#FutureHusband

by J. Nichole

  “Let me guess, you are about to sell me on this married life?” He laughed. “You just told me about your wack ass weekends. What makes you think I want to be caught up in your world?”

  He placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “You can’t run from your fate, bruh. It’s inevitable. Might as well find you someone constant.” Consistency wasn’t in my vocabulary, not with the way my travel schedule was set up. Even if I had a chick at home, I’m sure she wouldn’t be satisfied with the little time I had to give her.

  “Naw, not now anyway.” I pointed to the screen. “These dudes just scored while you over here trying to get me to settle down.” I looked at him with my nose upturned. “It’s like you don’t even care about the game. Let me get the bartender so he can change it to HGTV.” We both laughed.

  As I approached my apartment building the next morning, I admitted I needed to make time for a house hunt. The amount of money I was wasting on this place could have at least been going towards a place of my own.

  My bare walls and sparsely furnished apartment, didn’t even feel like a home. I hadn’t taken the time to decorate, with the exception of Yara’s room; her room was like a kid’s dream. My mother made sure of that, telling me, “When she’s here, she should feel like it’s her room and not just a place she visits for a few days.” Those few days came every other weekend. Even more reason I couldn’t have a woman at home.

  I rolled my suitcase into my closet and searched through my phone for the realtor’s number. She answered right before I was prepared to leave a message. “Hello, this is Anaya.” I introduced myself and she said, “Russell, right. I didn’t think you’d ever call.”

  “I was hoping I could get on your schedule to start looking for a place soon.” As she started throwing out dates, most during the week, I had to tell her I could only meet on the weekends. “Would that work for you?” I asked.

  “I’m in Miami this weekend, so how about next weekend?” We agreed to meet at her office in Alexandria. “See you next Saturday,” she said before hanging up, her voice sounding professional with a sexy edge. Maybe Shay gave her a heads up on my debonair. I wouldn’t be surprised. She’d been trying to hook me up since her and Nolan met years ago.

  The familiar knock came at my front door, a light and quick tap, at a low level. I smiled as I approached. “Who’s there?” I said as I opened the door.

  “Me, Daddy,” Yara said looking up to me. She was dressed in an orange sweater, matching her mother standing beside her. I bent down to meet her at eye level and she wrapped her little arms around my neck, melting all my worries. I picked her up and stepped back into the house, Veronica close behind me.

  “Hey, V,” I said as I sat Yara on the couch removing her shoes. “How has she been?” I asked.

  Veronica smiled, a smile that once made me weak. “She did okay this week.” She looked down to Yara. “She’s not eating green veggies this week though,” she said, rolling her eyes. My eyes bulged as I added that to my mental checklist. “But she’s okay with milk again.” Although Veronica and I didn’t work out, despite my efforts to be a family, I commended her for raising our daughter. With my travel schedule I’m not around as much as I’d like, but thankfully my parents helped in my absence.

  “Got it.” I walked towards the door behind Veronica. “We’ll see you on Sunday.” Yara hopped off the couch to hug her before running off to her room. “Enjoy your weekend, V,” I said as she headed down the hallway. When we dated in college, she was petite with very few curves, but after Yara her hips spread and she even had a plump little ass that I watched as it swayed down the hallway.

  “Yara,” I yelled as I closed the door. “Where are you?” I stood beside her door and watched her brushing her baby doll’s hair. Like her, the baby doll had curly black hair and exaggerated brown eyes. I wish I could take credit for her cuteness, but she looked like a mini version of Veronica. Her beautiful, dark-brown complexion, that was all me though.

  I kneeled beside her and asked, “What are we playing today?” She looked at me then to her dolls and bears she pulled from the toy chest. Handing me a baby doll, she pointed to her hair. “Comb her hair?” She nodded and I attempted my hair skills.

  “Put it in a braid.” Her request was followed by her showing me her attempt of braiding the other doll’s hair. “Remember Daddy?” I smiled and nodded my head. After all her dolls had a fresh new style, we read a book before it was time for her nap. Once she was down, I was able to unpack and relax.

  My laptop was open to Zillow, and I scrolled through different condos in my area. Then I thought back to Anaya, and that sexy voice. I thought about what her body looked like in a bathing suit, and if she had escaped our fall weather for the Miami sunshine.

  I wouldn’t mind my work travel if it landed me in warm places like Miami or California, but instead I spend time in colder climates like Pennsylvania and Indiana in the dead of winter. I continued strolling and noted a few of my favorites.

  Tiny fingers grabbed the back of my shirt and I looked down at Yara, with her hands extended. “Nap over already?” I asked as she yawned. I pulled her into my lap and she laid her head on my shoulder. For now, I was okay with her being the main girl in my life.

  Three

  Anaya

  Our office was buzzing with the announcement of a famous new client to be announced during our staff meeting. I was excited. Although the chances of representing the client were slim, I entered the staff meeting with as much enthusiasm as our top realtors.

  “I have a two-bedroom condo going on the market this weekend.” I pointed at James and winked. I needed a two-bedroom condo to show to Russell. I took notes of the address and specifications. It was in Reston, his desired location, and had the amenities he was looking for. I said a silent prayer and hoped it was in his price range.

  When I read through his email with his wish list, I made sure to tell him that his wish list was hefty for the price range he was looking to stay within. I had been looking all week for the right place, and only had a couple to show him.

  “Mariana,” our regional director said, “I’m proud to announce that you’ll be representing Alex Ovechkin.” An audible gasp could be heard around the room, but not from me. I looked around the room for anyone willing to give me a hint about who he was, and it never came. “He’s looking to sell his five million dollar single-family in Alexandria.” It was my turn to gasp. The three hundred thousand dollar commission would set me up good for the year.

  Instead, as Marley explained when we left the beach in Miami, slow and steady wins the race. I was thrown the little bones, here and there, making a decent wage but not enough to take a few weeks at a time to vacation in warmer climates.

  As we filtered out of the conference room I stopped James. “That condo, is it decent?” I asked.

  “It’ll need some love.” James smiled. “Got someone in mind?” I told him about Russell then James warned, “It’s in a highly sought after area, don’t pussy foot around.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You don’t have to sell me, James.” He popped his lip and I shook my head. “Tomorrow at noon, I’ll bring my client by.” Russell and I agreed to meet at the office early Saturday so I could review his current debt and income.

  I gathered my laptop and left the office early to get ready for my second date with Ben. To bowl properly, I’d have to change out of my tight-fitting skirt. Unlike with many of my other dates, since Ben was a long-time friend of Lisa, I let him have my address. When he knocked at the door, I was ready with a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater.

  “Let me grab my purse and I’m ready,” I said as he leaned against the door respecting my space. I walked back to the door and took in his outfit, casual like mine, and his physique left me ogling him. I hadn’t become a fan of guys in tight jeans, but somehow he pulled it off and when he turned to walk down the hallway, his ass made me want to cusp it. “How was your week?” I asked as he led us to his car.

 
; He wagged his head and said, “Not bad, just glad it’s the weekend.” Our first date was much better than the one I had with Colin. He navigated my political questions with ease, and had me laughing most of the night. “What about you?” he asked as he opened my door, scoring some bonus points.

  “Wish I could be on vacation still, but not a bad week,” I said as we drove towards the city. “The warm Miami weather wrapped its arms around me and barely wanted to let me go.” I laughed.

  “I’ve never been to Miami,” he said with a shrug.

  “You should go, especially when it gets into the cooler temps here. It’s a nice getaway,” I said with a smile, remembering our drunken nights at the beachside bars.

  “I don’t travel often actually.” He might as well have said he was from Mars. I looked at him with my eyes squinted, trying to understand. “When I take vacation I try to find local stuff to get into.”

  “Okay, so more staycations then?” I offered. “The area has plenty to see.”

  As we arrived at Lucky Strikes, he struck out when he said, “I just haven’t been that interested in the hassle of traveling. Packing, busy airports, hotels, all that, it doesn’t excite me.”

  The rest of the night I tried to imagine what life would be like with a husband, or boyfriend even, who didn’t like to travel. And I couldn’t. My mind wouldn’t even allow me to imagine it. With my frequent flyer miles racking up, and my passport book being stamped a few times, I would want someone who wanted to see the world with me.

  Ben was surprised when I didn’t invite him in at the end of the night, and although we had a decent time, I wasn’t trying to convince him he should travel, see the world, experience different cultures.

  He stood in my doorway as I leaned in for a quick hug. After all, I couldn’t be cold towards him. I’m sure I’d run into him again at one of Lisa’s barbecues. “Have a good night,” he said before lingering. I waved and watched him walk away.

  I plopped on my couch and had to post.

  Dear #FutureHusband, I hope your passport is ready ‘cause we will be traveling!

  Saturday mornings and showings were synonymous for me. For the weekend showings, I was more casual, because my clients would likely be casual. Throughout the week, they were usually coming from work and dressed in business casual, so I tried to match.

  I searched my closet for a casual but sexy dress. After the loss I took with Ben, I had to recruit a new team. Shay had been telling me about Russell for months, and if he were anything like she described, he’d be a number one draft pick.

  A mustard, cable-knit dress with a brown leather jacket made the cut. With my traveling office in hand, I left my apartment on my way to meet the highly touted favorite.

  When I heard the door chime, I looked at my clock. A few minutes early, I looked through the glass window of my office and saw a guy who matched Shay’s description of Russell bending over the receptionist desk. I walked into the lobby and asked, “Russell?”

  He stood from the desk and walked towards me, thanking the receptionist before reaching his hand out for me to shake. “Anaya?” We shook hands and I led him to my office. I was thankful for my dress choice because it allowed me to put a little extra pep in my step, with my ass clear for him to watch.

  Shay’s description of him didn’t even do him justice. He had a gentle confidence that I connected with as soon as he smiled. I offered him the seat across from my desk as I sat behind my laptop. “Alright, now for the personal stuff,” I said before clearing my throat. “I have to get all in your business.” The words I said were no different than what I said to many other clients, but to Russell they seemed to carry a different meaning.

  Russell didn’t flinch. He reached in the folder he was carrying and pulled out a piece of paper. “Let’s do it.”

  My body was screaming ‘Yass, lets do it,’ and I couldn’t deny the attraction I was feeling towards him. He looked like the type of guy who’d be sweet in front of my parents and a heathen in the bedroom. I stared at his wide chest and biceps before I had to look away to get back to business. Instead of staring in his eyes, I stared at my laptop and asked, “What type of work do you do?”

  “I’m an IT consultant.” I asked him about his gross income and his debts and he responded carefully. “My income is one hundred ten thousand, and I have a car note, and about twenty thousand left on my student loans.”

  I typed in the details as he continued before asking, “Do you know your credit score?”

  He nodded his head but I didn’t let myself watch his response. I looked back to the laptop. “It’s about eight hundred.” Decent salary and good credit. That was more of a turn on than his sexy ass smile. He laughed and made me take my eyes from my machine. “Now that you know just about everything about me, we might as well go on a date,” he joked, or so I thought.

  I let his comment linger in the air before I said, “Three hundred thousand is a good range for you, and I have a couple of places we can visit today.” I grimaced before I added, “Are you opposed to a home that needs a little TLC?”

  His face soured and he shifted in his seat. “I don’t really have time to put into a place, honestly.” He held my stare, and it was hard for me to focus. “But I’m willing to take a look at them.”

  “Ugh, okay, yeah. Um,” I said before looking back down at my laptop. I closed it and grabbed the listings from my desk and said, “You can ride with me, and I’ll bring you back here once we are finished.”

  Driving my clients around was standard, but none of my clients had invoked butterflies like he had. I said a silent prayer, “Dear God, don’t let me make a fool of myself. He’s just one of your sexiest creations, and I wouldn’t mind if you happened to have made him for me.”

  I started rambling to God then heard Russell speaking. “Are you okay?” he asked. I looked at him with my eyes squinted. He pointed to the traffic light that hung in front of us. “You were stopped at a green light.”

  I shook my head and decided to be honest, “I’m a little off my game today, sorry about that.” I continued driving to our first location, and as we pulled up, I was back on point. In my zone, showing houses is what I do. I had to pump myself up a bit. “This first one is a tad over your budget, but move-in ready.”

  We walked through the condo, stopping in each room. “What do you think?” I asked from the kitchen.

  “How much over my budget is it?” he asked while he leaned against the kitchen counter beside me.

  “Fifteen thousand,” I said. “Just keep it in mind and we can look at the next one.” He took one more look around before we drove to the next condo. “What did you like about the last place?” I asked as we pulled into the parking spot.

  “There wasn’t anything spectacular about it,” he said softly. “The kitchen was decent though.” I agreed that the first place we looked at didn’t have much character. The last owners had added a few upgrades, but there wasn’t anything extraordinary about it.

  Instead of walking through the second place with him, I waited in the kitchen for him. I read over James’ listing details while I waited. “It’s a no, Anaya,” I heard Russell say in absolution behind me. I held my laugh as he said, “That bathroom needs more than TLC. I don’t have time for all that.” He looked at me with his arms across his chest. “Ready?” he asked.

  Clients usually had strong opinions about their dislikes; I’d seen all types of tantrums. But the rejection Russell was showing made me rationalize with him instead of leaving. “It’s under budget, in a nice area, and”—he just stood staring at me—“when you’re ready to sell in the future you’ll definitely make your money back.”

  He shook his head. “Any others?” he asked.

  I didn’t have more places. “I’ll have to keep looking, and we may have to look farther out or expand your budget,” I offered.

  “I was serious about earlier,” he said as he stood closer to me. His arms uncrossed, his head dipped to make eye contact with me
.

  I cocked my head and asked, “Earlier?”

  His lips spread into a smile. “Can I take you on a date?” he asked. “We could talk more about my budget and location.”

  I didn’t have plans for the day, and even if I did, I’d probably be willing to cancel them all to spend more time with him. But I played it cool. “What were you thinking?”

  “We could grab lunch.” He put his hand on his stomach for the added effect. “See where we go from there.”

  To his bed, I hope we go to his bed from there. “Okay,” I said nonchalantly. He spread his arm in front of him for me to take the lead. I did, making sure my ass swayed even more than earlier.

  Four

  Russell

  If it took me years to find a house, I wouldn’t mind as long as I could meet up with Anaya on occasion. Looking around the first house was difficult. I was more focused on her than any of the bedrooms, bathrooms, or kitchen appliances. When she asked what I liked most, I was close to saying her, beside me.

  I had some shit to do after we looked at houses, but when I saw her in the office, I knew that could wait. Especially when I saw how flustered she became when I mentioned a date.

  She was that humble sexy, a lady who knew what she had but didn’t over exaggerate it to flaunt it. Her lips, pouty, and colored in a gloss instead of a lipstick had me wanting to lean across the table and kiss them. Instead, I stared as they moved. And she kept them moving, almost nervously, as she described areas for me to live in. “Have you considered Chantilly or Herndon, even South Riding?” she asked without stopping for me to respond. “South Riding has new communities that could be in your price range, just further out from Reston.”

  We were at Jackson’s in the Town Center, and the lunch crowd had cleared. “South Riding doesn’t have much out that way though,” I said as I took another roll from the basket. Her eyes rolled up and she nodded. “I’m not as concerned about a commute because I just need to be close to the airport.” The airport and Veronica, but I kept that detail for myself.