“Hey, Alora, it’s Blossom. Tech is getting dressed, so he can take me to the airport. Would you like me to give him a message for you?”
Tech eyed Blossom as she chuckled and placed the phone on the dresser. “She hung up.”
“Petty as hell,” Tech laughed. “Maybe now she’ll get the hint. On God, I haven’t answered for her since I found out who she was.”
“She always gave desperate pick me vibes,” Blossom mumbled as she stepped into a pair of black leggings. Being comfortable on the plane was a must.
“Just don’t forget our date when you get back.”
“I’ve never seen someone want to get whooped in basketball so bad. If an ass whooping on the court is what you want, it’s what you’re going to get, baby,” she blew him a kiss.
Tech couldn’t believe his luck. After years of doing women wrong, he doubted he would come home to peace. He fumbled a good woman when he lost Tasha, and he had probably made plenty of good women cry. The fact that he didn’t have daughters was a shocker to him because he just knew that was how God was going to punish him. With daughters. Despite all the wrong that he’d done, he found Blossom, and she was a winner. Even if she made more money than him at the moment, he didn’t care. Tech knew what he was capable of. The same way he made millions off drugs, he could make millions the legal way. Between the trucks he’d be driving, the food truck that heowned, and him opening an auto mechanic shop, he knew within two years, he’d be set.
Tech couldn’t be everywhere at once, so whoever he got to run his food truck was going to have to get his recipes down pact and cook the food the exact same way he would if not better. Tech missed driving, so he’d hire drivers, but he would drive his own truck at least twice a week. The plan was to get at least four eighteen wheelers. And lastly, once he got the auto shop up and running, he’d work there a few days a week working on cars and running things.
Getting all of those things in motion plus spending time with his kids and grandkids and making time for Blossom was a lot, but he was up for the challenge. He liked the fact that she didn’t just sit around and pout about him being busy. Between coaching, her podcast, and her clothing brand, they had to find time for each other equally. Blossom was a boss. She was on her shit, and she encouraged Tech to be the same way. Instead of nagging if they went two or three days without seeing one another the moment they did link up, she was undressing him before he could say hello. Tech loved that shit. She was like a fiend for the dick, but he was the exact same way about her pussy.
Blossom sat down on the bed to put her sneakers on. “My little fake ass son is on my head. He wants to meet Lethal bad. He talked all that shit about me dating you until he found out who you were. Or who your sons were rather.”
“Can’t be mad at him for that. I get it. We’re having a lil’ cookout soon at Brazil’s house to celebrate the end of the season for him and the win for Lethal. Also, Lyric is doing good, and the doctors are predicting that as long as she doesn’t have any complications, she can possibly come home in four to six weeks. She’s up to almost five pounds now. We have a lot to celebrate.”
“If I took my sons to Brazil’s house they’d lose their minds. And I used to be in the WNBA mind you. And the moment their father finds out, he might start foaming at the mouth and cursing us out like Denzel did niggas at the end of Training Day.”
“Cedric better get somewhere and sit down. I’m really trying to let the Tech I used to be stay tucked. But if he’s still being an issue after you tried to take his eyesight, then he might just need his ass beat.”
A random man beating Cedric to a pulp might be a little amusing but not Tech. She didn’t want it to come to that. Hopefully, Cedric would get it together and realize that she had moved on. Maybe she should pray for a relationship with him like Tech and Tasha had.
She stood and walked into the living room. Tech didn’t live too far from the airport, but they needed to leave ASAP. Tech grabbed her bag and opened the door for her. As she sauntered through, he used his free hand to smack her on the behind.
CHAPTER 19
Giavanna was pleasantlysurprised when Brazil brought Unique along on their date. She was sitting in a highchair like a big girl, and no one could pass her without smiling and talking about what a cutie pie she was.
“I’m officially that parent that brings their kid everywhere,” Brazil joked.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. She makes it easy because she’s so well behaved. Let’s hope that doesn’t change.”
“The longer she’s around my brothers and my parents, I’m sure she’ll turn into Angelica Pickles.”
Giavanna laughed before addressing the elephant in the room. “I really didn’t need a date with you to test the vibes. Brazil if you weren’t Kera’s baby daddy I would jump on you with no hesitation. On one hand, life is short. On the other, the guilt would be a lot to process. I don’t really know what to do.”
“I get it. I’d never want you to be uncomfortable. I just couldn’t not tell you how I felt but if it’s completely off the table, I can only respect it.”
“I didn’t say it’s completely off the table. The situation with Kera aside, this cancer thing has a hold over almost every aspectof my life. I feel gross most days. I’m tired. I just,” Giavanna shook her head. “If we do this, can we take it extremely slow?”
She was still conflicted. Giavanna had only told her mother about Brazil’s confession and surprisingly, her mother encouraged her to go for it. Maybe she was scared Giavanna would die and wanted her to have a few last hoorah’s before that time came. Whatever it was, she couldn’t rush to make a decision. The chemistry was there for sure, but she had to be careful with the process. If Brazil was the one for her, he’d wait for her to figure it out.
“I can do that,” Brazil agreed.
“We know I’m not doing anything, but if you want to date other women while we figure things out, you don’t have to hide it. I get it.”
“If there was another woman that I was interested in, I wouldn’t be on you so hard. I’m good, Giavanna. I know there are a lot of changes going on with you and your body mentally and physically. I’m not a creep or a pussy hound. We can take this slow without me sleeping with anything with a hole.”
Giavanna smiled. It felt good having Brazil in her corner. She didn’t intentionally go after him, but she still felt guilty. Still, she didn’t know how their story would end. Giavanna was open to taking the time to figure it out. Hopefully, whatever decision was made would be one that everyone could peacefully live with.
“Oh, excuse me,” Khrome stepped out of the way of the janitorial cart moving through the hospital hallway. She looked up with a smile that faded when she locked eyes with her mother.
Khrome hadn’t seen her mother in four years. The last time she saw her, her mother was acting like she’d done Khrome afavor by letting her go live with Vick. All Khrome’s complaints fell on deaf ears. As long as she was a kept woman, Liz refused to acknowledge the bad in the situation and from that day forward, Khrome had no desire to keep in touch with a woman that she despised. Seeing her mother in a housekeeping uniform was shocking to say the least.
