Page 18 of Widow Mayker

“Just being honest, Pops. She’s the one. I feel it too deeply to ignore it.”

“Well, then. Have some patience with her. If you have to resort to something drastic, the most you need to do is show up at her job,” he stated.

I chuckled.

“That’s it, Von. Nothing else,” he warned.

“Got it. I won’t do anything crazy.”

“Please don’t. The last thing I need is my son’s face plastered all over the news ‘cause he’s out here stalking someone.”

“Naw, I’d never have you lookin’ crazy, Pops. I love you.”

“I love you, too. It’s good having you home. Now I can sleep at night,” he divulged.

Grinning, I replied, “Aww. And here I thought Mama was the soft one.”

He made a noise then said, “She got tired of me crying on her shoulder.”

I cackled at the man who’d raised me. He was never without a joke when it came to my mama.

“Well, now that we’re all home, you gotta do more barbecues. I miss that.” My pops could throw down on the grill.

“Absolutely, son,” he said. I heard the pride in his voice. “Are you bringing this young lady to meet us?”

“Yep. Sooner rather than later.”

“Okay, that’s a good thing. I’m looking forward to it,” he stated with what I considered to be excitement coming from him. Hanging up, I peeled myself off the bed to grab a shower.

Becoming a detective wasn’t easy. I spent countless hours wondering if this was the path for me. It was the gangster inside me who occasionally wanted to make his appearance. There were times I wanted to lay down my badge and get in the field with these niggas who thought it was a game. I was supposed to be a level-headed, logical law enforcement agent. When really, I wanted to be the nigga who didn’t mind telling somebody to call the fuckin’ police. Because, honestly, a muhfucka was going to have to get the laws on me if I took it there.

Climbing out of the shower, I made up in my mind to pop up on Maja. A few minutes later, I chuckled when her place of employment popped up as Dr. Bell & Associates. She’d see my face one way or the other. She’d agree to this damn date one way or the other.

***

Pulling inside the parking garage connected to Dr. Bell & Associates, I stopped at the security check.

“‘Sup?” Stacy asked as we dapped. “How long you been back?”

“A few weeks. I’m here to see Maja,” I told him.

He grinned at the gift bag sitting in the passenger seat. “Boy, you tryna get ya feelings hurt?”

We both laughed at that.

“Nah, I just need to talk to her,” I stated. Speaking of Maja, her luxury sedan pulled up behind me. Stacy chuckled and disengaged the boom barrier. I pulled into the garage, then slowed to wait for Maja. Once I saw where she parked, I quickly parked my truck and hopped out with the gift bag in my hand.

Stalking toward me, she spat, “Are you being a stalker now?”

She wanted me to answer her question, but my eyes were glued to the way her hips swayed as she walked toward me. A pair of black medical scrubs never looked so sexier. Today, she wore another hat, this one a simple destressed ball cap.

“Now you lost for words?” she questioned.

“I sure am. Glad you noticed,” I quipped.

“You think this is funny?” she asked, indignantly.

“I think it’s a travesty that you think I find this anything but frustrating.” Chasing Maja would’ve been cool if she wasn’t acting like a nigga said I was serial killer instead of the laws. I handed her the gift bag, which she eyed suspiciously.