Page 39 of The Plus One

“Exactly. And what Kema does ain’t got shit to do with you.”

“She was my woman for four years.”

“Was nigga. She ain’t yours no more.” Kel went quiet. “You had four years with her and fucked it up. That’s on you.”

“You supposed to be my boy. How you go after my woman.”

“Look, nigga. She ain’t yours no more, and we ain’t goin' have any more conversations about this. Whatever Kema and I are doing is between us. You gone have to deal with it.”

His jaw tightened. “Man this fucked up. Yeah I fucked up but that don’t mean I didn’t care about her.”

“So do I.”

Kel’s eyes narrowed. “How long?”

“That wasn’t my question.”

“It’s the answer that matters.”

He shook his head. “Wow.”

“I respected your relationship every day you had one. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m stepping aside now because you’re uncomfortable.”

“This shit gonna blow up in your face.”

Maybe. “I’ll take my chances.”

I left him standing there. I wasn’t finna argue with Kel. He knew how I gave it up. Kema was already in the pool when I got back, wearing a blue bikini that made me forget why I had been pissed off in the first place. She swam toward the edge. “How’d it go?”

I crouched beside her. “Shit..”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“Apparently I’m supposed to pretend you don’t exist because y’all dated.”

“Sounds difficult.”

“Extremely.”

She smiled and held out her hand. “Come in.”

“I ain’t dressed.”

“So?”

I looked at her. Fuck it. I pulled my shirt over my head. Kema’s eyes dropped to my body and I grinned. “See something you like?”

“No.”

“Yo ass a fucking lie.”

“Get in the pool Ace.” I emptied my pockets, kicked off my slides, and got in. Kema immediately started backing away. “Why you running?”

“I don’t run.”

“Now we both know that’s a lie,” I said winking at her before getting closer to her. I caught her around the waist and pulled her against me.

“Ace!”