Page 99 of The Need to Know

“A blind date?” I repeated, cringing at the thought.

“You want serious, you want love, and you want commitment,” Paisley listed my desires on her hand. “You’re not getting none of that from Ezekiel.”

Footsteps echoed across her hardwood floor and a look up found my finally laying eyes on Sloan Strickland. He came out of her bedroom in a pair of gray sweats and a white beater. The material of the tank top hugged his well-defined pecs and abdomen. He also spent a few days of the week at the gym.

“Ezekiel?” he questioned as he crossed over to the open living room and TV area. “Don’t mean to eavesdrop.”

“He says as he precedes to eavesdrop,” Paisley mumbled as she leaned back into her sofa cushion.

Sloan shot her a curious look. “Isn’t that the guy who hooked you up with the Ladies’ Night gig?”

“That’s the one,” Paisley said dryly.

Sloan came back to me, his hazel eyes gentle and kind. “What’s wrong with him?” He suddenly turned and thumbed a finger over his shoulder toward the bedroom. “Didn’t mean to listen in, but I was getting ready and happened to hear some of what you said.”

“Ezekiel doesn’t do relationships or commitment,” I spoke up.

Recognition soon settled across Sloan’s face. “Ah, I see.”

“Yeah, and the last thing Nas needs is to be strung along, giving it up and loving on a man who’s not hers,” Paisley concluded.

Sloan didn’t protest. “I hear you. Seemed like a straight dude though from what you said, P.”

Paisley gazed at her nails. “He a’ight.”

Sloan rolled his eyes and came back to me. He held his hand out as he leaned over toward me. “Apologies, I’m Sloan. Paisley’s⁠—”

“—old friend,” Paisley cut in quickly.

Sloan stole a long look back at Paisley before returning to me, offering up a smile.

We shook hands and I switched gears from my love life to theirs. “You went to Georgia State, too, right?”

“Uh yeah,” Sloan responded. “P says you went for two years?”

“Dropped out before my junior year,” I said trivially. “But, back to you, where have you been all this time? Paisley said you guys dated when you were twenty.”

The softest smile touched Sloan’s features. Seeing a man become bashful never got old. “The longest year of my life.” He gestured to himself. “After we parted ways, I got my degree in architecture. I lived in Atlanta for a while, working out there. It wasn’t until recently that something hit me that I needed to come home. Atlanta’s fun and happening, but Belmont is home.”

“And where does Paisley fit in, in all this?” I wanted to know as I folded my arms.

Sloan chuckled as he glanced at Pay. “You said you were the bad cop.”

“We’re versatile,” I spoke up. In a lot of ways, Paisley was the tough one, the bodyguard, the guardian, but when it came to Paisley, I could be all those things and more. She was close to me like a sister. Sometimes I felt guilty for being closer to Pay than to my own sister.

Sloan didn’t break a sweat as he came back to me, standing tall and firm. “To keep it simple and cut to the chase, Paisley’s the only woman I’ve ever loved. I’ve been missing her ever since we split. Back then we were right for each other, but timing was off. I regret breaking up, but at the same time, I’m thankful to have taken time to grow on my own and realize who I was and what I wanted. Work wise, I was happy in the A, but coming home and seeing Paisley, it all just feels right.”

“Isn’t he sweet?” Paisley said flatly. She didn’t look impressed or moved.

“Stop being so mean,” I chastised.

Sloan laughed. “It’s okay, because at some point, you gotta leave. And then it’s just her and me.”

Paisley couldn’t fight her smile as she bit her lip. She was doing this on purpose, trying to get a rise out of him by being dismissive. Paisley was tough as nails, I had a feeling, while vulnerable for him, she wasn’t about to let Sloan play with her heart.

“Careful,” was all the warning I would give to Sloan.

“Yes, ma’am,” he swore as he bobbed his head. He looked down at Paisley, causing her to squirm. “Y’all want something to eat?”