I glanced around The Roasted Sip, and I saw a few people sitting at laptops around the coffee shop. They were happily typing away. A couple appeared to be students, three looked like businesspeople, and two others, I couldn’t quite figure out what they were doing. I wondered if one of them might be an aspiring author.
I smiled. I couldn’t wait for my bakery to open, and I wondered if people would also fill my shop as they sat around plugged into Wi-Fi while handling school, work, or other business. We were on the cusp of downtown, right around the corner from the hood, and a few streets away from the financial district of Downtown Cherokee Springs. I loved that this location allowed us to serve two very distinct clienteles.
I placed my order when it was my turn and then turned away to find a seat to occupy while I waited. My phone buzzed as soon as I walked away from the counter. I found a chair near the large windows where a table was fastened to the lower part of the wall. I set my bag in my lap, swiveled around in my chair to face the outdoors, and removed my phone from my handbag.
It was my younger brother, Ethan, or Easy as we called him.
EASY:Baby, what’s going on with the launch party?
ME:What are you talking about?
EASY:Mama said ya daddy acting up and refusing to follow the plan. What plan?
ME:She’s talking about the all-white. Remember I said I’dto have my guys in all-white and my favorite lady and me in pink and white on that day?
EASY:Yeah.
ME:Daddy’s talking about he doesn’t trust them all-white parties. He said niggas get in trouble behind that. LOL!
EASY:Man, that nigga’s the trouble. Always showing out, but that’s my day. Getting him to wear all white ain’t nothing. That’s light work.
ME:Have you met your daddy?
EASY:Baby, why you think they call me Easy? I have that nigga eating out of the palm of mywhenever I want something.
ME:Okay, keep telling yourself that.
EASY:Don’t underestimate your brother.
ME:I mean, if you can get your daddy to show up in all white, you can have one week of free coffee and one sweet treat a day for a month.
EASY:Baby, why didn’t you start with that? That nigga’s gon’ be there with all white all the way down to his draws.
ME:That’s more than I care to know. I’ve got Mommy her pink and white dress, so she’ll be matching me. Easy, make sure EJ does his part too. He acts like Daddy sometimes.
EASY:You know I’ve got you, Baby.
ME:
“Extra-large peanut butter macchiato with caramel and pineapple drizzle, whipped cream, and an apple turnover!” the barista called out.
I tucked my phone into my purse and walked up to the counter and grabbed my cup, but at the same time, someone else placed their grimy hand just above mine to take my cup. My lips turned down, and my face scrunched up.
“Excuse me. This is mine,” I declared.
“No, gorgeous. This belongs to me,” the rich, dark voice that matched its owner proclaimed.
I stared up into amused, almond-shaped, nut-brown eyes that twinkled in the light of the coffee shop. He lifted a thick eyebrow, and his full lips, surrounded by a thick beard and mustache twitched in the semblance of a smile. My core clenched when his nostrils flared with desire, causing his eyes to darken momentarily.
He was a good-looking man, almost a foot taller than me, with smooth, cocoa-brown skin. Twists curled on top of his head over a smooth, perfectly-lined fade. He smelled like heaven with the woodsy and cashmere scent he wore, and he sounded like pure sex when he spoke.
A cream long-sleeved T-shirt stretched over tight muscles and pressed against his stomach to show toned abs. Brown denim jeans that matched the brown denim jacket he wore, sagged slightly, but showed off just a little of the definition of what appeared to be muscular thighs. The best part of thosejeans was the way they hugged his generous package. I inhaled deeply, and I couldn’t help but hold my breath for several seconds. When it was released, a little gasp followed it.
I slowly pulled my gaze back up to see the humor in his eyes.
“What’s that the ladies say? Eyes up here.”
I rolled my eyes. “I just like the outfit.”
