He looked at me and twisted his face before turning his attention to my mother. “I don’t know why she’s playing with both of us, telling me to call you by your first name, . . . especially when my mama is standing right there. I think she’s trying to get me popped.”
His mother leaned around to insert herself into the conversation. “Uh, Kaynaan Daniel Israel, I’d better not hear you referring to Wyndi’s mother by her first name. You know how we do.”
“Yes, ma’am. But that’s her.” He pointed at me.
“Snitch!” I hissed.
“Mrs. Castle, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He gave my mother a one-armed hug around the shoulder. “I’ve been trying to . . . spend time with your daughter for a little more than a month now. She was a little resistant at first. She seems to be warming up.”
My mother chuckled. “Yeah. She’s running around here with your name on her back; I’d say she’s warming up to you.”
“I wanna let you know that my intentions toward her are pure. She got a flip mouth.” Everybody laughed at that, and my mother had the nerve to nod her head. “And she’s stubborn as I don’t know what,” he continued.
“She gets that from her daddy,” LaToya lied.
“But having her around me is like having a little piece of sunshine. Like, she’s beautiful, but she’s got a good heart. I just want you to know that I plan to take care of her . . . in every way, if you know what I mean. She be acting all suspicious of my motives, but I promise I’m not on no bull. I’mma take care of her, and everybody connected to her.”
My mother watched him silently for a few beats. “I’mma hold you to that, Kaynaan Israel.”
“You should.” He kissed my cheek. I yawned. “You should head out. I plan to spend some time with my parents before they head back to Kentucky. I’ll call you.”
We all said our goodbyes, then my mother, LoLo, and I walked to my vehicle.
After making herself comfortable in the passenger seat, my mother spoke. “I really like him, Wyn.”
“Me, too.” LoLo agreed.
I liked him, too. Even though I tried hard not to admit it.
“What’d you think about his mom, Aunt Toy?”
“She was really nice. She’s a very accomplished surgeon.” She held up her hand. “She didn’t tell me that. I looked her up after everybody in there kept skinning and grinning in her face, calling her Dr. Israel. Her husband introduced her as Bethany, so here’s me, calling her Bethany. Anyway, she was super humble and down-to-earth. She told me she does a girls’ getaway every year to a warm weather locale during January. She asked for my email address so she could send me the information.”
“Yeah,” I said, “when I met his dad and sister, they were super cool. For the family to be so wealthy and for both him and his mom to be so accomplished, the entire family seems chill.”
The game and all its hoopla had worn me out. After I dropped my mom off and brought LoLo back to my place to get her truck, all I wanted to do was shower and lay down.
A little more than an hour after I got home, I was doing just that. I was stretched out on my sofa, covered with a soft blanket, waiting to doze off while the television watched me.
My phone chimed with a text.
Kaynaan:
I’m at the front door. Buzz me up.
I reluctantly left my cocoon to buzz him up. I met him at the door after he climbed the flight of stairs. He pulled me into a hug, letting his hands roam all over my ass and thighs.
“I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
“I know. After I dropped my parents off at the airfield, you were heavy on my mind. I wanted to lay up.”
It was like he instinctively knew that I needed that. “You’re talking my language. I’m exhausted.”
“Baby girl giving you a run for your money?” He moved me into the apartment and closed the door behind us, making sure to turn every lock. That was when I noticed the duffel bag he carried.
I didn’t mention it. I liked going to sleep and waking up to Kaynaan. Something about his long, hard body made me feel safe and allowed me to sleep as heavy as I wanted to. Instead, I addressed his question. “I won’t blame it all on her. It was a combination of all the excitement and all the walking. I mean, those suites are far as hell from the parking lot.”
He chuckled as he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He carried me into my bedroom. When he put me down on the bed, I finished my thought. “I guess she’s paying me back by making me sleepy as hell.”
