Jenzy looks back at me and shakes her head. “I texted my sister-in-law to let her know we’re coming and I think she’s trying to say she’s team Moses.”
I laughed and carried the pizza in to set it on the counter. “Nice to know I have support.”
She pulls two plates and sets them out so I served us both a slice. I didn’t expect her to break a touch barrier but she smoothed her hand down my arm and held it with the other. “Thank you again.” she set her cheek against my bicep and my heart pounded.
“You don’t have to apologize or thank me. I just want to be with you.”
She looks up and it brings her face into a kissable distance. This is hard. It’s a kiss moment. I have nothing but the amber glow of candles and her lack of pulling back is like a call out but I also feel it in my bones that moving too fast could run her off. So I settle for kissing just her upper lip.
She turns red as her dress then hides her face in my shoulder. God, this woman. She’s so naturally seductive.
Though it was meant to deepen the mood, it was a push too far when the song Wicked Games, the remix by Raign came blasting through the speakers of a player in the living room.
Meant to seduce it only made us crack up. Her sister-in-law was trying a little too hard now.
Jenzy stepped away from me and rolled her eyes, “Mandy! We get it! Come out and meet Moses.”
May
“Oh my God! Moses! Look!” Chloe jumped up and down like a kid in the gift shop. She made her way from the cheap jewelry to where I was by the t-shirts and held up a set of two necklaces packaged together. Silver chains swung in my face but at the end was a heart charm that readBest Friends.The charm itself was split down the center so each wearer could sport half a heart.
“Seriously?” I asked her. “Isn’t this a little twenty years ago?”
“That’s the beauty of it!” She took a closer look, “these are so awesome. I’m buying them.” She turned on her heel and flounced up to the cash register.
I rolled my eyes and kept browsing but when she was done she whistled and I made my way to the door.
One foot out that same door and she already had the tags and plastic off the charm and was slipping hers on over her head. “I get the word best, because I’m the best and you get friends.” She dictated.
I winced, looking down at the chintzy little adornment. “Please don’t make me wear that.”
She bugged her big green eyes. “Moses! It’s cool! Do it. Do it now.”
“It’s what ten-year-old girls wear on the school bus.”
“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Manly Man. Want me to scratch an Avengers symbol on the back?”
I laughed, “Whatever girly, I’m not wearing that.”
“But I bought it.” She whined.
We did the thing. The stare thing that looks like we’re arguing but our mouths don’t move so it’s all eyes and brows and looks like telepathy is happening.
Then she dropped the silent fight and her features fell. Fuck. She’s going to do that thing she knows works on me every time. That damned pouty thing. Sure enough, her full bottom curved outward and her eyes looked up under thick lashes, converting to puppy dog.
Chloe’s eyes are deceivingly innocent and beguiling.
“Please…” she said in a small voice.
I set my hands on my hips to look decided. “You have been foiled, Madam.”
She held the look and swallowed in acceptance. “Right well…I’ll just…wear both. That’s okay.”
“Oh for fuck sake.” I snatched the other and bent my head to put it on.
Her sadness went away way too fast to have been real, the little wench. “Yay! You look great! See!”
“No, I look gay.”
“Well you looked gay when we marched in the Gay Pride parade, and we both had on rainbow shirts so...”
“That was different,” I argued.
“And you’ve also kissed a guy.”
“That was an accident!”
She narrowed her eyes, “didn’t look like one.”
“He was a transgender, and in my defense, you introduced her as Jessie and she was very pretty.”
“Jessie can be a guy’s name and she had an Adam’s apple.” She reminded.
“Looking gay for a cause is fine. I don’t mind if guys hit on me, cause I’m a dish. This looks cock blocking, though. Like girls will assume I’m a shopping buddy, gay.”
“Just wear it you Pussy.”
I gave her a flat look, “thanks, that just solidified your whole argument.”
We started walking down the street and she shrugged, “you have a girlfriend now, so who cares what other girls think?”
I slung my arm around her shoulders. “I don’t. I’ll wear your ugly charm with pride.”
She leaned into me as we walked and I narrowed my eyes at a dude that was leering. I hate that. Chloe attracts men like magnets but it’s the shady ones I worry about.
“Are you twat blocking me?” She asked. She caught my ‘back off’ look.
“I’m filtering for you.”
“How do you know which guys should be filtered?”
I pulled her closer into my side, “we’ve talked about this. I’m a guy and a dog knows a dog, Baby Girl.”
“Yeah, but you’re like…a domestic dog.”
I pulled her hair and she yelped then laughed. She looks awesome today like always. Expressing her own personal style without giving a fig. She’s wearing this short tight-ass black dress that’s got a white skeleton of her body from the ribcage to down the spine and the hips printed on it. All along with little black boots; no heel. Usually, she’s got heels.
“Wanna stop in and see your Dad?” She asked.
My Dad’s bookstore is right across the street and it’s dad’s day to work it. “Sure.”
We shift in that direction and as soon as my Dad see’s Chloe he perks up. Abandoning his dusting of the shelves up front.
“There’s my girl!” He says as we step in.
“Hey Dad,” she goes over and kisses both his cheeks.
“What’s got you kids in here today?” he asked me directly. He looks a little pissed suddenly, “checking to see if I lost my marbles?”
“I don’t think your incompetent dad,” I say as I straighten some books out. “But you have to admit you were letting some financial stuff slip.”
“You think I’m old and senile.”
When he looked back at the shelves he was dusting I looked at Chloe and gave her an “Oh My God!” look. I love my dad, but yes. He was way older than my mom and so he’s up there. He makes mistakes he wouldn’t have a few years ago.
Chloe set her chin on Dad’s shoulder, “your son’s an arrogant little ass isn’t he?”
I widened my eyes at her. “Not helping.” I say.
My dad waves me off. “I don’t even listen anymore.”
“You two need to stop.” I tell them.
My dad goes on, “Chloe! Marry my son so I don’t have to deal with his bitching.”
Chloe laughs and takes a closer look at some of the crystals on display. “He’s too annoying to be my husband Dad.”
“I agree…” Dad looks over her shoulder while she browses and gives me one of those looks. I hate that look. He’s been doing that since Chloe and I were teens. He wants us together and he thinks our friendship is dysfunctional.
“Hey guys,” Chloe says missing the exchange, “I’m going to check out your candles among other things, these sales you keep having are crazy. Be right back.”
We nod and no sooner is she around the corner that my dad whispers, “he who hesitates…”
I sighed in a dramatic way, “Dad! Stop.”
“It’s weird! Two people that are the opposite sex being so close and not being a couple. I think you’re both just cowards.”
“Do we have to do this now?”
“Yep.”
I pursed my lips, “some kids put their parents in a home you know?”
He laughed, “I’d like to see you try, you little shit.”
“They make homes for you guys so us young folk don’t go bonkers.”
He pretended to recall something with his arms crossed, “oh yeah…they had homes like that for bratty toddlers when you were growing up. They called them orphanages. If I had to teach you to count you can check and clear up my financial crap.”
We both laughed. “I’m dating remember? So is Chloe.”
“Your date is married. It’s not smart. You’re not using your noggin.”
“Divorced…” I corrected.
“Not yet. Let me tell you son, divorce doesn’t mean crap. The heart is where you’re married. You’re fishing up the wrong stream and you’re gonna get your heart broke. Not to mention you could be in the way of their story.”
Dad was speaking all my fears but when I thought of Jenzy I couldn’t just let go. “I thought you liked her. You call Jenzy your favorite customer.”
He hit my head with the duster. “She is! I love that girl, but she’s not yours.”
“Her husband doesn’t even see her…”
He shook his head, “your mother and I had our ups and downs too. That’s what relationships are.”
Right on cue, Jenzy walked into the shop and any words of wisdom and warning were gone. She’s always on my mind and when I see her in person she blows me away. She saw me and started my way just as Chloe came up.
“Got them!” Chloe shouts. “These are so cool! They have what they do for the energy of the room written on the label; peace, relaxation, love, positivity…and the prices are perfect.” She looked up and smiled at Jenzy. “Hey.”
“Hey…” Jenzy smiled back brightly.
I feel nervous for some reason. “Chloe, this is her.” I say. Chloe looks at me with a frown as Jenzy comes in further and hugs me. “This is Jenzy. The girl I’m talking to.”
“Oh, you’re Chloe!” Jenzy says, lighting up. “Moses has told me a lot about you. Hi!”
Chapter Six
CHLOE
Oh…so Jenzy isn’t a plastic looking girl like Katie was, or a resting bitch face type. She was gorgeous. Really long auburn hair falling in medieval waves, long slender body, really soulful blue eyes.
“Nice to meet you…” I think I said that out loud.
Jenzy looked genuine when she said, “you too! You’re beautiful. Like you have a very exotic appearance.”
I wonder if she’s jealous. Katie used to be paranoid about Moses and I. I want to intimidate her but if I do she could pull back on Moses’ reins and I wouldn’t see him as often.
“Thanks. Well, I see why Moses talks about you so much. You’re…very beautiful.” I tried.
“Wow! Big compliment.”
“What were you up to?” Moses asked her.
Jenzy shrugged, “nothing really, just browsing.”
Moses’ dad gave her a quick side hug then went behind the counter and I think it was to watch all of us. He might think I intend to bite Jenzy or something.
Moses jerked his head at the door, “why don’t you go to the hookah bar up the street with us. Chloe and I were on our way there now.”
He looked at me like to ask if it was okay but I didn’t have time to process that he’d invited her. I just shrugged and nodded.
Jenzy squinted. “Are you sure? Were you guys having friend time?”
Moses shook his head, “Nah, we catch up all the time. We’d love you to come.”
She checked my expression so I kept it open. “It’s no big deal,” I added.
She smiled, “okay, let’s do it.”
“You guys start and I’ll go pay for my stuff,” I told them.
Moses opened the door for her and they flirted their way out. I stood with my candles and wondered if they had a candle scent for this specific problem. Like a Jealousy Rain, or a Meadows of Friend Zone.
I went to the counter and set down my less helpful candles and Moses’ dad rang me up. “Looks like my boy’s got a new girl huh?” he asked.
I pretended to look at the necklaces for sale, “looks like it.”
“She seems sweet. Always has been.”
I wanted him to say he hated her but he didn’t. “She looks into him.”
“Yeah but…” he drifted off while he bagged my candles and I struggled in my head with how to make him tell me.
“But?”
“When she first started coming here, all she talked about was her husband. Never seen a girl more over the moon for a guy she was already married too. I’m not so sure she’s ready for all this yet, but it’s not my business.”
“But she’s getting divorced.”
“They’re drifting apart. It happens. I could be wrong. She might be meant for Moses and all my opinions won’t matter. I just want him to be careful.”
I took my bag from him, “you think she’s like Katie?”
He waved me off, “hell no, she’s a true sweetheart, not a bitch bone in her body. I just don’t see her being over her husband.”
We wrapped up our talk and by time I got outside Moses and Jenzy were pretty far down the street. They talked and walked close and every so often she would touch him or he would touch her. I’m not just a third wheel; I’m more like a third nipple.
The hookah bar is where I caught up. The smoking lounge has a Middle Eastern theme with heavy orange curtains and cubbies in the wall that’s cushioned with a variety of silky pillows and throws. The couches and chairs are all low to the ground and the tables for tea or hookahs are wooden and round.
Moses found us a spot on the floor by the window and we all three settled in a circle around the table. There are these really big pillows to sit on and they’re all different shapes with rope fringe at the edges.
I sat on a plush circular one and took in Jenzy while we all went through the menu of flavors.
She’s got on this pastel pink tank with a flared black mini skirt that has floral print and a light colored jean jacket. She’s annoyingly cute, with her white tennis shoes and her deerskin purse.
“Mint?” Moses asks. By the look on his face, he’d been asking me for a while.
“Oh,” I sat straight, “sounds good.”
“So how did you guys meet?” Jenzy asked after the guy came for our order of hookah and tea.
I looked at Moses and he smiled as he explained, “we met when Chloe shoved my face in sand and took my Ninja Turtle figurines.”
Jenzy laughed and I pinched my ear before clarifying. “We met when we were little. I was in kindergarten and he was approaching first. Been friends ever since.”
Jenzy set her chin in her hand and watched us. “All those years and you never drifted apart?”
Moses shook his head, “we always found each other. My parents made sure of it.”
Jenzy tilted her head. “Found each other?”
Moses looked to me like to be sure it was okay to tell her. Why not? Moses rarely just screws women for pleasure. He’s a committer and Jenzy is obviously a steady hope.
This also means boundaries. Whenever Moses dates he and I naturally withdraw a little. Less touching, and stuff to make the girl he’s with less uncomfortable, but not me. When I date I don’t care what men think.
I went ahead with my story since Moses looked reluctant to tell her, “Um, my parents were immigrants…my dad was Greek and my mom was Israeli. They had me here, though…on American soil so…I’m American.”
Jenzy sat back when the guy dressed like an islander brought our hookah and our tea. Then she took off her jacket and said, “that’s quite a mix. No wonder you’re so pretty.”
I smiled my thanks, but I’m not sure if she means it or not. “Anyway, they uh…well my dad he killed himself and my mom didn’t want to be without him so she did too…” Jenzy did that look, ‘the ouch’ look. “I was four so I went into the system…I moved around in a lot of foster homes, but thankfully my first was in Moses’ neighborhood and we met at the park.”
>
Moses laughed, “my mom fell in love with Chloe, she wanted her but we were struggling too much financially and they already had me and my sister. When she bounced to another home, though, they’d investigate where and then set up play dates.”
Jenzy looked back at me and blew out air. “You’re a strong lady. Did you ever end up in one place or with parents you liked?”
I wrinkled my nose. “No, I did meet a girl that was in the same foster home at the end. Brianna is my sister by heart not blood but she means the same. She was going blind when I met her and in the last three years she officially lost her sight.”
Moses moved the coal around on the top of the hookah then sat Indian style and slipped a mouthpiece over the hose saying, “the last home was the worst. Chloe was seventeen and the couple only kept her for the state money. They wouldn’t let her see me because they thought I’d get her pregnant and they’d have to take care of two.”
I gave a laugh to lighten the next bit, “they kicked me out on my birthday. I was legal so…”
Jenzy took up the tiny pot and poured herself a cup of hot lavender tea, “what did you do?”
I looked to Moses now. I’m not sure he wants her to have the whole story or part of it but he went on for me and sounded…hmm, proud is a weird word to use…he sounded respectful. “She was homeless so she got a stripping gig at a place in the hills.”
He gave me a green light so I went on, “I liked it, and I was good. Really good, so one of the stars there taught me and got me into a studio. She even paid for it, but she didn’t know I was living in the back of the club. I didn’t want a place to live, I wanted to dance. Dancing made me feel free and in control of something.”
Moses passed Jenzy the hose and she inhaled slowly on it while listening to him, “we met up the same way we did the first time,” he gave me a wink and I rolled my eyes.
Then I took the hose Jenzy offered and smoked instead of saying.
Jenzy laughed, “what? You guys have to tell me, this story is too great.”
Moses poured her some tea then me, “after being separated a month, and let me tell you, it was a miserable month, not knowing where she was or being able to talk, she found me walking home from a night class and shoved me down and took my wallet.”
The Friend Zone (The Relationship Quo Series Book 2) Page 6