Page 89 of The Need to Know

“I like that he’s happy with Les. I respect that. When I meet someone and it’s my time to lock it in, I’m stickin’ to it. I feel like when I’m ready and I know, I’ll know. Until then, don’t judge me.”

Nastasia looked at me for the longest. “I’m not.”

“Liar.”

She seemed upset, and I didn’t like that I couldn’t fix it. That I was probably the cause.

Nastasia got out from my grasp and yawned. “I should get going. Thanks for the food, I mean it, it was amazing. We gotta do this again.”

Leslie got up and hugged up on Nastasia. “All right, it was so good to meet you, Nas.” Leslie came to me next for a round of hugging. “And it’s always good to see you, Ezekiel.”

I tipped my head at Cesar, knowing we’d link in the morning at the gym for a workout.

Nas was quiet on the way out of the house and the whole ride back to hers. When we made it in, I got out and walked her to the door.

“I’m sorry if things got a little heated back there. It wasn’t my intention to put you in a bad mood,” I said.

Nastasia lifted and dropped her shoulders. “You don’t really have to explain yourself to me.”

I didn’t. Never felt the need to with anyone before, but with her it was different. “I don’t know why I want to.”

“Sounds like you’re ashamed.”

“I didn’t take pleasure in hurting my exes. I’m not proud of my past behavior. I don’t feel that way about cheating anymore, I just wanted to explain past thoughts on it.”

“Good.” She was smiling a little at that, loosening up.

“So, about this whole ‘situationship’ Leslie brought up back there. Are you embarrassed?”

Nastasia sighed, looking up at the full moon above us. “No, it’s just kinda rough to explain. If I say we’re friends, it feels defining, but if I say we’re dating, it’s overstepping and reaching and⁠—”

I stepped forward and touched her face. She was incredibly cute when frustrated. “I didn’t have the words either. I’m not sure what to call it, but we’re here and that’s all I need.”

Somehow, my words were finally said just right as she visibly relaxed. “Same.”

Nastasia peeked back at her house before turning to me. “Come to the fair with me?” she asked. “You can relax and be young and carefree for the day. Not so Mr. Serious.”

I would have to manage my time so that I didn’t miss work, but I couldn’t say no. Didn’t want to.

So I didn’t. “I got you.”

I didn’t trust Ezekiel.

For as long as I’d known him, he’d always been a man of his word. But if we were really going to the Belmont Fair, I couldn’t trust him to dress the part. I loved his style, but this was a day to wind down and let loose. So, after demanding to know where he lived, he texted me his address and I made my way over to help with his wardrobe.

The Millennial was a nice sky-rise apartment building located on the north side, not too far from where I lived on the west side. Following Ezekiel’s text, I rode the elevator composed of glass and chrome all the way up to the tenth floor and headed over to his condo. The grayish-blue door, with the sans serif font reading 1110 in the center, stood before me almost threateningly. We’d already been alone at my house—shared a bed even, now here we were at the place he laid his head.

Every which turn with Ezekiel was full of temptation, and there was only so long before one of us made that bold move to just give in.

Ezekiel opened the door after I’d knocked and let me enter his condo. It was big, clean, and immaculate for a bachelor pad.

Straight ahead I spotted a wall of nothing but windows, giving us a great view of the city.

“Nice,” I let out as we walked by his kitchen.

We had just reached his living room when the sound of a bell caused me to stop. To my left, in the corner between the couch and the love seat, was Sadé.

“Hi, girl,” I said in my friendliest voice.