When Cindy hung up, she placed her hands on the counter and leaned forward. “So, I was talking to my husband Davis the other night and found out that his foreman is single once again?—”
“Oh, I don?—”
“I know, I’m sure that you are so sick of people trying to set you up, but he isperfect. He is forty, single, honest, hardworking, hilarious, and he played in the NFL for twelve years.”
Never again. Especially not a football player. Even a retired one. She’d been there, done that.
“I’m sure he’s amazing, but I’m just not interested in dating right now.”
“He’s gorgeous,” Cindy enthused. “His name is Silas Murphy. He played for the?—”
“I know who Silas is.” Tiana had actually had a crush on him when she was younger, but not even her childhood infatuationoverrode her stance on dating. “I’ve heard he’s a great guy, but I just don’t have time or energy to invest in anyone else.”
“Well, if that changes, you let me know, because I have a very good track record whenever I don my angel wings and pick up my arrow and shoot.” Cindy mimed holding a bow, pulling the string back, and letting it go. “I’m not saying IamCupid, but Cupid and Cindy both have five letters and both have c, i, and d in them, the u is basically n upside down, and p could be a y if you flipped it and shaved off the top. And have you ever seen us both in the same place?”
Tiana chuckled. “You make a very compelling argument.”
“Argument?” Cindy lifted her hands in mock surrender. “What? No argument here. I was merely pointing out facts that any mortal, I meanperson,could have figured out on their own.”
“Right, got it.” Tiana’s smile spread even wider as she was buzzed in.
She found Cindy endlessly amusing and was grateful for the small endorphin boost. She piggybacked off that as she tried to center herself, inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth, attempting to calm her mind, her heart, her soul. If Pop sensed even the tiniest ounce of anxiety in her, he would sniff it out and get her to confess what was on her mind. He’d always been able to see right through her. He had no idea about the rent increase at the studio. Or that she’d had to move out of her apartment three months ago. Or sell her SUV six months ago to even get him in this place.
When she came to his door, she stopped, placed a hand on her stomach, took one more deep breath, and exhaled before she took two steps and walked in.
Pops was in his reclining chair, he looked even thinner than the last time she saw him, two days earlier.
“Hey, Pops, how are you doing?” She crossed to his chair.
“Did the FBI send you?” He pretended to look around her suspiciously. “Are you wearing a wire?”
At his running joke of never answering the question, “How are you?” straight, Tiana knew he may not be eating, but he was clearly fine. She leaned down and kissed his cheek.
In the twenty-five years Tiana had known Pops, she’d never heard him respond to that question seriously, and she’d also never heard him repeat a response. It was actually pretty impressive.
“How were your classes this morning?”
“Good, they were good.” Tiana removed her jacket and scarf and laid them over the back of the armchair and then sat down. As she did, her phone vibrated. She pulled it out and saw it was yet another message from a friend in Ohio.
Suzie: honestly WTF call if you want to talk
Tiana was so confused. She’d looked up both her name and her ex’s name. What were all these texts about?
“Knock knock!” Patsy, one of Pop’s favorite nurses, entered. “Hello there, Mr. Matthews, how are you doing?”
“You go first, then we can compare.” He winked.
Her smile widened as she handed Pops a tiny white paper cup with his medication. “Well, I’m doin’ just fine.”
Pops brought the cup to his mouth and tossed it back, then she handed him his water. As he drank it, Patsy turned her attention to Tiana. “I heard you have a hot date with Silas Murphy.”
“No.” Tiana shook her head. “I do not.”
“She’s scared,” Pops whispered. “She got burned, and now she’s scared.”
“No, that’s not… I’m just busy,” Tiana argued as Patsy left the room to finish making her rounds, waving her fingers as she exited.
When they were alone once again, Tiana turned and warned, “Pops, you have to stop.”
