I'm Doin' Me

by Anna Black

“Baby, I’m exhausted,” she said.

  Kory kissed the side of her head. “Okay,” he said.

  “Can you back up a bit, it’s hot,” she complained. In the darkness, she felt him shake his head, but he rolled over to his side of the bed.

  “Good night,” he said, sounding irritated.

  “Good night, and, don’t forget we have a ten o’clock with Amber to go over the details for the engagement party.”

  “I won’t,” he said.

  “Which one do you like?” Tressa asked.

  Kory honestly didn’t care. He’d lain awake the previous night wanting to tell her to go home and wondering if he should have ever proposed. “Reesy, it doesn’t matter, baby, they are both nice.” He was ready for the meeting to be over already.

  “The white ones,” she told Amber. Her best friend was also her event planner.

  “And do you guys have your guest list yet?” Amber asked.

  “No, we are still working on it,” Tressa answered.

  “Well, I need it no later than Tuesday.”

  “We’ll have it, no worries,” Tressa told her. Kory wondered why she had even invited him. Earlier in the meeting, everything she asked him, she chose the opposite of what he suggested. After the fourth time that happened, he was ready to get up and walk out. Instead, he shut down and started texting Keith. He’d do an occasional nod, but he wasn’t paying attention to details.

  “Kory, why don’t you get the car and I’ll be out in a sec,” Tressa said. He didn’t mind one bit.

  As soon as Kory was out of earshot, Tressa turned back to her friend. “So what should I do about this Tiffany situation?”

  Amber was busy putting her samples into her designer valise. “Reesy, I didn’t know there was a ‘Tiffany situation. ’ She talked more to Keith than with Kory.”

  “Ummm, hello, Amber, you were at the party last night. You saw how they carried on. And then he asked me again to talk to my father about her stupid show.”

  “Well, why did you open your big mouth in the first place if you didn’t have any intentions on helping her?”

  “Because I was trying to impress Kory. When he told me he was meeting an old friend from home for dinner, you know I was suspicious. I couldn’t let my man go to dinner alone without checking this bitch out, so I pretended to love Boy Crazy so he would take me with. Then I see this high-yellow, cornbread-fed bombshell walk out with all these curves in the sexiest dress she owns. And that shit made me wonder if she was just an old friend or an ex-girlfriend.

  “I saw the look on her face when she saw me. She thought her and Kory were meeting alone. As cool as she tried to play it, she gave herself away by ordering an apple martini with a shot of vodka to start. That was a sure sign of nervousness. She had no idea Kory was engaged, I could see it on her face. I had to say something to show Kory how jealous I wasn’t and win some points.”

  “But, Reesy, you are jealous, and you have no reason to be. Kory loves you. You made that brother wait two months for some ass, and he stuck around. After you finally gave him some, you slapped him with the ‘I love you’ and somehow convinced him to propose to you within six months, even though you purposely scrape his dick with your teeth to get out of giving him blow jobs. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”

  “I know Kory loves me, Amber, and sex is just overrated. I’d rather wear last season’s clothing out in public than have a man all on top of me. And you know I detest oral sex. It is repulsive. If I keep doing a horrible job, he won’t ask.”

  “But you love for him to do you?”

  “Yes. And if that’s all he did and then let me go to sleep, life would be perfect.”

  Amber shook her head. “You have issues, Reesy. I’m telling you now Kory is one of the good ones. He is not like the athletes, actors, or rappers you’ve dated in the past who have broken your heart over and over again. He has wealth because he is a smart businessman, not because he compromises his values for a buck. Don’t turn this into a Tressa sitcom. Relax and trust him. You are Tressa Isabella Green. Kory accepts you for who you are, even though you have a tabloid past; that means something. Don’t lose another one, Reesy. Be happy for once and ditch the drama.” She stood up.

  “So you think I have nothing to worry about?” Reesy asked.

  “Nothing. And call your dad and put a good word in for that sister like you said you would. Smooches.” She gave Tressa a quick peck and a hug. “And I need that list by Tuesday, Reesy,” she reminded her as she walked away. “I’m serious.”

  “You’ll have it!” Tressa called after her. She sat back down. She didn’t care what Amber said. She wasn’t new to the game; she knew Tiffany had an agenda. She pulled out her phone to call her dad, but then put it back in her purse. She wasn’t going to ask her father to help her potential competition. She got up, grabbed her expensive bag and sunglasses, and went out to the car where she knew Kory was waiting patiently. When he saw her approaching, he got out and opened her door.

  “So, babe,” she said when he got back in, “you think we can swing by Saks? I got a call that my shoes are in.” She locked her seatbelt and he started the car.

  “Babe, I told you that I have to meet up with the fellas. We are going to the game.”

  “That’s today?” she asked, surprised.

  “Yes, Reesy. I just reminded you this morning,” he said as he pulled out the club’s drive.

  “This will only take a sec, babe. And we’re already on this side of town.”

  “Reesy, I am already thirty minutes behind.”

  “Kory, it’s like five minutes away. If you are already behind, what difference will five minutes make?”

  Not wanting to continue to go back and forth, he agreed to go. Kory pulled up in front of Saks and Tressa hopped out. He knew her ‘I’ll be right back’ meant he was going to be even later meeting the guys. He banged his head back against the headrest. How did he let her do this to him all the time? His phone rang and his frown turned upside down when he saw Tiffany’s name.

  “Hey,” he said when he answered.

  “Hey, this is Tiff,” she said. He heard the smile in her voice.

  “I know, what’s up, girl?”

  “Nothing too much. Keith told me that you guys had plans to go to the game today, so I wanted to catch you before it started to say thanks for having me and Asia over yesterday. I had a ball. I hadn’t danced like that in ages.”

  “Sure, of course. I am so happy you came. Vi texted me this morning asking for a rematch since we whipped their asses so bad last night in bid.”

  “Yes, we tore them a new one,” she said.

  “We are going to have to get together and do it again soon.”

  “Yes, indeed.” They lapsed into a weird silence until she spoke again. “Well, I don’t want to keep you. I just wanted to thank you and Tressa for having us.”

  At the mention of his fiancée’s name, he blinked. The pleasant sound of Tiffany’s tone had given him a brief moment of amnesia. Reesy tapped on the glass and he ended the call and hit the lock.

  “Who was that?”

  “Keith,” he lied. He didn’t want to get anything started with Tressa. He just wanted to drop her and get to Keith’s so they could head to the game.

  “Oh, okay,” she said.

  Chapter Eight

  Tressa was up before Kory the next morning. She got up, and went over to his side of the bed, and eased his cell phone from the nightstand and went into the bathroom to check his call history and texts. She went to call logs and there it was. An incoming call from Tiffany at 1:06 p.m. from the day before. She’d known he’d been lying when she got back in the car. She went to his texts and was relieved to see that there were only four messages. One from Tiffany asking how was the game, Kory replying that it was great, her saying okay good night, and him saying it back. That was harmless, but she didn’t want them to be talking and texting on a regular. She went to his contacts and was about to delete Tiffany’s
number, but decided she’d better not. If she did, he’d know she’d been in his phone. She wanted to keep that on the low so she could check it again at a later date.

  She placed his phone back on his nightstand and got back into bed. They got up later and he got ready to head to the jewelry store, while she dressed to head to TiMax.

  “Babe, don’t forget to holla at your dad about Tiffany’s show,” he reminded her again. “She really needs this break.”

  “I won’t, for the last time. I will see you later,” she said and kissed him bye.

  When she arrived to her dad’s office, she chatted with him for a bit, but never said a word about Tiffany’s show. Leaving his office, she ran into Wallace. He was one of the producers there and he was madly in love with her. She had a brilliant idea.

  “Wallace, how are you?” This was the first time she addressed him before he spoke to her. She usually avoided him at all cost because he was an annoying-ass groupie.

  “I’m great, Miss Green,” he said with a bright smile. “How are you?” He was a geek, but he was good-looking. The package he was in was all wrong. A good-looking square. What a waste of fine, she thought because he was a joke.

  “I’m good. And you are looking good today. Is that a new shirt?” He looked surprised and she knew he was shocked she’d said that many words to him.

  “This old thing? I’ve worn it a million times.” She knew he was telling the truth, because it looked as if he had worn it two million times.

  “Well, that color is working on you,” she lied. “Listen, can I talk to you in your office for a minute?”

  “Sure,” he said, giving her a nervous smile.

  “Listen,” she said once he closed the door. “I have this dilemma and I was wondering if you could help me out.” She knew he would be eager to help her.

  “Anything for you,” he said.

  “I have this friend who is trying to bring her show over to TiMax, but I don’t think it would be a great fit. Being the sweetheart that I am, I sorta promised her I’d set something up with my dad to share her proposal. But you know, I don’t want to bother Daddy with this. I was only being polite, but now she is hounding me, and I need someone to let her down gently. So, I was wondering if you’d see her, hear her out, and tell her you will get back to her after you present this to my dad. Then, in a couple days, call her and tell her that he declined.”

  “Wow, who is she?”

  “Tiffany Richardson.”

  “At KCLN?”

  Tressa frowned. “Yeah, do you know her?”

  “No, but I’ve heard great things. She took her show from number six to number one in one season. Boy Crazy is hot and could be a good fit for TiMax. Is KCLN not going to renew her contract?”

  “Wallace, I’m not sure. The thing is, TiMax cannot take her show.”

  “Why?”

  “Okay, Wallace, I’ll be straight with you. She is my fiancé’s ex-girlfriend from Chicago. Until Kory and I are married, we don’t need any distractions.”

  “Okay, Miss Green, enough said. When do you want me to meet her?”

  “Whenever you want. Here is her number.” She slid Tiffany’s card across his desk and he picked it up. “Just decline her before my engagement party,” she instructed.

  “Done,” he said.

  She stood up and walked over to the other side of his desk and got into his face like she was going to kiss him. “If you pull this off, I will make sure you have a long career here at TiMax.”

  “No worries, I got this,” he said.

  “I’m sure you do, daddy,” she said, flirting a little. She knew his nerdy ass got a hard on. She gave him a little wink and reminded him that this needed to stay between them and he winked back.

  She wanted to laugh in his dumb-ass face, but she held on to her laughter until she made it down the hall. She left and hit a few stores and went by to visit her mom before she headed to Kory’s. When she walked in, the aroma of food hit her nose and she knew he was cooking.

  “Sweetheart?” she yelled and stepped out of her shoes.

  “In here,” he yelled from the kitchen.

  When she walked in, he had on a tank, some basketball shorts, socks and slippers, and his KISS THE COOK apron. Kory was a little over six feet, medium brown, and had a strong jaw line that made his tapered beard look like layers of chocolate waves. He had a nice grade of hair, but wore it low, and his line was never overgrown. He had hazel eyes that she had learned he got from his mother, and his lashes were so long they looked like girl lashes. He was fine and smart and had a cockiness about himself that she admired.

  “Hey,” she said and went over to kiss him.

  “Hey, baby, how was your day?”

  “It was great. I got some shopping done, went by the network, and stopped by to visit my mom.”

  “Speaking of the network, thanks so much for hollering at your dad for Tiff. She got a call today already from that cat, Wallace Mitchell, and she was like on ten.”

  “Sure. I told you I would.” She grabbed the red wine from the fridge and poured herself a glass. “Now that she has the interview, maybe she’ll quit blowing up your phone.” She took a seat at the island.

  “Tiffany has not been blowing up my phone,” Kory protested.

  “Whatever.” She took a sip of wine.

  “Okay, Reesy, if you say so.”

  She watched him put the foil back over the salmon and put it back into the oven. “Oh, and after dinner, we have to do this invite list.”

  “Listen, Reesy, you handle that. Most of my people are in Chicago. My parents, uncles, and my cousin Kennedy are coming into town next Thursday. There will be less than twenty-five people on my list.”

  “So write them down,” she snapped and shot him a look.

  “Grab that pad from the fridge,” he instructed.

  “Okay,” she said and when she did, he gave her his quick list. “Oh, and Tiffany plus one,” he added.

  She rolled her eyes. “I hope she brings a date and not her girlfriend.” She made air quotes when she said the last word.

  “You will never quit, will you?” Kory poured rice into a serving dish from the pot.

  “What?”

  “First she wants me, and now she’s a lesbian? Come on, Reesy, babe, cut it out. If you would get to know her, you just might like her.”

  She laughed.

  “What’s funny?” he asked, taking the fish out of the oven.

  “I don’t need to get to know her. I have enough friends. It doesn’t matter if she is gay or straight; what matters is what she wants with you.”

  “Okay, cut.” Kory put the pan down. “Let’s clear this up right now. And after I say this, I would like for you to let this go. I want you and only you. I proposed to you. Tiffany is an old friend; that is it. Let’s just say your theory is right, and she wants me. It doesn’t matter, because I am with you.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, Tressa. I love you.” He walked around to the other side of the island and kissed her softly on the lips.

  She smiled. “Okay, Kory, okay.”

  He kissed her again. “So no more ‘terrible Tiffany’ conversations.”

  “Okay,” she agreed and tried to let it go. Maybe she was overthinking things. She was L.A.’s queen, so why was she so intimidated by Tiffany, who was a nobody? She felt better.

  “Okay, now let’s eat,” Kory said.

  Chapter Nine

  “Okay, everyone, listen up,” Tiffany said. Feeling like she was about to burst, she waited until everyone settled down. “Today is, like, one of the most exciting days of my life. I have good news and great news.”

  “Come on, already,” Myah yelled.

  “Okay, do you want the good news or the great news?”

  “Tiff, I’m dying here,” Darryl yelled and rolled his eyes.

  “I got a meeting with Wallace Mitchell at TiMax on Thursday,” she announced. Everyone applauded.

  “How did you
get in the door?” Darryl asked.

  “Well, an old friend from high school is engaged to Tressa Green, the daughter of a Mr. Langley Green and she hooked me up.”

  “Your old high school bud is engaged to the queen of L.A.? This is like her tenth fiancé,” he said.

  Tiffany hadn’t known that. “What?” she asked, wondering if Kory knew.

  “Yes, girl, you only been here, what, a minute. When you have time, I got the inside track on that ho.”

  Tiffany decided to get back to the meeting. “Anyway, now on to my good news.”

  “There’s more?” Myah asked.

  “Yes, over the weekend, I got to meet the great Julia Valentine and she has agreed to appear on the show and sing a song,” she announced and they went nuts. Julia Valentine was bigger than her twin sister was when she was alive.

  “Shut the front door,” Darryl said.

  Tiffany wondered how he could be gay on that level. He bypassed Sugarland a thousand times on the gay scale. “I’m not lying. She even gave me her cell number. She’s the sister-in-law of an old friend. He is married to her sister, Janice Valentine, from the gospel group Victory.”

  “Oh, there is a God,” Myah shouted.

  “Listen up, everyone, seriously. We need to put everything we have into this last season. I mean, we have to sit in this room and write ’til our hands bleed.” She turned to the three main cast members. “And you ladies have to come with it this season. I am going to need you to give it more than your best. Moving over to a premium network means we can do whatever we want. No censorship, so you ladies are going to have to be prepared to step up your game and be ready to work. I mean, profanity, nudity; there are no limits with TiMax, and I want to make sure we are all on board.”

  Everyone nodded, some yelling, “Hell yeah.”

  “If we get this, we are going to reach a broader audience. It’s game time people,” she said. The meeting went on for another hour or so, and then she went into her office. Within a few minutes, Todd came in. She knew Brad had been the one to spill.

  “Todd,” she said nervously.

  “Calm down, Tiff, I’m unarmed,” he announced.