“What do you mean by what I’m going to do with it? Live, my brotha. Live and be happy,” he said.
“It doesn’t take all of this to live and be happy, does it? You got houses all over the damn place. When is enough, enough?”
“It’s never enough, especially since I travel a lot. But St. Louis is home. I need to have a livable home here, because I visit here more than I do any other place. Besides, Nokea likes it here. So do the kids.”
“Better than Florida? That place is nice too, but this right here is . . . There aren’t too many words to describe this house.”
“Change. We like change, and just when you think you got something good, something else comes along and you just gotta have it. This house has so many things that the one in Florida doesn’t have. Wait until I show you this.”
We walked to the other side of the house where Jaylin showed me his golf course, and a breathtaking view of the Missouri River. Numerous other castle-like mansions were down below. His house was at the very top.
“This is my world,” he boasted. “I’ve worked very hard to be here. At the end of the day, we deserve this, and nothing pleases me more than to see the faces of others when I open those gates out there and park my car. I’m sure you know what I mean. It’s a good feeling.”
I had to agree with him. And even though this was a bit much for me, this house definitely suited him. We walked outside by the pool and sat in a lounging area. A stone bar was being built, and several construction workers were there to put on the finishing touches.
Jaylin rubbed his hands together then clenched them. “I want to thank you for taking this case for me. I wouldn’t have asked you to do it if I didn’t believe Taye was innocent. I don’t know what in the hell has been going on with the cops around here, and it’s unfortunate that many of us can’t fight this shit without money. I love what the protestors are doing, and it’s good to see so many young people involved. I’m hopeful that their efforts can and will make a change.”
“I think they will too. I’m going to do everything in my power to prove his innocence and get those officers responsible fired. Possibly in jail, if I have enough evidence to prove what they did.”
Jaylin reached out, slapping his hand against mine. “That’s what’s up. I knew I could count on you, and whatever you want, just let me know.”
I looked around then laughed. “I want a gotdamn house like this. That’s what I want. Maybe a few horses and a white picket fence, securing acres and acres of nothing but land. Can you handle that?”
“Sounds like my place in Texas. The kids love it there too, but as for you, naw, I can’t handle that. I can handle a new car for you, and it looks like you need one. That BMW done had it. How many women you been rocking in that back seat? It’s getting old, and I’m sure they be real uncomfortable back there.”
“Stop hating,” I said, laughing. “I just got that last year. You know it’s cold. So cold that I don’t rock women in back seats anymore. The only woman I am rocking is Lesa. I’m sure you can’t say the same about Nokea, or can you?”
Like always, he was straightforward. “No, honestly, I can’t. We have a better understanding about our lives together, and no matter who I’m rocking or who’s rocking me, my lifetime bond with Nokea will never be broken. As for you and Lesa, that’s bullshit and you know it. You mentioned that Sylvia is back in St. Louis. There ain’t no way in hell, Mr. Jonathan Taylor, that you gon’ sit there and try to convince me that you haven’t hit that.”
“I plead the Fifth, but it’s not as serious as it was the last time. I’m still bitter about her opening up her legs to you, and that, to me, was quite a surprise.”
Jaylin didn’t appear surprised at all. He shrugged and blew it off. Sylvia could have had sex with anyone but him. We’d had this competition thing going on for years, and I regretted that he had the upper hand on this.
“Man, please. Sylvia couldn’t resist, and trust me when I say it will never, ever happen again. She got a problem with looking in the mirror and seeing who she really is. I despise people who aren’t willing to do that, and prefer to judge others. Just watch your back with her. If you’re really down with Lesa, you may want to cease your action with Sylvia. She doesn’t do well with rejection. I’m sure you already know this.”
I replied with sarcasm. “I do know all about her, but thanks for the advice. The plan is for me and Lesa to get married soon, but there’s something about her that’s holding me back, too. Unfortunately for me, I don’t know if it’s the guilt I’m feeling from messing around on her or there’s actually something about her that is making me feel this way.”
“Any woman cooking grits after six o’clock p.m. would concern me too. I haven’t met Lesa yet, so allow me to meet her and check things out. I’m good at reading women. I can tell who’s there for better or worse, only for the riches, or simply there for dick.”
I thought about this for a minute then agreed to it. “Cool. Let’s all have dinner tonight. You name the place and we’ll be there.”
To no surprise, Jaylin chose Morton’s. I told him we would meet him at seven, and then I called Lesa when I got back to the office to make sure her schedule was clear.
“Sweetheart, you know I’m trying to get things together for the fashion show. Will your friend still be here next week?”
“No, he won’t. He’s leaving tomorrow. I really want you to meet him.”
She sighed then replied, “Okay. But I’ll have to meet you at the restaurant. I’ll do my best not to be late.”
“That’s all I ask. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And by the way, have you seen your doctor yet? You told me you would, but you haven’t said anything about it.”
Yet again, I had to lie. I hadn’t seen my doctor because my dick was only having issues with her. “I saw him, but all he did was give me some of those Viagra pills. Not sure if I want to take them, due to the side effects. There are minimal effects, but I’m a healthy man. I don’t like to put anything inside of my body that may not be good for me.”
“I understand that, but we have to do something. It’s been a long time, Jonathan, and I miss the feel of you.”
“Same here. We’ll talk later. A client is waiting to see me.”
Lesa said she’d see me later. I headed into the lobby to speak to one of my clients, who was frazzled about her upcoming court case. They were never easy, but in the end, I assured her that everything would be fine.
Hours later, Jaylin and I sat at Morton’s, waiting for Lesa to come. We were both suited up, and there was no secret that we always tried to outdo each other. The competition had always been steep, only because Jaylin had good taste, just as I did.
“I guess the place you always go to must have had a two-for-one sale,” he said, looking at my banker striped suit that was designed to fit my frame only. His chambray blue linen suit was nice, too, but this time, I had the edge.
“I don’t do two-for-one sales unless it pertains to my cereal. I’ll leave that to you and Shane. By the way, how is your partner in crime doing?”
“Somewhat happily married, still working with me, and he has another baby on the way. You should give him a holler. He asked about you when I told him I was coming to the Lou.”
“What does he want to discuss? I know Frick still handles most of his legal matters, too, doesn’t he?”
“Frick is my attorney, not his. Shane trusts you. I do too, but you already know that Frick and I have known each other for a long time. Ever since I was sixteen.”
“I understand that level of trust. But you do know that I’m here for you and Shane, if ever needed.”
Jaylin nodded then stroked his goatee as he glanced at his watch. It was almost eight o’clock. Lesa hadn’t shown up yet. Quite frankly, I was a little embarrassed.
“Is she always late like this?” he asked.
“Not really, but when we spoke earlier, she said she might be late.”
Jayli
n didn’t respond, but deep down, I knew he felt what I did. There was little to no excuse for this. If the shoe were on the other foot, I would have canceled my plans and rushed to meet one of her friends. I was just about to call her, when I looked up and saw a waiter escorting her our way.
“Here she comes,” I said, standing then buttoning my suit jacket.
Jaylin stood too, and when Lesa reached the table, his hand was already extended to hers.
“Lesa, right?” he said. She nodded and smiled like the Cheshire cat. Her eyes were wide, and she took a hard swallow before releasing his hand.
“Yes, Lesa. That’s my name.”
“I’m Jaylin. Jaylin Rogers. Nice to finally meet you. Please, have a seat.”
I pulled the chair back, but before Lesa took a seat, she leaned in to give me a kiss. “So sorry I’m late. I couldn’t get out of there for nothing in the world. Finally, I put the clothes on hangers and told everybody that I had to go.”
“No problem,” I said. “I’m glad you made it.”
Right then, the waiter walked over to the table. He poured our wine and started a quick conversation with Jaylin. I watched Lesa from across the table. She seemed real nervous about something. Her eyes shifted from him to me. When she looked at me, she displayed a fake smile. I smiled back, but, to be honest, her appearance disappointed me. Her hair looked dry and thirsty for moisturizer. It was as if she hadn’t put forth any effort to look decent. I told her where dinner would be, and for her to walk in here with a sundress on and flat sandals, I wasn’t pleased. Normally, she dressed down at work, but there had to be enough time for her to go home and change into something more elegant. Something sexy or classy would have done the trick, too. After looking around at the numerous businesslike people in the room, and at a few Cardinals players who came in, I assumed she felt like crap. Maybe that’s why she was nervous. She kept raking her hair with her fingers and swooping her hair behind her ears. Even her makeup looked different, and her skin looked awfully pale.
She leaned in to whisper to me, “Do you know where the restroom is? I need to go freshen up a bit.”
The second I stood to pull her chair back, her cell phone rang. She looked to see who the caller was but didn’t bother to answer. I assumed that the call wasn’t important, so I nudged my head toward the ladies’ room in the far corner.
“Over there,” I said.
“Okay. Be right back.”
She looked flustered as hell. I wasn’t sure what was up with her tonight, and I made a mental note to inquire about it when we got home.
Jaylin and I conversed with the waiter about the Rams’ future in St. Louis. Many people were upset because there was a possibility that the Rams would go back to L.A. It was the talk of the town, and it didn’t appear that anyone could stop it from happening.
“I think it’s unfair,” the waiter said. “But what can we do?”
“Not a damn thing,” Jaylin said. “Money talks and bullshit walks.”
We all agreed. The waiter said he would be back with more wine, and when he walked away, Jaylin looked at me.
“Where did Lesa go?” he asked.
“She went to the restroom to freshen up. So, what do you think?”
“I’ll give you my overall opinion later, but for starters, not bad. She’s cute, a little thin for my taste, but nonetheless pretty. Pretty late, too.”
Maybe I was being too hard on Lesa about her appearance, but it was important for my woman to look her best when I introduced her for the first time to my boys. It was just something that men always appreciated. A part of me felt real let down because I knew Lesa could do better.
A few minutes later, she returned to the table. Her phone rang again, but she ignored it. I wondered who had been bugging her this evening, and when I suggested that it might be important, she waved me off.
“If it were important, I would answer. You know the people I work with like to bug me about every little thing. They don’t think I have a life. I already told them, when I’m with my man, do not bother me.”
At times, the ringing of her phone was rather annoying. She never turned it off, and it would sometimes ring in the middle of the night. It seemed as if the people she worked with couldn’t do anything without her, and they often contacted her for advice. There was definitely a time and place for everything, though. Now wasn’t the time, simply because I wanted to enjoy dinner with her and Jaylin.
I had already ordered for Lesa while she was in the restroom. The waiter said it would be several more minutes before the food came. Meanwhile, we sipped wine and talked as if our lives hadn’t missed a beat. Jaylin listened in as Lesa told him about her fashion design career.
“Very impressive,” he said. “I would love to see some of your pieces. I’m always looking for something exquisite to purchase for my wife. She loves clothes. She also has a boutique that sells clothes made by up-and-coming designers. The two of you should hook up.”
“I would love that. Jonathan said you were leaving tomorrow. Is there a way for me to reach you? I would love to show you some of the pieces I created for the fashion show, and—”
For the third time tonight, Lesa was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. Once again, she looked to see who it was but ignored the call. I wanted her to answer, but even more than that, I wanted her to turn the phone off. I didn’t dare say anything to her about how irritated I was, only because she never complained about my ongoing calls. During dinner, and out of respect for other people, I often turned off my phone or put it on vibrate so there would be no interruptions. If only she would do the same.
“As I was saying,” she continued, “Jaylin, you and I need to talk.”
“To be honest,” he said, “you may have better luck with my wife. I’m not into the fashion business, but she definitely is.”
“I’ll be happy to speak to her, but are you sure she’s your wife? I didn’t notice a ring on your finger.”
Jaylin looked at me then lightly touched his goatee. “Married men don’t always wear rings. But trust me when I say that she’s the one you should speak to.”
Lesa winced and seemed as if she’d caught an attitude. “I think all married men should wear their wedding rings. That way, women won’t get misled. When Jonathan and I get married, wearing our rings will be a must. If he refuses to, then we basically have no marriage.”
She touched my hand and smiled. I had no problem wearing my ring, but I knew why Jaylin wasn’t wearing his.
“That’s your and Jonathan’s preference,” Jaylin said. “And, ring or no ring, many women don’t care. My wife knows that there are plenty of women who go after what they want, and a ring won’t stop them.”
“That’s sad. I have to agree with you on that. I hate those kinds of women, and the men who give in to them are scumbags.”
Lesa sipped from the flute glass, waiting for Jaylin to respond. He responded by looking over at me; then he glanced at his watch.
“What time do you want to meet tomorrow?” he said to me. “My plane leaves at three, so we need to wrap up things before then.”
“Meet me at my office around eleven. That should give you plenty of time.”
Jaylin stood then straightened his suit jacket. “I won’t be able to stay for dinner, but it’s on me. I’ll see you tomorrow, and it was nice meeting you, Lesa. Take care of John-John, and I’ll be sure to get your info and pass it on to my wife.”
Lesa quickly reached into her purse then pulled out a business card. She passed it to Jaylin, and he removed it from her hand. “Give that to her,” she said. “And it was nice meeting you too.”
Jaylin nodded then made his way to the door. She observed him as he stopped to chat with a few people and started talking to another waiter. Lust could have been in her eyes, but she also seemed annoyed by him. I wasn’t sure, but her concentration was broken when her cell phone rang again.
“Who is that calling you?” I said, annoyed my damn self.
> “One of the models, Princess. She’s always bugging me like that. I’m seriously about to tell her that I do not want her to be included in the show. I don’t like it when people keep harassing me about things. If I don’t answer my phone, obviously that means I’m busy.”
I wasn’t buying it, but I didn’t want to go there with her, considering what I was doing behind closed doors. I was just glad when the food finally came. We enjoyed a delicious meal and good conversation. That was until I inquired about her thoughts of Jaylin.
“He seems like a well-educated, arrogant man who cheats on his so-called wife. I truly don’t believe he’s married, and isn’t he the one who you said Sylvia had sex with?”
Sometimes, I talked too much. But since she put it out there, I answered her question. “Yep, he’s the one. And he and his wife have been together for a long time. I’ve never met a couple where love runs that deep. I hope that we stay together as long as they have.”
Lesa shrugged. “Whatever works for them. But no woman should be okay with her man not wearing his ring.”
“Even if she doesn’t wear hers?”
“I wonder why. Like I said, I don’t believe he’s married, but if he is, I assure you their way of thinking won’t work for us. And in reference to your ex-girlfriend giving up the goodies to him, she’s a tramp. Her going after him doesn’t surprise me. Women like her get all hot and bothered when they see a nice-looking man like him. The first thing they want to do is take off their panties and let him have at it. But, knowing her, she did it to hurt you. Does it sting, Jonathan? I mean, how do you feel about her having sex with a man like him?”
Her words caused me to frown. “What do you mean when you say a man like him? He’s like any other man, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Uhhh, not. I mean, I can see why she would be attracted to him. He’s got that little swag thing going on, and his money can be smelled from miles away. Many women are drawn to that, especially simple bitches like Sylvia, who only want a wet coochie and nothing else.”
Lesa was putting it on thick. For starters, I guessed she’d forgotten that she was willing to give up the panties the first day I’d met her, too. They officially came off a week later, so she didn’t have much room to talk about Sylvia. If I hadn’t been sitting here tonight, she probably would have jumped over this table to get at Jaylin. I saw through her tonight, and, to be honest, I didn’t like the way she was starting to represent herself. After two years together, maybe I didn’t know enough about her.
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