“Well, who do we have here?” Gianna asks with a glint in her eyes.
“The way bro is standing like one of those professional linebackers, I’m assuming someone of significance,” Aaron adds.
“Excuse these two, sweetie. I promise I raised these knuckleheads with better manners. This is Alijah’s sister,Gianna, and his brother, Aaron. You two, this is Deshona, your brother’s boo thang.”
“Oh my God. Please don’t say that again, honey,” Pops says with a shake of his head as Gianna, Aaron, Deshona, and I laugh.
Neither my siblings nor I can speak on Ma’s statements, because Pops always objects first. It’s always funny to witness because Pops is so put out and disturbed by Ma’s attempt at being hip.
“I thinkI’m in love with your mom,” Deshona turns her head and whispers in my ear, and a thunderous shout of laughter leaves my mouth.
Ma had Deshona on a world tour after they left Pops, and I was just able to pry her away. What’s crazy is that Ma didn’t seem to want to part ways with Deshona but let me have my woman back when Pops interjected on my behalf.
“Stop laughing, bae. Your mom has been amazing. She’s welcomed me here with open arms. She hasn’t badgered me about you and me. She’s been loving, but in an authentic way that doesn’t make me feel like I should expect the other shoe to drop. She’s been . . . I don’t know, but I like it.”
“That’s what’s up. I’m glad y’all hit it off.”
Future wifey on deck, my nigga. You just might have picked a winner this time around.
“We did. We even exchanged numbers.”
Whoa, Ma ain’t waste no time.
“Don’t be using that intel on my ass when I piss you off and shit in the future. I don’t care what she says. Ma can’t whup my ass.”
Deshona giggles as her head hits the crevice of my neck, and my arms tighten around her body. I have to will my dick to act right because I ain’t about to let my family see how much this woman affects me.
“You ready to eat?” I ask.
“I think so.”
“Alright, come on. My cousin Tiny ain’t gonna show us mercy for too much longer.”
Deshona eases off my lap, and we head to the food tables to fill our plates. Pops has done his thing on the grill while Ma and my aunties have killed the sides and desserts. Once our plates are full, Deshona and I head to a table so we can eat. My cousin Smitty waves us over to a table where he and my other cousin Nate are sitting.
“Do you mind sitting with them?”
“Nope,” Deshona says as we change course and head to the table with Smitty and Nate.
When we reach the table, I quickly introduce the three, then Deshona and I dig into our food. Twenty minutes and a stuffed belly later, the four of us are playing poker. My ass is losing because I can’t keep my eyes off Deshona’s sexy ass.
“Nah, you shouldn’t have counted me out without considering I might not be an amateur, cousin,” Deshona tells Smitty.
All I can do is grin as my chest expands with warmth, and a boyish giddiness surges through me when I stare at Deshona’s smile and the familiar tone she takes with my cousin. Not to mention, her calling Smitty cousin has me thinking about wedding bells and shit.
“Come on, fam,” Smitty says with a deep frown.
While I’m not even trying to win, Smitty and Nate are serious about beating Deshona simply because she’s the only woman here they haven’t beaten.
“Maybe next time, fam,” Deshona says in a taunting voice before she lays her winning cards down on the table with a cheesy grin.
“Fuck!” Smitty and Nate grumble simultaneously before they get up from the table and walk away.
I shake my head and lay my cards face down on the table because I don’t care whether I’ve won or not. My eyes meet Deshona's, and as her eyes flash with love, I know I've won the biggest thing worth having, . . . her heart.
Chapter 23
Alijah
