“Are you okay?” Stacy asked as I sat back at my desk. It was time to work. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m fine, Stace,” I assured her, because honestly, I was. “Now, let’s get this money. We have a vacation to plan, and I plan to ball out!”
“Where are you headed, Bloss Baby?”I spoke quietly to myself. “Your office isn’t closed on Wednesdays.”
Sitting in my car across from Grove’s Café, I stared through my tinted windows and watched as Blossom went inside to get her usual latte. It had been over a week since the disaster at the gala, and I’d been thinking of Blossom every day since. We’d talked on the phone here and there, but the conversations had been brief. I didn’t know if it was because I felt she was still hung up on that nigga or because I wasn’t trying to scare her ass off, but I had been keeping it short and to the point during all our exchanges. I’d made up my mind that I wasn’t killing her, but I was still unsure of my plans since it was obvious I was infatuated to some extent.
Today, she looked cute as hell dressed down in her Milly Grove University T-shirt and leggings. To me, this is when she looks the prettiest. She never had to do too much to make these girls look bad in comparison. Right now, her head was thrown back in laughter, and I wanted nothing more than to hear the sound of her voice. Instead of getting out and going in, I decided to call her.
Clicking on her saved contact, I watched through the café’s window as she picked up her phone and smiled. Shit like that is why she had me on my stalker shit. I didn’t know what this girl was doing to me, but the shit was getting deeper by the day.
“Hello, JJ…” She placed her phone on her shoulder as she grabbed her latte from Scotlyn. “How are you doing this morning?”
“Better now that I’ve heard your voice?” I grinned, watching as she took a seat and blushed. “What are you up to?”
Blossom didn’t know that I’d had her followed, or that I’d been doing it myself for weeks now. She was also unaware that I had my brother breach her work calendar to sync it with mine. If she did, she’d never speak to me again, and I couldn’t have that. I knew it was kind of fucked up that I was invading her privacy, but since I decided to let her live, I wanted to learn everything about her.
“I closed the office today because I wanted to run a few errands before I go see my parents and hit the gym.”
She paused to take a sip of her drink. I watched as she licked the foamed cream from her lips and instantly grabbed my dick. I was hard as concrete from a two-minute interaction, the phone call with me watching her being my aphrodisiac. The more I watched, the more I realized I was on the verge of whipping my shit out from my pants and jacking off in broad daylight.
“Are you going to work today? It doesn’t sound like it. You got a lunch date or something?” she asked, breaking me from the minor spell I was under from watching her drink her coffee.
“Only if it’s with you,” I spoke in an even tone. Glancing at the dashboard, I noticed the time and decided I needed to get a move on. While I would’ve loved to watch her all day, I had another stop to make. “When are you going to stop playing and let a nigga take you out, Bloss Baby? Just drinks between friends. Not to mention, we still have to talk about you finding me a house.”
Nibbling on her bottom lip, she placed her hand under her chin and appeared to be in deep thought. “I’m still working on the showcasing… I want the homes to be perfect.” I watched her smile as she bit into her muffin. “I don’t know if a date is such a good idea, JJ. While me and TJ aren’t on the best of terms, I don’t feel it’s right to go on dates yet. Not to mention, you two have an underlying issue that neither one of you wants to speak on, and I don’t want to fuel the fire.”
“The only fire you’re fueling is the one that makes me want to fuck the shit?—”
“JJ!”
“Aight, man…” I chuckled as I placed my truck in drive. I got one last look at her before I pulled off. “Enjoy your day, mama, and I’ll hit you later. Be safe, Bloss Baby.”
Disconnecting the call, I dropped my phone back into the cupholder and made my way across town. While I understood what Blossom meant about not wanting to kick it, I didn’t respect it. I’d done a little digging on that nigga, and he drops his dick off on any bitch that’s fucking. I didn’t like the hoe-ass nigga, but I’d never throw salt on anyone’s name just to get a woman. Blossom was fair game in my eyes, and I wasn’t going to stop until I made her mine.
With traffic being on my side, it didn’t take long before I was pulling up at my next destination. Getting out of my truck, I smoothed the wrinkles from my shirt and jeans as I made my way up the sidewalk and into the building.
“Look at what the cat dragged in!” My sister, Karlie, beamed as I entered her rehabilitation center. “What good is it living in the same city now and never seeing each other?”
I was scheduled to be off for the next couple of days, so I decided to roll up on my girl and see how she was doing. Differences between my siblings and my schedule made it hard at times, but anytime that I was able, I would check on them all. Today, it happened to be Karlie’s turn.
“Girl, you sound just like your mama.” I smirked, pulling her into my arms.
Even though she was older than me by three years, I treated her like she was one of the younger siblings for our entire lives. Kissing her forehead, I felt the moment she relaxed in my arms. I held onto her for a moment because it seemed as if she needed the hug. After making sure she was okay, I held her at arm’s length and looked her over.
“You good?” I asked with my eyebrows raised.
“Yes.” She gave me a small smile, pulling away as she gripped my hand.
I wasn’t convinced, but if something was going on or somebody was fucking with my sister, I was going to find out and handle that shit eventually. She grabbed my forearm, pulling me in after her down the corridor.
“Come on… I was just about to go to the cafeteria for lunch. You can join me.”
As Karlie led the way, I couldn’t help but admire what she’d done for herself. Lifeline Wellness and Recovery was a rehabilitation center that catered to drug addiction and mental health for both men and women. Although the marbled floorsand expensive paintings made the place look luxurious, it still gave off a homey vibe. The current residents were scattered about the lounge area, reading books, sipping lattes, or simply enjoying the ambiance. I was really proud of her for creating this safe space for so many people who needed help.
My parents never shied away from questions Karlie had as a little kid about her birth mother. Once her maternal grandfather, a disgraced detective, and his wife petitioned for shared custody of Karlie, my parents knew it would be best to tell her the full truth. Finding out her birth mother had died from a drug overdose changed her, but Karlie took the information and gave it purpose. Even at a young age, she was the kindest of all my siblings, and she carried that caring nature into adulthood. Unfortunately, she was often too kind and let people treat her any type of way.
When the courts granted them grandparents’ rights to have overnight visits, my father hated the idea of her being around them. My mother made him realize that Karlie was the last piece of their daughter, so he gave them a chance. When the few visits she had turned into bashing sessions about my family, Karlie decided she no longer wanted to be a part of their lives. I remembered hearing my father fuss about wanting to go over there and kill them both, but my mother was able to stop him. Karlie had not seen or heard from her maternal grandparents in years, and in my opinion, that was for the best. I’d hate to introduce the elderly to Slash.
