“There you go. See? Listen to your elders.”
“Watch out, cuh.”
Ray grinned. “Man, shut up with all that cuh mess.”
They were mid-laugh when Ray’s face shifted. His eyes narrowed and his head tilted toward the gravel drive up.
Zaire followed his line of sight.
A glossy navy BMW pulled up, engine humming low.
The door opened and Brent stepped out like he was supposed to be there. Crisp haircut, fresh linen shirt, chain peeking through just enough to show he had a little motion.
Zaire could spot a dealer a mile away. But the question was, why the fuck was he there? His jaw flexed before his mind could even process why.
Ray whistled. “Well, damn. He look’s important.”
Zaire would beg to differ. Nothing about him looked like anything important and the way his mind was running with theories, he knew the nigga had to be there for Meadow and that didn’t sit right with him.
Brent flashed a bright smile when he spotted Meadow walking across the yard with a basket of towels on her hip. “Meadow!” he called out, voice smooth as the leather seats he slid out of.
She glanced up, eyes widening. “What are you doing here?”
“You ain’t been answering,” Brent said like she didn’t know that. “So I figured I’d pop up and show you how I’m coming behind you.”
Zaire’s grip tightened around his club. “Wild shit,” he mumbled.
Ray let out a low, “Oh, this gon’ be good.”
Meadow stepped back, caught off guard. “Brent…I was busy.”
“You’re always busy,” Brent replied, stepping closer. “So I figured I’d make it easy. I got reservations - the good kind, and a bottle of that Riesling you liked last time.”
Zaire swung his club again—hard.
The ball shot so far, Ray’s eyes damn near popped out of his head. “Phew… Now you playing!”
Zaire ignored Ray, keeping his ear trained on the conversation that had nothing to do with him.
Meadow tried to keep her voice neutral. “You didn’t have to do all that.”
Brent smiled. “I know, but I wanted to. Can I take you out tonight?”
Meadow hesitated, just long enough for Zaire to feel it in his ribs.“Yeah,” she gave in, lowering the basket. “Let me go shower real quick.”
She walked toward the house, with her heart pounding, knowing damn well Zaire’s eyes were burning through her back. She wanted him to stop her. She wanted him to say something, but he didn’t and that hurt worse than she expected.
Brent turned toward Zaire and Ray with a nice nasty nod.
Zaire didn’t nod back.
Ray did, though. “Well, look at you dressed sharp! Meadow ain’t gon’ know what to do with herself.”
Brent chuckled. “I try.”
“You do more than try,” Zaire muttered.
Brent raised a brow. “Excuse me?”
