Page 59 of Double

“Come on, Sweetheart. You didn’t pick this marriage for yourself. We didn’t date. You didn’t choose me. You ended up with me based on circumstances that were beyond your control.”

“That’s true, but nothing is coincidental. And I did choose you.”

“Over Sterling Gillespie’s decrepit ass? Come on, Ma.”

“I’m not talking about that day, sir. I’m talking about every day. I choose you every day. You do know that on the day I arrived, you set up a bank account for me and gave me a credit card. Any day of the week, I could choose to . . . as you would say, get in the wind. I could check into a hotel. I could rent an apartment. I don’t do that. I don’t want to live in a hotel or in an apartment. I want to live with my husband, the man who has buried himself in my heart a little more each day that I’ve known him. The man who’s shown me more care and compassion in the months that we’ve been together than my family showed me in my entire life.

“I feel so lucky that it was you who showed up at my aunt’s house in Iredia. I feel so lucky that you were the person who was willing to take on the burden of a wife.” She kissed my lips. “Why would you ever think that I don’t want to stay with you? I’m low-key trying to purposely get pregnant with your baby so you have to stay with me.”

“What?”

She blushed. “You heard me.”

I kissed her lips. “You ain’t gotta do that. I’ll get your little pretty ass pregnant any day of the week. Do you not get how much I love you? I’m fighting negative fuckin’ thoughts every day about you resentin’ the way we got together, packin’ your shit, and leavin’.”

“I love you, too. I know it’s only been three months, but you’re it for me. I’m not going anywhere.”

“It feels way longer than three months.”

“And just think, we have forever to go.”

21

When in Miami

Tinsley

The impromptu trip to Oriana Cay right after the fundraiser was everything. I got to spend time with my aunt and uncle, unwind, and make love to my husband under the glow of the moonlight on the patio of the cottage he’d rented.

We’d been back for over a month, and I was preparing to take another trip. Double was tripping because this one was without him. It was an all-girls trip to Miami to celebrate Lyric’s thirtieth birthday.

“It’s only for the weekend, sir,” I told Double as the two of us stood in the kitchen. “We’re leaving Friday and coming home on Sunday.”

“That’s three days too long. I don’t like sleepin’ in the bed alone.”

“Plus, that’s three days of ass shakin’,” Justus said. “No man wants to think about his wife shaking ass when he ain’t there to protect her or reap the benefits of the ass shaking later on that night.”

I eyed him. “Nobody asked you, Justus.”

“I’m on my brother’s side.”

“You’re about to be on the other side of the door.”

He grinned with pride. “Aww shit. Little sis-in-law don’ got tough around here. Bet you won’t let nobody else slap you in the face, huh?”

“Not unless they want to end up on their back.” I had been working with both Charity and Double to get my self-defense skills up to par.

Double beamed with pride.

“Anyway,” I said, “I’m excited about being included in the trip.” I walked over to Double and wrapped my arms around his waist in a hug. “It really warms my heart how nice and accepting your family has been of me. I’ve never had that before.”

He kissed me lightly on the forehead. “You’re ours, and we take care of our own.” He broke the embrace and moved over to what he called the junk drawer. He opened it and fished around inside until he pulled out something round.

“A tracking device, bro?” Justus’s face was twisted.

Double twisted his face, too. “Hell yeah, a trackin’ device. You think I’m about to let my wife leave the state without one? And on the real, this is a two-pack.” He held it up so both Justus and I could see it. “One goes in your purse, and the other goes on your person.” He narrowed his eyes. “I want them on you at all times, Sweetheart. Don’t try to get slick. If I get the idea that they’re not with you, I’m on the first thing smoking, headed to Miami. You got that?”

He didn’t get tough with me too often, so when he did, it made an impression. “I understand, sir. You don’t have to do all that with the threats and stuff.”