“Good.” Asante looked over at me, his feet still creating a steady thump as he moved. “We don’t have to do this shit, man. I’m grown. I don’t need to be fucking coddled. I promise.”
“What?”
“We talked and had drinks. I reached out afterwards. You didn’t respond. That’s it. I’m grown and I know how to be professional.” Asante looked forward again. “Whether you respond to my text messages or not, your family will always be welcome in my establishment and the approval I gave regarding your security is still good. I’d never go back on my word and I’m willing to sign off on that approval if you need it in black and white.”
“I’m not trying to talk to you because I’m worried you wouldn’t let us have extra security in your club,” I chuckled slightly. “I just wanted to see how you were. For real.”
“Well I’m good and I hope you’re good too.”
I nodded at that but Asante didn’t seem to notice. He pulled his headphones out his pockets and plugged his ears up. Then, he raised the speed of the treadmill until he had to break into a full run. I shook my head but didn’t push the issue. I just headed over to where Rook and Wes were.
Rook gave me a look but didn’t comment and I didn’t offer anything up. I just walked over to the weights and arranged them the way I needed to in order to get my work out in.
I did my best not to even think about Asante throughout my workout which only made me think about him more. I could admit that part of the allure was the fact that he knew nothing about my family and part of my hesitation came from the fact that he knew nothing about my family.
Him not knowing anything about us meant that there wasn’t much of a chance he would act a certain way around me because he wanted something from us. Him not knowing anything about us meant that there were things my family and I did and focused on that he wouldn’t understand immediately, one of those things being why arranged marriages were as important to our family as it was. I’d already told him that I was going to be married at twenty-five. The last thing I wanted to do was have him think that it was a familial suggestion instead of something locked in and guaranteed to me.
I was always up front about the fact I would be married and would get little to no say in the entire thing. There were people that were cool with it and people that weren’t. It was what it was. I knew what my duty to my family was and I’d never turn my back on that or them.
My family was my main priority.
I got the rest of my workout done and Rook, Wes and I headed out the gym together. Wes claimed he was going back to the Barron Family Estate so we parted ways and Rook and I went grab some food.
We collapsed in a booth together. I took the side facing the door automatically and glanced around the spot while Rook checked his phone. When he finished, he locked it and set it face down on the table. I shook my head and chuckled.
“What?”
“You texting ole girl from the club?”
“What girl from the club?” Rook lifted an eyebrow and I snickered.
“Nigga, you know what girl.”
“Sydney?” Rook waved me off. “Ain’t nobody sweating that damn girl.”
“Yeah, okay. Nigga, you know I don’t sleep the night through and when I got up for my morning run her whip was still out front.”
“And?”
“Since when do you do sleepovers, Rook?”
My twin paused for a beat then laughed and shook his head.
“Since we’re in each other’s business what's up with you and the bar owner?”
“There is no me and the bar owner.”
“So y’all met up the other night and now he giving you the cold shoulder and shit?”
“Something like that.”
“Yeah, well y’all were showing all y’all fucking teeth the other night so what’s up?”
“We met up about the security shit like I said we would and we haven’t spoken since.”
“Yeah, alright.” Rook snickered. “So, what? You ghosted him or he ghosted you?”
“Nigga, you not off the hook about that Syndey shit.”
