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“Interesting.” I eye her, thinking that there are probably a lot of things about her that I don’t know. Things I’d like to discover.
My mouth curls up at the corners when I start thinking about stripping her down and discovering her body with my lips.
I turned things decidedly sexual between us last night. But that’s just a precursor to the big ask. See, I need to be taken seriously as a committed adult before I can use my trust fund.
So the real question is will Pearl pretend to be my fake fiancée so that my stepfather will take me seriously?
I’m thinking that if I date Pearl, that puts me first in line when her aunt is looking for a way out of financial straits. It just leaves me with one big question.
How do you ask someone to be your fake fiancée without sounding insane?
Pearl’s expression pinches as she looks over my shoulder. She sighs. “Great. The gang’s all here.”
I turn to look and spot Bishop helping her cousin Anitta down from a big red truck. Anitta is wearing a clingy blue bodycon dress and a white wool cloak. Bishop is dressed casually in jeans and a pair of Timberland boots, but it only seems to highlight the fact that Anitta is wearing a pair of dainty heels.
Bishop keeps putting his hand over Anitta’s stomach in a protective gesture. His eyes dart around, glinting, as if daring someone to ask about it.
They head into the circle of food trucks. Bishop hasn’t even noticed Pearl yet, but he smirks at the world around him. The guy has got to have one of the most punchable faces I’ve ever seen.
“Is Bishop trying to announce that he’s going to be a daddy?” I ask Pearl, turning back to her.
Pearl’s shoulders droop. She gasps and then clenches her jaw. “I don’t know. I try not to hear about his life, if at all possible.”
I take another sip of my soup and chew some glass noodles while I try to think of how to respond to that. She looks so sad.
Is it possible that Pearl didn’t know before now? If so, I want to punch Bishop in the face.
Pearl glances over my shoulder and mutters, “Damn. He spotted me. Shit, he’s coming over.”
I raise my brows. “Want me to tell him to fuck off? It would truly be my pleasure.”
“No. Bishop walks around just looking for a fight. Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
Then Pearl’s expression goes completely blank. Bishop and Anitta walk up to our table, hand in hand. Bishop rubs his open palm over Anitta’s flat stomach.
“Hey, Pearl. Did you hear my amazing news?” Anitta purrs.
Bishop doesn’t give Pearl time to reply. “We’re just starting to tell people today. Since you’re family, Anitta wanted me to make sure that we told you that she’s going to make me a daddy.”
“Oh.” Pearl blinks languidly. “Congratulations.”
“I would expect more excitement for your cousin. I know that babies are a pretty big occasion for your family. It’s been, what? Five years since Felicia had little Zami?”
Pearl looks at Anitta. She shrugs noncommittally. “Mmhm. Maybe.”
Bishop swings his gaze to me, obviously frustrated that he’s not getting the rise out of Pearl that he expected. “You still dating this fool?” He sucks his teeth. “It’s a pity that a beautiful Black woman needs to run around with some White boy. That’s diluting the bloodlines.”
I stand up casually, my gaze hard on Bishop. Shooting Bishop and Anitta my most threatening smile, I spread my hands. “Pearl doesn’t seem interested in your news. Now I suggest you go on about your day.”
Bishop sneers. “You don’t tell me what to do.”
“Stop it!” Pearl pleads, standing up. “I’m serious.”
Heads are turning our way. The people gathered seem to notice the tension. Bishop’s gaze slides to the watchers, then back to me.
“This isn’t over,” he hisses. “The next time I see you, I’m going to teach you a lesson about being rude.”
I’m a fighter by nature. Pearl is standing right here and I’m not looking to cause her problems, but I am usually the first one to throw a punch in any altercation.
