Page 57 of Double

“I’m taking it seriously.”

I eyed her. “So, what’re we doin’?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged her shoulders.

I dropped the subject and turned back to the box in my hand. I opened the top and showed her the contents.

She gasped. “Double.”

I set the box down on top of the console table then picked up the first of the two double-strand pearl bracelets. After clasping that one on her right wrist, I clasped the second on her left wrist. “Yeah.” I nodded. Tinsley’s ass looked like a good dream. My wife was fine as hell, and dressed up the way she was, she was more like what those old-school dudes used to call a vision. She was a vision—something I wanted to look at all the time.

I walked into the venue with my head held high from the fact that I had the finest date in the room on my arm. Her ivory-colored dress with the pearl accents hugged her luscious breasts, laid easily against her flat stomach, skirted over her ample hips, had a slit that gave a view of her thick thighs, and lightly kissed the floor. She was perfection.

The soft sound of jazz followed us as I led her into the room where the silent auction items were displayed. Waiters moved around the crowd with glasses of champagne on trays. I lifted two glasses from the tray of a passing waiter and handed one to Tinsley.

She took a small sip. “Ooh, this is the good stuff.”

We moved through the offerings. I stopped at a European getaway. “Five nights at a five-star resort on the Amalfi Coast.”

“Yes, please,” she joked. “That sounds gorgeous. Have you ever been?”

“I’ve been to Italy but not to the Amalfi Coast. Should we bid?”

“I don’t know.” Her eyes were wide and bright at the prospect. I loved to see them all lit up.

“Keep looking at me like that, and there’s not too much I would deny you.”

“Double,” she crooned with a blush before burying her face in my chest.

I scanned the QR code with my phone, thought of what seemed like a fair price to pay, and made my bid. Then we continued strolling. We made a few additional bids—a spa “buyout” where Tinsley and five of my female relatives could receive spa services as the only clients for a day, and a set of two luxury timepieces since I was a watch aficionado.

We stopped to have a few shots taken at the photography wall, and soon after, we heard the chimes that alerted us that it was time to enter the main ballroom. We found our seats at the table with my grandparents; my parents; Journey; her homegirl, Anastasia; Justus, and his girl for the night.

“Everybody, this is Egypt,” Justus said once everybody at the table had settled. He looked at his date. “Egypt, this is everybody.” He pointed to us as he named us. “My grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Hill. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Waters. My lump-head-ass sister.”

“Shut up!” Journey hissed.

“Her . . . lady friend,” he continued.

Both Journey and Anastasia frowned their faces. “She’s not my lady friend,” Journey explained to Egypt. “Your date is a . . .” She looked at our grandparents and parents. “He’s a jerk. This is my bestie, Anastasia.”

Anastasia gave the date a small wave and mean-mugged Justus.

“And this is my brother and his mail-order bride⁠—”

“Nigga, I’ll⁠—”

Tinsley’s giggle cut my threat short. “I’m not his mail-order bride, although I do have an accent. I’m his wife, Tinsley. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Right,” Journey agreed, “because almost anybody is better than the last nightmare you kept bringing around.”

“Say,” Justus began.

“You started it,” Journey reminded him.

“Grandchildren, buck down,” Big Hill said easily, and the table went quiet. What we didn’t do was play with Big Hill.

The MC for the evening, a popular local radio DJ, took to the stage and welcomed us to a night of good food, good entertainment, and good company. He quickly touched on the sponsors who had helped to make the evening possible and thanked us all for coming out. Then he invited Big Hill and Lynne to the stage. As they stood, they beckoned toward Tinsley and me, so we stood as well and followed them.