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“It was what it was,” he shrugged. “Ironically, it took that falling out with Kinsley and a chewing out from my mama to sit back and realize that I am flawed.”
“We all are, though.”
“But not everyone is aware of that. I damn sure wasn’t. As far as relationships went, the most important things were to be respectful, faithful, and a provider. That was the only example I had of what being a man was supposed to be. I checked those boxes, but it wasn’t enough for her.” Frowning, he added. “She even went as far as to call a nigga lackluster.”
I gasped. “That bitch. You want me to beat her ass?”
Snickering, Jamie finally let go of me. “You’re in enough trouble right now, Rocky. Leave it alone. As much as I wanted to run her ass over at the time, I needed that reality check. It was the first step to me being comfortable stepping outside of what I was taught and living my life for me.”
“Well, I’m glad you found a way to spin all of this into a positive but still, if you need me to handle it, I will. The nerve of that heffa to be out here calling my friend lackluster.”
“How you madder than me?” He smiled.
“Because I’m in tune with my emotional side. Don’t worry, I’ll help get you right.”
“I go through all this trouble to try to help turn your day around, and this is how you treat a nigga? Bet. I see you.”
“You definitely helped turn things around,” I admitted, giving him his flowers. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”
“Luckily, you don’t have to find out. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll be there for you, Nyx. It might be hard for you to believe after everything you’ve been through, but I’m patient enough to wait on it.”
“Oh yeah?” I scooted away from him, forcing myself to focus on my food.
There was something stirring in me, a thing I couldn’t put my finger on just yet, and that only occurred when he made those types of pledges to me.
“Of course. That’s what good friends are for, right?”
“Right,” I agreed.
Only deep down, I wondered if we were starting to blur the line between friendship and something more.
Or, if it was just me.
Chapter Fourteen
JAMIE
“Things are slowing down now since I don’t have that many active contracts. The nursery is booming, but you know Nell runs a tight ship,” I told Judah, mentioning the head florist I’d hired a few years back to help me out when my business increased in volume. “If you need me to take over a couple more days at the store and give you a break, I can,” I offered, carefully arranging vinyl records in a crate.
Since Staccato was closed on Tuesdays, he and I typically used the off day to deep clean or restock things in the store. It was easier to maneuver around when there weren't any customers in the way.
He didn’t respond, and I looked up to see him glaring at me as if he’d seen a ghost.
“What?” I demanded.
Reaching over, Jude pressed the back of his hand against my forehead. “Bruh, you a’ight? Do I need to call an ambulance?”
“Nigga, if you don’t get the fuck off me,” I laughed, shoving his arm away. “I don’t know where your hands have been.”
“Shit, I’ve been trying to have them on your girl’s friend, but she's playing.”
“Raelynn?”
“Yeah. I’ve been trying to link with her ever since that taco night, but she’s been ducking me. Talkin’ about I give her hoe vibes.”
His offended expression had me weak as fuck. Judah typically didn’t have trouble getting what he wanted, women included. So I knew Raelynn’s resistance to him was blowing his damn mind.
“What you know about her?’ Judah questioned.
