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“Shy, what the hell?” Nesha laughed.
“Y’all, why the hell I can’t get up.” She laughed, and I doubled over. She threw both her hands in the air, calling for an assist, and we gripped her in sequence and pulled. Once on her feet she looked at us both.
“No matter what has happened to you and what type of things you have been through, you are worthy of love. Both of you. I’m so sorry this has happened to you, Lesha.” She hugged me, and another wave of tears threatened to fall. My phone chimed, and it was snatched out of my hand.
“Ooh, shit!”
“What?” I replied to Nesha.
“Prince’s fine ass, just texted your phone. I’m about to text him back.” Nesha stuck her tongue out as her fingers migrated across the keyboard. That ripped me away from Satisa to snatch the phone from her.
“Ooh wee girl, not too much! Didn’t you say you spent a little weekend with him? That’s exactly what you need to get your mind off this bullshit,” Nesha spoke matter of factly.
“That’s the last thing I need.”
“Now, I usually disagree with Nesha, but maybe going out with him won’t be so bad. You said he’s been hounding you. Just get out. No pressure,” Satisa stepped up.
“Right! No strings attached, and slide right up under that nigga and let him take your pain away. It does it for me every time!”
“Now wait, I didn’t say all that. You may not be ready for that, but Prince is a good guy. He’s been through a lot, but he is a stand up dude. I’m not just saying that because he is my husband’s brother either.”
“Well, everybody ain’t Priest. You have a better chance of him being like Chaz, but you don’t need anything serious right now, either. So give me your phone,” Nesha sang the last line, and I had no energy to fight. I let my phone slip from my hands.
“Don’t say anything crazy,” I added.
“He just telling you he coming through. See, I love me a nigga that tell and don’t ask. I’m just gone reply, okay? Gotta keep shit cool because you don’t want him to think you are over the top liking his ass. He still gotta earn, and he better treat you damn good tonight.”
“Trust me. Them Richards men step!” Satisa added, and we both looked at her.
“Look at Shy proper ass trying to be a little hood. She been around our asses too long!”
“Right!” I agreed with Nesha.
“Well, we need to get out of your hair, boo, because you have a date to plan for. Fuck Devin! Don’t think about him. Not even another second. Shy, can you fix my hair later tonight?”
Both the ladies migrated to the door.
“Yeah, I got you, but you got to come by the house. Priest got me on lockdown so I’m not moving.”
“I got you.”
They both kissed my cheeks, and they were out the door. I let out a huge breath. My date wasn’t until seven, but in the state I was in, it probably would take me just that long to pull my shit together. I was so used to being hurt and masking the pain that I felt a familiar numbness come to me as I started the shower. The thoughts of Devin and what we had didn’t stay at bay, but I suppressed them enough not to let it slow me down. I decided on a black cocktail dress that stopped mid-thigh. I knew how to make Prince’s eyes dance when he saw me. I pinned my long sew-in up. The curls that Satisa put in them a few days earlier still looked good, and it made the strains that I pulled out on each side that hung in the front drop just right. I was putting thefinishing touches on my makeup when I heard a knock on the door.
Halfway through the walk through my living room I already pointed out a change. No nigga was bold enough to blow the horn and think that I was coming out, but Devin’s lazy ass would texthereinstead of coming to the door. Pushing that thought away, I quickened my pace to the door, but of course, I stopped by the full-length mirror on the right side of my entryway.A woman should always look at herself one last time before the world sees her,my mother’s voice reminded me.Makeup was in place. My C cups were sitting up just like they should. They weren’t spilling over, but it was enough to give that nice peek-a-boo feel. The last thing I pushed on was a fake smile. For all intents and purposes, I was ready. I swung the door open.
“Damn,” I mumbled and prayed he didn’t hear me.
“You look amazing, Le,” he complimented me as he swept his eyes over me. Excitement wanted to well up, thinking of a new beginning, but I cut it down quickly. If a nigga would create a fake engagement just to get married the next week, there was no telling the lengths one of them would go.I really shouldn’t even be going, because this shit is going to be on my mind all damn night.
“Are you okay?” Prince looked at me through furrowed brows. Those damn eyes. His question took me so aback that I almost told him the truth. Outside of my small circle, no one asked me that question outside of casual conversation. Especially a member of the opposite sex, who is not nearly as fine as Prince. His thick body was wrapped in a button-up shirt that screamed money and a pair of slacks that fell perfectly on his trim waist. It was the fit of it all. Expensive, tailored, and fucking grown. Then he smiled, and the diamonds in his bottom row almost blinded me. I was not too fond of golds, and therewere so many men that had them back home. The diamonds were perfectly placed. Not gaudy, and damn, weren’t they sexy.
“I’m fine.” My dry throat finally allowed my lips to become unglued.
“Let’s get something clear right now. I’m interested in you and all that comes with that. There is nothing you can say to me that I will judge you for, but please close those beautiful lips before you lie to me. That’s the only thing you can say to me that I can ever find ugly. You can tell me things like I’m not ready to discuss that. I’m not sure I can vocalize my feelings or plain the fuck out none of your business nigga. Whatever works for you.”
We stood under my porch light, which I flipped on because I knew I would be coming home late. Honestly, not coming home tonight at all wasn’t out of the question. The words he spoke sliced through me and made me want to disappear. His assertion made me feel so naked that I’d rather take off my clothes than to have his eyes keep penetrating me that way.
“We on the same page, beautiful?” he asked, hiking that familiar right brow. My head rose and fell to acknowledge my understanding as he swept a piece of my hair that made its way from the right side of my face to the front of my nose. His touch got better each time.
