“No.” My eyes moved down her frame slowly. “I know.”
She didn’t say anything else but instead joined me for brunch. By the time both of our plates were made and we were getting ready to sit, she had a whole other line of questioning.
“So, what is this all-white party for?”
“The sports agency is celebrating its fifth year in business. I really don’t feel like being there, that bed is calling my name.” I shook my head honestly.
“Then why are you going?”
“Because you show up for those who show up for you. Rem and Journee are like family. Shit, theyarefamily. They had my back when I didn’t know a damn thing about this game.”
She nodded. “I get it.”
“Pops was about to kill me when I told him I’d dropped out of school, especially after he’d drilled that tech shit into me. Fucking hated it, and after about a month, I knew I couldn’t do it. Then Remy scheduled a fight and invited Pops. It wasn't anything big, just some local gym shit. But after I beat ol’ boy’s ass, Pops said I got lucky but I had heart. After that fight he was in my corner all the way, keeping it a buck with me and even getting Unc to train me. He said if I was gonna do it, I had to be the best, because he hadn’t raised me to come in second place.” I shrugged.
She smiled. “He sounds special.”
“He was.” I grinned, thinking deeply about my father. Some days I missed him so much my chest hurt. I always wondered why we didn’t have more time…why he didn’t have more time. The evilest motherfuckers lived for the longest time, but those who gave this world meaning were taken too soon.
The highlightof my day was watching Selah try on all three dresses Jordyn had picked out for her. The simple realization that my guess about her size was on point, that I’d actually paid attention to her beyond her lips and looks. It was as if she realized I actually fucked with her like that.
“Why are you grinning to yourself?” she asked, leaning into my space. After working the room for about an hour and a half, we were now seated at our table. I was lowkey glad she got to meet Rem and Journee, that way they’d both get off my ass about me hiding somebody from them. Of course Jordyn kidnapped her for a few, but she was returned to me bubbly and just as beautiful as she left.
“Nothing, just thinking.”
“And being antisocial. What were you thinking?” she quizzed.
My eyes went from her lips to her exposed neck. I always felt like I wanted to bite that motherfucker. That was her fault, her skin always enticed me. “About how much I’d like to be up outta here and in you.”
She was caught off guard completely and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Indiri.”
“Don’t be asking what I’m thinking about when you’re obviously not ready to hear what I’m thinking about.”
She giggled then sat back in her seat, fanning herself with her hand. “Nope, especially not if it sounds like that. Not right now at least.”
I licked my lips, then leaned into her space. “Keep it PG then, baby.”
“That wasn’t me, it was you. You’re the one who doesn’t want to be here, so you’re mugging the air.”
“How the fuck am I mugging the air, Selah?”
She shrugged, then pointed to my face. “Like that.”
I laughed.
“How about we play I Spy?”
I looked at her like she was crazy. “We’re grown as fuck, Selah. The fuck are we playing I Spy for?”
She shrugged. “I play it with my niece when I need to focus her attention on our surroundings.”
“I’m not your niece.”
“You’re right; you aren’t, but I need to focus your attention. I spy a massive sign.”
I cut my eyes at her before I glanced around the room looking for what she saw. I found it after a few seconds, on stage behind the podium. I tossed my head in its direction. “There.”
She nodded. “Good, your turn.”
