AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A lady?” he repeated. “What’d she look like?”
“She looked… like a news anchor who’d just gotten off of work,” I answered, the description making my father laugh when he asked, “Kiki, what the hell does that even mean?”
“She just looked…polished. Like a businesswoman,” I told him, trying my best to remember the fine details when I listed, “Slick low bun, modest blouse, pencil skirt…”
“Red lipstick?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?” I asked, my left eyebrow arched as my father gave the most ambiguous answer when he replied, “We’re acquainted.” And before I could ask what exactly that meant, he followed up, “But ay, don’t you worry yourself with that, aight? I’ma take care of it.”
“Okay, but what is this “it”you’re talking about?” I asked, the way he was seemingly talking in code only making my curiosity grow tenfold.
But of course, instead of giving me an actual answer, my father chose to dodge the question entirely by responding, “Didn’t I just say don’t worry, Kiki?”
Rolling my eyes, I decided to pivot a little when I mentioned, “The lady said you were coming here to visit and must’ve gotten your dates mixed up. Is that true?”
“Uhh… nah. I didn’t mix them up.”
“So, wait,” I paused, frowning hard as I asked, “You reallyarein Houston right now? And youjust… didn’t tell me?”
“It’s a quick trip. In and out. I didn’t wanna bother you,” he suggested, as if that was somehow supposed to make me feel better.
Or make me feel less suspicious.
I could tell the latter was exactly what he was aiming for when he continued, “But since it’sobviousyou’re actually interested in seeing your old man for a change, how about I plan a trip back next weekend so we can spend some time together?”
Knowing an in-person interrogation was probably my next best option when it came to figuring out what he and this lady had going on, it was easy for me to respond, “Yeah, okay. Just let me know when, I guess.” And after exchanging a few more pleasantries, we ended our call, sending me back to the living room where I’d only been for a split second when the doorbell rang again.
“Not this bitch spinnin’ the block,” I groaned, on much higher alert this time as Zara offered, “You want me to come with you?”
“Nah, I got it,” I told her as I left to answer the door, my attitude full-blown when I snatched it open ready to tell the lady to find some business. But once I realized it wasn’t actually her standing on my front porch, my energy changed completely, my expression going blank as I said, “Kendall.”
“Hey,” he replied with a half-hearted grin. “Can we talk?”
Talking was obviously what we needed to be doing. But the fact that he’d pulled up to my house in a gray Nike sweat outfit that screamed,“You want this dick, or nah?”had me wanting to commit to a little more than just a conversation when I answered, “Uh… yeah.Sure. Come in.”
After widening the door’s opening to make some space for Kendall to enter, I had to fight the urge to swoon as he slipped past me smelling,well, like him, his manly scent lingering as I moved to shut and lock the door behind us. But apparently, I wasn’t moving fast enough since Zara felt the need to come see what was going on, already on go when she popped up out of nowhere saying, “Bitch, she told you he wasn’t…oh.”
While Kendall’s eyebrows immediately bunched with confusion, Zara changed her tone to offer him a casual, “Hey Snoop,” only to exchange that greeting for something a little tougher -proof that she was on my side- when she said, “I mean… what up, nigga?”
“What’sup, Zara?” Kendall replied awkwardly, moving to peek into the living room where he added, “Penny. Gianna.”
Splitting the energy, Penelope gave a polite wave while Gianna responded with a cold head nod as I brought a hand to Kendall’s arm and suggested, “Let’s go out back.” But once we made it to the covered patio, I felt more like Gianna than Penny, crossing my arms over my chest as I told him, “You asked to talk, so talk.”
For a second, he just stared at me. And it was ridiculous how his gaze alone was enough to have me shifting in my stance as he released a sigh then said, “So, I don’t know how much of that conversation you actually heard between me and Kim. But I want to make it clear that you are thefurthestthing from a distraction to me, Shakira. Hell, if anything, you’re the only reason why my ass ain’t goin’ crazy right now.”
Was it nice to hear he felt that way about me?
Absolutely.
But it still wasn’t enough to keep me from asking, “So why didn’t you say that to Kimberly?”
“I did,” Kendall replied, leading me to clarify, “I mean after she blamed me for that stuff with Enzo.”
“Because that shitwasdistracting,” he admitted, my face tightening instantly until he explained, “But not because of you. Because ofme.Igotta be better.” Then he took a step closer and amended his statement to say, “Iwillbe better. And so will Kimberly. She knows she owes you an apology.”
“Well I definitely won’t be holding my breath waiting onthatshit,” I groaned, making Kendall huff a chuckle as he told me, “Come ‘ere, girl.”
With one eyebrow raised, I pointed out, “I’m literally right here, Kendall.”
“Nah, comehere,” he repeated with a little more emphasis. And,well, my feet started moving, closing the little bit of distance between us that allowed Kendall to wrap his arms around me when he said, “Tell me how I can make it up to you, Shake.”
Biting into his bottom lip like he already had a solution in mind, I couldn’t help but grin as I told him, “That’s a given, Mr. Dogwood.” Then I tilted my head back, finding his eyes when I said, “But there isonething you can do for me.”
“Name it,” he replied, his determined gaze telling me that whatever came out of my mouth was as good as done. But I could almost guarantee that Kendall was not at all expecting that thing to be, “Have dinner with me and my dad next weekend.”
