by Honey
“We love you too, but you can’t live with us anymore. Get yourself together and don’t worry about us, Mink. We’ll be just fine.”
Mink reached out to hug Josiah, but he pulled back with his hands stuffed inside his pockets. She realized that he was still upset and hurt, so she didn’t pressure him for his affection. She wiped her face with her palm and turned around to get in the backseat of the car. When the driver pulled away from the house, Mink looked back one last time, but Josiah was no longer standing in place. He had gone back inside of the house to start a new phase in life with their daughters that did not include her.
* * *
“Uuugh!” Josiah hurled the wedding album across the room and dropped to his knees in tears. He sobbed sorrowfully at the top of his lungs.
The fancy picture book hit the wall, causing some pages to separate from it. Glossy photographs of a happy couple on their wedding day eight years ago soared through the air before floating slowly to the carpet.
Jeremiah banged on the door from the outside. “Are you all right in there, JoJo?”
Josiah didn’t have the will or energy to answer his brother. He just wanted to be quiet, alone, and still while he dealt with his heartache and disappointment. How could he still love Mink after all she’d done? He’d had to mentally wrestle with himself to keep from running behind the Uber car and pulling her out. Every fiber in his being had wanted her to stay, but his mind had warned him that he and the girls would be much better off if she was gone.
“JoJo, let me in, man!” Jeremiah banged on the door again. “I want to make sure you’re okay. Open the damn door, JoJo!”
Josiah lay flat on his stomach on the floor, tuning out Jeremiah and the rest of the world. He needed peace so he could hear the voice of God speaking words of comfort to his heart and soul. He was a broken man who was deeply in love with a drug addict who had hurt him more than words could ever describe over and over again. But he desperately wanted her in his life. Without Mink, Josiah felt he had no life. He didn’t know how to survive without her, and he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to.
Chapter Thirteen
“Okay, girls, Daddy needs help picking out the right necktie for his new suit. Miss Gladys isn’t here tonight, and neither is Uncle J, so you two will have to help me.”
Josiah held up first tie against the sharp navy, single-breasted suit. Gypsie loved the combination on the spot. She appreciated how the plumb tie with a navy, gray, and mint-green plaid pattern brought out the richness of the dark fabric. But she kept her mouth shut because she didn’t want to intrude on daddy-daughter time with her boss and his girls.
Neither girl liked the first tie very much, so Josiah moved on to a light blue one with a red, yellow, and gray paisley pattern. Gypsie hated it. She frowned and shook her head behind Gem and Treasure’s backs after they gave their overwhelming approval of the ugly tie.
“Now this is the last one, so get ready to vote.” Josiah showed them a red power tie. It was simple with navy polka dots.
“I like that one!” Treasure shrieked.
After the votes were tallied, there was a three-way tie; each person having voted for a different tie.
“Miss Gypsie didn’t vote,” Gem pointed out.
Josiah looked at his assistant-slash-part-time nanny. “Go ahead and break the tie, Gypsie. The debate will start in two hours, and your boss needs to be on point.”
Hell, you stay on point, she wanted to tell him, but she wouldn’t dare. He was her boss, and no matter how attracted she was to him, she would never cross that line—ever. Instead, she examined the ties more critically. “I love the plaid plumb one.”
That was the tie that Josiah had chosen as well, so that would be the one he’d wear to the debate, which would be televised. Gypsie and the rest of the citizens of Atlanta would be watching attentively.
She was excited because she had assisted with the briefing process over all pertinent issues and even critiqued Josiah after the mock debate he’d had with Connor. With a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University Georgia and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Gypsie Robinson was a whiz in politics and law.
Josiah left the room to get dressed while Gypsie put the final touches on Gem’s hair before she started on Treasure’s. She was spending more time with the girls as the election drew nearer because Josiah’s schedule was nonstop. So Gypsie took care of Gem and Treasure during the week for school, and they usually spent weekends with their grandparents if Miss Gladys wasn’t available. But no matter what, Josiah made time for his daughters. He was a wonderful father, and Gypsie admired him for that.
“I want to talk to my mommy.”
The sound of Treasure’s faint voice pulled Gypsie away from her thoughts. “We’ve called her four times already and left a message each time, my most valuable Treasure. Let’s wait and see if she’ll call us back.”
“Okay.”
* * *
Mink turned the bottle of vodka up and gulped the cheap liquor down. A stream ran down the side of her face as she missed some drops in her haste to chug it down. She swallowed hard and coughed through the burning sensation in her chest. Then she closed her eyes and shook her head, fighting back the tears as she watched the debate. Josiah looked handsome standing behind the podium, exuding mad confidence. As far as Mink was concerned, his opponent didn’t have shit on him. His black suit was off the rack, and his tie was drab as hell. Josiah’s debate attire was smoking hot, especially the plumb tie with the unique plaid print. It looked sharp against the navy suit that Mink had never seen before. It must be new, she thought. Either way, he looked scrumptious enough to eat in a single serving. And she missed him.
Mink’s cell phone rang, startling her. It was the kids again calling from the land line at her former home. Whoever was babysitting them was trying hard to allow them to speak to her, and Mink appreciated the gesture. But she was in no condition to talk to her girls. She was coming down from a major high, and she was attempting to minimize the effects with liquor. Of course, the vodka could only do so much, but it was better than crashing completely. At this point in her life, Mink needed some drug in her system at all times to drown out her pain.
She ignored the phone and concentrated on her good-looking husband. Now that she was out of the picture, Mink wondered who was taking care of Josiah’s physical needs. He was a young, virile man with a healthy sexual appetite, and now that he no longer had chlamydia, there was no reason for him to suffer in celibacy. Mink picked up her phone and dialed the number to Josiah’s house. She needed to speak with her girls after all. She could fish for information and get it from Treasure easily.
“This is the Bishop residence.”
“Who the hell is this?” Mink slurred angrily.
“This is Gypsie, Mrs. Bishop. How are you?”
“How the hell do you think I am? JoJo put me out of our house. Tell me how you would feel if your husband did that to you.” After several moments of silence with no reply, Mink asked, “Where’s Treasure? I need to speak to her. That’s my honey bunny.”
“I’m sorry, but the girls are in bed, ma’am. We tried to call you before they said their prayers and a few other times earlier today.”
“Yeah, I saw the missed calls. I was in meetings and with my sponsor all day. I just got home,” she lied, slurring every word.
“I’ll make sure they call you in the morning before they go to school.”
In the morning? Why the hell are you going to be in my fucking house with my damn children in the morning? Instead of asking Gypsie the questions on her mind, Mink took another long gulp of the cheap alcohol. She watched the crowd’s reaction to something Josiah had just said. Mr. Lomax, his tacky-ass opponent, looked flustered and frustrated.
“Mrs. Bishop, are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. Have my girls call me in the morning and tell my husband I need to talk to him right away. T
here’s something very important we need to discuss.”
“Gem and Treasure will call you at seven forty-five sharp, and I’ll give Mayor Bishop your message the moment he returns home this evening.”
“Yeah, you do that.” Mink ended the call.
* * *
Josiah entered the den with Jeremiah on his trail. “Gypsie, I didn’t expect you to be up still this time of night.”
She looked up from her iPad and placed it on the end table. “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to do some research on a few key issues.”
“Did I screw up that bad tonight?” Josiah removed his suit coat and tossed it on the chair. Then he flopped down on the couch and loosened the knot in his tie.
“Oh no, you were great, sir. You won the debate by several points. I just want you to become more knowledgeable about local commerce and taxation, so I made a few notes for you.”
“That’s why I came inside,” Jeremiah announced. “We were about to have a postdebate jam session, so I’m glad you’re still up. I’ll put on a pot of coffee. You two go ahead and get started on local commerce and taxes. I want to drill JoJo on law enforcement policies and procedures and training.”
When Jeremiah left the room, Gypsie cleared her throat. “Your wife called just after eight thirty asking to speak with Gem and Treasure, sir.”
“What did you say to her?”
“Well, I had just put them to bed, so I told her I’d have them call her in the morning before I drop them off at school.”
“Good,” Josiah said, nodding his approval. “You did the right thing. Mink knows the girls’ bedtime. If she really wanted to speak to them, she would’ve called earlier.”
“Also, she asked that I tell you that she needs to speak with you right away. She said it’s important.”
“I’ll call her at some point tomorrow. Can you remind me to make the call before the senior citizens’ luncheon?”
“Yes, sir, I sure can. Now let’s get to work. As you know, Atlanta’s current local sales tax is . . .”
Gypsie’s words faded into the atmosphere the moment she crossed her legs. The floral print caftan was an appropriate length, but the hemline had crawled up her leg high enough to pique Josiah’s interest. Her smooth brown skin with reddish overtones reminded him of spicy cinnamon. She had perfect legs, so Josiah wondered what her thighs looked like. The realization that his thoughts had had drifted underneath her loungewear made him sick. He blamed it on lust because he hadn’t had sex in weeks. Heartbreak, more than likely, had contributed to it as well.
Josiah shifted his position on the sofa when he felt himself becoming aroused. He didn’t understand why Gypsie’s physical features suddenly turned him on. Jeremiah and Connor had been impressed by her exotic looks from the first day they laid eyes on her a little over a year ago during her job interview. Josiah had acknowledged that she was eye candy, but at age 24, she was much too young for any male on his staff to pursue romantically. So he swore the vultures off. But now as he watched Gypsie moisten her pouty lips with the tip of her tongue between sentences, he wanted to know the flavor of her kisses. He imagined that her jet-black hair, which fell down her back, was soft, and if he tangled his fingers in its tresses while he devoured her mouth with French kisses, she would purr. His dick jumped at the thought.
“So, in every speech, forum, and debate from this point forward, you must solidify your stance on this issue. It’s imperative that you specify the difference between you and your opponent regarding this matter. Do you understand, sir?”
“Um . . . yeah, yeah . . . I understand,” Josiah stuttered without a clue. He hadn’t heard a damn thing Gypsie had said. “Can you forward me the notes so I can study them?”
“I already did.”
“Thank you.”
“Are we ready to talk about my law enforcement concerns yet?” Jeremiah entered the room carrying a tray topped with a carafe, coffee mugs, spoons, and beverage condiments.
“I think he’s ready. I’ll leave you two alone to tackle law enforcement. Good night.” Gypsie stood and stretched her arms high above her head.
The simple, innocent gesture caused hot blood to rush to Josiah growing erection. The silhouette of her curvy figure was clearly visible because of the light from the lamp on the end table. She was petite in stature, but she was thick in all of the right places, especially her ass. Jeremiah often said she was too short and thin to carry all that junk in her trunk. Of course, Josiah hadn’t paid his brother or his assistant’s ass any attention all those times, but his masculine senses had awakened where Gypsie was concerned now. And in light of his newfound attraction, Josiah realized he probably needed to find another caretaker for his girls. Otherwise, he could end up in big trouble.
Chapter Fourteen
On the drive to his condo, Jeremiah’s thoughts caused him to chuckle. If Josiah thought he had missed him gawking and lusting over Gypsie as she lectured him on her commerce and taxation concerns, his brain was on strike. The moment Jeremiah reached the entrance of the den, he smelled potent lust in the air. And then when he realized that Josiah was checking out Gypsie’s curves instead of listening to her words, he became amused and relieved. The fact that his brother possibly had an appetite for a woman other than his estranged wife was a sign that he was on the mend. Hopefully, it meant that the spirit of Mink was being exorcised from his soul, and he would soon divorce her and move on in life with another woman. It was weird because Jeremiah had never entertained the possibility that the new woman in Josiah’s life could be Gypsie. But the more he thought about it, the better he liked the idea.
Gypsie was gorgeous with flawless cinnamon skin and raven eyes. Her mother was Native American, and her father was a brotha from Madison, Wisconsin. The Robinsons had raised a very smart and tenacious daughter, and Jeremiah thought she might be just the kind of woman Josiah needed in his life. But before he started playing secret matchmaker, he needed to verify two important things. He had to make sure that Josiah was ready to cut his losses and end his disastrous marriage to Mink. And, somehow, he had to find out if Gypsie was the slightest bit attracted to her boss. The latter would be the harder task, but Jeremiah was willing to put in the work. He simply wanted to see his brother and nieces happy. And if Gypsie could bring them the joy they deserved, he was committed to doing anything to help make it happen.
Jeremiah didn’t see Mink as an obstacle. She had pretty much excommunicated herself from her family. The longer she stayed away in her little drug world, the easier it would become for Josiah to fall for Gypsie. Jeremiah was so glad that he had suggested that she care for his nieces because it placed her in the perfect position. She was in Josiah’s home spending time with him and the girls on a regular basis, and the other hours of the day she was her boss’s right-hand chick. They were bound to become closer under the circumstances. Plus, Jeremiah believed if he could create the ideal atmosphere and place Josiah and Gypsie in the thick of it at just the right time, there would be a romantic explosion so hot and out of control that nothing or no one would be able to put it out.
Of course, things could go sideways and backfire if Mink were to return clean, sober, and born again suddenly. But Jeremiah couldn’t allow the far-fetched possibility to deter him. As far as he was concerned, his plan to finish ripping Josiah’s miserable marriage apart was already in motion. He would simply have to beg God for mercy for playing cupid to his married brother and much-younger administrative assistant. Hell, Jeremiah had committed many worst sins, and the Almighty had yet to strike him down. How bad could a little matchmaking be?
Jeremiah bobbed his head to the music and smiled, loving the idea more with each passing second. Yes, he was crazy enough to do something wrong that could turn out right, all for the sake of love.
* * *
“It’s time to make that phone call, sir. Last night you asked me to remind you before the luncheon.”
“Huh?” Josiah asked, totally confused with his eyes still focuse
d on his iPad.
Gypsie leaned in and whispered, “Your wife wants you to call her. Remember?”
He looked up from his speech and gazed into Gypsie’s slightly slanted eyes and got completely lost. “I’m changing the ending of my speech right now. Remind me to call her later.”
“Yes, sir.”
Josiah skimmed over his speech, but he didn’t comprehend the words because Gypsie’s perfume had launched a secret attack on his libido. And her black pencil skirt that put her svelte hourglass figure on full display was messing with his head in the worst way. It amazed Josiah that he’d never once looked at Gypsie with lustful eyes since she’d been his employee. His sense of focus had certainly changed since she’d practically moved in to care for the girls since his and Mink’s separation. Now, he noticed every little thing about her, like her dazzling smile and the seductive way she tossed her hair over her shoulders whenever she was trying to make a point in a discussion. And every time she licked her full lips, Josiah became weak in the knees. More than anything, he loved the way she moved. She had a graceful stroll with her shoulders squared and her hips swaying from left to right rhythmically. It was almost like she was gliding on air to soul music. The woman was just plain damn sexy.
The other night when Josiah had found her asleep at the foot of Treasure’s bed, he almost went into cardiac arrest. Sometime during their girls’ movie night, they had all drifted off to sleep. When Josiah decided to check on them, he entered the room to turn off the TV. A simple glance at Gypsie proved to be a huge mistake. Her caftan and nightgown had eased up her legs and above her thighs as she lay on her right side. Josiah made every attempt to snatch his eyes away from Gypsie, but he lost the fight against temptation. The yellow cotton boy shorts that fit her perfectly round ass like a glove were more enticing than any Victoria’s Secret lingerie. He had to sprint at full speed from the room to keep from touching her while she slept.
But Josiah’s budding attraction to Gypsie wasn’t just physical. He was drawn to her intellect and generous spirit. She was sweet and pleasant most of the time, but he had witnessed her firm, no-nonsense side when it came to dealing with a pouting Gem. Josiah was impressed with how Gypsie had stood her ground when his daughter had insisted that she wear the shoes of her choice to school instead of the pair that Gypsie had selected for her. From his hideout behind the bedroom door, he’d watched in awe as the incident unfolded. At the conclusion of the matter, Gem walked out of her bedroom wearing the shoes that Gypsie had chosen for her, and her funky attitude was nonexistent. And it hadn’t taken a pinch on the arm or scolding to make it happen.
