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She walked away from me to start the shower, and I couldn’t help but admire just how fine she was. Maybe I should just talk to her instead of assuming she was fucking around… give her a chance to be honest with me. Truth was, I didn’t want to go back to who I used to be. Everyone who I’d surrounded myself with these days had evolved, and it was time I did the same.
CHAPTER6
CHELSEA
“Can I see you tonight after your shift?”
I nodded quietly. It was time to pay the piper. I knew it wouldn’t be long before Van approached me about it. He wasn’t just my supervisor. He was the store manager, so the entire store was under his control. I was hoping that he would wait until after the wedding so I wouldn’t be in a funk, but I had a feeling that he wouldn’t.
Tonight was Sandrene’s bachelorette party, but I wasn’t sure if I was going. I was more than sure Kaysyn would be there. I didn’t want to see her any more than I already had to. It would be hard enough to see her Saturday. I would do my best to sit as far away from her as possible. I’d been in a funk all over again since Tuesday night.
While I thought I was being mature by mending things with Jungle, I realized I just couldn’t handle being around him. My initial thoughts were correct. Seeing his smile and kissing his lips only made me miserable knowing I would never have him. Instead of telling him that, I pushed him away all over again. Maybe he would stop trying to contact me this time. Not having him was devastating to my mental.
Knowing he would have that ho with him Saturday was another reason I wanted to skip the wedding. Sandrene had been nothing but kind to me since I’d been here. We’d become friends. She and Amiko helped me around Houston and took me to some of the best places to shop and eat. They even bought clothes for me, so I couldn’t let her down by not showing up for her.
I brought my cash drawer to the courtesy booth and prepared to head home to get ready to meet up with Van. Maybe if I could make the best out of the situation, he would come to the wedding with me. Then again, he probably wouldn’t. It would be a conflict of interest for me to openly date him. He was older than Jungle, but not by too much. Van was actually a nice-looking man. He had a reputable career and was actually a good catch. I was curious to see how he would behave after work.
I’d never seen him outside of the grocery store, so I didn’t know what to expect. I just hoped this would be something that didn’t trigger me. I’d only been with two men my entire life. Not knowing what it felt likenotto be taken advantage of sexually could leave me overwhelmed. Jungle not wanting to be with me only drew me to him even more. He wasn’t out to take what he wanted from me. He genuinely cared about me.
Taking a deep breath, I did my best to relax as I headed out of the door. It was only four o’clock, and Van would be leaving at five. That gave me more than enough time to get myself together. He would probably call me whenever he was ready to see me. When I got to my car, I felt my phone vibrate. Pulling it from my pocket, I saw that he’d texted me already.
I opened it to see his address and the message,Is six thirty too soon?
No. That’s fine. See you then.
I closed my eyes for a moment then started my engine and headed home. It seemed my mind was on its own journey because I didn’t even remember the drive to our apartment complex. Thoughts of what to expect from Van and why Jungle chose to friendzone me had me feeling like I was going crazy. Although Van was easy on the eyes, I wasn’t attracted to him. I felt like I wanted to go to Jungle’s house and have an entire temper tantrum.
My phone vibrated again as I was parking, and I saw it was from Fawn. I knew she probably expected me to be at the party tonight, but I just couldn’t be there. If I told her ass what was going on, she might cause a scene. She was extremely outgoing, and she didn’t back down from confrontation. All I could visualize was her walking right up to Kaysyn and popping her in the mouth.
I understood Kaysyn’s position, but taking me to court was excessive. If I had an attorney, they would probably talk through this without it going to court. This whole situation just felt like it was on a loop pattern in my brain. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It seemed it was weakening me though and causing me to over analyze some of the simplest things.
My session with Isaiah didn’t go too well, and that was my fault. I refused to tell him everything going on with me. He already knew about the Seneca and Kaysyn situation, and it seemed everyone just wanted to stay out of it. Seneca was his brother-in-law. I knew he couldn’t talk to him about anything we talked about, because it would violate client privilege, but it made me wonder if he’d said anything to them at all.
I was the outsider, but I knew they were avoiding the shit because of Jericho. Had it not been for my brother, they would rally right behind Seneca and Kaysyn. I felt like they were painting a false narrative of me in the privacy of their homes… making it seem like I was the bad guy.
Finally checking my message, I smiled slightly as I read it.Hey, boo! I know yo’ ass better be at this party tonight. Me and Amiko gon’ be lit! You need to get lit with us.
I did need to get lit, but I could do that shit by myself. Being around them would only remind me that I was avoiding Jungle. After getting out of the car, I responded to her.Hey. Have fun. I won’t be there.
My mental wouldn’t be able to handle it. The depression looming over me was something I wasn’t prepared to deal with. I thought once Jericho rescued us and he’d handled Jules, we would be in paradise. I was so fucking wrong about that.
* * *
My nerves were soon edge I could barely walk. My knees kept wanting to buckle and drop me to the ground. When I got to his door, I rang the doorbell and waited for him to come open it. I’d taken a relaxing bath, drank nearly a whole bottle of wine, and pampered myself a bit. I wore light makeup and had tried to wear something somewhat sexy. My sundress showed off my bronze skin tone, and it accented my curves. I wasn’t wearing undergarments, and despite my nerves, my nipples were hard as rocks, straining against the fabric.
When Van opened the door, he scanned my body and licked his lips. “Damn. Come in.”
I smiled slightly then made my way inside his two-level home. Glancing around, I took in the beautiful drapes that covered his windows and modern décor on the walls. His home was extremely spacious and had a comfy vibe to it. He grabbed my hand, causing me to stare up at him. “You look beautiful, Chelsea. Would you care for anything to eat or drink? I left a roast cooking in my slow cooker this morning.”
Is this a date or a smash and dash?Apparently, I had the wrong impression. He was trying to make me feel comfortable. I gave him a slight smile and said, “Sure. Both.”
He chuckled and led me to his kitchen. “Have a seat, and I’ll prepare our plates. Do you like sweet potatoes?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He nodded and turned his back to me as I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I set my purse on a vacant chair next to me and said, “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you. It used to be my grandmother’s. My dad was her only child, and I was her only grandchild. I’ve only made minor upgrades.”
