Mine (Falling For A Rose Book 7)

by Stephanie Nicole Norris

  “Yes, ma’am,” the waitress scribbled, “and you?” she asked Jasmine.

  “Let me get your Caesar salad and the apple martini, please.”

  The waitress smiled and nodded. “Good choice,” she said. “Anything else?” She glanced around at all three of them.

  Phoebe and Jasmine glanced back at Eden who had resumed her stirring of her food.

  “Bring her an apple martini also,” Jasmine said.

  Phoebe lifted a brow and Jasmine nodded. “In that case, bring me one also.”

  “I would usually ask you for your ID, but since I know you’re all over twenty-one, we’ll skip that process.”

  “How do you know we’re over twenty-one?” Jasmine asked.

  “Walk away,” Eden said to the waitress.

  The waitress glanced over at Eden. “Excuse me?” she asked.

  Eden pulled her eyes from her dish to the waitress but Jasmine cut her off. “Don’t do that,” Jasmine said.

  “No, don’t you do it. Tell her, Phoebe, we all know where she’s going with her question.”

  “She’s right, Jasmine, chill,” Phoebe said.

  “So it’s gang up on Jasmine day, huh?” Jasmine said.

  Phoebe acknowledged the waitress. “Thank you, that will be all.”

  They smiled at each other, and the waitress left the table.

  “Y’all are always busting my chops,” Jasmine said, half glaring at her sisters.

  “And you like making public scenes for some reason.”

  It was true, out of the three of them, Jasmine was the wild child. Celebrity or not, she spoke her mind, claimed her truths, and flipped out occasionally when she felt disrespected. Jasmine flipped her hair off her shoulder.

  “No, people try me and I just set the record straight.”

  Phoebe shook her head and spoke to Eden. “What’s up with you?”

  Eden sat back and crossed her legs. “Nothing’s up with me.”

  “That’s your story and your sticking to it?” Phoebe retorted.

  Eden glanced between her sisters, keeping her mouth shut.

  “Okay, tell me, is this a Derek thing or is it about your latest client?”

  Eden, an interior designer, was having trouble with her latest client. The guy expected her to work at his side, nitpicking about every detail of the design. It was as if she hadn’t shown him a sketch of how his man cave would look when she finished. It was the worse type of client to deal with. You don’t hire a wedding planner only to plan the wedding yourself. It was ridiculous, but Eden wished that was the butt of her problem tonight.

  “Let me just say, I completely feel your madness from the other night,” Eden said.

  Phoebe nodded. “Let me guess, Derek wants to take you out but doesn’t want to disrespect your brothers?”

  Eden gritted her teeth with a roll of her eyes.

  “It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” she said.

  “Not really,” Jasmine countered.

  Phoebe and Eden looked at her with their mouths agape.

  “How can you say that when your situation is no different?” Phoebe said.

  “They’re men, and what I’ve noticed is they tend to be harder when it comes to their family.”

  “This B. S. is what Jordan and Quentin keep saying,” Phoebe blurted.

  At that, Jasmine and Eden directed their attention at their sister.

  “What do you mean Jordan and Quentin?” they said concurrently.

  “Quentin and I are dating,” Phoebe said.

  Jasmine’s mouth fell open in a huge smile.

  “Since when?!” Eden said, astonished. Neither of them ever thought they would hear the day when Phoebe and Quentin finally decided to date each other. It was a known fact that the relationship between their brothers and their friends could change, possibly for the worst if things didn’t work out.

  A blushing smile crept along Phoebe’s lips. “Since today, officially, I think.”

  Eden’s smile dropped and she squinted. “You think?”

  “Wait, time out,” Jasmine said, signaling the call with her hand. “Does Jordan know?”

  Phoebe fixed her lips to speak, glancing from Eden and Jasmine. “Yes.”

  The women’s mouths dropped even further.

  “He walked in when we were holding hands.”

  Eden and Jasmine were looking like clowns now with their eyes and mouths stretched wide.

  “Please close your mouth before something flies in it.”

  Eden glanced over at Jasmine. “Girl, this is CNN news right here. Please,” Eden motioned with her hands and got comfortable in her seat. “Tell us all about it.”

  Jasmine nodded in agreement also getting comfortable in her chair.

  “You know, your mood sure did change for the better just then,” Phoebe acknowledged at Eden.

  “Oh, nothing is better than this,” Eden said. “Please tell me Quentin told him to stick it!”

  Jasmine guffawed, bending to the side slightly in her seat.

  Phoebe smiled. “I don’t know what exactly Quentin said to Jordan because I was outside of the room.”

  “Wait, he didn’t put you out, did he?” Eden said.

  “If you consider him asking me to, “let me holla at my boy for a minute” putting me out then yeah, he put my ass out.”

  “Ugh,” Eden said, shaking her head. “That is just offensive.”

  “Like their word is the law of the land or something,” Phoebe quipped. “What I know is when Jordan came out of the room, he was pissed, pacing, huffing and puffing.

  Eden and Jasmine looked on with engrossed interest.

  “We had it out. More of the same, back and forth. Then I left him standing in the hallway.”

  “You better go, girl.” Eden raised her hand for a clap to which Phoebe leaned in meeting her palm midair.

  “You have to understand though,” Jasmine reiterated. “There’s no telling what they’ve all done together or witnessed one another doing.”

  “Gee, Jasmine, I’m going to lose my lunch if you keep talking like that,” Eden said.

  Jasmine glanced down at Eden’s plate. “How, you didn’t eat anything.”

  Phoebe chuckled, and Eden rolled her eyes. “Anyway,” Eden said, “does Jonathon know?”

  Now it was Phoebe’s time to roll her eyes. “Just Jonathon?”

  “Well, I mean, the others, too, but especially Jonathon.”

  Phoebe sighed; she was becoming annoyed again. “I don’t think he knows yet. Quentin wants to talk to him before we…”

  “Start getting it on,” Jasmine stated with a wiggle of her brows.

  Eden burst out laughing and Phoebe glared. “I’m sorry,” Eden said, “it was funny. It’s what we all want to know anyway.”

  “Well why didn’t you just ask instead of pretending like you’re interested in the whole ordeal?”

  “No, no,” Eden waved with a hand. “We’re interested in that, too, but very much so, in the other thing.” Eden’s smile held.

  At Phoebe’s unsure look, Eden called out to her. “Phoebe?”

  “I’m not so sure that’s up for debate.”

  Jasmine and Eden glanced at each other. “Why?” Jasmine asked.

  Phoebe recounted their events in Nicaragua and the way Quentin had paused when he’d found out that she was a virgin.

  “So you’re saying he has a problem with you never giving it up before?” Eden questioned.

  “I still can’t believe you haven’t given that poonanny up,” Jasmine said with a twist of her lips.

  Both Phoebe and Eden turned to her with a neck roll. “Excuse you,” Eden said, “we all agreed not to have sex until it was with the man we would marry,” Eden said. “Just because you broke down and got loose as a goose, don’t talk down on us.”

  “Loose as a goose!” Jasmine said, with her mouth hanging open.

  Phoebe laughed and pointed at Jasmine with a wagging finger. “Loose as a g
oose,” she sang with her laughter tilting over.

  “I am not loose as a goose for your information! I’ve only been with three guys.”

  “Yeah, yeah, but who’s counting, right?” Eden murmured.

  “Whatever,” Jasmine said. “This one over here isn’t marrying Quentin, but she was spread eagle about to get her some goodness.”

  Phoebe’s laughter died down, then she shrugged as her sisters brought their attention back to her. “I’m ready, you know,” Phoebe said.

  The table became quiet, and the server approached with Phoebe’s and Jasmine’s meals and martinis.

  “Thanks,” Phoebe chimed.

  “You’re very welcome. Is there anything else I can get any of you?”

  “No, we’re good,” Eden said as she continued to take in what Phoebe had just said.

  “I’ll be back to check on you in a minute.” The server sashayed away with a spring in her step.

  “You’re really ready?” Eden asked.

  “Aren’t you?” Phoebe retorted.

  Eden shrugged. “How do you really know when the person is deserving? I sure as hell have no intentions of having just a sexual relationship with anyone. I want the whole package. Married, kids, white picket fence.” Eden paused. “Well, maybe a light gray looking fence, white is so cliché.”

  “Girl, everything you just said is cliché,” Jasmine said.

  “Maybe, but that’s how I feel.”

  “Then Derek James Clark is the last guy you should want to date.”

  “Why, if our brothers can change, why can’t he?” Eden asked.

  Phoebe snapped her fingers with a head nod. “That right there is what I’m talking about.”

  “Yeah, but how often is there a group of guys who are fine as hell, multimillionaires…. Que dogs,” she added for extra measure, “who decide to all grow up and have wives?”

  They all glanced around at each other.

  “Actually, pretty often,” Eden said. “Happens in the NFL, NBA, the music industry, hell Cardi B just got engaged to OffSet.”

  “Okay and out of those couples how many of them stay together? Or better yet, how many of the guys are faithful,” Jasmine declared.

  “Well I’m choosing to believe that Quentin is not that guy.”

  “And I’m doing the same thing,” Eden said.

  “Hey, it’s cool with me, I’m not the one you have to convince.”

  Eden glanced over at Phoebe. “What if we get to Jonathon first? We could corner him and threaten his life,” Eden figured.

  Jasmine fell into another heap of laughter.

  Phoebe shrugged. “Hey, desperate times calls for desperate measures.”

  Jasmine’s laughter faltered. “You guys are really serious?”

  Eden and Phoebe folded their arms. “Are you game or not?”

  “Oh, I’d be more than happy to tag along. This is something I’ve gotta see.”

  “No, you can’t come if you don’t have our back.”

  “Jonathon’s a sweetheart. I don’t know what either of you are worried about,” Jasmine said.

  “It’s not us we’re worried about, obviously,” Eden quipped.

  “Right…”

  “Okay, so when is this supposed to happen?”

  Phoebe pulled out her cell and texted Jonathon. Jasmine squinted over the table. “You’re calling him now?” Jasmine asked.

  “Why not, I’m ready to get this over with,” Phoebe said, and Eden had to agree.

  “I’d like to finish my food before we all lose our appetite.”

  Phoebe heaved a deep sigh. “I sent him a text message. We will meet him at his house. His wife, Octavia will be there, and she’ll get him together if he decides to act out.”

  “Again,” Jasmine said, “he’s not going to act out with us.”

  The table became quiet. “Okay, while we wait for Jonathon to text back, what are we doing for New Year’s Eve?” Jasmine asked.

  “Hunter Valentine is hosting a party, and you know he’ll bring in the New Year with style.”

  “Yep,” Eden added. “I heard his party this year will be on his yacht. As cold as it is.”

  “The thing about that is his yacht is the size of Dad’s house. Everyone will be inside dancing, drinking, and whatever the night away until the countdown. Then you know everyone’s coming out to watch the fireworks display.”

  “Mmm, I would sure like to be hugged up with someone special during that time,” Phoebe added.

  “You and me both, sister,” Eden and Phoebe slapped hands, then Phoebe checked her message.

  “No response yet?” Jasmine asked.

  “No.”

  “Does your cell beep when you have an incoming message?”

  “Of course, what’s your point?”

  “Stop checking it every second.”

  “I can’t help it, he’s usually a quick responder.”

  “Unless he’s wrapped up in Octavia.”

  They all nodded.

  “Well, are we going to Hunter’s party?” Jasmine added.

  “It’s by invitation only,” Eden said.

  Phoebe reached in her purse and removed a single gold and black envelope. Eden’s and Jasmine’s surprise was apparent by their wide eyes.

  “That’s not—” Jasmine started.

  Phoebe nodded with a sly smile.

  “Oooh,” Jasmine snatched the envelope out of Phoebe’s hand. “You’ve had this thing in your purse this whole time and hadn’t mentioned it?”

  “It just came today, and we’ve had more important things to talk about,” Phoebe said.

  “Speak for yourself,” Jasmine said, and they all chuckled.

  Being invited to a Valentine party was like getting an invitation to meet the President. The Valentines were another one of Chicago’s wealthiest families. They moved with the richest and most elite people around the world and grew up right in the heart of the windy city.

  “It has all of our names on it.” Jasmine smiled. “And it allows us to each bring a guest.”

  “You think they would mind if we brought Quentin and Derek?” Eden asked.

  Jasmine frowned at Eden. “You know good and well Quentin and Derek aren’t partying with Hunter Valentine.”

  “What’s the history between them anyway?” Eden asked.

  “It’s not really between Quentin and Derek. It’s between Hunter and Josiah. You know once one doesn’t like someone, they all don’t. It’s a code type of thing or something.”

  “Then that means we can’t go!” Eden said.

  “Speak for yourself,” Jasmine said again, and the ladies fell out laughing. “Hunter hasn’t done anything to me. I love my brother, and I’ll ask his forgiveness later. He can’t stay mad at me forever.”

  Eden and Phoebe laughed harder.

  “Y’all laughing like I’m playing. I’m not.”

  “We know,” Phoebe added.

  “So are we going or not?”

  They all looked at each other and shrugged.

  “It really just depends on the nature of my situationship with Quentin,” Phoebe said. “If we’re together, and he won’t come, then I’ll have to miss out on this one.”

  Jasmine looked at Eden. “That means you, too, huh?”

  Eden nodded with her lips poked out. “Sorry to say, sis, but yeah.”

  “Fine then,” Jasmine said. “I’ll go by myself. Or maybe I’ll invite Selena and Carla, they’ll go with me.”

  “Oh, you’ll be in good company then,” Eden said.

  “Yeah,” Jasmine nodded, “and you two ladies will be missing out on the party of the century.”

  Chapter Nine

  Quentin strolled into the kitchen with a limp in one leg.

  “You know you should really stay off your feet,” Cindy said.

  “Why, because I’m a little banged up?”

  “Um, yeah,” she said as a matter of fact.

  “Nah, you know that’s not my style.”
<
br />   “Right, because you’re inhuman.”

  “Not at all. If I were, I wouldn’t need your help, now would I?”

  Cindy grinned. “Point taken.”

  “Thought so.”

  Cindy eased around the kitchen comfortably in a pair of denim jeans that squeezed every curve in her shapely figure. The tiny tank top she wore barely covered her entire midriff while one of her spaghetti straps hung off her shoulder leisurely. Quentin had never thought for a moment that he would be considering firing her, but now that idea was a reality. Cindy had been his assistant for five years after he’d had to fire the previous one for trying to dictate his professional life after she’d gotten too comfortable in her position.

  Cindy had been a breeze, and for a long time their relationship had been strictly professional. But there was that one lonely night when they were both at the office working late. She’d strolled in casually and perched her butt on his desk, giving him an all-knowing look. He should’ve let it pass, but the curiosity in him made Quentin take their professional relationship into a personal one, and they had sex not once but twice that night. That was two years ago. Within that time, their relationship had gone smoothly with neither one of them making demands or catching feelings. But still, from time to time, they would join each other for another night of boat rocking sex.

  Now standing in the kitchen leaning against the counter, Quentin contemplated what he would tell her. They not only had a solid working relationship but a good friendship as well. Quentin squeezed the bottle of water and drank the rest of it. Trying to keep her around and be serious with Phoebe could be a mistake. Even though Cindy had never given Quentin a reason to believe she would grow an attitude if he became serious with someone other than her. It wasn’t like she didn’t know he slept with other women. And she had been just the same as if she didn’t care.

  But it might not sit well with Phoebe. It was something he would ask. Quentin had every intention of being honest and open with Phoebe. Phoebe was who he wanted, and no one would come between that.

  “What are you over there thinking?” Cindy asked.

  “Wondering why you’re walking around with that lil shirt on as cold as it is outside,” he said.

  Cindy smiled over at him. “It’s warm in here. I have my slippers on,” she said.