Chapter 24
I ’d been back in Rose Haven for three weeks now and while I loved having my parents close, it was definitely time to find my own place. I had a whole man and both of us living at home for the time being wasn’t working. Even though Benny had bought his house, he hadn’t completely moved in just yet. Hotels and cars got the job done, but if we were going to get it in, I would rather it be in one of our own spots.
Today, I was doing apartment tours and Shirah had come along to give her unsolicited opinion. We’d seen three so far and she had something to say about them all. Granted, the points she made were valid, but my best friend didn’t know the first thing about biting her tongue.
“Alright, Shy,” I said, as we pulled up to the final apartment. “Don’t go in here acting crazy.”
She scoffed, offended. “How am I acting crazy?”
“You told that last lady the place smelled like piss!”
“Because it did smell like piss! A drunken piss at that. Who is paying what they want for rent for the place to smell like that? She needs to get a professional cleaning crew or a damn plumber.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, girl.”
“I don’t know why you’re wasting your time or money anyway. Benny just bought that big ass house, and the man told you he bought it with you in mind, too. I’d have my ass in there sitting pretty.”
I blushed at the memory and what happened after he revealed that tidbit of information. To say my heart was all in with this man was an understatement. I was so close to falling in love with him and it was crazy. We’d known each other for so long, but never on this level. He was everything.
I felt my face heating up as I thought about the way he made love to me in the master bathroom. That was the only way I could describe the feeling between us in that moment. It wasn’t just sex, and we weren’t fucking. He was intentional and passionate. Sex with Ben was an experience I felt throughout my body. But… him making love to me, I felt that in my soul.
“Look at your ass,” Shirah said, breaking my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Huh?” she mocked. “If you can huh, you can hear. You’re over there thinking about that man having you on the bathroom counter, aren’t you?”
“Let’s get in there before we’re late,” I said, ignoring her as I opened my door.
Shirah’s laughter echoed as I got out. I took a deep breath, brushing those thoughts from my mind as we headed into the leasing office.
“Good morning!” a beautiful sistah with a megawatt smile said, greeting us. “I’m Briana. You must be Willow.”
“I am. This is my best friend, Shirah.”
“Hi,” Shirah said, matching her smile. “I’m also the friend that will tell you if your apartment sucks because she’s too nice.”
I smacked her arm. “Shirah! We just talked about this!”
Briana laughed. “We love a vocal queen. I promise, our property is up to standards. It might even exceed them.”
“We’ll see.”
I palmed my forehead. “Please excuse my friend. I’m ready to see the unit.”
Briana nodded. “I have the key right here. Follow me.”
She walked ahead, and we followed behind her, with me pinching Shirah along the way. She laughed as we climbed on the elevator. The ride to the fourth floor didn’t take long, and I was glad to see it was spacious enough to accommodate moving large furniture. We stepped off and made our way down the hall to apartment 421.
“I’m excited to show you this beautiful two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. Keep in mind, this is one of our most popular floor plans, so it won’t last long.”
“They all say that,” Shirah whispered as Briana opened the door.
I elbowed her.
“The apartment is 1,150 square feet total, so you have plenty of space. As we enter, you’ll notice the open-concept layout. The living room flows right into the dining area and kitchen, which is equipped with stainless steel appliances. The in-unit washer and dryer are located right here,” she said, opening a door to reveal top of the line appliances. “Each unit has central air conditioning, and smart home features, including a programmable thermostat.
“Now, the open concept makes this the perfect entertainment space for a dinner party, family dinners, or a girl’s night in. The large windows provide excellent natural light, not to mention, you have a balcony with a beautiful view.”
She motioned for us to take a look around the space. We walked deeper into the apartment, taking in everything she described. It was beautiful. The marble countertops in the kitchen were spotless and so were the appliances. Not even a trace of fingerprints were left behind.
We ventured out onto the large, covered balcony.
“You and Benny can get busy right here,” Shirah jested. “Just don’t fall over.”
“I’m leaving your ass at the store next time.”
She laughed as she followed me back inside.
“What do you think?” Briana asked.
“I love it. Can we see the bedrooms?”
“Of course! Right this way.”
We followed her down the hall to the right of the living room where she pushed open a door.
“Now, the master bedroom is on this side with its own en-suite bathroom and a massive walk-in closet. The bathroom includes a standalone shower and a large soaker tub for those nights when you just want to relax. The second bedroom is just across on the other side of the living room. It’s ideal for a guest room or home office, and has access to the guest bathroom. This is perfect for a roommate set up in case you two are moving together.”
“Oh no,” I said, shaking my head. “I see enough of her already.”
“Bitch,” Shirah said, mushing my head.
Bianca laughed. “You two sound just like me and my best friend. She’s more like a sister.”
“That would be us,” I agreed.
“Don’t let her fool you, Bianca,” Shirah said. “She neglects me from time to time. We aren’t gonna talk about that, though.”
I rolled my eyes. “Anyway! This is beautiful. What kind of amenities do you have here?”
“I’m glad you asked! This building has fantastic amenities! Residents can enjoy access to our 24-hour fitness center, rooftop pool and lounge area, package receiving service, and underground parking. This unit is currently available at $1,850 per month with a 12-month lease. We’re also offering a special this month—one month free if you sign within the next week. The security deposit is equal to one month’s rent. Utilities are not included, but water and trash typically run about eighty-five dollars per month.”
“You sold me when I walked in,” I said with a giggle.
Bianca smiled. “What bout you, bestie?”
Shirah looked around and nodded. “It’s a great space. Prime location. And Charlie can have her own room.”
“Oh, you have a daughter?” Bianca asked.
“No. My boyfriend has a little girl.”
“Well, we also have a playground in the courtyard.”
Shirah tapped my arm. “See. Perfect.”
Again, I rolled my eyes, causing Bianca to laugh. “Let’s head back to the office. Since you were already approved, we can get started on all the paperwork.”
We followed her out of the unit. I was happy to have found something. Even if I had to get a blow up mattress until I got my furniture, I was done screwing my man in places that didn’t have mine or his name on the lease.
After filling out the paperwork, Shirah and I went to grab something to eat from Scottie’s and a drink from Sweet Sips before heading back to her shop so she could open for the day.
While she was behind the register doing something on the computer, I took my time looking around the store. My girl had amazing fashion sense and was always sending me something to try every time she got new pieces. Now that I was back home, I could roam the store and try on whatever I wanted.
With several pieces thrown across my arm, I rummaged through the racks. The bell above the door rang and I heard Shirah greet the customer.
“Welcome to Honey and Hue where— oh hell no. Bitch, get your ass outta here!”
Immediately, I placed the items in my hands on a bench and rounded the wall separating the sections. My eyes landed on Tierra, standing there with a crazed look on her face.
“Tierra, you better get the fuck on,” Shirah said, coming around the counter.
“Is that any way to speak to a paying customer?” she sassed. “I have money.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few crumpled bills.
“I don’t care. You aren’t welcomed here.”
She glared at Shirah before turning her gaze to me.
“Oh, but she is? The whore that’s fucking my baby daddy is welcomed but I’m not?”
I sighed. “Tierra?—”
“Don’t speak to me, bitch!” she screamed at me. “I never could stand your ass. I don’t know why everybody always liked you so much.”
I crossed my arms. “Tierra, baby, you have to let that high school shit go. We’re pushing thirty.”
“I’ll let it go when you give me my man back.”
“Benjamin isn’t your man, and he never was.”
She laughed. “That’s what he told you? He was my man long enough to make a baby with me.”
Shirah cackled. “Girl, you know y’all were just fucking around.”
“You know all about fucking around, don’t you? Loose ass pussy.”
“Bitch, you got me fucked up.”
Shirah started at her, but I held her back. Tierra laughed wildly as she started pulling clothes from the racks. She swiped a pile of jeans onto the floor, then grabbed a blouse and started ripping it to shreds.
Shirah stormed over to grab it from her, but as soon as she reached for it, Tierra shoved her hard into a display, causing it to topple over. From there, she just went on a rampage, knocking shit over. Shirah and I tried to grab her, but the bitch started swinging. I’d always heard that people on drugs had a crazy amount of strength when they were high.
I didn’t want to put my hands on her. All I wanted to do was restrain her, but when she hit me in the mouth, all bets were off. I started swinging back, ducking and dodging her attempts to claw at my face in the process. Shirah didn’t spare her like I tried to with the body shots.
She was throwing punch after punch, hitting Tierra in the face. It didn’t seem to phase her. She ate those licks and kept coming back for more, all while screaming like a mad woman.
“I called the police!” someone yelled from the door.
We were so busy fighting that we didn’t even hear it open. When she heard the word police, Tierra kicked Shirah in the stomach, causing her to hit the floor. She shoved me into the wall and made a break for the door, damn near knocking over the woman who I now knew was Shirah’s cashier, Imani.
“Are y’all okay?” Imani asked, quickly locking the door, and running over to us.
Shirah and I nodded as we gathered our bearings and steadied ourselves on our feet.
“Who the hell was that?” Imani asked.
“A bitch that’s getting her ass beat on sight every time I see her,” Shirah spat.
“Where the hell did she even come from?”
“I don’t know, but she had to have been watching us to know to find you here. I can’t believe you got me out here fighting a crackhead,” Shirah said, straightening her clothes. “That bitch had super strength. Look at my shit!”
The shop was a mess.
Clothes were everywhere. There was broken glass on the floor. Displays were knocked over and destroyed. It looked like a storm blew through her shop. There was no way she could stay open today.
“I’m sorry, Shy. This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s not. That bitch is unstable. We know that after what she did to Benny’s place.”
“I’ll help you clean up.”
The flashing blue and red lights caught our attention as we looked up to find two officers getting out of their cruiser. Shirah sighed as she went to unlock the door to let them in. I felt like shit, looking around the space at all the damage my drama brought to my best friend’s doorstep. Something told me that this wasn’t the last we would see or hear from Tierra’s ass.
* * *
After helping Shirah get the shop cleaned up, I left and went to grab Benjamin something to eat before I headed to his place. I knew he was at the house today, doing light painting and a few repairs while waiting on his furniture to be delivered. He’d been in a good mood, and I hated to sour it with this news, but I couldn’t keep it from him.
He, of all people, needed to know that Tierra was around.
Pulling into the driveway, I heaved a heavy sigh as I shut off my car, grabbed the food, and climbed out. Walking up to the front door, I rang the doorbell. A minute went by before he answered in a paint covered beater and joggers, his tattoos and muscles on full display.
The mere sight of him caused me to just stand there staring at him for a minute. Damn, he was fine.
“Baby?” he said, waving a hand in my face.
I blinked, refocusing my eyes on the grin on his handsome face.
“Huh?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Sorry, I got distracted.”
I stepped inside and stood on my toes to kiss his lips. He smacked my ass as I walked past him to go into the kitchen. I loved that he’d added a little character to the space by installing a backsplash behind the counters and painting the cabinets. Those plain white cabinets just didn’t do it.
“It’s looking good in here,” I said, placing the bag of food on the countertop.
“Thank you. I’ve been working hard.”
I opened the bag and placed his food on the countertop. “Eat. And don’t give me any backtalk.”
He chuckled. “I love how you think you run me.”
I smiled as I lifted myself onto the countertop while he started opening the lids of the food containers.
“How did apartment hunting go?” he asked, shoveling a spoonful of rice and gravy into his mouth.
“It went well. Remind me not to take Shirah with me.”
He chuckled. “That’s your best friend.”
“And your best friend is sleeping with her. Anyway, I signed a lease at Haven Heights.”
He looked up from his food. “For how long?”
I knew he was asking because he expressed that when I was ready, he wanted me to move in. I took that into consideration when looking at places. If things kept progressing between us, I didn’t want to be stuck paying rent in a place I was hardly ever at because my lease wasn’t up.
“It’s month to month,” I said.
He held back a smile, but I could see it trying to come through.
“That’s convenient,” he said.
“It is.”
“What did y’all do afterward?”
“We grabbed some food from Scottie’s then headed back to Shirah’s shop so she could open.”
“How much did you buy today?”
I giggled. Most of what I wore lately came from her shop. I couldn’t help myself and I loved supporting my bestie.
“Nothing today,” I answered.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Well, I was going to try on a few things.”
“What happened?”
The smile dropped from my face and I fell quiet until he looked up at me.
“Wait, did something happen?” he asked, setting the container down.
I nodded. “I need to tell you something, Benny. I hate it even happened, but we really had no choice.”
He came to stand between my legs and reached for my hands. I placed them in his, but refused to meet his eyes.
“Talk to me, Willow. You know how I feel about communication.”
My eyes finally met his and they were filled with concern.
“Tierra came into the shop. She must have been waiting around or something. Anyway, she came in all hostile. We exchanged words after she called me a whore for sleeping with you. When Shirah defended me, she started pulling clothes off the racks and knocking shit over. We tried to restrain her but she started swinging at us. One thing led to another and the three of us were scrapping all over the fucking store. It wasn’t until Shirah’s employee yelled that she called the police did she run out.”
Benny’s brows furrowed as a deep frown appeared on his face.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, immediately checking me over.
“No, no. I’m fine. She was trying her hardest to claw at my face, though. If anything, I’m a little sore from being slammed into the wall.”
“I can’t believe this shit. She had an out… one she didn’t deserve, and she just keeps coming back.”
I cupped his face. “Promise me you’ll be careful and alert when you’re out, Benny. That look in her eyes… It was crazy. I’d never seen anything like it. Whatever she’s on, it’s taking over. She’s determined that you are her man, and she wants you back.”
“People in hell want ice water. She can cancel that shit.” He pulled away for a moment, turning his back to me. “Fuck!” he yelled. “I never should have told her ass we could be together.”
“Baby, you said what was necessary to protect your child.”
“I know, Willow, but it was the wrong shit. Now she’s out here attacking you. I can’t have that.”
I hopped down from the counter and wrapped my arms around him.
“I’m fine. A little sore, but it’s nothing I can’t shake.”
“You want me to be careful, but I need you to be careful too, baby. If she does something to you, I can’t promise I can restrain myself from doing some shit to her.”
“I promise, I’ll be careful. Just don’t do anything stupid. I just fully got you. I don’t want to lose you.”
He peered down at me, and his resolve softened a bit. “I’m not going anywhere. I—” He paused for a moment, seemingly pondering his words. “I love you, Willow.”
Tears sprang to my eyes as I took in the words.
He loved me. He really loved me.
My heart felt so full. After almost three months, this was a moment of realization. I hadn’t just been slowly falling for him. I was already there. Over the moon, head over heels in love with this man. This wonderful, beautiful, loving and caring man.
It may have seemed fast to people on the outside looking in, but I’d known him practically my whole life on the level of a friend. Now I knew him personally and intimately as a grown man. My man.
It felt right, and I only had one response for him.
My voice cracked as I spoke. “I love you, too, Benjamin.”