“Of course, I have. Every woman thinks of that, right? I’m not trying to get hung up on that. Relationships aren’t always about having a piece of metal wrapped around my finger. No offense.”
She shook her head. “None taken.”
“I’m just saying, I like where we are right now and if a ring is in my future, then I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”
Truthfully, I’d been floating on cloud ninety-nine for the past six months. Shit had been better than good. It was the first time I admitted out loud that I’d entertained the idea of changing my last name to Croft a time or two, but I was still going to play it cool.
“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to fucking give me? I’ve been patient with your ass for six whole months, Cass! So, no! Nah! You gotta give it up and you gotta do it right the fuck now, or I ain’t puttin’ up another damn Christmas nothin’ in this house!”
I tried my best to stifle a smile. “I got everything that I want right now, trust me. You don’t have to worry about Hendrix. He’s taking good care of me,” I told her.
She eyed me closely. “Mmm, physically or is he breakin’ you off with more than just dick?”
I clicked my teeth together. “What do you mean?”
“You over here talkin’ like he feedin’ your soul and shit, so I just wanna know what else he’s putting down other than pipe.”
“I don’t know why you think just because of his occupation, I’m living in the lap of luxury. I have my own and you know that.”
“Yeah, I do. That’s the best part! It’s exactly what makes your fuckin’ life so good. Stash yours and spend his!”
“Listen, before getting with Hendrix, I thought being the girlfriendof an NBA player was about the wining a dining, random vacations on a Wednesday, the shoes,God the shoes, you know? But now that I’m in it, being with someone that everyone worships is far from easy. For one, his schedule is crazy. He plays like eighty or something games a year. Half are in Kansas City and the other half are away and across the country. Sometimes he’s gone for a couple days, sometimes he’s gone for a week. And with my work schedule fluctuating the way it does, I can only really count on seeing him maybe one or two days out of the month.”
“Oh, so you delirious from lack of the hood wood, huh?”
“Very. My dick supply is almost fully depleted, and my pussy is on life support. And trust, the phone sex ain’t cuttin’ it.”
“Girl, I bet. Can’t nothin’ compare to the real thang,” she boasted, spooning another mouthful of ice cream between her lips.
“Girl, and that’s what I’m saying. My real thang is across the country at any given moment. These bitches swear they know more about my man than I do! They know his stats, all the teams he’s played for, where he’s staying, how long he gon’ be there, everything.”
“See, I’d have to cut a bitch. But you know, you wanna protect your peace and shit, like your face wasn’t already in the blogs when those pictures were posted of y’all holding hands at the airport leaving the island like y’all was all in love and shit.” She snickered.
“Yeah, but there hasn’t been much talk about it since. We’ve been cautious. Mainly me, because I don’t want or need all my business in the streets at any given time.”
“So, the reason y’all aren’t public all day every day is because of you?”
“Exactly. I told him I wanted to take things slow and that’s what we’ve been doing. Just taking things day by day and month by month, like I said,” I repeated.
We’d managed to keep the buzz to a minimum over the months, never confirming or denying anything. We’d order in instead of dining out and staying secluded behind the walls of his place or mine. We weren’t posting all our whereabouts on the ‘Gram, because the only two people whoneededto know about us, knew.
“You a better one than me, that’s all I’m sayin’.”
“I’m not above it, trust. And don’t get me wrong, it definitely bothers me sometimes because I know how scandalous some of these women are, but at the same time, these past six months have been so blissful because we’ve been lowkey for the most part. I enjoy a little tea and drama like the next bitch, but not when it’s about me and the dick I’m sittin’ on. I like my peace. I got my life and he has his. I don’t wanna get swallowed up in him just because I’m dating him.”
“Yeah, I feel you. I know I’d still be wanting to put these hoes in check, though. Belly and all,” she reassured me, rubbing her round belly.
“I can’t quit my life for him, but I still support him by watching every game on TV and cheering him on from the comfort of my eating sweats and couch.”
“What the fuck did I tell you about them pants, hoe? Damn! Christmas is coming up, I’ma get you right. Say less.”
I chuckled. “You’re a bitch.”
“And you still love me,” she concluded, blowing me a kiss.
Two and a half hours later, I looked around Lauryn’s house, admiring my work with a grin of satisfaction painted across my face. “Wow…”
“What?”
