“Oh, Lord!”
“You can say that to Him at church tonight.”
I shook my head. “You know, your sister lied to me.”
He frowned slightly. “Sheena?”
“Yes, her.”
He laughed. “What did she lie about?”
“She told me this was a company barbecue for all the parents and staff to meet, like an official grand opening or something. Then I get here and see half-naked women, thirsty men, and you about to fuck a stripper.”
He laughed harder, and I pushed him off me, hitting him with the pillow again.
“It’s not funny, jerk!” I exclaimed, fake mad. Although I was heated to see that nasty tramp grinding on him last night, I knew I couldn’t betoomad because Iwaspushing him away.
“Come on, baby mama. Let me go feed you.”
“Were you going to have sex with her?”
He nodded. “I was.”
“Wow. You didn’t even hesitate to answer that.” I scoffed and climbed out of the bed, putting my items back on.
“I don’t have anything to be unsure about. You asked me a question, and I answered honestly. You can’t be mad about something you pushed me to do, baby.”
I tossed my palms up. “You’re right. I can’t, . . . but were you going to do what you did to me, to her?” I didn’t even know why I asked. I was probably a glutton for punishment at this point. Basil wasn’t a liar. That much I knew after just over two months of knowing him.
“I would never eat a chick’s pussy or ass that I met on the first night. I do have some decorum, Alicia.”
I bit the inside of my jaw to keep myself from smiling. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, giving him a sloppy kiss. I pulled back and pecked his lips one last time. “Good,” I said, and we continued to get ourselves together to go eat breakfast.
When we made it downstairs to the kitchen, I was surprised to see Raeley sitting at the table, hair wild, eating like a snail. She was so unfocused that I was kind of worried. Sheena sat next to who I knew for a fact was Basil’s brother. The resemblance was uncanny.
Another guy stood at the breakfast bar that sat atop the wraparound counter. Basil walked over to him, slapped the back of their hands twice, and saluted one another. He did the same to Sheena’s man, then began making our food.
“Alicia, that’s my brother, Bilal. You already know Sheena, and this is my best friend, Trayvon. Lal, Tray, meet my girlfriend, Alicia.”
Bilal stood and hugged me. “Pleasure to finally meet the woman who gave my brother teenage fever.” He laughed.
I smiled. “Nice to meet you as well.”
“Yeah, now I see why,” Trayvon said, smirking at Basil, then his eyes came to me. “Nice to meet you, beautiful.”
“Thank you. Nice to meet you.” My eyes went to Rae. “Raeley. You’re still here?”
She finally looked up from her plate at me. “I?—”
“She ain’t going nowhere either,” Trayvon said. Both Basil and I looked between the two of them as I put two and two together.
“First of all—” Raeley started, but Trayvon cut her off.
“First of all, ain’t no first of all. You heard me, wifey.”
“Wifey?” I chirped and looked at Raeley.
“Aw shit,” Basil said, laughing at his best friend, who stood with a smirk on his face. Raeley stood from her chair, seemingly trying to gather her bearings.
