepped twenty feet into the auditorium when Ingrid was making a beeline toward them.
“Wow, Nadine! I didn’t think you’d actually show up! Imagine my surprise when I heard you were coming and bringing cupcakes! How sweet!”
This phony, bottle-blonde bitch.
Nadine gave a tight smile. “Well, I can’t be all about work.
Besides, someone has to bring the kids a sweet treat for all their hard work.
I’m sure they’re tired of rice cakes and stale granola bars.
” That was a direct jab at Ingrid. For someone who had money, she was incredibly cheap.
She always brought stale, store-bought snacks for the kids that were no doubt days old and close to expiration.
Ingrid huffed as she attempted to plaster on a smile.
“Well, we all can’t be as talented as you.
” She turned her attention toward Zaire, who had been quietly observing their exchange.
“I see you brought your nanny. EJ just adores her. You better be careful, Nadine. She might steal the hearts of all the men in your life.”
Nadine was sick of Ingrid’s shit. “Trust me, I am not worried about that.” She seductively curled her hand around Zaire’s waist. “Z, can you find us some seats, sweetie?”
Zaire gave a slight smirk. “Of course, love.” Nadine watched as Zaire deliberately sauntered down the narrow aisles toward the seats.
Every nosey adult in the place was staring at her and those goddamn leggings, ass moving like ocean waves.
Nadine was pretty sure Z didn't have on any underwear.
She never did. Nadine made a mental note to buy her leggings in every single color imaginable.
Ingrid’s eyes widened as she looked between the two women. “Wha…what is that about Nadine?” she stammered.
Nadine gave Ingrid the fakest of smiles.
“Ingrid, I say this with the utmost respect. But go fuck yourself.” She gave the blonde a cute little pat on the shoulder and walked toward her seat next to Zaire.
With the way that gossip traveled, she was pretty sure that she was going to have to find EJ another school by tomorrow.
Zaire leaned over, chuckling. “You know, you just made that bitch’s head explode.”
“Please! Fuck her,” Nadine sucked her teeth. “I am sure by the time I sat down in this seat, the entire school is going to hear a rumor that I am fucking you.”
“Do you care?” Zaire asked sincerely.
“I should, but I don’t.” Nadine looked around the auditorium. A few eyes stared at her. “Let them think whatever they want.”
Zaire nudged her playfully. “See. That’s Big Mama energy, Cookie.”
Just as the lights began to dim, Nadine spotted Eddie coming through the auditorium doors. She smiled, waving him over to the empty seat next to her.
“Got here in the nick of time,” Eddie said, placing a kiss on Nadine’s forehead.
Nadine returned a warm smile. “You did. The play is about to start.”
The crowd hushed and camera phones began to flash as the children made their way onto the stage. Nadine beamed with pride as she saw EJ in his Big Bad Wolf costume. Nadine quickly snapped a photo. He was too cute for words.
In the darkness of the auditorium, she felt Zaire link her pinky with hers, pulling her hand between their touching thighs.
On the other side, she felt Eddie place a firm hand on her other thigh.
Feeling them both touch her sent tingles down her spine and heat pooling in her belly.
Nadine brushed off the sensation, trying to concentrate on the play instead.
Yet, her mind replayed the same thought over and over.
Maybe I can have it all.