Page 34 of Love At Close Range

“I’on know yet,” I admitted as I thought about what I had at home. “Probably chicken tacos or something simple.

“I can do the tacos,” he agreed.

I laughed and shook my head while he went back to his conversation. For the rest of the ride, he talked enough for both of us, and I let him. It kept my mind from drifting back to Lennox every thirty seconds. The problem was every time I looked at Rhyse… I saw Lennox. I had spent years looking at my baby and seeing pieces of the man who helped create him. Lennox didn’t have that same luxury, and now that he had apparently seen Rhyse, I could only imagine how obvious the resemblance must have been to him too.

When we got home, Rhyse headed straight for the stairs, and I was right behind him.

“Go take a bath and put your dirty clothes in the hamper,” I instructed. “Not beside it… not in front of it, and definitely not on your bathroom floor,” I reminded him.

“I know, Mama,” Rhyse responded as he continued up the steps. “You say the same thing every day.”

“And somehow I still find dirty clothes all over the floor,” I called after him as I shook my head.

Once I got to my room, I kicked off my shoes and grabbed something comfortable to put on after my shower. Once I got into the shower, I tried not to think about anything from earlier. I didn’t want to think about Dorian… Lennox, or why my entire life suddenly felt like it was being snatched by the edges. By the time I got out, dried off, and changed into a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. I moisturized, tied my hair up, and grabbed my phone before heading downstairs to start dinner.

I had barely reached the bottom step when the doorbell rang. I frowned because I wasn’t expecting anybody. I’d just Mona and Taryn, and Dorian knew better than to just pop up coming over… especially how things have been between us lately. The doorbell rang again before I made it to the door. Whoever it was, was adamant about me opening the door.

“Damn, I’m coming,” I muttered as I walked over and looked through the peephole.

For a second, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. I stared through the peephole again before unlocking the door and pulling it open. The shock lasted long enough for me to take in the fact that he was actually standing on my porch before irritation replaced every bit of it.

“I know you fucking lying! The fuck are you doing at my house?” I snapped as I tightened my grip on the door. This nigga really had me fucked up popping up at my house.

14

Lennox

Reiana stared at me like she couldn’t decide whether to slam the door in my face or hit me in it. I expected the attitude after the way our conversation ended earlier, but I wasn’t leaving without getting a clear understanding of why she would think that I wouldn’t have cared about my son.

“The fuck are you doing at my house?” she demanded. “I told you to stay the fuck away from me and my son.”

“I heard what you said,” I replied as I kept my voice low since I didn’t know where Rhyse was. “But you dropped some shit on me and drove off before I could understand any of it. I’m not here to argue with you, Ree. I just need some answers,” I damn near pleaded.

“You need some answers?” She scoffed. “Look, my son is upstairs, so you got a few minutes, and then I want you gone.” She warned as she stepped back enough to let me inside.

“That’s all I need,” I told her as I walked in and waited for her to close the door. I followed her into the living room, but she stayed standing instead of getting comfortable.

“You wanted to talk… so talk,” she snapped as she folded her arms across her chest.

“I want to know exactly what happened,” I replied as I stayed where I was. “Earlier you said you texted me and told me you were pregnant. I’m telling you I never got that message, so tell me what happened after you sent it.”

Her face immediately changed. She looked away from me for a second before turning back with eight years of anger housed with her pretty brown eyes.

“I sent the text because regardless of how you ended things with me, I felt like you deserved to know,” she explained. “I told you I was pregnant, and I told you the baby was yours. I wasn’t asking you to take me back or begging you for shit. I was just letting you know because that was your child too.”

“And I’m telling you, Ree… I never saw that shit,” I repeated as I shook my head. “What happened after you sent it?”

“You responded,” Reiana snapped as her voice rose before she caught herself and glanced toward the stairs. When she looked back at me, she lowered it again. “You told me, ‘Fuck you and that baby.’ That’s what happened, Lennox. So imagine how stupid I felt for thinking the man I loved would at least give a damn about his own child.” I saw the pain in her eyes, and that fucked me up more than not being here for them.

I heard what she said, but I would never say no fuck shit like that. I could’ve been pissed at Reiana… done with our relationship, or never wanted to see her again, and I still wouldn’t have said some shit like that about my own child.

“I never sent no shit like that. Does that even sound like some shit I would say?” I frowned. “I know you’on believe shit I’m saying right now, but I would never say fuck my child. I damn sure wouldn’t have said it to you.”

“So now somebody magically got your phone and decided to answer me for you?” She laughed sarcastically. “Lennox please go to the nearest part of hell and take that bullshit ass excuse with you,” she spat.

“I’on know what happened yet,” I replied as I ran a hand over my face. “But I know what I didn’t do, and I didn’t send that fucking message.”

“Well, it came from your number,” she shot back as she pointed toward me. “The same number I had been texting and calling the whole time we were together. Nobody had to guess where the message came from.”