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His fingers found her stomach, and her fingers found his, interlocking her hand with his. “How do I even deserve you?”
“Sometimes ain’t no how or why, Miss Magic… it's all about timing. I don’t know what your journey to my boy has been, but I think you found someone to carry you the rest of the way.” Big Pete crossed his hands over his protruding belly.
Jay held onto her, making sure she knew her place with him. He never wanted to be free of her.
ELEVEN
JULY
After three weeks in Alabama, Candi and Jay were back in Sapphire City. She had been floating on clouds and couldn’t see her life without meeting Jay. She had yet to return to work nor had she been back to her apartment. Being in Bama had been everything she didn’t know she needed. The air felt better, the people were better, her heart even beat differently. She came back refreshed.
It was getting closer to her sister’s wedding and she was undecided whether she was going or not. Part of her felt bad for even thinking about not going while her therapist and Jay had confirmed her feelings were valid. Candi had yet to talk to her sister and even slacked off on talking to Drama. It was part of her healing and Jay wasn’t feeling how close they were.
Cleo Sol played in the background while she repotted a new plant Jay got for her since it seemed she’d taken a liking to his garden and his weed plants. While in Alabama, she spent a lot of time with Meechie in the greenhouse, mixing up shit and singing to the plants. Meechie swore that was why her brother had the best weed in the South. All thanks to her. Candi agreed because her gummies and edibles were top-tier.
“Ain’t you glowing and shit.” Jolene walked into the kitchen with a cup of iced coffee. She hadn’t seen her young friend since her son stole her from her and decided to pop up on her.
“Hey, girl.” Candi hugged her. “Why you ain’t get me nothing?” She frowned at the cup in Jolene’s hand.
“When you start drinking coffee?”
“Since I turned into a country girl.” Candi stuck her tongue out.
Jolene waved her off with a laugh. “Chile, please. You look really good though. I see home did you good.”
Mhm,” Candi hummed, packing the dirt into the gold pot Jay had spent good money on. She was all for the aesthetics. Plants in the house didn’t compare to a whole fifty acres of grass and flowers.
Taking a seat at the table, Jolene sipped her drink. “I love that for you. So, what you and my son got going on?”
Candi cut her eyes at her friend. It didn’t feel loaded but they were talking about Jolene’s only child. She didn’t know whether she was asking as a friend or as his mama. Pretending she didn’t hear her, Candi continued with her plant.
“I know you heard me, heffa.”
“I don’t want us to have issues over Jayshun. I lov—like him a lot.” Candi swallowed hard.
“You love him. Got it.”
“But?” Candi faced her slowly, waiting for the other side of the conversation.
Jolene crossed her legs at the ankles. “Look, I don’t have no problem with you loving my son. I raised him right, so it’s easy for women to love him. Hell, he loves easily because he was raised on love. Love makes life enjoyable despite all the bumps in the road. You deserve love, too, but let me leave a bug in your ear. As women, we jump for joy when we find emotionally available and intelligent straight men. The issue is when we’re not emotionally intelligent ourselves. What happens then is he won’t have an issue with leaving you where you stand. My boy loved that girl but not enough to put up with her emotional unavailability. Jay was hurt behind Luna and as time went on, he didn’t hurt anymore because the truth was, he was forcing his heart to love her so hard. I can see how easy it is for him to love you. That night you got your pretty ass in his car, I saw the way he looked at you through the mirror.” Jolene took another long sip of her coffee as Candi hung on her every word, waiting for the next set.
“It was love at first sight for my baby. He didn’t care about your past or where you came from. One look at you and no one before you held space in his heart or mind anymore. What are you going to do with that? Stand ten toes or will you fold on my baby when shit gets hard? ’Cause love ain’t easy. It ain’t as hard as some people make it seem, but you always gotta be willing to fight for it. Are you a fighter, Magic?” Jolene smirked when she saw the look of surprise on Candi’s face from her calling her the name Jay dubbed her with.
Merci passed the blunt back to Banks. She had just come into town and the four of them were at a little lounge in the city. Her fingers snapped to the beat as her eyes sat low. “And you grow this shit?” she asked over the music.
“Damn.” Jay laughed, hating how loud she was with his business. He knew she didn’t mean any harm but he didn’t want everyone to know that. He kissed Candi’s face, bringing her back from her daze. “You good, ain’t it?” he asked, searching her eyes for an issue. His eyes were red and sat low from the smoke session they were in.
Candi had been in her head since Jolene stopped by. Her gut told her that something bad was going to happen. It scared her because she didn’t want to lose Jay. Then again, his mama’s questions had her second-guessing being with him. That and her sister had been on her mind heavy. That and her twins. So much ran rapidly in her mind at one time. It was so much. “I’m good. Just a little tired,” she lied.
Jay eyed her, examining her face. “We can go, if you ain’t feeling it. I’m just here ’cause your friend came into town.”
“That hoe ain’t here for me.” Candi finally cracked a smile. She nodded her head to Merci, bent over, dry hunching Banks, who looked to be in heaven with all that ass on him.
Finding the scene funny, Jay shook his head at them. They were one and the same. Their vibe and energy matched one another and they were a good time to be around. “All the more reason we can leave their asses here.” Just as the words left his lips, Drew, someone he knew but wasn’t fond of, walked up.
“Damn.” Drew bit his lip. “Sweet like Candi is here in Sapphire City.” His lust-filled eyes undressed her. “What club you working at?” Drew wasn’t an ugly man on the outside but he was filthy on the inside. Whenever he came around, he gave off creep vibes and Candi always got goosebumps when he used to stop by the club in Jade City.
“I’m good.” She tried to dismiss him.
