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“And if I was?” I couldn’t believe this. Jas was bitching out on me. “What do you think you can do about my travel?”
“If you were mine, Witherspoon, you wouldn’t be sky-hoppin’ like you do because you’d like being home with your man. And when you did go away, it wouldn’t be alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I was with my best friend, Shizu.”
Juggy’s sudden burst of laughter in the back reminded me of his presence, but I was too far gone to care now.
“That ‘on’t mean nothing to me. I ‘on’t know her.”
“Then what would you have done, Jas, for this grown ass woman?”
“I would’ve, at least, sent Chelsea.”
“And what in the hell would she have done?”
“Made sure you were good. Either that or sent some real muscle.”
Right, because I now know you have money and can possibly afford it?
Or could he? I didn’t know what Jas could afford.
“And what the hell would security do?”
“Keep your little ass safe, Witherspoon,” his tone soft and exhausted.
“You aren’t just upset about me not calling you back.” It was a reach, but I sensed it.
He finally turned toward me again. “I don’t like when you leave town.” He shrugged. “I don’t fuckin’ like it. I know it’s messed up, but I told you I won’t lie to you. And then for you to be out with no protection? It just don’t sit right with me. But I see what you mean: you don’t belong to me so I don’t have a say. Go eat, Witherspoon. It’s late.”
Aghast, all I could do was gape in his face. When faced with someone’s brutal and vulnerable honesty, it could stun you into silence. Flustered, I turned to confirm Juggy would add to my embarrassment to see he had disappeared. I wondered when during Jas’ tirade.
Shaking my head, I took from my seat, leaving my shoes behind. It wasn’t until I was out of the room that it dawned on me how I didn’t know my way around his place. It didn’t take long for me to find the kitchen. Like the rest of the home, it was large and modernly styled. Juggy was in there, loading his plate with hearty foods like rice and beans and stewed chicken.
He glanced up at me and snorted. I didn’t like that. Trying to ignore him, I found the kitchen sink and soap dispenser and began washing my hands. “I have no idea what’s so funny.”
“Puppy love and shit,” Juggy murmured with the confidence of a seasoned woman.
I turned his way with my hands still under the faucet. “Puppy love?” I scoffed. “I have no clue what this is, butthatain’t this.”
“Y’all like each other.”
I shut off the faucet. “I likehim.Hedoesn’t even want to tell me his last name. I don’t think that qualifies as puppy love.” I yanked off a few paper towels to dry my hands. “Puppy love is innocent, pure, transparent to the point of foolishness.Thatain’t me and your boy. We’re…” I took a moment to consider it. “like all passion with no purpose. And even with all that passion, at this rate,thiswill be done within enough time for him to find the virtuous, soft-spoken, no life-having wife he’s seeking.”
Juggy placed his plate in the microwave then set the timer and hit start. He then turned my way, crossing his arms and legs. “If you think that nigga’s gonna let you go because of this childish ass bickering y’all do because you won’t face the facts, then you ain’t as bright as I thought, girl.” He pointed toward a corner in the room. “The paper plates in the pantry over there. The real ones in the low drawer by your legs.”
When he lifted me from the theater chair, I woke up but wasn’t startled as he adjusted me in his arms and chest. I’d been dozing off for over an hour since eating that heavy food. It was good and sedating. I was exhausted beyond measure and childishly didn’t want to go home. Before giving in to sleep as he read in silence, I weighed the costs. I’d slept in Jas’ bed before and recalled it being delightful. If he didn’t put me in a guest bed or worse, on a couch, I’d be fine.
“You good?” I heard who had to be Juggy in the distance.
“Yeah. Grab her purse and shoes,” Jas instructed. “Her coat and phone…over in that seat over there.”
“Damn.” Juggy’s voice drew closer. “I knew her ass was gonna fall asleep. I told her thatMauvebe putting me on my ass. Be making me have to shit, too.” I’d only had one glass of it when he offered the brandy in the kitchen before I left with my food. I was too tired to have more. Juggy was so damn dramatic. “You gonna take the elevator? Got to.”
Elevator?
I played sleep while Jas carried my dead weight out of the room. As my braids swayed in the air, my side lay against his beating heart. His body hot, hard, and fragranced. Yup. I was too comfortable. My hand tapped the metal of what had to be the doorframe when we boarded the elevator. Juggy joined us. My eyes were too heavy to satisfy my curiosity as to how big the car was, but I sensed it was small because Juggy felt and sounded close.
The door closed and the car jolted before moving.
