Page 78 of Tension

Right now, though, my heart was beating too fast.

And a nigga was nervous as hell.

Public proposals weren’t really my style, and I wasn’t sure how Chris felt about them either. She didn’t have any family; both her parents were gone, and she had no siblings. Just her best friends, who both thought it would be a grand gesture to propose at the opening.

I wanted this moment to feel right, not forced or performative.

Then Jacob went and dropped to one knee.

Right there. In the middle of everything.

He started proposing to his long-term girlfriend, surrounded by his people. I couldn’t even be mad because he had a whole village here to celebrate him.

But damn. A heads-up would’ve been nice.

He wasn’t the only nigga in love.

Chris slid up beside me, watching the scene unfold, unaware of the disappointed looks our family and friends were trying to hide.

“Please,” she said softly, squeezing my arm, “when you propose… don’t do it in public.”

I glanced down at her. She knew what type of time I was on with the baby coming.

“It’s cute,” she continued, placing her hand on her belly, “but I want something intimate. Thoughtful. Just us.”

She wrapped her arm through mine, resting her head against my shoulder.

And just like that, my nerves settled.

Guess Jacob had accidentally done me a favor.

“Chris?”

We both turned to see who had said her name.

It was AD, a retired football player that I met on the competition circuit.

He looked at my arm wrapped around Chris and her hand on her swollen belly.

“Damn, girl, I knew I would see you again, but you couldn’t wait on me?”

“Adrian,” she said with a smile, then started to give him a hug, but I held on to her.

She looked up at me like I was in the wrong.

“Somebody better tell me what the fuck is going on.” I looked between both of them.

They looked at each other, then started to laugh.

I didn’t find shit funny. This nigga was two times as big as me, but I don’t fight fair.

“Baby, this is the guy who sold me my car,” Chris told me, resting her hand on my chest.

“I told her that if we ran into each other again, she would owe me a date.” He looked Chris up and down, pausing on her stomach. “I’m still down if you are.”

Chris started laughing, but again, wasn’t shit funny to me.

“Baby, calm down.” She told me, rolling her eyes like I was doing too much.