“Why would not judging me, making me feel weird, and being‘down’”—he made quotations with his hands— “be a task? When you're in a relationship with someone, shouldn’t you do those things as common decency? Am I a project to you, Paris?”
My damn stomach dropped to my ass. All I knew to do was scream and cry loud enough to disturb him. And that’s exactly what I did, in my living room, looking like a hot mess. He exhaled, closing his eyes for a long moment. He was now overstimulated—and it was perfect. When he got in that state, his thinking got foggy. His logic slipped.
“Look,” he finally said. “Right after the baby shower, I’ll take you away. Just us. Let’s go to Tennessee and stay at the cabins. No work, no calls, just me and you.”
“Really?” My eyes lit up.
“Yeah.”
“Can we go in December?” I asked, all hopeful. “Everything will have calmed down, and it’s the Christmas holiday. I know the scenery would make me happy.”
He hesitated for just a moment.Decembershould’ve registered—but my cries and screams had thrown him off.
“Yeah,” he said slowly. “December could work.”
“Can I book it? I already know what cabins I’d want to stay at,” I asked, stepping forward and resting my hands on his chest.
He pulled out his wallet and handed me his card like it was nothing—because to him, it was. “Yeah, just text me and my assistant the dates.”
I smiled. On the outside, it appeared grateful and loving, but on the inside, it was a devil’s smirk. I had already chosen the dates I would use—Christmas week.
One thing about Gage—he kept his promises. And when he realized we were leaving the state around the time his baby would be born, his character wouldn’t allow him to cancel the trip. Yeah, he’d be torn and probably devastated for the rest of his life if he missed the birth of his child.
But he’d have another birth to focus on.
Because I planned to poke holes in every condom that man brings on this trip.
Little Miss Doctor ain’t going to be the only one securing a bag.
He kissed my forehead, and I let him. For whatever reason, men have always believed that forehead kisses made everything better.
“You good now?” he asked, pulling back to look me in my eyes.
I looked up at him, avoiding direct eye contact because he was sure to see through my bullshit. I probably only managed to conjure up two tears—if I even had that many. “Yeah,” I said sweetly. “I’m good, Gagey Pooh.”
My plan was perfect in my head. One that would secure me for life.
That little punk-ass baby wasn’t going to ruin shit for me.
Gage could love that baby, Mahasin, and the one I’d get pregnant with on purpose—because I damn sure ain’t looking to be no slobbering-ass creature’s mother.
I wasn’t with Gage for love. What the hell did love ever do for anyone? Have you ever gone to your bill collector and said, “I love you,” only for the debt to magically disappear? Hell no.
I was with Gage for the lifestyle.
And I wasn’t losing it toreal love.
Gage
The gasps, laughter, and sounds of fellowship I heard outside the venue doors solidified my confidence that the baby shower would be perfect. I spared no expense—from personalized guest gifts and armed security to purchasing the building, so I could change the floors and add the crystal chandeliers Dollface had been drooling over.
Initially, I had planned to put the building back on the market. It was sure to sell for triple my investment, due to all the renovations. But I changed my mind. I decided to keep it, hire a property manager, and continue renting it out as an event space. This building would be my daughter’s first gift from her father—passive income.
Opening the door and stepping inside, I was greeted with claps and waves. A few people even ran up to me, dapping me up and pulling me in for hugs. But I was in a trance.
The planner and designer had gone mayhem—in the best way. A Noah’s Ark theme done upscale, with plush baby animals resting on miniature gilded arks at every table, each one set against a bed of sunflowers and pale blush roses. Overhead, blending with the rainbows from the crystal chandeliers, were cotton clouds laced with twinkling lights. They looked more like halos than decorations. A perfect symbol for the angel we were about to bring into the world.
Warmth filled my body as I walked around, greeting family, friends, and a few Hollywood faces I’d built relationships with. Love moved through the venue in waves, mixing with the clinking of glass and silverware and the old-school R&B the DJ kept in heavy rotation.
