by A'zayler
“I know you’re not about to go to sleep?”
“Nah, just thinking of a good way to ask you for your number.” His eyes cracked open, and he looked at her.
Goody had been feeling his eyes on her all night. Lost for words at first, she just smiled and walked to him. There wasn’t a lot of room left on the edge of the sofa, but she wasn’t a big girl, so she was good.
“So, what you say?”
“To what?”
He smiled as did she. “To us being the next Cardi and Offset.”
With her already being on a high from actually doing a song with him, Goody was smiling again. She’d been smiling all night and didn’t appear to be stopping any time soon.
“We could be all in love and shit too. Have a li’l baby who looks exactly like you.”
“See, you just lost me. I’m not having no baby. My music is first right now.” Goody shook her head.
The long, orange and pink weave slid back and forth over her shoulder. “Can’t grind the way I need or want to with a baby on my hip. Hell nah.”
Killa K finally sat up and put his feet on the floor. He was closer to her that way, and it didn’t steer Goody one way or the other. She was comfortable in her skin and way more comfortable with turning men down. She was practically a professional at that. Her tolerance for niggas and their foolishness was at an all-time low.
Though she didn’t know much about Killa K, she knew men like him. The more her music popped, the bigger her circles became, and the more male whores she was surrounded by. Industry niggas were cool, but their money and clout made them ten times worse than the average man, and Goody wasn’t interested in that.
She was a rapper, but she was a female first. A real one at that. Goody hadn’t been a hood rat valuing the wrong things in life or anything like that, but she’d been fighting dirty in the hood since elementary school, so all of that fake dissing that celebrities did wouldn’t fly with her. Her entire career would get flushed the moment one of those sorry gossip blogs posted negatively about her or her business. Dating or entertaining a relationship with Killa K would definitely bring that.
“We can hold off on the baby then. How about we just go out to eat or something first?”
Goody shrugged. “I don’t know about all of that. I don’t want to become a gimmick.”
“What you mean?”
“We’re both rappers on the rise. The last thing we need is for the public to fall in love with our relationship and not our skills.” Goody shook her head. “I’d rather make my name blow up before it’s tagged onto something else.”
Killa K’s dark skin looked darker in the dimly lit studio. His eyes were tired, but he was maintaining. Nothing about him said he would be falling asleep anytime soon. Which was good, because Goody was still full of energy.
“You want to get in the booth with me?” She smoothed his bushy eyebrows. “I have so much in my head right now, and I need to let it out.”
“Recording it?”
“Kind of. Let’s just mix up some hot shit. Feed off each other.” Goody stood up and pulled her biker shorts from between her legs. “You with it?”
Killa K stood to his feet, significantly taller than her, and playfully pulled at her high ponytail. The long part resting on her shoulder was wrapped in his closed fist for a second before he released it and walked away. She hit some of the buttons on the large table to record them then followed him into the booth.
It took them no time to get ready. Killa K, eyes closed with a blunt hanging from his lips, nodded his head to the beat. Goody watched the way he got into the mood of the music and felt inspired. She too nodded her head, trying to catch the beat. When she felt the beat about to drop, she tapped his elbow to let him know she was going to start first. The moment it did, she went from one zone to the next.
Like she always did, Goody went hard and straight from the top of her head. She wasn’t sure just how long her verse had been, but when she finally opened her eyes and eased up some, Killa’s eyes were on her. It didn’t stop him, though. He picked up right behind her and dropped some of the hardest bars she’d heard to date. Close each other with the music intertwining them, Goody and Killa recorded the record that would put them where they needed to be in the music industry.
“Yo, y’all smashing. That was it right there.” Jacorey’s voice sounded throughout the booth.
When Goody looked through the glass, he and Marcellus were both standing there smiling. Marcellus winked and gave her a head nod.
“We’re keeping that right there. That’s the kind of energy I needed. I should have left y’all alone sooner.”
Goody’s face lit up while Killa smirked and nodded coolly. She watched the way he commanded the booth and the mic; she almost considered taking him up on that dinner date. When he winked down at her, her fate was almost sealed. She’d push him off as long as she could, but the moment she was ready, he’d be the one she hit up.
“Damn,” she said to herself when Jerrico crossed her mind.
Now, he was a problem. She’d been doing her best to keep her mind away from him, but as soon as she had a free minute, she was right back there. It had been a couple of days since the night at his house, and she hadn’t talked to him since. On purpose. Jerrico was too sweet and too ready; two things she was not. Nobody had to tell her that she would break his heart if given the chance. She knew that on her own.
“You good?” Killa K asked with the smoke he’d just inhaled sliding through his nose.
Goody nodded and got back to work. By the time she left the studio, the sun was rising, and she was dog tired. After freestyling their newest hit, they had to run it back and make it perfect. That felt like forever, but it was what Goody loved, so she did what she had to do. Killa K had pressured her for her number until the last minute, so she ended up giving it to him before leaving to head home.
On her way home, her ringing phone got her attention. She looked at the screen and just stared at Jerrico’s name. She wanted to answer it, but then again, she didn’t. As interested as she was in him, she was just as uninterested. He was fun and seemed perfect, but that was what scared her the most. The most he could do was be her friend because actually being her man was a no-no.
“Hello,” she went ahead and answered.
“Oh, dang.”
“Dang what?”
“I was prepared to leave a voicemail because I figured you weren’t going to answer.” He chuckled. “How are you this morning?”
Goody yawned. “Tired.”
“You didn’t get any rest last night?”
“Nope. I’ve been at the studio all night. I’m actually just now headed home.” Goody hesitated for a minute, wondering should she tell him about the men being there too.
With Kayson, it had been easier to just keep certain details to herself. It was either that or tell him and argue about stupid stuff for hours.
“That’s tough, I like that. You had fun?”
Goody perked up at the joy in his voice. “Yes! So much. It was another artist and me, and he has crazy skills, so we really rocked it all night.”
Jerrico’s laughter made her feel good. “Sounds like you had a ball. I’m glad. It’s a blessing to be able to do what you love.”
“It really is. We’d been working hard on one thing all night, but then I had a song in my head, and we freestyled it together. Jerrico, it turned out better than what we’d been mixing for hours.”
“You should let me hear it.”
His response wasn’t what she’d expected but definitely what she needed. Kayson never showed interest in her craft unless he saw it benefitting him.
“You can. When will you be free?”
“I’m headed to work right now, but I’m free after that. Unless you can email it to me before then, I can listen while I work.”
Her cheeks hurt from how hard she was smiling. “I’d rather be with you when you hear it. I want to see your reaction.”
“It�
��s crazy that you say that. I’m the same way when people are trying my food.” He tittered. “I’ll wait until later then… unless you have time now? I’ll be the only one at the restaurant for a while.
Goody looked at the time on her clock and wondered could she hang that long. She was so tired that she could hardly see straight.
“You know what, forget that. Go get some rest, and I’ll hear it later. I forgot you just told me you haven’t slept.”
“No, I can come. I’ll be fine. I do this all the time.”
“I’m about to send you the address.”
Goody told him that she was on her way as soon as she got the address then hung up. On the ride there, she listened to music to keep her awake. She was pulling in the parking lot when he called her back. She answered quickly.
“Pull around the back, and I’ll let you in through the kitchen.”
Goody followed his instructions and was out of her car and walking toward him in no time. He was in a pair of slacks and a t-shirt with a large watch on his wrist. He looked so simple and clean. Goody was too, but she felt like it was time to change. She’d literally been in the same clothes all night. Clearly, it didn’t matter to Jerrico because he walked right to her and hugged her tightly.
His body felt so good that she almost fell asleep on his shoulder. When he pulled away, and she had to stand on her own again, she wanted to cry. That right there was the type of stuff that reminded her that she needed to pull away.
“I should have just let you go home. You’re way too tired to be here like this.” He bit his lip. “Too sleepy to drive home too. You need to take a nap or something.”
Goody wanted to object, but he was right, so there was no need.
“Come on, let’s go to my office. You can take a nap in there. I have a futon.”
There were absolutely no objections on Goody’s end. She took the hand he had stretched toward her and let him pull her up a small set of stairs in the corner. When she rounded the curve of the staircase, she was greeted by his sweet aroma. His office was decorated in all black like his home and smelled just like him. Goody’s eyes closed, and she relaxed into his scent.
Jerrico dropped her hand and walked to the futon. She watched him let it down before going to the closet and pulling out a blanket and pillow.
“You must do this all the time?”
His eyes smiled. “Not as much as I used to, but I keep it just in case. Sometimes I work myself so hard that I’ll go days with no sleep, then all of a sudden crash, like you. Come get in.” He held the blanket up so he could drop it on top of her once she was settled.
Goody walked to him and climbed on the futon. She scooted down so that her face was nestled into the pillow. Jerrico tucked the blanket over her and squatted down in front of her.
“Get some rest, I’ll be downstairs. If we get too loud, just call and let me know.”
Goody wanted to say something more, but she was finally where she needed to be and couldn’t. A subtle head nod came before she closed her eyes and prepared to get in a good nap. The small futon in the corner of his office felt like a California King bed. She was so tired that she didn’t even remember falling asleep. All she remembered was waking up to some noise going on around her.
Goody squinted and fully opened her eyes. There was a pretty black lady at Jerrico’s desk. Her big, natural hair moved as she shuffled softly through a stack of paperwork. Goody could tell by the pink chef jacket she wore that she was obviously one of Jerrico’s employees. Feeling a little better than she had before she’d laid down, Goody sat up and stretched.
“Oh, no! I’m so sorry. Did I wake you? I was trying to be as quiet as I could.” She looked at Goody empathetically.
“No, you’re fine. It was time for me to get up anyway. I don’t need to be up here crowding Jerrico’s space.”
“Yes, yes, you do.” She smiled and walked to the stairs.
The lady peeked over the banister before walking to Goody. “Crowding his space is exactly what you should be doing. Jerrico is a workaholic, so if nobody slows him down, that’s all he’ll do.”
“He told me, but we’re just friends. I’m not sure I’ll be the best person to slow him down.”
She smiled and extended her hand to Goody. “I’m Heather.”
“Paradise.” Goody shook hers.
“I’m his work friend, and you’re his home friend. How about that? We can work together to ensure he has time off.”
Goody wasn’t a people person at all, but she liked Heather. She had a sweet spirit. Nothing about her seemed annoying, promiscuous, or fake.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Goody smiled at her. “Can you tell me about him? What’s he like as a person? Men can act one way with the woman they’re dating and a totally different way with anyone they’re not trying to impress.”
Heather sat flat on the floor and made herself comfortable. “Jerrico Blake is a sweetie pie. He has the best heart and the sincerest intentions. He’ll go out of his way for anyone he’s friends with, no matter what the situation is. I’ve seen him break his neck for others but refuse to let anyone celebrate him.”
“So, he’s humble?” Goody interjected.
“Extremely, and loyal. I had a baby and a wedding last year, and he literally took care of everything. He cooked for my bridal shower, reception, and baby shower. My husband and I practically begged him to let us pay, and he wouldn’t. The baby shower was all on him as well. He had the staff plan, cook, and host it. It was absolutely beautiful. I was so surprised.”
“Sounds like he’s free with money.”
Heather’s smile dropped some, and she shook her head. “He’s more than that. He’s loving, so naturally, he expresses it. His money is cool, but his service and his heart are way better.” Heather looked at Goody. “He’ll be a really good husband because he’s empathetic, comforting, and the most understanding person I’ve ever met. It can be something as small as a paper cut, and he’s going to be attentive. He’s a great listener as well. I ramble while we cook all the time, and he always listens with active feedback. Jerrico isn’t one of those men who listens to respond. If he can tell that you’re serious about it, he will be too.”
Goody nodded and lay back on the sofa. Her mind was swirling with thoughts because those were all things that she’d noticed about him as well. Kayson had been nothing of the sort. If she’d been given a dollar for every time she told him something, and his response showed his lack of interest, she’d be a millionaire.
“I was in a bad marriage before I met him, and right now, I’m not what Jerrico needs. I can tell it already.”
Heather stood from the floor and made herself comfortable next to Goody on the futon. “How do you know?” she asked with her head propped up in the palm of her hand.
“Because I’m mean, for one.” Goody laughed. “And bitter as fuck.”
Heather touched Goody’s messy ponytail. “The right man will change all of that.”
Goody turned so that she was facing Heather. “How you know?”
“Because I was in a bad marriage too. I left, and now I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I was rattlesnake mean. Literally, the definition of a mad black woman.” Heather snickered while pushing her hand between her thighs. “My husband has made all of that a distant memory. So much so, that I don’t even remember what it feels like to be that angry all the time.”
“Jerrico would perfect for that job, I’m sure.”
“So, let him be it.”
Goody’s head shook again while she scratched it. “I don’t want to ruin him. I’m mean as hell but not mean enough to mess over a perfectly good man. It’s enough raggedy black men already. I won’t be responsible for adding Jerrico to the bunch.”
“You have the wrong idea already. It won’t be anything like that. I can promise you. The man who God gives you will be nothing like the one you picked for yourself. You’re stronger and wiser now. You’ll never let another man do you the way your ex-h
usband did you, which makes you better in the areas that matter in a marriage. You’ve also been on the receiving end of the hurt, so there’s no way you’ll purposely do that to someone else.”
“Not purposely, but what about accidentally?”
Heather grabbed Goody’s hand. “If he’s the one, he’ll understand, and he’ll work through it with you.”
“I knew when it was taking you too long to come back that Paradise was awake.” Jerrico’s deep voice jolted both women from their comfortable spots.
Heather stood first with Goody following.
“No, don’t let me interrupt your lady talk.” He smiled as Heather walked toward him.
“It wasn’t lady talk. We were getting to know each other.” Heather looked at Goody with a wide smile. “Ain’t that right, Paradise?”
Goody nodded. “Yep, that’s practically my new BFF.”
Jerrico and Heather laughed before Heather made her way down the winding staircase. Once she was gone, Goody folded the blanket and put it away with the pillow. When she turned from the closet, Jerrico was pushing the futon back to its rightful spot. He faced her when he was finished.
“Sleep good?”
“Better than ever.” Goody looked away, hoping he didn’t smell her morning breath.
Jerrico grabbed her hand and rubbed the back of it with the pad of his thumb. “I hope you’re hungry. I made you some breakfast.”
“It’s probably cold by now.”
“Wrong. When Heather didn’t come right back, I assumed you were awake, so I whipped you something up real quick. Get full here then go home. You’ll sleep better.”
“You’re too much.” Goody smiled. “Let me wash my face and fix my hair, then I’ll be down.”
Jerrico’s eyes went to her orange and pink weave. Goody momentarily grew weary with uncertainty. Kayson hated the freedom she had with her skin and hair. He told her it looked ghetto. So, naturally, she never did it, even when she wanted to. Since she’d been free, she did whatever she wanted, and it made her happier than she’d ever been.
“I meant to tell you this morning, I liked this.” He picked up her ponytail that was hanging off the side of her head. “All of these wild colors look good on you.” He pecked her nose. “You’re probably one of the only people who could pull something like this off, you and Eternity.”
