Chapter 1-Devon West #2
“Hell, I see your overgrown, steroid-pumping ass, sitting at the bar, smiling. I’m trying to see what type of time you’re on. What are you so damn happy about? And with a straight face, you’re telling me that you’re dealing with a Casper looking chick who may or may not exist.”
“Don’t hate ’cause yo’ boy is in the gym and getting’ these gains,” he said as he flexed his muscles. “I met her on the dating app, BlackLove . So, no, we haven’t physically met. Not yet, at least. We’re gonna link up soon.”
I paused for a minute to look upside his head.
“Nigga, since when have you started talking to strangers? I would have taught you some game if you were having trouble. All you had to do was ask. The last thing you need to be doing is talkin’ to a chick who, nine times out of ten, doesn’t want nothing but your money. ”
“Man—” he started, but I was quick to cut him off.
“Only gold diggers looking for their next lick use those damn apps. Ask your mama,” I said as I thought better of what I was telling him to do.
I knew for a fact he wouldn’t ask his mama, but I damn sure would.
“Matter of fact, let me holler at Ms. Rosie for you. It’s been a minute since I chopped it up with my girl, anyway.
” I gave him a knowing look that caused him to suck his teeth and glare at me with disdain.
“Fall back from my mama, fam.”
His warning made me laugh. Since the time I had hair on my chest, I’d been claiming that I was going to be Cross and Levi’s stepdaddy one of these days. Ms. Rosie Drew was bad as hell back then, and as if she was God’s favorite, she’d aged like fine wine.
“I’m just sayin’. If I can’t talk some sense into you and keep you from dealing with a female who only cares about yo’ pockets, then maybe your mama can.”
“I’m not tryin’ to hear that.” He waved me off. “She got her own, so I’m not worried about that.”
“So, you say,” I chimed, waving him off, signaling that I was done with the conversation.
As far as I was concerned, you didn’t know what a female had or didn’t have until you pulled up on her and saw it with your own eyes. That was a lesson I’d learned the hard way, and I had my son’s mama to thank for that.
A bought lesson hit harder than anything else, and I paid the price when I got Keesha pregnant.
“If you want something different, you got to do something different.”
“Well, I’ll leave that to you. I ain’t never had a problem finding a female. I damn sure ain’t about to hit up an app to find something to slide in.”
“Neither have I, but I don’t want just any female.
Ain’t you tired of sliding in randoms and sending them home before you go to sleep?
These females are out here stealing used condoms and chains, and it’s old.
I want a woman, and I don’t want to kick it with a different female every night.
I want a woman to call my own. Somebody I can build with. You feel me?”
“Hell, nah. Are you okay, Levi? Maybe I really need to call Ms. Rosie. You really not sounding like yourself right now.”
“I’m just maturing. You need to catch up,” he added with a smirk.
“Stop it, dummy,” I challenged through laughter. “Don’t act like you’re giving me wisdom when you just hopped off yo’ mama tit—”
“Aye.” He interrupted me, his tone taking a serious turn. “Chill out, man.”
“A’ight, but like I said, I will leave that computer love mess to you.”
“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.” Levi called out as I got up and walked off.
I headed up to my office .and pulled out my phone so that I could find the app he was talking about.
Curiosity was getting the best of me, and I couldn’t help but reflect on his words.
Finding something new to slide in was getting old, and it wouldn’t hurt to at least have a constant buddy who was on the same time as I was.
Somebody who could give me a quick release and was good for some conversation.
Maybe a female who could go out with me when I felt up to it and if that connection turned into something more, I wouldn’t be against it.
Hell, I needed somebody to make my ass smile like his big ass was. I deserved that much, and I figured I could afford to see what all the hype was about.
Despite what I said to Levi, being with different females every other night was entertaining, but it was just as risky, and I wasn’t getting any younger.
I knew I couldn’t play the game forever.
I had been feeling like it was time to turn in my player’s card, anyway, but I’d done good with going through the motions.
Hence, the nameless female in my house this morning.
BlackLove. When I pulled up the app and downloaded it, I entered in the basic information, which included my name, height, likes and dislikes.
Then, I uploaded a few pictures to show the ladies the quality features I was working with.
I wasn’t arrogant about the way I looked, but if somebody ever fixed their mouth to say I was ugly, they would be lying.
My golden skin housed hazel eyes, an ace-shaped nose, bottom heavy lips, a square face and a sharp jawline that enhanced the rest of my traits. My natural hair was curly, but it was also too much maintenance, so I opted to keep it in a tapered fade.
Neither of my parents was worth a second of time that I could afford to spare, but they did good when they got together and went half on me.
On top of being genetically blessed, I took care of myself, so not only was my body one that had been compared to a Greek god, but my skin was also blemish free, and I stood at 6’3 in height.
The app was asking questions out the ass, going beyond what I expected.
What is your ideal date? “Hmm.” I wondered aloud, stroking my chin.
My ideal date. I kept it basic as hell, saying dinner and a movie or comedy show.
Females loved to laugh, and I knew that answer would have them mindlessly taking the bait.
What do you want in a woman? That was the next question that had me somewhat stuck.
Damn … What do I want in a woman?
I knew that I couldn’t come out and say a flexible, double-jointed freak who was a perfect ten from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet and can carry a conversation without me having to hold it. A female who has brains and beauty, who brings more than a fat ass to the table.
Even though it was the exact woman that I knew I needed in my life, or at least that was the woman that I thought I needed, I knew I’d come off as an asshole if I led with that.
I couldn’t help but to replay what Levi said, “ If you want something different, you got to do something different.” To attract a good woman who was worth my time and energy, I realized I had to change my approach.
Making my phone idle, I sat back and thought about the perfect woman, how she would want to be approached, and how she would want to be handled. That’s when I knew exactly what to say to get her.
From here, all I had to do was sit back and see if it really worked.