“I won a few,” he snickered, trying to save his pride. He had a beautiful smile with dimples that sank into his dark skin. She noticed that he didn’t smile often, but when he did, it was a masterpiece. Nothing was more attractive than seeing a Black man smile.
“You lost a few more,” she laughed.“Just wait right there. I’m coming out.”
“Just climb down,” Loyal suggested.
“Boy, me and that ladderain’t been friends since I was a teenager,” she said, laughing.“I’d bust my ass trying to climb down that thing. I’m coming. One sec.” She climbed back inside her window.“Shit!” she whispered as she nursed frozen toes. She knew he shouldn’t drive. She wasn’t crazy enough to invite him to sleep under her daddy’s roof. She slipped into sweatpants and a sweatshirt, threw on her daughter’s Ugg boots, and grabbed her purse, then her phone, before she tiptoed down the stairs. Ellie paused as the old house creaked beneath her feet, and her daddy grumbled, readjusting on the couch. She waited a full minute before continuing.
She felt like she was sixteen again as she snuck out the front door. She ran down the porch stairs right into Loyal’sarms.
“There she go,” he said proudly as he drowned his face in the crook of her neck.
“You’recold,” she whispered. She smelled the Paul Masson on his breath.Yeah, Papa beat this nigga real bad, she thought, fully amused.“And you’re drunk. Give me your keys,” she said.
“I’m not fucked up, E, I can drive,” he replied.
She held out her hand and didn’t say another word. He dug in his pocket, handing over the keys. They got into his car, warming up.
“I’m going to call you an Uber,” she stated.
“Or you could just come home with me. I’llbring you back in the morning before your girls wake up,” he offered.
“I can’t stay the night with you, Loyal,” she protested.
“It’sgon’be your fucking house sooner or later anyway, E,” he said, frowning.“Might as well come home with a nigga.”
“You see our whole lives already, huh?” she asked, yawning.
“You do too, you just too scared to admit it; same way you were biting your fucking tongue in the house,” he accused.
“I’m being cautious,” she corrected.“And smart. Wearen’t kids, and relationships like my parents’ don’t happen these days. I have two kids, Loyal, and you have…” she paused.“I don’t even know how many kids you have. I don’t even know you.”
“You’re being pussy,” he shot back.
“Are you trying to bait me into saying I love you,” she chuckled.“You’re really fucking drunk.”
He placed one hand behind her seat and stared across the car at her.“Hey.”
The seriousness of his tone caught her attention, and he commanded her gaze.“These are sober thoughts. You make me feel some shit I never felt before, E. Before you said one word, my entire body reacted to you when Cass introduced us.”
She looked down at her hand at the ring that adorned her left finger. She didn’t even know why she still wore her wedding ring.
“You make me feel seen,” she whispered.“Yesterday, you were a total stranger. Today, you’re…”
“A man who trying to change your life.”
She turned in her seat to face him.“I didn’t even know my heart was half beating before yesterday.”
“Can’t have that.” He opened his palm, inviting her to place her hand in his, and then he closed his grip before lifting their conjoined fists to his lips.“I don’t know what this is, E, but I’m fucking with it.”
“Time will tell us what this is,” she whispered skeptically.
“Only niggas scared of time is niggas who plan on wasting it,” he replied.“Go get some rest. I’m good to drive,” he assured.
“Are you sure?” she asked. He heard the worry in her.
“I’lltell you a story; I’llnever tell you a lie. Trust me.” She pulled out his keys and placed them in the cup holder.“When you make it inside, I’llpull off.”
She didn’t know why watching this man leave was so hard. She had felt the same devastating sinkhole form in her chest earlier when she had gone upstairs. Now, she couldn’t even bring herself to pull her door handle. When would she see him again? She needed firm plans in place to ease her mind.
