My baby sister Nicole has been living in Ribax longer than I have. But neither Deacon nor I are cool with her coming to the clubhouse for any reason. The black mini skirt, halter top, and thigh-high boots adorning her are part of the reason I wait for her explanation for being here.
“Before you and my brother get your boxers twisted, this couldn’t wait. I need to talk to you, Righteous,” Nicole pleads.
“Bring your little ass on so I can get you up out of here.” I stand and walk toward the front door, because this conversationwill happen outside so I can put Nicole in her car the minute it’s over.
The click-clack of Nicole’s boots, along with another set of footsteps, lets me know that she and possibly Deacon are behind me. My mind reels with thoughts about what Nicole is about to say, especially since she knows my stance on her coming to this turf. Hell, I am not only her brother but her boss since she works at my diner. She could easily wait until I come in to talk to me about whatever this impromptu discussion is about. I push through the exit, and the cool air slaps me across the face. When I’m a couple of paces away from the clubhouse, I turn toward Nicole without words.
“I guess this nigga ain’t in the mood for bullshit tonight. Speak your peace, little cuz,” Deacon urges.
“Okay, I need a favor, but it doesn’t involve money or anything like that. It’s also important, and I need you to not say no,” Nicole says.
What the fuck has this girl got herself into?
“Humph. I need more information before I give an answer. But your little ass works for me, and I pay you good, so it better not involve money.”
“So I have this friend,” Nicole starts, and Deacon immediately laughs like a damn hyena before she can say anything else.
“I was gonna walk away so y’all could talk alone, but I think I’ll wait this out,” Deacon says.
“Shut your bitch ass up,” I snap before my gaze returns to Nicole, who now fidgets with her fingers. “Help me understand how your friend results in my favor.”
“I need you to go on a blind date with her. But it won’t be a hardship for you. She’s a baddie. She just needs a reality check, and you’re the perfect person to give it to her.”
A baddie in need of a reality check? I find this hard to fucking believe.
My forehead wrinkles, and my grimace grows because there’s no way that Nicole is serious right now.
“Define baddie, because I feel like you’re trying to set me up with the female version of Steve Urkel. I don’t mean Myra’s beautiful ass either. May she rest in peace,” I say.
“Yeah, that shit does sound suspect, man.” Deacon cosigns.
“Nooo. I promise she’s beautiful. In fact, I’m sure you will want to fuck her. But all I need you to do is scare her so she stays away from this side of town. She thinks she wants a man with hood swag, though she can’t identify with the term. I just want her to find out that on this side of town, she can lose more than she bargains for,” Nicole whines.
I rub my hands together as a mischievous grin forms at the thought of scaring a woman who sounds like the last thing she should do is engage with a man like me.
“I might be able to help you. But if she is a wildebeest, then your ass will owe me five hundred, and I’ll be deducting it from your pay.”
“Damn. Are you really threatening to treat me like Uncle Sam?” Nicole frowns.
“Hell yeah. If it means spending even a fraction of my night with someone whose face needs a roadmap for her acne, you’re paying for the inconvenience. So how serious are you about this blind date?”
“Serious enough to commit to double for your trouble,” Nicole says.
“Ooh, this is about to be good. Can Squeak and I come too? I need to see this through.” Deacon smirks.
I shake my head as my eyes bounce from Deacon to Nicole while I ponder if I want to commit to such a proposal. I’m a man who doesn’t need blind dates or setups to meet women. Butsomething about the determination in Nicole’s eyes intrigues me while also giving me pause.
“Set it up. But without this meddling ass nigga.”
With that, I walk toward Nicole’s car so she can take her ass away from here. I ignore the sudden clench in my stomach that makes me wonder what I just agreed to. All I can do is pray that I haven’t given my consent prematurely. Or that I’m not about to meet a woman whose looks will have me begging the restaurant host for a hidden table in the back.
Nicole:
Your date will be at Sizzling and Grubbing on Friday night at eight. I decided to keep the location where you insist on running to. Before you ask, no, I won’t be working that night.
Every day since I got Nicole's message about tonight’s blind date with her brother, I have reread the text. All day, I have been going back and forth with myself about whether to practically beg a stranger to make the hookup happen. While Nicole and I have become friendly since my frequent trips to the diner whereshe works, I don’t know her from a can of paint. We’re not friends, and we don’t have a long history of knowing each other.
So why the hell did my thirsty behind ask her to help me meet someone unlike what I’ve been exposed to? The better question is how I let my mother put me in this predicament in the first place. I’m a grown woman and no longer have to answer to or abide by Mom’s wishes. I haven’t spoken up for myself to let Mom know that I can and will find my own husband. Pathetic.
