“It’s like riding a bike. You just need to tell these men what you will and won’t tolerate. Be assertive, let them know you make your own money, and don’t need theirs.”
Kareem steps up beside Jada and places his hands on her shoulder. “Jada Mae, I don’t think that method works for everyone.”
Jameel snorts, and I laugh. Look, I love Jada. She is independent and outspoken and could eat a man alive in a courtroom, but that wasn’t me.
“Honestly, Ella.” Kareem steps forward. “The best advice I can give you is to be your most authentic self. Don’t try to be anything you're not or hold yourself back. The best way to find true love is to find the person who loves and accepts you for who you are.”
“Awww, babe. That was good advice.” Jameel places his hands over his heart as he admires his fiancé.
Jada shrugs Kareem’s hands off her shoulders. “Whatever, you can try it his way.” She points at Kareem. “But if it doesn’t work, you can always go back to trying it my way.”
I have to shake my head and laugh at that.
“Now eat up,” she says, handing me my food. “After this, we have to take you to get your eyebrows and body waxed.”
“Wait,” I ask, shaking my head. “Why am I getting waxed?”
Kareem ducks his head while Jameel chuckles.
“The fact that you have to ask, is the reason you’re getting waxed.”
It’s after 6pm when I finally pull my car into the driveway. This was Andrew’s weekend, so I didn’t have to worry about the boys.
My skin felt raw, yet replenished. After the wax, we both went and got massages. Climbing out of the car, I grab my few groceries from the back seat.
“Hey, Aunt Ella,” Jacob calls out.
I look up just in time to see him rushing over toward me. He’s already so tall, and he’s only ten.
“Hey, baby. You’re back so soon?”
“Yeah. My mom went to Vegas with her new boyfriend.”
I’ve never been a Valerie fan. From the first moment she and I were introduced, I got a bad vibe from her. I’m convinced the only reason she had Jacob was to keep Mitch. Now that she can’t use her son to get over on Mitch, she finds every reason in the world to drop Jacob off with his father. Although Mitchell doesn’t care and would probably prefer Jacob full-time, it pisses me off how she treats her son.
“Well, I was planning on cooking lasagna for dinner. Do you want to come over and get some?”
Jacob’s face lights up. The kid loves my food. No matter what I cook, he devours it.
“Heck yeah!” He beams. “Dad was just going to order pizza tonight.”
I chuckle at him. What kid passes up pizza for home cooked meals? I ruffle his curly hair. He takes the bags out of my hand and heads for the porch. I don’t have to worry about him waiting on me, he knows the combination to the door lock.
“Jacob, where are....” I turn at the sound of Mitchell’s voice.
The moment he spots me, his words falter, and he stops walking. The way his gaze roams over me makes my belly flutter.
My entire body heats as if someone turned a furnace on inside me. I duck my head, pushing my new hair behind my ear.
When I look back up, Mitchell is standing in front of me.
“Wow!”
“I know. Who knew I could look like this, huh?”
His gaze narrows briefly before he reaches out and untucks my hair from behind my ear.
“I knew,” he simply says.
