I brushed my nose against his before giving him a kiss. Falling in love with him hadn’t been in my plans when I decided to come back and sell Grounds 4 Love. Sissy had to be working in the background with God, and I certainly wasn’t mad at the path I was skipping down in faith.
Three Days Later
My only focus when Haji and I drove back to Rose Valley Hills was to grab my jewelry and personal items. Later in the month, the moving company would pack everything else up and drive it down to me. Haji was dedicated to making this process as smooth and stress free as possible for me, which I appreciated. I’d linked up with Chapel, and her team was going to put my house on the market and take care of the showings. All I’d have to do was approve the offer when they sent one over I liked. They’d even handle the inspection and move-out clean on my behalf. The distinct difference in my life now that I was allowing people to help me do things versus when I was trying to handle everything on my own was insane.
Hard knocking on my door reminded me of over a month ago when I decided to leave. There was only one person who would be knocking like that, and I wanted to answer it before Haji did.
“Who the fuck knocking on your door like that?” he asked, and I groaned as I increased the pace of my steps.
“I got it!” I yelled, hoping that would suffice. Swiftly, I slung the door open. “Are you out of your mind?” I gritted out at the sight of Raymond. “Why are you knocking on my door like you’re the police?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were back home?” he asked, pushing his way inside. “Had I not paid your neighbor to let me know when you came back, I would’ve been left in the dark.”
“I don’t have to tell you about my every move, Raymond. Me coming back home has nothing to do with you.”
“It should. Not only do you work for me, but you’re my fiancée.”
“That’s news to me,” Haji said, rounding the corner. “I didn’t know we were sharing her.”
Raymond’s face twisted as he looked from me to Haji. “Who the fuck is this?”
“My—”
“Her man,” Haji answered, pulling me behind him. “If there is some confusion as to why you expect loyalty from her that you don’t deserve, I’d be happy to clear that up for you.”
Raymond scoffed. “Oh. So this is why you haven’t been in a rush to come home? You went down to the country and let a little thug ass nigga turn you out. That’s cool. He can’t offer you the life I can, Zoe.”
“That’s actually what I’m hoping for. And he’s not a thug ass nigga. There’s also nothing little about him. And I happen to love Jasper Lane. So much so that I’m moving there permanently.”
I took Haji’s hand into mine and put him on the side of me. He gave me a little resistance but eventually let me.
“What did you say?” Raymond asked softly, taking a step in my direction.
“Nigga, I will lay yo’ head on that marble flooring if you don’t step the fuck back,” Haji warned.
“Okay, please.” Chuckling nervously, I stepped between them. I already knew Haji felt some type of way over Raymond’s pop-up visit, and it didn’t help that I told him he’d kissed me. I also knew Haji didn’t like the way Raymond talked to and treated me. He felt like Raymond was using and taking advantage of me. So the last thing I needed right now was for them to fight, though I wasn’t sure how much of a fight it would be. “Raymond, I was going to go through the proper channels to do this, but I quit. I’m moving. We’re done. There’s nothing else we need to talk about. Please leave.”
“No. I let you stay there to get your head together, not to move on with him or anyone else for that matter. You were supposed to take the promotion and put my ring back on.”
“I’m sorry you thought that would happen, but that won’t be the case. I don’t want the promotion, and I don’t want you.”
The confusion that covered his face showed me just how much my choice surprised him. He clearly thought my six weeks away would lead to me coming back to him. I don’t know why he thought that. While our time apart may have shown him what he had in me—personally and professionally—it gave me all the clarity I needed that I wanted nothing to do with him. My life was perfect in Jasper Lane. There was no way I’d choose Raymond or anyone else over Haji.
Within seconds, the proper, professional mask was put back on. Raymond’s hands lifted as he took a step back.
“You’re gonna regret this,” he seethed. “You’re gonna get bored, he’s gonna run out of money, and?—”
“Oh shit!” I yelped, jumping as Haji’s fist connected with Raymond’s mouth. The loud impact was almost as hard as the impact of Raymond’s body hitting the floor. “Haji!”
“Ain’t nobody finna stand here and listen to this nigga’s swan song,” he grumbled. “I been wanting to pop him in his mouth for kissing youanyway.”
As much as I didn’t want to, I chuckled as he dragged Raymond out of the foyer and carried him to his car.
“Lord, that man is crazy,” I mumbled, heading back upstairs to my room.
Now, I was in even more of a rush to get the hell out of here and back home.
Because that’s what Jasper Lane was now.
