“Enjoy some quality time with the muhfuckas who mean something to me?” Moose replied, digging his cell out of his pocket and placing it on the table. “We were out walking Elan, and she said she was hungry. I suggested tacos, then she hit me with, ‘We should get tacos and go watch movies at Inari’s house.’” Moose mimicked his daughter in that little voice with all the attitude and sweetness.
One thing about Tiara, shorty was going to speak her mind. She got that honest. Inari couldn’t help it; she fell over laughing at his impression of his daughter. He was a true girl dad.
“Well, I have missed her and all the second-grade tea.” She padded into the room and observed the spread on her table.
Moose picked up the remote to the TV and immediately scrolled to Disney Plus. Inari plopped down on the couch as Tiara strolled in with paper plates and Dane behind her, carrying empty glasses and a pitcher of Kool-Aid.
“I was starving too. Good looking, Moose.” Dane set everything on the table.
“You should be. Have you even left your room to use the bathroom?” Inari questioned.
“Nah, I just piss out the window.” Dane shrugged.
“Is that why my flowers are dying on that side?” Inari sneered, watching him pick up a taco from the table and devour it in almost one bite.
“I’mma just take mine to go and get back to my game.” Dane grabbed three more tacos on a plate and a handful of tortilla chips with a scoop of guac on the side. “You can come up anytime, Titi.”
“Okay!” Tiara lowered herself to her knees and made herself a plate of three tacos with queso and chips on the side.
“So, what are you two up to this weekend?” Inari grabbed the guacamole container and a handful of chips.
She sat on her sofa while Moose lowered himself to the floor on the opposite side of the table from Tiara.
“Barbecue at the house tomorrow. You and Dane should come through.” Moose grabbed a taco and brought it to his mouth.
He was constantly including her in family shit. Sunday dinners and game nights had become a thing at the Blackmoor estate. As bad as Inari wanted to keep her distance, it was kindof hard. Dane had built relationships with all the Blackmoor men. Audiemar even pulled up once or twice to watch him in his basketball games with Mozzi, Moose, and Kong. They would cheer him on and taunt the refs all night long. Mozzi had it the worst. He was quick to get in their faces if they were calling bullshit calls. Sometimes they were a little much, but Dane now had the type of male influences she always wished for him. On top of all that, Ayla and Kong were on whatever they were on.
Her sister had moved out and into her own condo about fifteen minutes from the house. Although Inari was against it at first, she knew Ayla needed it. She had to get used to living her life again and not being in fear all the time. She wanted to see what it was like to stand on her own two feet, and so far, she’d been doing great. It took her a while, but with therapy, she was figuring things out.
Slowly but surely, her passion for cooking and eating good food had returned. Using the money she had saved before she was declared dead, she was able to pay her deposit and rent for a few months. Now, she was relying on her streaming money, which was rolling in even faster once her story got out there. When the world thought she had died, there was an outpouring of love and condolences. It all sounded like rumorville when people heard about her being taken and her death being faked. A lot of stuff had been made up, but most of it was true and still sounded crazy as hell.
“Please,” Tiara said after a quick prayer over her food. “We can get in the pool too. Paw Paw Audie said it’s heated.”
Moose chuckled and peered over at Inari. They weren’t where he wanted them to be, but he was knocking her walls down one layer at a time. He wanted to be knocking them down in another way, especially with how good she always looked. Even now, on chill mode withWild and Freedisplayed acrossthe top of her graphic shirt. The way the skin of her shoulder glowed even got his dick tingling.
“Hmm, I’ll have to think about it.” Inari dipped a chip and brought it to her lips.
She smiled at Tiara but felt Moose’s eyes all over her. She was on some comfy, homebody shit, but he was still looking at her like he was starving with a plate full of tacos stacked on his lap.
“Moose says don’t think, just do.”
“Hmm, that sounds about right.” Inari rolled her eyes cutely, and Moose chuckled.
“What we watching, yo? Me, personally, a nigga feeling some Cars or Incredibles.”
“We always watch the Incredibles. I want to watch the Aristocats.” Her little face frowned up cutely, and she brought a taco to her mouth and took a bite.
“Aight, cool.” Moose sucked the salsa from his thumb and picked up the remote with his other hand. “I mean, unless Inari kicking us out.” He lifted his rich, hooded eyes to her.
“She not kicking me out!” Tiara announced.
“I would never.” Inari told her with a smile. “Your daddy, on the other hand…”
“Nana Desiree says he just needs somebody to pop him upside the head every now and then. She said it knocks all his marbles back in place.”
Inari hollered with laughter, nearly choking on her food. She reached out to pour herself a cup of Kool-Aid and took a sip. Moose looked at her, taco still in place near his mouth.
“That shit wasn’t even that funny.”
