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“Unfortunately,” Joyce says.
Tearing my eyes away from True, I focus on what Joyce says. “How are you planning to keep Praise?”
“Umm, I do not know. I am still working on that. The woman who runs True’s shelter says she has a hard time accepting help from people, so I am at a loss of what to do. I wanted to talk to Jaasiel about it today.”
“Wait, True has a homeless shelter?”
“Technically, Atlas had a shelter, and I took over his shelter, then opened a few more,” she hands my gun back to me. The look on my face said what my mouth hadn’t. “Just because I will beat someone’s ass, make them dig their own grave, and put a bullet in their eye, doesn’t mean I do not have compassion.”
I can’t even formulate a response to that statement. Luckily before I can, another group of voices announces their arrival. “It’s about time you showed up,” True tells Brooklyn. She is stunning, and the total package looks, body, and brains.
“Hi, I’m Brooklyn. I saw you come in with Jaasiel, but there was so much going on at the ceremony that I didn’t get the chance to speak.”
“Hi, I’m Parker and congratulations! The ceremony was amazing. Your speech and the haka were the highlights.”
“Thank you. I was so nervous. I don’t know how I can perform a tracheotomy without blinking but nearly pass out when I am forced to speak in front of people.”
“Because you’re a weirdo,” Carla says.
“Just because I do not thrive being the center of attention doesn’t make me a weirdo.”
“No, that means we all know our lanes, and we work well in them,” Savannah says, walking up.
“I think this is one of the most low-key Gideon events we have ever had,” Megan says.
“I requested a low-key event, something small, adult, and intimate.”
“Yep, that is why my children are with my father,” Carla declares. “I needed a little adult interaction anyways. If I step on another Lego, I am going to find headquarters and blow it up.”
“And that little terrorist is with her maternal grandparents,” True says.
“Terrorist?”
“Atlas’ god daughter Sarai. She calls him Uncle Daddy.”
I burst out laughing not only at the name, but that both these capable women are so frustrated over children.
“Oh, you laugh, but wait until you meet them; then we’ll see who’s laughing,” True says.
Praise has been in and out of the kitchen several times since we have been posted up running our mouths, and she looks like she is praying one of us doesn’t notice her every time.
“Wait, let’s get back to my question. How are you planning on keeping a human?”
“Simple, I’m going to kidnap her,” Joyce says, popping a grape in her mouth while all of us stand there looking at her mouths agape.
“What?” she says looking at us like we’re the ones who are in the wrong.
“Girl!” someone says, but my attention has been pulled to the man watching me from across the room, and I swear everything else has disappeared. The pull this man has on me kind of has me worried. I am in too deep with Jaasiel. The last time I was like this, it turned out not only disastrous but hurtful and embarrassing as hell. But even knowing I might be steering myself headfirst into another hot mess, I know I am still going to take the trip happily. He’s worth it. I swear his eyes darken and take on a hooded look, but I know that is crazy because I am too far away from him to see that. Aren’t I? He begins to move away from where he was talking with his brothers, and I move too until Praise’s voice breaks the spell.
“Lunch is served!” I am almost startled, like coming out of a trance, and I am herded to the table by the women and seated right next to Jaasiel. Dinner is loud and fun, filled with trash-talking, support, and a ton of laughter, and it makes me miss my family terribly. The cake that is served is an amazing peach and gold multi-layer cake that is nothing short of stunning. The cake topper is a full-size gold stethoscope, so simple and elegant. Jaasiel’s friend is a pâtissier, and if I were prone to jealousy, I definitely would have been watching him and TaVonna interact with each other. When Jaasiel introduced us, she gathered me right on up in a hug at the same time her husband came in to collect her.
“Let’s go baby. We have dinner plans,” he says. Well, that explains her outfit. The black corset top, the wrap-around skirt that’s leaving her leg exposed to her upper thigh, and the black high heeled sandals are sexy as hell.
“Well, I better go! Brooklyn, congratulations, and to the rest of y’all,” she points at all the women seated, “we must go on a shopping, spa day soon.”
“Let me know when and I will reserve the spa for the day for all of you,” Josh says without missing a beat.
“I’ll let Savvy know,” TaVonna replies before waving her goodbyes and slipping out the door after her husband. As soon as she is gone, “So Parker, what do you do for a living?” Savannah asks, and all eyes turn to me.
