The restaurant was only a few blocks away so that would be perfect. The last thing I wanted was for him to come to my spot and I discover I wasn’t feeling him.
JAGUAR: Cool. See you then. And wear something sexy.
ME: One thing about me. I always look sexy.
I quickly logged off and hurried to the front to get ready for the lunch crowd. I was looking forward to meeting Jaguar later today.
* * *
We were so slammed all evening I had to hurry to the pizza joint to meet Jaguar. I strutted out the door and down Ninth Street with my bodacious ass swinging with every step. I knew people were driving by, staring at me, just the way I liked it. I was a dime or better yet, a double deluxe. Haters thought I needed to lose a little weight but I loved my curves and had plenty of brothas on speed-dial who would agree. I glanced down at my skinny jeans that hugged my ass. I was also rocking a black and purple corset with a short-sleeved bolero jacket. On my feet were purple stiletto pumps. If I’d had time I would have run by the house and turned it up a notch. Regardless, I was looking every bit of sexy.
It was one of those perfect evenings when the April sun was shining high, yet there was enough of a breeze to keep a sistah from sweating out her shoulder-length weave.
I was just turning the corner when I spotted a high-end, emerald-green car pulling up in front of the pizza joint. To hell with my date when there was something prime parked ahead. I tilted the Versace glasses away from my eyes and slowed my steps and made sure I gazed inside as I swayed my hips past that beautiful car. Much to my pleasure, what was sitting behind the wheel was even more scrumptious.
“What’s up sexy? You wanna go for a ride?”
I did a double-take and then my jaw dropped. “Jaguar?”
He gave one of those laughs that made a woman’s pussy meow. “Actually it’s Kaleb. Jaguar was just my username.”
“Mmmm-Hmmm. I see.” I struck a cute pose with one hand resting at my luscious hip and swayed over to the curb. Smiling, I leaned inside the car that just happened to be a Jaguar. Naturally his eyes strayed to my twins that were ripe for the picking. There was nothing mean-looking at all about the man sitting behind that wheel. As a matter of fact, he had a smile with the type of lips that made you want to pop out your titty and stick it inside his mouth.
“You’re every bit as sexy as your picture.”
At least he appreciated beauty. “Of course… did you expect anything less?”
He chuckled again, revealing perfect white teeth. “You’d be surprised the clowns I’ve met.”
I batted my fake eyelashes. “I aim to please.”
“You wanna go for a ride?” he suggested.
I looked around. The sun was out. What were the chances of me coming up missing, although I didn’t know shit about this dude. “For all I know you’re one of them crazy mofos cutting up women and burying them in your backyard.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I could be.”
I thought about it a moment longer, then reached inside my purse, removed my phone and snapped his picture.
“What’s up?” he said and laughed.
“Insurance.” I took another picture then backed up, snapped his car and even went as far as the license plate. The whole time he sat behind the driver’s seat admiring the view.
“I can see you’re going to be a piece of work.”
“Absolutely. I’ma game changer.” I tagged all the photos then sent a text to April.
Girl, I’m with Kaleb aka Jaguar in his Jaguar. LOL.
I was tapping away at my keyboard as I spoke. “Give me a second to send these pictures to my cousin and I’ll be ready to roll.”
“Are you serious?” he roared with laughter.
I shrugged. “A diva’s gotta be careful.”
He rubbed a hand across his nearly trimmed goatee. “I understand. Now will you get in?”
“In a second.” I wasn’t climbing into that bitch until my phone alerted my message had been sent.
“You like to be in charge.” He was observant.
“Of course.” Damn, the message was taking forever to send.
“Then we’re gonna have a problem.”
I looked up from my phone and at him. He appeared to be a few years older than me. “Why’s that?”
“Because there can only be one boss in this relationship.”
“Who said we’re in a relationship?” I said and shuddered with excitement.
“Me. Because I’m not window-shopping. When I like what I see, I grab it and you sweetheart have plenty to hold on to.”
Ain’t that the truth. The message finally left my phone and I reached for the handle and opened the door. I climbed in and sat down on a butter-soft leather seat and grinned over at him. Kaleb’s eyes were all over me.
“You’re delicious.”
For a chick who loved food that was the ultimate compliment. “Thank you. Now take me for a ride.”
He finally pulled away from the curb. The air conditioner was on, blowing in my face. I put my Michael Kors purse on the floor then relaxed on the seat and enjoyed the soft R&B music coming from the speakers.
Kaleb drove through downtown. I saw a few people I knew along the sidewalks. Too bad the windows were tinted. I wanted everyone to see me.
“You gonna tell me your name?”
My headed whipped around to gaze at the curious look on his handsome face. I felt my chocolate face become hot at the way he was licking his bottom lip. Damn that goatee looked good on him. “My bad. It’s Janelle but everyone calls me Jae.”
“Jae huh? Like in juicy?”
I had to laugh. From anyone else that line would have sounded whack, but he just had this swag about him I was feeling.
As he stopped for a red light, he said, “Tell me, as fine as you are, what made you decide to go on a dating site?”
“Curiosity. More than anything else,” I explained as I stared out the window. “I meet a lot of rejects.”
“Are you seeing anyone now?”
No one worth talking about. “Nope. Single as it gets.” I waved my ring finger just in case he hadn’t noticed it was naked. “What about you?”
“No one. I don’t settle for anything but the best. If you haven’t noticed I’m a first-round draft pick.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. He was cute, but he wasn’t all that. However, what he was lacking in looks, his car definitely made up for.
“Why don’t you tell me a little about you?” he asked, making conversation.
“That might take all night.” I gave him a saucy grin.
“Babe, for you, I’ve got nothing but time.”
I love when a man knows what he wants, especially when that something was me.
As we rode around town, I talked about my restaurant and growing up in that small-ass town. He was a great listener. He didn’t interrupt and that was what I liked most. Like I said, it’s all about me! When it was finally Kaleb’s time to talk I discovered he was from Atlanta and had been in the area for two years.
He made a right on Nifong into a subdivision surrounding the Columbia Country Club of Missouri. It was one of those status neighborhoods with big-ass houses to die for. Even as hard as I worked at the restaurant I was a long way from living this large.
He turned onto a cul-de-sac and pulled in front of a magnificent brick home.
“Whose house is this?” I asked and looked at him.
“Mine.” He reached across the seat and laced my fingers with him. “And it can all be yours, if you play your cards right.”
My eyes widened as I stared through the window at the mini-mansion. And when Kaleb reached up, pressed a button and the three garage doors opened, I spotted a Range Rover inside and I knew I had to have him.
Janelle Fox has found a new sponsor!
5
NYREE
“He said that?”
“Yes!” Janelle screeched in my ear. “Kaleb said, ‘it can all be yours if you play yo
ur cards right.’ I couldn’t believe it! You shoulda seen his crib! Girl, it was something out of a fucking magazine.”
I shifted on the seat, drawing the phone closer to my ear. I could just imagine Janelle sitting in her office, doodling dollar signs on a sheet of paper. She never got this excited about anything other than men and money; and when she could get them both in one shot, she was like a freaking lunatic.
While I scrolled through my emails, Janelle went on and on about her latest catch. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t like what she was saying wasn’t entertaining. My best friend was beautiful and men were always falling on their faces to get close to her. It was almost comical to say the least. The problem was I had heard this story so many times before I already knew what questions she was waiting for me to ask.
“Are you listening?” Janelle said, when she finally stopped to take a breath.
“Of course, I’m listening. So what’s he do for a living?”
“Nyree, gurrrrrrl, check this shit out.”
What did I tell you?
“You know the Walmart heirs that invested all that money in the new basketball stadium at Mizzou?”
“Yep.” Everyone has heard of the local family. They invested in several projects including the University of Missouri-Columbia, and owned a huge mansion south of town. My mother was best friends with one of their housekeepers. “What about them?”
“Well, Kaleb manages their money. Can you believe that shit? My man has his hands on Walmart stocks!”
Oh Lord. “Your man?”
“Hell yeah I’m claiming his ass.”
Can you believe this chick? Janelle has always been materialistic. Clothes, cars, men, I could already hear the greed in that chick’s voice.
“Money, money, money… MONEY!”
I shook my head. “That’s all you care about.”
“You’d be surprised, but it ain’t just about money with Kaleb. I really like him.”
“But having money helps.”
“Hell yeah it helps,” she laughed.
“Is there anything about this man you don’t like?” Because there always has to be something.
“Hmmm. Well, I guess it would be his fucked-up walk.”
“What?” I chuckled.
“Girl, he walks like he’s broken his ankle or some shit in the past. He waddles like a pregnant woman,” she laughed.
“You’re wrong for that.”
“I’m serious. I told him he reminded me of Fred Sanford the way he walks.” She was laughing so hard, I joined in.
“So no swag, huh?’
“Uh-uh, don’t get it twisted. Kaleb has plenty of swag.”
I sucked my teeth. “You mean money?”
“Yeah, that too!” She howled and had me in tears. The older she got, the crazier Janelle became.
“So what are you going to do about Q? Aren’t you supposed to be flying to Vegas at the end of the month?”
“Oh shit.” She stopped whatever fantasy was conjuring in her brain and sounded shocked. “I was so caught up with meeting Kaleb I forgot all about Q.”
What else was new? Quincy Austin was the spare Janelle kept in her hip pocket. He used to live in Columbia and moved to Dallas three years ago. Ever since then they’d been traveling every other month to see each other. Q was fine as hell, made decent money, was single and had no kids. The problem is Janelle thinks he’s a freaking doormat and according to her, his dick wasn’t all that.
“Damn, I forgot all about Q.” She had the nerve to sound disappointed.
“I don’t know why you keep stringing that man along like that.”
“You know why. He’s good to me, looks good on my arm, and we have a lot of fun together.” The fact that she could laugh at this situation irritated me on so many levels. Mainly because he was the type of man I’d love to meet.
“Yes, but you know Q loves you and wants to spend his life with you.”
“True.” He really did want to spend his life with her. “I’m just not willing to settle just yet,” she replied. “Hey, I’m honest with the dude. He just doesn’t want to hear it. I’m not ready for a committed relationship.”
“Yeah, but Q thinks that when you do, he’s gonna be the one.”
“Then that’s what he gets for thinking. I’ve got more important things to worry about. I just need to figure out how I’m going to get away for a weekend without Kaleb finding out the truth.” It was always about what Janelle wanted, when she wanted it. To her it was that simple.
I blew out a breath. “Why can’t you just be honest? After all, this is something you had planned long before this dude came into the picture.”
There was silence for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right. There’s no point in starting off a relationship with a lie. I just liked him so much I don’t wanna ruin a chance at being happy with a man who’s everything I want in a man.”
She meant money. I gave a rude snort. “I guess.”
“Anyway… have you set up your personal ad yet?” she asked, totally ignoring my response.
“Yes, and I’ve received several flirts but nobody I’m interested in.”
“That’s because you’re too damn picky!”
She thinks she knows me. “I’m not picky. I’m just getting too old for all the games. I want something meaningful.”
“Like your relationship with Rock,” she said and then had the nerve to laugh.
Leave it to her to go there. Janelle hated the idea of me settling down, and having a family. She wanted me single, partying, and dating a new man every week like her. Part of me thinks she’s afraid some man would become more important in my life than her. What she doesn’t understand is she was the closest thing I have to a sister.
“Girl, I’m not playing second to nobody. I am a helluva woman and I make sure everyone knows it. You need to do the same. Trust me Ree. Respect is earned and you have to make a man respect you or he’ll think he can do whatever he wants to you. And then after a while, you’ll stop even respecting yourself.”
Janelle was independent and impatient. Love and family weren’t her top priority so she would never really understand. “I’m not rushing into anything. Just taking it slow. In fact we’re going to St. Louis tomorrow for the weekend.”
“Uh-huh. Why is it you have to go outta town to spend time together?” She actually sounded upset.
I didn’t know what to say.
“Don’t you get tired of being the other woman?”
I looked outside my office door to see if anyone was close enough to overhear before I said, “He left his wife.”
She had the audacity to raise her voice. “He’s left her before and for how long?” She blew out a breath. “Ree, life is too short. It’s about to be summertime. Have some fun. Live a little. We’re barely in our thirties so we’ve got plenty of time for husbands and those got-damn two and a half kids you wanted so badly.”
She didn’t understand. I was sick of dating and being in dead-end relationships. I wanted something with substance. I was sick of wasting time. And I was crazy about Rock.
“I just care about you, that’s all.” She almost sounded sincere. Don’t get me wrong. There has never been a time when Janelle hasn’t had my back. She was just so self-absorbed that you didn’t see it as often as with regular people.
“You heard from Gloria?” I asked changing the subject.
There was a brief pause and I know she was sitting there rolling her eyes. Too bad. I was tired of talking about me. “Yeah girl. She and Pierre are back from the honeymoon. You know he took her to Cabo San Lucas, right? I hate that bitch,” she added with a hint of jealousy.
“No you don’t.” I laughed. “You just hate to see anyone have what you want.”
“That’s true.” She giggled. “But it’s now my time to shine. You’ll see.”
* * *
I left National Guard headquarters and headed out and across the parking lot for a dental appointment, feeling good. I hadn’t s
poken to Rock all day, however, we were all set to head to St. Louis tomorrow evening for the weekend and I couldn’t wait.
It was still hard to believe he was finally mine.
After the night of the wedding, Rock had moved into a hotel. He worked as a recruiter for the School of Engineering and traveled a lot during the week and sometimes over the weekends, but at least I had him at home in my bed several nights this last week. There was nothing like a man who could stimulate your mind and your body. And that man was Rock.
By the time I had gotten done with my six-month dental cleaning, I decided to drop by Rock’s office and surprise him. I climbed off the highway at the Stadium exit and made my way across the University of Missouri campus to the School of Engineering.
My mom called as I was turning into the garage.
“Hi Mom,” I said as I pulled up the ramp.
“Hello Nyree, I was calling to see if you were coming to dinner this Sunday.”
“No Mom.” I’m sure I’ll never hear the end of it. “I’m going to St. Louis for the weekend. Why?”
“Because I have someone I want you to meet.”
I groaned. There was no way I was going through that matchmaking BS again. “Mom, no.”
“Ree, it’s just a friend’s son.”
“Definitely not.” I pulled into the garage and cussed under my breath.
“How do you expect to meet anyone if you’re not even trying? He’s really a nice guy.”
Her nice guy meant he was boring as hell. “Mom, I’m seeing someone.”
“You are?” There was no mistaking the excitement in her voice.
“Yes. I’ve been seeing someone for quite a while. He’s amazing.”
“Really?” Mabeline Dawson didn’t sound like she believed me. “When are you bringing him home for your father and I to meet him?”
I blew out another long breath as I pulled into a parking spot. “I’ll bring him to dinner on Sunday.” We weren’t planning on being back until late Sunday evening, but I was sure if I told Rock how important it was, he would agree to dinner.
“Excellent. I’ll see you then.”
I hit End and climbed out the car and made it almost down to the end of the hall, before I heard someone say, “Thank you for your service.”
Talk a Good Game Page 3
