“Cynthia. That chick was unhinged. I ordered food and somehow it got translated into I was giving the waitress my phone number in some kind of code.”
“I think we both have had some bat-shit crazy women in our lives,” he replies.
“Now that, I agree on. What about you and the one who said that she had a premonition that you were going to cheat on her, so she cheated first and then when you broke up with her, she said that you hurt her feelings, so she was breaking up with you?”
“She tried kicking me out of my own apartment, too.”
My stomach hurts from laughing; it’s nice to feel relaxed and have no worries about my clubs. My manager, Lindee, ishandling shit back home; she is a mom of four, so I know she can handle my clubs.
Some of the women I have dated have been fucking crazy, which is why I stopped dating and just fucked. It was easier.
“Daniella looks like she could have her claws into someone else; you may be off the hook.” Asher points his bottle to where my ex is touching a man’s chest, then she looks at me with a smirk on her face.
I see right through her little show. She thinks that by flirting with another guy, it will make me jealous, and I will go begging for her to take me back. To be a petty prick, I raise my bottle to her in salute, and she scowls, making us both laugh.
It pisses me off when people do not earn their money. Hard work never hurt anyone. Daniella was more than happy to spend my money but refuses to get a job. She wants men to pay for her way of life, even her parents give her a fucking allowance.
“It is all about the money and power with her; she hides it well, but I see it. Sometimes feelings get in the way, but I know that women like her are all after one thing at the end of the day. Being here with her here has caused a mixture of emotions, but fuck, I need to keep a clear head and not get mixed up in her mess.”
Anger, fury, and disgust are the emotions that have been mixing in my blood. The way that Daniella has behaved this week has been in character for her, so I am not sure why I thought she would do better.
“I hear you. Best way is to stay single, Rome.”
“I hear you, man.” We laugh, then I finish my beer, signaling to the waiter to bring us two more.
“But Nell makes me want more. I am going to ask her to go on a date when we get back.”
He nods with a grin on his face. “Good.”
I look over to where my girl was sitting with my mom but find her chair empty. My gaze snaps to where Daniella was and she is still there, thankfully.
Where did she go?
My mom looks at me with a smile, and she nods while tapping her heart, telling me she approves of Nell, and I smile widely back at her.
I silently ask where she has gone and my mother signals to the restroom. Nodding, I go back to talking to Asher, knowing that Nell will be back soon.
We talk about a new club that I want us to look at; it has a rooftop pool which will serve well in the hot Houston heat. Time to add more to my profile; maybe Nell will be with me when we have a grand opening.
Chapter Twenty-One
Nell
My body is light and my heart is full, sitting here at the pool with Renata and Romeo’s aunties.
They are telling me stories about all of the family. Some about Romeo and how Asher came into the family. I know who is dating who, and have been informed of some past affairs, as well as some current ones.
Apparently one of Romeo’s cousins on his father’s side is sleeping with her tennis coach, who happens to be her best friend’s brother. Now, that is a romance story all on its own.
I giggle remembering some books I have read with the same trope; it is like being in a live action library hearing all the steamy, yet heartbreaking love stories.
“Oh, did you hear about old Mrs. Mabbot?” one of the aunties asks the group of women.
Several respond with a no, but their faces show intrigue, so now I am invested in what is happening with old Mrs. Mabbot.
“Well, I was told that she goes to bingo down at the old church building that they have turned into some communitygroup hall, and that they found some racy underwear in the preacher’s desk drawer and…”
“Get on with it,” Renata says loudly, making us all giggle at her urgency for the information.
