by J. Nichole
In my bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror. Rubbing my hand across my beard I look at the scar over my eye before pulling my shirt off. The only good thing about wearing my ass out in the gym is the accompanying body. Although I pack more weight than I did in high school, my abs are still intact. I place my phone on the counter before stepping out of my shorts.
Turning to warm the shower up, I shake my head when the thought of releasing myself comes into mind. Not that I’m too old to be jerking off, but I’m too old. Dammit.
While I wait on the shower, I grab my phone.
* * *
Noah: Tomorrow night, seafood and Christmas lights.
Noah: You down?
* * *
She replies back with the same response she gave me earlier, ‘Sure.’ I shrug my shoulders and climb into the shower. After letting the water spray over my body I wrap my hand around my dick, with my other hand bracing myself against the wall. Angrily, I stroke, and stroke, and stroke. When my body finally caves, I watch as I pump into the drain. Finishing up my shower with lukewarm water, I jump out, hoping that tomorrow will not end the same way.
Noah: I can pick you up around 7, if you shoot me your address.
This time her reply takes longer than last time. I walk into the kitchen to grab food. Now that I’m relieved and ready to relax for the night, I need to feast on some food.
Looking in the refrigerator, I pull out shrimp and vegetables to whip together a stir-fry. I’m no Kevin Sbraga, but I watch Top Chef enough to have a few noteworthy skills. My phone vibrates on the counter as I chop the peppers.
Probably Dionna’s address.
* * *
Kai: Busy?
* * *
I roll my eyes when I see the message from Kai. She could be here, tonight, getting ready to indulge in this meal. Or going out with me tomorrow. I’d love for her to be the one I cruise through the park with. But naw, she wants to be on some girl code. But just like in high school, I can’t ignore her.
* * *
Noah: Just cooking, what’s up?
Kai: Call me when you finish?
* * *
Talking may not be as easy as texting, especially if I’m trying to conceal my feelings, but I agree anyway. I finish chopping peppers and the other vegetables, throwing them into the pan before adding the shrimp.
With a glass of wine and my stir-fry I sit in front of the tv to find a movie to watch. I scroll through Netflix and find This Christmas. That damn Regina King though? I’d give it to her any day of the week. If she let me.
When the movie is over and I’m finally ready to call it a night, I grab my phone and go into my bedroom, ready to give Kai a call back. “What’s up, Kai?” I ask when she answers. I can hear women’s voices in the background.
“Hold on,” she says. “Guess who I’m hanging with tonight.” I don’t have to guess, I already knew that voice when I heard it in the background. I spent many nights in high school listening to that voice over the phone.
“Shiloh,” I say without enthusiasm. When I don’t hear anything I say, “Kai, still there?” As much as I’d like to replay high school days of staying up all night on the phone, I do need to get to work in the morning.
“Yeah, still here.” I don’t want to be rude and rush her but if she doesn’t get to the point of this call I’m going to wrap it up. “You’re right, it is Shy. We had a nice chat.” I assume the chat had to involve me, or this call is random as fuck. “I was just going to ask if you had plans tomorrow, that’s all.”
Of course she would call after I have solidified plans. I’m not the one to renege on plans, especially ones I initiated, so I tell her, “Actually, I do.”
“Oh,” she says softly, her voice sending my thoughts to other places. “If anything changes, give me a call?” She sounds defeated. Not the confident chick I met up with at Bar Baxter the other night.
“If anything changes.” Before letting her off the phone I ask, “Hey, did you and Shiloh talk about me?” She laughs into the phone and I already know the answer. “I hope it was all good.”
“Yeah, it was.” I don’t pry into what they could have talked about. But I hope Shiloh kept it real and told her girl to give me a chance.
Kai
Weekends in Baxter have consisted of me participating in whatever seven-year-old activity Reece has going on. Her social calendar is much more vibrant than mine. Birthday parties, festivals, and today, a Christmas market with her and Eva.
By the time I have kids I’ll either be tired of all the kid activities or well prepared with things to do. I’d prefer to have a social agenda of my own so I can work towards making babies, and now that I potentially botched my chance to get in with Baxter’s most eligible bachelor, it might be a while.
Finding a man in this Christmas market certainly isn’t going to work. The men I see are walking, or running, behind kids. “Auntie Kai,” Reece says tugging at my sleeve. Giving her my attention, I wait for her to tell me what it is she wants. She reaches her hand out pointing, and says, “There’s your friend.” She smiles, and I laugh at her trying to play Cupid.
But she’s right, Noah is on the other end of the Christmas market, at a table handing out gift bags. She tugs me in the direction of the table and I look back to Eva, hoping she’d rescue me from this awkward situation.
Instead, Eva smiles widely and whispers, “Good for you and good for me. I need you to distract her for a minute.” Eva nods towards one of the vendors selling patchwork dolls. Shaking my head, I allow Reece to pull me towards Noah for what will be an awkward interaction.
We stand in line behind the families waiting for their gift bag from Baxter Community Bank. I can’t imagine they are handing out anything too exciting. Not like the bank can just give away actual money, although, that would be clutch to aide my dismal teacher’s salary. When Noah recognizes us in the line he leaves from behind the table and walks over to us. He hands Reece a bag and covers his mouth with his pointer finger. He winks at me and we leave the line to thank him.
“Thanks, Mister…” Reece pauses and looks to me trying to remember his name. “Mister Noah,” she blurts out. Noah and I both laugh.
I take a look in the bag and back to him before saying, “Too bad the bank isn’t handing out stacks of cash for Christmas.” He shrugs his shoulders.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Reece?” Noah asks, turning his attention back to Reece who is fumbling with a toy from the bag. She nods her head.
“And you, Kai, enjoying yourself?” Maybe I imagined it, but I think he gave me the L.L. Cool J lick of the lips and I forgot his question. I look at him with my eyebrows arched. “Having a good time?” he asks.
“Oh, yeah, we haven’t been here for too long yet. But saw a couple of nice vendors.”
He looks towards the entrance and asks, “Have you had the warm apple cider and an apple doughnut yet?” I hadn’t but I won’t leave this place till I do. When I shake my head he responds, “I have a few more minutes before the next shift shows up to man the table. Wait for me.” His tone was more demanding than questioning. And between that and the lick of his lip, I’m wrapped around his finger.
“Sure,” I say, disguising my intrigue. Reece waves at Mister Noah before she pulls me in the direction of the bouncy house in the middle of the auditorium. While she bounces I look around for her mama who needs to come get her child so I can get some alone time with the bank manager.
When I spot her walking towards me with a couple of bags I tell her, “You know that girl is not going to use all this stuff she’s getting for Christmas, right?” Eva smirks and looks down at the bags. “Need me to drop them in the car?” I ask, not wanting to guilt her too much.
“Yes, please. But first…” She looks into the bouncy house where Reece is laughing between bounces. “What’s up with Noah? Did you talk to him?”
“I did, when I come back in we’re going to get cider and doughnuts,” I say with a wink and walk away befor
e she can ask any more probing questions.
Blowing on the apple cider, the smell of the apple doughnut brings a smile to my face. I remember eating these at the apple farms when I was a kid. Much like Reece, I had a busy childhood. As much as I want to sit and talk about my cute niece, I’d rather talk about Noah, and see if this could be a thing between us.
Looking at him I ask, “Do you have plans tonight?” He adjusts in his seat with his cup to his mouth, staring at me over the lid.
He places his cup on the table beside his half-eaten doughnut, and then slides his chair closer to mine so our knees are just barely touching. “You sure you could kiss the same lips that kissed your best friend?” he asks, making me scan my surroundings, checking to see if there were any innocent kids caught in the crosshairs of his response. “If the thought of that makes you uncomfortable”—he rests his hand on my knee—“then I’d rather sit at home alone tonight.”
Clearing my throat I say, “When you put it like that…” Watching Noah lick his lips again, I don’t want to imagine those lips kissing Shiloh, or any other woman. I do, however, want to kiss those lips, and if we weren’t in this space, I may have tested his theory. I take a deep breath and when I exhale I go all in. “If tonight leads to a kiss, it leads to a kiss.”
Noah wipes his hand across his beard. “Should I pick you up at your mom’s house or your sister’s?” I’ll need to go back to my mom’s house to get dressed. We hash out the time and place, and before we get up so that I can rejoin Eva and Reece, Noah says, “Dress warm.”
“Will do.” I smile before walking away from Noah. Looking around the auditorium, I find Reece at a craft table and Eva standing against the wall nearby. Eva puts her hand on her hip when she sees me. “What?” I ask when I’m beside her.
“Oh, you’re the only one who likes apple doughnuts?” She looks down to my empty hands. I shrug, and without a good excuse I offer to go back and buy them some before we leave.
My answer pacifies Eva, but now she wants to know about my conversation with Noah. Wants to know what’s next, and before she can ask anything else I interrupt her rant. “Eva, chill.” I think about Noah licking his lips again, then back to his question about Shiloh. “We have a date tonight.” I hope more than anything I can get past the fact that he’s Shiloh’s ex. I’m hoping I’ll be able to enjoy kissing him.
Eva reaches over hugging me and I stand, my arms not moving, confused by the sudden outpouring of love from her. My sister and I have always been close. Of course during those high school years, she didn’t want me in her closet, or at any of the parties she attended, but when she graduated she always called home to check on me. She made sure I was fly for every dance, knew exactly what I was wearing on the first day of school, and even more, made sure my grades were what they needed to be so I could go on to college.
“I’m happy for you, Kai.” The tears glossing over her eyes make me believe she’s thinking about more than my little date with Noah. Before I can ask if she’s okay, she continues, “You sacrificed love to move here to help me.” I watch her as she continues talking about my ex, and me moving to the area. Her hands waving in front of her face to emphasize all I’ve given up.
“Eva, don’t go getting all sentimental on me now.” I point to the crowd of people beside us. “We don’t need to be a blubbering mess in public.” I put a strong emphasis on in public.
She shakes her head, taking a deep breath before she continues, “If not Noah, someone, make sure you allow love to find you.” And just when I thought I could manage my emotions she says, “Life is short, it’s better when you can share it with someone you love, intimately.” I nod my head but don’t say anything. Only wrapping her in my arms, briefly, so we don’t cause a scene at the Christmas market.
Chapter 6
Noah
For the first time, in a long time, I am able to enjoy dating. Having multiple dates with different women in the same week. Now I know why Boris has a hard time settling down. My date with Dionna the other night didn’t end how I hoped it would—back at my place with her screaming my name—and the kiss she gave me before I left her in front of her house probably gave me blue balls. But, the odds of me getting play are more in my favor with multiple women on my team.
At least that’s how I was feeling up until Kai opened the door at her mother’s house. Dressed in a slim pair of jeans and a baggy sweater, a smile spread across her face as she told me, “Let’s go.” Falling back behind her as we walk to the car, I consider switching from team sports.
The drive to the lake doesn’t take long from her mother’s house. Although I told Kai to dress warm, I didn’t tell her we were going ice-skating. She mentioned having a difficult time with her niece, and I’m determined to teach her how to skate tonight. She scrunches her nose as we pull into the parking lot of the park. I grab her hand and tell her, “I won’t let you fall.” She takes a deep breath and nods her head.
Kai laces up her skates and zips up her jacket, with the hood pulled over her head. “I would have been good watching you from the stands,” she says as we step on the ice. I shake my head as I take her hand in mine, giving her instructions to keep her upright, at the least.
Once we have a steady rhythm, not the clunky steps she was attempting to make in ice skates, I say, “I’m glad you changed your mind about giving us a try.”
Her eyes remain straight ahead. “I was reminded that you are a good catch.” She slows our stride before adding, “But don’t let that get to your head.” Laughing, I thank her for the compliment, but ensure her I won’t get ahead of myself. Once she feels stable I release her hand and let her skate alongside me, confident that she won’t fall.
I haven’t been on the ice in years, so I don’t attempt any trickery, instead after a few rounds around the rink I say, “Worked up an appetite yet?” She nods her head and I ask, “Soul food?”
“Yes, Divine Soul?” Divine Soul has been around since we were kids. Not exactly a hole in the wall establishment, but not some place you’d go suited up.
Driving to Divine Soul, we go back and forth about our daily lives. Hers much more exciting than mine, with her goal to give her sister a break and make sure she’s present as much as possible for Reece. I ask her, “Would you want kids?”
She laughs, surprising me when she says, “I did want kids, but I’ve recently realized that shit is going to be hard.” Watching my nephews, I’ve had similar doubts. There are times when I’m beyond excited to hand them back over to their parents. She pulls at her jacket before adding, “I’m sure when I’m in a serious relationship, I’d rethink that.” She looks outside the window seeming lost in thought. “I’m thankful that my sister has Reece, especially after the loss of her husband. In a way, he’s still here with her.” Pulling up to Divine Soul, before rushing out of the car, I give us a moment to acknowledge what she’s revealed.
“Kids will be our lasting legacy, right?” She nods her head, her eyes connecting with mine, and I want to kiss her. Can she kiss me without reservation? My tongue glides across my lips, and when her eyes leave mine now focused on my lips, I take the opportunity to make my move. Leaning across the middle console, she doesn’t snatch away from me as my lips land on hers. My tongue parts her lips, and at first she hesitates, then she lets me in.
I’m the first to back away, knowing that if we don’t stop now, I’ll want more. Considering we are in the parking lot of Divine Soul, I can’t have more. “We should get inside.” She nods her head and pulls down the mirror to check her makeup.
Divine Soul is quaint and packed, but we order our food at the counter and find an empty table. “Another thing I’ve missed about home is good southern food.” Kai sits across from me, her eyes bright from our kiss or from the excitement of the food she just ordered. She was sure to not order the same entree as me, and made me promise we’d share.
“Isn’t Virginia a part of the south,” I ask before taking a sip of my sweet tea.
H
er eyes grow wide and she shakes her head. “The key indicator is that sweet tea, isn’t sweet, and they try to give you extra sugar packets.” We both say in unison, “You can’t sweeten cold tea.” I’m glad she had the opportunity to move out of Georgia, to experience a different environment, but I’m happy she’s home. “I do miss the variety of food I would eat in Virginia though.” The excitement in her eyes fades.
“What else do you miss about Virginia?” I never considered that Kai could move back, that her stay here would be temporary. If she misses it enough, maybe she’ll leave. She tells me about her friends, the school system, and diversity. Things that she feels are lacking about our small town. “Are you thinking you’ll return one day?” I know she’s here for her sister, and for Reece, but Reece will get older and Eva may not need her sister’s help.
Her lips twist to the side and she says, “I haven’t thought about it much.” The server delivers our food to the table, and as promised I let her taste my catfish and she drops a piece of her fried chicken on my plate. “After this meal I’ll need a nap.”
“Noah, what’s up man?” I look up to see Boris and his girlfriend walking towards us. He looks from me to Kai before covering his mouth and saying, “Kai?” His girlfriend looks on from behind him. She’s younger than us and probably doesn’t realize Kai went to school with us. “Mind if we join y’all?” he asks as he directs his girlfriend to sit beside Kai.