“Anything.”
“Last week, the restaurant, the rooftop, that was a lot. Really fast. And I’m not complaining. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”
He leaned back. “What page you on?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”
He stood, walked to his desk, grabbed a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and handed it to me.
“Here.”
I read it and folded over laughing.
“Why you laughing, firecracker?”
He had written:
Will you be my girlfriend? Check yes, no, or maybe.
I loved this side of him. I loved seeing him be down-to-earth and playful. That soft, beautiful smile on a rugged man did something to me. The permanent gold teeth that covered his top row deserved a standing ovation and tens across the board. I was on my feet, clapping for this man like the J.Logif,obnoxious with it.
“Yes, someday, but we don’t have to be that today.”
“I’m cool with that. We dating. We kickin’ it. And occasionally, imma eat that pussy up like I’m the Cookie Monster, we ain’t in no rush. We good?”
“Yeah, but another thing. What do you mean you’re retiring? You honestly just said it and moved on.”
Instead of sitting back across from me, he sat beside me and leaned in closely.
“It’s time, Lo,” he said quietly. “My injury still bothers me. I’m tired of tearing my body up. I want to slow down. Be present. And no, it’s not about you. Don’t carry that. I’m doing this for me.”
“How long have you been thinking about it?”
“Since Devyn passed. Ball kept me alive. But it was a crutch. It was something to keep me busy.”
I couldn’t find words. He French kissed my neck, waiting.
“You can’t plan your life around me,” I whispered.
“I’m not planning around you,” he said gently. “I’m planning with the possibility of you.” He looked at me, and something in his expression softened. “I’ve got other things I want to focus on, fire and fine shyt things.”
“And what else?”
The kiss to my neck made me shiver.
“You play too much. What else?”
“The foundation.”
Kiss.
“The restaurants.”
Another Kiss.
“Maybe some other ventures that Pops and I have been talking about.” He paused. “And you. Us. Whatever this becomes.”
The final kiss lingered on my lips he’d made his way to, and a pressure gathered inside me I couldn’t shake.
