“Well if y’all don’t like him, I don’t like him either,” I replied matter of factly, siding with my fam. But my words only made Lamar laugh as he turned into the McDonald’s drive-thru.
“Nahhhh you don’t like ‘em cause you checkin’ for Nova and he’s the only thing in the way,” he insisted, practically reading right through me.
And since there was no use in hiding how I felt now, I agreed, “Might be some truth to that.”
“Just be careful, brodie. Nova may seem as tough as they come, but she still has… issues.”
Some of the worst shit possible came to mind as I considered what Lamar could’ve been talking about. Then again, there wasn’t a woman in the world that didn’t come with some sort of catch. But instead of letting my mind wander, once Lamar finished ordering food for all of us I asked, “Issues? What kind of issues?”
“She’s just… I don’t know. You’ll probably see what I mean sooner than later.”
“Nah, nigga. This is crucial info. So what’s the word?” I asked, turning in my seat to let him know I was serious.
He picked up the food from the drive-thru window, pulling off before the workers could recognize him. Then he dug in the bag for a handful of fries, making me wait even longer for an answer as he chewed them down. And after dusting off his salt-covered hands, he finally replied, “You know I’ve been rockin’ with Kay for a minute now, so that means I’ve been rockin’ with Nova too. And I’ve watched her go through some shit. Body issues, self-esteem issues, couple bouts of depression. It’s good to see her like this now, but I know shit like that is always a work in progress. So like I said, just be careful, man. You my bro, but that’s my sis so I’ll ride for her just like I would ride for you, even if it’s you that’s fuckin’ her over.”
“I wouldn’t do her like that, bro. You know me.”
“Nah, that’s exactly the problem. I do know you. And after Mariah, you’ve been kind of reckless in that department so…”
“Uncle Lamar, you know my mama?!”
My eyes flew to the backseat where Jaxson appeared to be wide awake as if he hadn’t just been knocked out five minutes ago. Lamar only laughed as he answered, “Of course I know your mama, punk.”
“My mama so pretty. Just like Miss. Nova,” he gushed randomly, making me shake my head as Lamar started laughing even harder.
“Yoooo… you can’t tell me you haven’t been teachin’ this dude a thing or two.”
I shrugged, smiling proudly back at my baby boy as I told Lamar, “Just raising him to recognize a fine woman when he sees one. Ain’t that right, kid?”
Jaxson nodded his head just as proudly as if he had any idea what I was talking about while Lamar groaned, “Yeah aight, nigga. Don’t let Miss. Nova get you in trouble down here.”
My face scrunched as I defended, “Never that, bruh. I’m just here to have some fun. And if she wants to have some fun too then, shit... it is what it is.”
“This nigga,” he grumbled with a laugh just as he was pulling into the circle drive of the condo, putting the car in park as two attendants rushed to open the doors for us.
I climbed out of the car and went to grab Jaxson as I teased, “Damn, man. They don’t let you lift a finger around here, I see.”
“Shit, we paid enough for this spot. It’s the least they could do.”
“Baller nigga problems,” I muttered as I followed him into the building, letting Jaxson take over the conversation as we rode the elevator up to the top floor we were staying on.
Once we stepped inside the condo, we were hit with the sounds of soft R&B, freaky old school R&B to be exact, playing throughout. And it only took a few more steps to figure out where it was coming from as Nova leaned against the counter with her lips pursed together, staring at her phone intently as if she was reading something serious.
A single creak in the hardwood floor was enough to grab her attention, her eyes lighting up and the scowl washing away once she saw it was us. Well… once she saw it was him.
“Lamar! Oh my God! It’s been way too long!” Nova shouted as she dropped her phone on the counter and leaped into Lamar’s extended arms, the familiarity between the two obvious as he wrapped her in an embrace tight enough to make me jealous.
“Wish she got that happy to see me,” I thought to myself as Lamar said, “Young Casanova. So good to see you, shorty.”
“Who isn’t a shorty to your giraffe ass?” she joked back with a slap to his chest as she let him go, a move that was apparently designed to make more room for Jaxson who was claiming ownership by wrapping his arms tightly around her leg.
“Uncle Lamar, how you know my Miss. Nova?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed together as if he was really bothered by their hug.
Of course, Lamar only laughed him off. “Ohhhh, now she’s your Miss. Nova? Cas, what did you do to this kid? He was already braggin’ about how pretty you were in the car.”
Nova laughed again, picking Jaxson up and slinging him against her hip. Then she pinched his chubby little cheek causing him to giggle as she replied, “He’s just being the sweetheart that he is. Part of his charm to get more food out of me.”
“Uncle Lamar bought us McDonald’s!” Jaxson shouted excitedly, though I was sure his excitement was rooted more in the toy that came with his happy meal than the actual food.
And it was clear Nova was far from impressed as I sat the bags down on the kitchen table, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she replied, “Well Uncle Lamar might as well have you eating trash straight from the can.”
Lamar was already busy digging in his bag for another handful of fries as he whined, “Come on now, Cas. I know you been on your healthy shit for a minute, but you ain’t gotta do Mickey D’s like that. He’s gotten us through the best and worst of times.”
“Oh whatever,” she said with a laugh as she put Jaxson down and headed towards the refrigerator to grab some of the healthy shit Lamar was talking about. And once she was there, she did me the favor of bending towards the bottom shelf, putting on the show I’d never get tired of. In fact, it seemed like the perfect time to get even closer… I mean, grab the ketchup.
I grabbed the refrigerator door just as she was closing it, an action that caught her eye long enough for me to say, “Hello to you too, Miss. Nova.”
“Oh, hey Guy,” she stated plainly; no warmth, no friendliness, no hint of the good times we had shared the night before. Then again, I shouldn’t have been surprised that she had put her wall back up, the time between our interactions just long enough to refreeze her.
“Damn, it’s like that? Everybody else getting reunion hugs and special attention, and I can’t even get a change in tone?” I asked as I watched her drizzle dressing on top of her salad before putting the top back on to give it a shake, an action that had her titties bouncing every which way as if… yep, braless.
I brought my attention back to her eyes just as she was rolling them. “Heyyyy Guy. Is that better?” she asked sarcastically, sticking her tongue out at me before she went to grab a fork.
Passing her on my way back to the table, I got just close enough to whisper, “Better keep that tongue in your mouth before we make good use, shorty.” Catching the slight gasp she inhaled before releasing an annoyed huff.
Instead of joining us at the table, she stayed at the counter to nibble on her salad as if she was purposely keeping some distance between us when Lamar asked, “So Nova, what you got planned while you here?”
“Whatever your wife drags me to,” she replied before shoving a forkful of leafy greens into her mouth, almost making me feel bad about the quarter pounder with cheese I had waiting on me and the chicken nuggets and fries I was setting up for Jaxson.
Lamar wasn’t fazed at all, damn near swallowing his Big Mac whole and chewing through his response. “Better you than me. I mean, a nigga can only look at so many paint swatches before it all starts to look the same.”
“I’m pretty sure that happens before you even
get to the store, Lamar,” Nova replied teasingly, though Lamar was quick to agree.
“Damn right. Blue is blue is blue again,” he insisted, making Nova shake her head as he asked, “Y’all are coming to the game tomorrow though, right?”
“You know we’ll be there, bruh,” I answered for Jaxson and I, unsure of Nova’s plans. For all I knew, she could have a... Skype date scheduled, or whatever it was that long-distance couples did.
When she didn’t say anything at all, I assumed that meant she’d be joining us as Lamar replied, “Alright, bet.” Standing up from the table and continuing on, “But let me get home to my wife before she starts blowing up my phone. I’ll catch y’all after the game.”
I stood up to see him out as I asked, “We still hittin’ the str…” Catching myself as I peeked down to Jaxson who was thankfully busy chomping on his nuggets. “The club after?”
Lamar dapped me up with a knowing smile. “Wouldn’t be right if we didn’t. Gotta welcome my boy to the city properly.”
“Did you run those plans by your wife too?” Nova asked, crossing her arms as she joined us near the elevator.
He wrapped her in a hug as he replied, “Little do you know, Kay and I are practically royalty up there. I can’t tell you how many college tuitions we’ve funded together over the years. Shit, we probably gave a few small business loans too.”
“Philanthropy done right if you ask me,” I chimed in, earning a side eye from Nova.
But that didn’t mean my best friend didn’t agree, pressing the down button to a glow before turning back to dap me up once again as he spouted, “My nigga.”
Nova only rolled her eyes as the elevator chimed with arrival, Lamar shouting, “Later, Jax.” as he stepped inside to leave. And once the doors closed, I turned towards Nova to say, “Well I guess it’s just the two of us now.”
Instead of paying me any real mind, she immediately retreated to the kitchen, tossing over her shoulder, “Three. There’s three of us.”
I brushed her off as I followed her, peeking towards Jaxson who was already drifting to sleep in his chair with a fry still in his hand meaning, “He’ll be ready for bed soon, so he doesn’t really count. And according to this playlist you got ridin’, you must be in the mood for… company.”
The word made her visibly shiver, but she kept her eyes trained on her salad as she used the fork to push around what was left and replied, “Mood or not, it doesn’t concern you, Guy. Must I remind you that I have a boyfriend?”
“The same boyfriend you’re searching on Twitter for updates about?” I asked, nodding towards her phone that was still resting on the counter with the name David Anderson typed in the search bar. Naturally, I wanted to do my own investigation on ol’ boy now that I had a name. But the question must’ve embarrassed her the way she quickly snatched it up and shoved it into her pocket. Though that didn’t mean I was letting up when I continued, “What happened to all that trust shit you were talking last night?”
She whined, “I do trust him. I just… like to see what other people are saying about him too.”
“Because you don’t trust him to tell you everything himself? Have you even talked to him since we’ve been here?” I challenged, not even caring about what boundaries I might’ve been overstepping.
To my surprise, she didn’t back down nor put me in my place when she answered, “Of course. I mean, we’ve texted.”
My eyes rolled instantly. “Technology is way too advanced for y’all to have only texted, Nova. Well, if y’all really fuck with each other like that at least.”
She dropped her fork onto the counter in annoyance as she snapped, “Look, I don’t need you to tell me about my relationship. We are just fine.”
The red flags that debunked her story were visible from a mile away and we hadn’t even known each other long. And after experiencing, surviving, the toxic situation with Mariah, things were even more obvious to me. Still, I held my hands up as I told her, “You ain’t gotta defend it to me. I’m just stating my observations.”
She crossed her arms defensively. “Because you’re, what? Some sort of relationship expert?”
I shook my head. “Never said that. But for the record, you getting so emotional about it isn’t a good look. Especially to a stranger you don’t really give a damn about. If y’all good, y’all good. My opinion shouldn’t even matter.”
“We’re good,” she stated coldly, her eyes tight and her whole energy about it reading otherwise which meant I was far from convinced.
“If you insist…” I muttered as I went to grab sleeping Jaxson from the dinner table.
I was just getting ready to pry the fry he was holding onto for dear life out of his grip when Nova fired back, “See. Now what’s that supposed to mean?”
Tossing Jaxson over my shoulder, I also used it to shrug. “It doesn’t mean anything, Nova. Do your thing. Do what makes you happy. And if he makes you happy, who the fuck am I to judge?”
Outwardly, she seemed satisfied with that response, but I could also read the slight hint of sadness in her eyes as if… he’s definitely not making her happy. Still, it wasn’t my place to insert myself. It was her business, her relationship, and I wasn’t supposed to be sweating her anyway since she was technically a taken woman.
So if she wanted to spend her summer searching for her man on Twitter instead of having some fun with me, then that was her decision.
I was going to have my fun regardless.
Nova
I couldn’t sleep, Guy’s words haunting me like a ghost as I sat in the bed trying to make myself believe he was wrong.
He wasn’t wrong.
No matter how much I wanted to believe David’s lukewarm love from afar made me happy, it just... didn’t. No matter how much I claimed to trust him, I just… couldn’t, especially after studying the latest pictures of him on the internet from every which angle and coming to the conclusion that something was definitely up between him and the latest songstress he called boss. But it almost seemed easier to just not deal with it at all, not deal with him at all, though pushing David to the back of my thoughts meant becoming even more aware of my roommate.
Beyond the fact that Guy was fine as hell, he was so damn charming that it annoyed me since I couldn’t do anything about it. But if I could do something about it, if I could make use of those stout shoulders and those full lips, I was pretty sure that would grant me the exact happiness Guy was talking about.
At least temporarily.
Since that wasn’t an option, I went to the next best thing, digging into the nightstand for Kofi but settling for the toy that hit my hand first, Trevante. I wondered if Guy’s dick would measure up to my imagination, if it held the same power, the same strength of the rest of his demeanor. Truth be told, I somehow already knew it was better than David’s without even experiencing it.
My mind flashed back to what was supposed to be the last go-round at Netflix and Chill with David right before he left to shoot another series of videos, but it was really more like Netflix and Ch… considering how long it lasted. I certainly enjoyed a quickie just as much as the next woman, but that was just… quick. He claimed it was all about getting the first one off so that he could go longer for round two, but round one wasn’t good enough for me to even consider a second. Of course that pissed him off, we fought about it and then he left for LA which meant he still hadn’t had a chance to redeem himself in that department. And even though we had technically made up, over time I had become far more interested in what I knew I could do for myself instead of what he maybe could do for me to care about his shortcomings.
So that was exactly what I was going to do, positioning the bottom of my feet firmly on the mattress as I opened myself wide and closed my eyes. What was usually a mash-up of my chocolate celebrity crushes - Idris Elba’s voice, Trevante Rhodes’ face and smile, Kofi Siriboe’s body - had been replaced by beige-skinned Guy with a voice just as smooth, a body just as impressive, and a fac
e sexy enough to guarantee this would be the right kind of quick. But just as I was really getting into the groove, a knock on the bedroom door startled me as I immediately yanked the covers tight to my chest.
“Uh… yes?” I called out, my heart pounding through my ears as if I had already been caught bustin’ it open for myself. And I was just sure my face was flushed red when the door cracked just slightly before Guy’s head slid through the threshold.
“Your little buddy woke up and made a special request for his Miss. Nova. You busy?” he asked, his eyes tired as if he had already been dozing off himself.
“Yes! Obviously…” I muttered, the vibrations still humming against my hand as I quickly tried to silence them without being able to look at the controls.
But they weren’t loud enough to deter Guy as he insisted, “He really wants to see you, Nova. Even started crying when I told him he couldn’t.”
“So, what? Let him cry,” I replied brashly, desperate for him to just go away.
He didn’t, instead cracking the door open a little wider to show that Jaxson was standing right below him.
The guilt hit me square in the chest as I buried my toy somewhere deep in the covers before motioning for Jax to come towards me. His steps were slow, his little lips trembling the same way they had done back at the airport which only made me feel worse. And when he finally made it to the edge of the bed, the proof of the tears he had already shed were dried against his cheek.
Poor baby.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart? You can’t sleep?” I asked as I brushed my hand against his cotton-covered shoulder that was bouncing through his sniffles.
“I had a… had a… night mirror,” he whined, a trail of snot slipping from his nose at the mention.
Instincts had me snatching a tissue from the nightstand and swiping his nose clean while I repeated, “Night mirror?”
“Nightmare,” Guy corrected from the door frame he was resting against, the lighthearted expression he usually wore traded for an annoyed one as if he wasn’t the one who had interrupted my good time.
If Only for the Summer Page 8
