Page 78 of Spending Forever With You

“Yeah, I guess. Girl, I don’t know. That’s a conversation Luke and I haven’t brought back up. I mean, between the house in Chandler and I still have the condo, we don’t need another property. The condo is enough of an added bill.”

“Wait, a minute, you have a condo? Where and why?”

“Oh, my office away from the office. Some days I work from home but not home. It helps me not to feel stuck to a desk.”

“And your job is cool with that?” Angie asked, while Johnni and I shared a look. I hadn’t forgotten she didn’t know what I did for a living, but now I was torn on the truth.

You can’t be torn, Hollis. She can’t know.

And just like that, my decision was made.

“Oh yeah. I’ve been there so long my boss doesn’t care as long as I get the work done.”

“And what do you do? Girl, I don’t work, but if I had the luxury of picking and choosing when I wanted to head in, maybe I would.”

I waved her off as I wrapped newspaper around the base of a lamp and placed it in a box labeled living room shit.

“Girl, boring ass office work. I’ve been with the same company since I graduated college. I got so comfortable there that I make a lot of my own rules.”

“Well damn, that’s nice as hell. Why not just use this house as your office then? I mean, I’m sure the bills aren’t nearly as much as whatever you’re paying for a condo. That way you two can keep it. It’s an older house, but it seems to be in good shape,” Angie said, grabbing a picture of me and Luke during his prom. He was a grade above me.

“Oh my gosh, you two have truly been together forever, huh?” she said, admiring the photo, changing the subject, which I was happy about.

I looked over at the picture and smiled.

“Yeah. That was the night he pre-proposed.” I snorted, shaking my head at that memory.

“Hollis, I know we got time before I can legally give you my last name, but I promise on everything, I’ma marry the fuck outta you one day. Consider this a pre-proposal.”

Pressing my lips together as we sat in Jimmy’s old school car, I stared over at Luke holding a gold ring that had a heart on it and a small accent diamond, wondering how he’d afforded it. It was so pretty.

“Boy, what is a pre-proposal? It’s either you asking or not.”

“I’m asking. Naw, fuck that, I’m telling you what the hell is gon’ happen. I’ma put this ring on until the day I can swap it out when I put my last name on you. Now give me your hand. Asking all those questions and shit like you don’t want to marry me.”

“Aw, a pre-proposal sounds so romantic and shit,” Johnni said as I playfully rolled my eyes.

“Girl, romantic my ass. He went from asking to telling me I would marry him.”

“And I see you didn’t fight much on the subject,” Angie added as she glanced at my newly upgraded ring I still couldn’t get over.

“Sho didn’t. Fun fact, Angie, Luke and I got married right out there, months after I graduated from high school. He’s two years older than me, so his ass had to wait,” I said, pointing out to the yard that still had the damn metal arch where we’d stood at the preacher. The sound of my phone vibrating had me reaching to see who it was. Of course it was Luke.

“Ah shit, we spoke him up, didn’t we?” Johnni said as I buried my face in my phone.

Deke: I won’t ask what you’re doing, because I know you’re at the house. Please don’t stay there all damn day and not eat anything, and you better not be by yourself neither, Hershey.

Me: I won’t, baby. I got Johnni and Angie with me. We’re doing lunch after, then I’m headed home. I miss you.

Deke: I’ll be home soon. I miss the fuck outta you too, Hershey. Have fun with the girls. I love you.

Me: I love you too.

“See, I told you. That heffa can’t hear or see shit when that man is either in her face or on the damn phone. It’s a sad ass shame,” Johnni said to Angie while I flipped her off, locking my phone and placing it back in my pocket.

“Johnni, don’t act as if Tunk doesn’t have the same power over your ass, and Angie, we’re new, but um… yeah, I’m sure Shep got that too. So now, don’t be judging me.” They chuckled, both agreeing.

“True, but this ain’t about me right now. Angie had a question about the pictures of y’all. Separate box or keep them out?”