by Love Belvin
“That’s her name on IG, dawg!” I cracked the hell up.
“Say word?” He sounded genuinely shocked, making it funnier.
“Yo, you showing ya age by not being on social media, D.”
“I’m proud of my age. Fuck a social media when you control the media.”
“A’ight, playa.” I couldn’t stop laughing at his cool ass. I knew Divine had people running social media for his companies, so he didn’t feel like he skipped beats. “Nah. But you good, big homie?”
“Always. Just had to blow some time. Wait for shit to settle. I see it has. Dude done apologized and all for the documentary.”
“Yeah, that nigga copped to putting fake shit in there.” It had been all over social media.
“As he should. Anyway… Enough of that.” He took a deep breath. “You ready for next month?”
I thought about it for a minute. He was referring to my pops’ release. Lots of people had been talking about it, including my therapist and moms.
“Yeah, I guess.” I didn’t know what else to say. “Been a long time coming.”
“Indeed.”
That was a topic I didn’t want to take on. “The reason I’m hitting you up is because I gotta friend of mine who has a fragrance business.”
“What kind?”
I thought for a moment. “Candles and body, I guess. She makes candles, soaps, lotions, hair conditioners, and some other shit. Real smart girl…chemistry degree. I wanna put her on but don’t exactly know how. Then I remembered I knew the ultimate hustler,” I tried to finesse. “You got somewhere to plug her product?”
For a while, Divine didn’t say anything, but I knew that was his way of processing.
“What kind of friend is she to you?”
“The best kind you can think of.”
Again, he went silent on me. I knew I’d just hit him with some shit, but I had to do what was necessary to answer his question. Divine wouldn’t put much thought into a random chick I was busting down, but he should have also known I wouldn’t have expected him to.
“At best, I can do the rec and clubs back home and all DiFillippo’s. If her paperwork is legit, I can buy up liquid soap, candles, and lotion wholesale.”
“Oh, word?” I didn’t think about that. Then another thought struck. “What about your casino?”
“That’s still in development. We won’t be at that phase for a minute. But if she can produce in mass like that, I can put her in contact with the Drakes. They’re always down for small black businesses—she is black, ain’t she?” Before I could flip, he busted out laughing. “I’m just fuckin’ with you, Rut.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” I shook my head with the phone against my ear.
I caught Jameson walking into the weight room with Grant, and I could tell right away he was yapping about his money.
“Look, duke,” Azmir spoke up, and I could tell he was still chuckling. “I got a meeting to hit up. Hit me with her product write up and I’ll get it to the right people at ADJ Enterprise. I’m gonna send a text to Lincoln Drake on my way to the meeting.”
“‘Preciate that, king.”
“Indeed.”
When I pulled the phone from my ear, I’d be damned if I wasn’t right about Jameson.
“Man, the place is sixty-five hundred square feet. The kitchen was just upgraded a year ago. It even has a pool in the back. The place is almost fully furnished and my realtor’s saying I’m going to have to take a hit.” Jameson ran a hand through his dark brown silk strands of hair, heated by the subject. “Can you believe that shit? I paid one-point-nine Ms for that shit, bro! It’s some bullshit…” he kept bitching.
And as he spoke, Grant tossed me a nasty ass look with half his face lifted. And he wanted me to see it, not giving a shit who was around. I knew the purpose of it. Parker friend-zoned his ass. She fucking better had. There was no goddamn way I was going to be easy on him thinking she was free game. We were on the same team; I could lose respect in the locker room before I gained it on the field this season.
So, I hit him with a blank stare nod. I didn’t even include one of my hallmark cocky grins. He needed to know wasn’t shit funny when it came to Parker being off limits.
My chest felt light.
That was the first thing pulling me from my sleep. I struggled, wanting to stay in it, being wrapped in her scent. It was citrus mixed with her natural body odor. Damn, I loved that blend. It made my dick hard. But my chest was still light and…cool. My eyes fluttered open and I saw the morning sun pushing through the drapes.
Shit!
I sat up, looking for my phone. It read six thirty-eight. I’d slept almost an hour later. Sounds of the shower running caught my attention.
So she could get up and ready, but leave me sleeping?
I tossed the sheet from my waist and stood from the bed. My arms reached out wide into the air and spine arched as I stretched. I saw her silhouette from the shower the moment I stepped into the bathroom. When I opened the door, she lifted her arms, one by one to rinse the soap off as I stepped in. She turned toward the back of the shower and her eyes grew then softened when they processed me. Her smile surfaced, too. The one that was so sincere and the purest I’d ever seen on a woman. My dick jutted, but I didn’t let that rouse my mind. I had to go.
I grabbed the soap and scrub naturally, realizing how comfortable I’d become in another man’s home. I didn’t know which thought was more wild: the fact she was good with it because of her obligation to another man or that I wished Parker could be convinced to stay nights at my place more often. I never wanted a woman in my personal space. Shit. Back at home, we eventually bought a house in a nearby suburb of Trenton—compliments of an Azmir Divine Jacobs—where I had the basement all to myself. I didn’t even want to share much of the same space with my Earth. Having her upstairs was too close those times I wanted to wild out.
“Grilled tilapia and sweet potatoes with sautéed string beans’ for dinner.” So lost in my head, I didn’t realize Parker was on her toes, inches away until she rubbed her nose against mine.
Before I could register or respond, she was rounding me, leaving the shower.
“I ‘on’t know about that tilapia. The team’s nutritionist ain’t big on that type of fish. You should try trout or bass.”
As I rubbed my body down with the soapy scrub, she didn’t respond right away, but I knew she was considering what I said. I could see her going for her toothbrush and the toothpaste at the sink.
“Hmmmmm… Okay,” she garbled around her toothpaste. “There’s a fish market not too far from the office. I’ll stop by after work and see what they have and what I can afford.”
I rolled my eyes but wouldn’t dare speak a word about money. It was enough I had been trying to figure out what this thing was between Parker and me. I wasn’t in the mood to be arguing about a few bucks to pay for food. It was an argument I wouldn’t win with her no way.
Quickly, I decided to switch my thoughts to the day ahead and what it would bring. Training camp was right around the corner and I had to mentally prepare to be isolated with a new set of guys. That, and I’d have to work out with Jameson’s whining ass today. Dude wouldn’t stop complaining about losing his assets. Jordan mentioned Jameson had a bad gambling habit that was catching up to—
My head whipped around while under the showerhead to Parker. She stood alarmed with her frosted tooth brush inches from her mouth as she stared in the mirror. Then her head jerked behind her and my pulse raced as I moved to open the shower door.
“What are you doing here?”
There was a woman in the doorway, her wild eyes going between Parker wrapped in a towel and my naked body. She was stunned, couldn’t seem to utter a word at first.
“Sherry, what are you doing in my bathroom?” Parker repeated.
Sherry’s eyes blinked a few times and I could see her swallow as I moved to grab the towel.
I ain’t never put my hands on a woman, but I’ll
beat the shit outta this broad if she in here on some crazy shit.
“I—I…” she screeched. “I was calling you—”
“You could have waited until I answered!” Parker spit at her.
Her eyes went tight as she focused on Parker. “This is my father’s house! I can damn well come in here if I suspect something fishy happening!”
“What is fishy besides you snooping in my personal space, Sherry?”
“I’m not snooping!”
“But you’re in my bathroom and didn’t knock. I didn’t hear you knock.”
“I was knocking on the bedroom door for some time now.”
“But you could hear the shower going in here and you just come in? Sounds kind of pervish to me, Sherry!”
“Let me tell you something, Miss Parker! This is my father’s home. He’s incapacitated. I can come into any room if I want. The home nurse came early and was outside waiting for someone to answer the door!”
“And that requires this FBI-level house search? Get out!” Parker moved toward her.
The Sherry chick started to back out. “I see I need to come more often, seeing you have random men in my father’s house!”
“First of all, he’s not random. He’s my damn boyfriend—” Boyfriend? My heart began to pound even more. “and he’s indecent. Secondly, I check in on Jimmy every morning before washing my damn face. You’d know this if you visited more often…”
I couldn’t hear much more after that because they were out in the bedroom. But two things did come to mind. The first was I had to get Parker out of Wright’s house ASAP. The way that broad walked up on us was some ol’ ‘getting caught with a girl in your moms’ house high school’ shit. The second thing screaming in my head was less important, but comical.
That’s the broad tryna to holla at me at Eli’s party back in May…
“Everything okay, Parker?”
Startled, my body leaped in my chair. “Hmmm?”
Nyree stepped to the front of my desk, her chin lowered toward her neck. “You okay?”
My eyes were wild with disorientation. “Yeah. Why? What’s up?”
“You’ve been zoned out all day…finished assignments before blinking.” She snorted. “I’m grateful for the boast in productivity, but you’ve always been proficient. I’d rather have my usual engaging Parker Grayson back.” Her head angled and she offered a genteel beam, trying to encourage mine.
Taking a deep breath, my eyes fell and I dropped the pencil I just realized I’d been drumming when she walked up on me.
“Nyree, are you familiar with the condo property the Kings own?”
“Kings Courts. Well, of course.” She switched stances to open her body language.
“I know they rent them out to players—employees—and affiliates according to their salary.” She nodded in confirmation, though I knew this from work I did with payroll, filling in for the admins from time to time. “You think I, as a floater in the front office, would be allowed the same privilege?” Her eyes widened and mine did, too, in reaction as I dipped my chin. “According to my salary?”
Nyree stood still for moments long, eyes squinting as she processed her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she moved toward my desk and leaned against it. My pulse banged in my neck. Though I didn’t exactly confide in Nyree, she knew my employment arrangement. She knew my being here was nepotism grandstanding.
“I’ve worked for Eli Richardson for a number of years now, and I’ve seen his generosity in action more times than I can count. He doesn’t boast about what he does, he simply tries to keep a family-like atmosphere around here for loyal people. I’ve seen what’s he’s done for you, and I’ve seen how you’ve made good on accepting his generosity. If you need assistance with…” Her chin and voice lowered and she swallowed. “housing, I would ask. The worst he could say is no and that would be because of policy and nothing personal.”
There was a sincerity in her eyes though her tone was formal. We were walking a tight rope. Nyree was an older woman, so I was sure she’d heard things about Jimmy and his womanizing ways—experienced it with her own eyes, possibly. I didn’t want to know. Neither did I want to divulge the details of our relationship.
My cheeks spread in a warm yet contained smile. “Thanks, Nyree. I’ll reach out to him.”
She stood straight and gave a neck bow and wink before walking off.
I turned to my desktop. My plan was to begin an email to Eli. With him being an investor in his primary work, he wasn’t always in the Kings’ front office. But as soon as I opened a message box, my phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Yo…”
My pulse hammered in my neck again at the rash introduction of his call.
I licked my lips and swallowed hard as I turned to curl toward my monitor for privacy.
“Yes?” I carried the s pathetically.
“You good?” He was referring to this morning when Sherry walked in on his hanging dick in the shower.
I could have clocked her for that. I felt protective and violent in a way never dreamed of in those long moments. I couldn’t care less about my invasion of privacy; it was protecting Rut that had me floored and angry.
And I called him my boyfriend…
How laughable! As much as I’d like that to be true, Rut and I were in an unusual place at this point of whatever it was we had. I thought for sure he’d correct me when I managed to get Sherry out of my bedroom. Then I thought it would come when he stepped out of the bathroom and dressed to leave. We didn’t exchange a lone a word. Yet a single gesture of him kissing my cheek said so much. It left me inexplicably emotional.
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You picked up that fish?”
I stifled a giggle. “I’m still at work. I haven’t left the office yet, so of course not.”
I didn’t know if it was okay to plan to cook for two. Sherry threatened to tell her brothers if she saw Rut at the house again.
“A’ight. Can you swim?”
“Yeah…”
“You know how to garden?”
I scratched my neck. “I could figure it out.”
“Oh.”
Oh?
“What do you think about contemporary kitchens?”
One brow lifted. “I like new…”
“Well,” his tone was humorless. “Just wanted to make sure you good.”
He was worried.
My face fell. “O—okay.” My mind drew a blank. I didn’t know how to respond.
I would normally ask about his day, something more important to me than Sherry’s intrusion. I wanted to put it behind me and not focus on Rut never coming over again.
“A’ight. Hit you later.”
And that was it. The line was dead.
That was weird because my bladder cried. I had to pee. I slipped my phone in the drawer of my desk and took off for the bathroom. My mind running with wording for my email to Eli as I passed a few friendly faces in the hall. My last conversations with the man wasn’t with much gratitude on my part. What if he’d cut off the faucet of generosity? Would I go back to Waterbury? To my mother’s?
I made it to the bathroom and relieved myself. After washing my hands and checking my face in the mirror, I’d decided on my message to him and started back to my cubicle. Just a few feet into the journey, I ran into James Junior.
I was prepared to simply acknowledge him with a nod, something he’d done to me since I began working in the front office, but he stopped and fixed his attention to me.
“Ms. Grayson.”
Oooh! He kicked off the exchange with a browbeating tone. I didn’t return his mention verbally. I sauntered his way and offered a mild grin instead. This was my professional face.
“I got a call from Sherry this morning. It wasn’t a long conversation but it wasn’t friendly either, and I can guess you know why.” I fought from rolling my eyes. “She wouldn’t tell me what she saw but said she stopped by the house this morn
ing. Whatever she walked in on, pissed her off.”
“Considering where she walked into, I can see how she was at risk of that.”
His eyes narrowed. “What did she see?”
“That’s none of your business, James.”
“Anything concerning my father and his home is my business, girl.” His mouth balled as he glared upon me.
Nyree strolled passed with her eyes fastened to us. As she did, James Junior switched his posture as he cleared his throat.
He waited until she was gone to continue. “Listen, I don’t have time for this. I didn’t come to work to see your face or lecture you on how to keep your thotting, as my kids say, away from my father’s home. Sherry’s making calls today. My advice to you is to start looking for a place to stay. And I hope for your sake it’s not with that Rut Amare you’ve been in the blogs with. That kid has seen more pretty girls with tight bodies than you realize exists.”
He went too far!
“Let me tell you somethi—”
“Shut the hell up.” He waved me off with his hand. “I used to think maybe you were in this for my father. Maybe I was wrong when he decided he wanted a damn girl six years younger than my brother and me taking care of him after he’d been diagnosed with a degenerative disease. I thought my dad was right and I was wrong. But I guess it’s like they say, ‘how you get ‘em is how you keep ‘em.’ You were an opportunist then and you’re just the same now. You fooled me for a few years there. I guess you tried.” He turned and walked off.
I choked on air, my eyes blinked successively to keep the tears away.
“Hey, Parker,” Nurse Joan, the other home care nurse who alternated with Nurse Jackie, was wiping her hands dry as I stepped into Jimmy’s room.
I forced a happy face. “How was he today?”
“Pretty good. No fever at all today and the drooling has slowed. That switch to Atropine was a good call by you. And the physical therapist scheduled for this morning says she’s seeing effects of your stretching him out during the week.” Nurse Joan stopped and paid Jimmy, who was awake, a long gaze. “Today was a good day, wouldn’t you say, bud?”
That made me smile from the heart. I was happy to get good reports of his care. God knew Jimmy had been through a lot. We’d been trying to perfect his pain management lately. I was able to pick up his eye strain from muscle spasms in his legs.