I laughed. “I got to, so I can raise that lil stubborn ass girl.”
“And play house with your woman, we get it. Who knows, you might have some neighbors soon if the market stays the same.”
I gave them a full tour of the house before Rennix called, letting us know the tree people were at his place. I didn’t know what he called us for, because on my mama I wasn’t helping a soul pick up anything. That wasn’t my thing considering it was cold as fuck and I was in a hoodie.
“Does your girl know about the house?” G asked randomly as we sat in the car watching them remove the tree piece by piece. Beyah had already gotten past by walking her fake daredevil ass partially into the woods.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s our end goal, why wouldn’t she?”
“Just asking, but that right there is how I know you won’t fuck this up and you know you won’t either. When I met Bey, I had a situation and I was in the middle of a transition moment. I probably should’ve left her alone, but I didn’t. I made her be my fucking friend, then my girl, and shortly after that my wife. I had a million moments of uncertainty. A lot happened in a short amount of time, but I knew she was for me. I had even taken her with me to look at the condo. We were fresh as hell, but I had her picking where she assumed I’d lay my head. Little did she know the plan was there all along.”
“Meaning?” I asked.
“You ain’t gonna fuck this up. You already in love, big bro. Especially since she got your ass thinking about an end goal.”
He was right, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. I feared fucking things up with Karim, yet I had absolutely no intention of allowing myself to fuck it up. I’d never utter this aloud, but over the last few weeks being with her felt right. Lying next to her, listening to her random ass facts, watching her work, and all of that shit felt like it should have been happened. When I was with Karim, I didn’t think. It was like my impulses took over and I acted off how she made me feel. I wasn’t some sappy ass nigga, but for Rim I was willing to do whatever for her to see and feel how far in this I was with her. Not only that, but I was willing to do whatever necessary to make sure she stayed where she was. I already knew where my heart was. It didn’t need to be explained nor mentioned. Truth was, she had me when she bonded with my daughter and fell into step with this between us instead of asking a million valid questions.
“So he called you guys out there to help him remove a tree?” Karim stood over the stove spooning chili into the bowl for me.
“Yeah. I ain’t no fucking tree removal worker.”
“Obviously, but you did help him, right?”
“By calling them, hell yeah, but that’s all they got out of me, Rim.”
“Yeah, because you refuse to wear a coat.”
I sucked my teeth because I already knew she was about to start her shit about me not wearing a coat. “Wasn’t even that cold today, baby girl.”
“Reminisce, it was twenty-three degrees.”
“Damn, it was. Didn’t even feel like it.” I lied because it was freezing today. I’d spent most of the day complaining about it.
She turned around and mugged the fuck out of me before moving to grab a spoon. Rim looked so fucking good I couldn’t help but bite into my bottom lip as I took her in. With her hair pulled up into a big ass bun on top of her head, she had on a sports bra and a pair of basketball shorts.
She went to put the bowl and spoon in front of me, but I pulled her back before she could walk away.
“You beefing with me because I don’t have a coat?” My hand loved the feel of her soft ass skin.
“No. I’m not beefing with you at all. I want you to eat.”
“And I want you to sit here with me while I eat. Tell me about your day, Rim. Can you do that?” I grabbed the spoon and dug into the bowl to get some of the chili.
“I didn’t do anything. Well, besides going to see my family, to the outlet, and getting groceries. When does Ro get back?”
“Few days. Jade said I’m not dictating how long she gets her niece. Told her ass she better return my kid in the Nike tech I sent her in.” I put a full spoon of the chili into my mouth because I had that much faith in Karim’s cooking abilities, even though I knew she hated the kitchen. I’d known that since we were just friends. Every time I used to go to her crib, she never cooked anything, so I assumed she couldn’t, until one day I came hungry as fuck and she had made guacamole. I hadn’t eaten that shit in my life, seeing as how it looked like snot, but baby girl was in the middle of frying up her own tortilla chips herself and everything. She was on some bully shit when she made me taste it, but I was glad I did. Shit tasted good, just like this did as well.
Karim busted up laughing like I’d cracked a joke.
“I’on know if it’s the fact that I’m fucking you or what, but everything you cook be a motherfucking bomb.” I continued to eat while she fought back the big ass grin threatening to overtake her features.
“I don’t know what one thing has to do with the other, but I’m glad you like it.”
“Glad I like it? Yeah I’m abou—" I started, but there was a knock at the door. I glanced in her direction, before asking, “Are you expecting somebody?”
“No. I’ll ge?—”
“Nah, I got it.” I set the bowl down and moved toward the door. I glanced through the side window, then back at her.
