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Once they got to their seats, Jess hopped back up and went to the mic. “I just had to come up here, big belly and all, and say calm down Uncle Mayor, Uncle Jasper, Uncle Kenny, Uncle WJ, Uncle Ryder, Uncle Philly, Uncle LaKeith, and Uncle Marcus. Lawd have mercy! This is business. Get those frowns off your faces. Y’all too, Jakari and Decaurey!”
The crowd laughed as cameras flashed. There was so much fucking paparazzi in this bitch it was ridiculous. She went back to her seat on the hay bales next to Brix, Noah, and TAZ. The lady that introduced them went back to the mic, explaining just how perfect the video was and how it was going to blow up in the industry.
“Jessica told me to label this genre of music country hood. We’re getting it trademarked as we speak. Noah plans to do a few more songs and videos like this and plans to give women from this area a chance to be featured, and a couple more artists on his label are looking into tapping into it as well.”
The crowd applauded loudly as Jess blushed. Nate was just staring at her. He wasn’t clapping, but I could see the longing in his eyes. Thankfully, where Jess was seated, she couldn’t see him. What caused me to pause was the woman I saw being seated near Nate. It was Yendi.Fuck!She said something to Nate, and he hugged her with one arm then nodded his head in my direction. She looked right at me.
She brought her hands to her chest, I assumed indicating her relief that I was okay. She didn’t know it was a country theme since I didn’t tell her. She wore a long black dress with a split on one side nearly to her waist. I noticed her shoulders were out when she slid her shawl off. I turned toward the screen when the lights dimmed, doing my best to ignore her.
She didn’t know what was good for her. I wasn’t it right now. Once I got myself together, if she was still single, I would shoot my shot then. When a picture of my grandmother came across the screen, you could hear the gasps throughout the room. Then there was a video. I was stunned and Jess seemed to be also, like she didn’t know.
“This is how we do things in Big City Nome, Texas,” my grandmother said and chuckled. “I don’t know why them chirren say that shit. Baby, yo’ bathtub probably bigger than Nome.”
The crowd laughed loudly. “One thing about Nome is that we all we got. We family. We fuss, we fight, we do stupid shit, but we love each other. We fix things. We heal from things. That’s what the Hendersons do.”
As Noah recorded, he asked, “So how do you feel about Jess being in this video with me?”
“Listen, I’m proud of my baby. That girl been fierce since she was little. I’m glad Shylou and Carter helped her to follow her dreams. She deserves this. Just don’t be grabbing on all that ass she got, Noah. Her fiancé gon’ fuck you up. That boy don’t play about Jessica Monroe, baby.”
Everybody laughed again, and the video cut to her saying, “I’m so proud of you, Jess. This is only the beginning. You gon’ have all these city slickers tryna be country. This shit is born into you.” She said in a lower voice, “Don’t insult the people, Joan.”
Noah cracked up like it was his first time seeing it as well. The video cut again, and she said, “Jess, the Hendersons have always been known for farming, ranching, and rodeos, but you taking the name to an entirely different arena and letting people know what it stands for. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Girl, you gon’ fuck these people’s minds up, because you a product of Jenahra Henderson Wothyla and her fine ass mama, Joan Henderson!”
She struck a pose and tilted her Stetson, causing the room to laugh again. “Congratulations, Grandma’s baby!”
I swiped the couple of tears that fell. Seeing my grandmother again that way was a blessing. That woman was something else. My grandfather was seated up front with Uncle WJ, and I could see his shoulders quaking. He hadn’t been doing all that well since she passed. He wanted nothing to do with nothing. Aunt Tiffany, Aunt Jen, and my mama spent the most time with him, making sure his needs were taken care of. He rarely left the house.
Another picture of my grandmother came on the screen as she was rooting Malachi on. The bull was in the air and Mal was holding on for dear life. Then the words ‘Rest in Heaven Grandma Henderson’ and her birth and death dates appeared on the screen. There was thunderous applause as Jess leaned into Brix.
I hated Nesha had to miss this. She and the baby were home, but she felt it was too soon to have him out and about, around all these people. I could agree with her on that. Once the video started, I smiled. I remembered seeing everything that unfolded. Seeing Aunt Tiff and the girls do their thing was fun to watch. The rodeo relay, and Legend, Red, and Zay cutting up was cool to see on the screen as well. When I caught a glimpse of myself, I smiled. I was walking to my seat, rubbing my hands together like I was ready for action.
It cut to them horse riding and laughing at Noah. He looked so uncomfortable on that horse. Jess looked so beautiful. She was smiling big for most of that scene, and I felt like that scene was her in her element. It was like they told her to just be herself. She kissed Noah in the scene, grabbing his locs to pull him to her. It was just a peck on the lips though. However, with the way he looked at her, I knew more was coming later in the video.
The part we were all waiting to see though was the part they filmed here in the barn that no one was able to see. Jess had on a red dress that showed a lot of her womanly parts. My face scrunched up as Noah’s eyes graced every inch of her. It cut to them slow dancing and him gripping her ass, then the kiss. That shit was nasty. Jess gave that man her whole tongue.
I rolled my eyes as the women in the crowd screamed. However, when her shoulder straps came down, my eyes bugged out. Then there was a flash of her in her bra and panties and Noah shirtless upstairs in the hay. My eyes went over to Brix, and he looked tight as fuck. Jess grabbed him by the chin and kissed his lips, forcing him to cool out. Thankfully, the video didn’t go through every moment of what they were insinuating happened.
When it was over, I could see Yendi staring at me. I quickly made my way closer to the front as Jess and Noah went to the mic to talk. I slipped right out the door and to my truck parked in the back. Before I could pull away, she’d made it to me.Fuck!
“Jakari, what are you doing? Did you listen to any of my messages? Did you read my text? Why are you running from me?”
I swallowed hard and got out of the truck. Grabbing her hands, I brought them to my lips one at a time, kissing them. “Baby, you’re perfect in every way. But you having to suffer through my bullshit ain’t where it’s at. You better than this shit. I’m fucked up. I told you that a while ago. You wanna keep getting hurt? Huh? My soul is dark, Yendi. Quit fucking chasing after a man that’s beneath you!”
She wrapped her arms around my waist. “I can’t let go, Jakari. I love you! How am I supposed to turn that shit off? You got me to admit that shit to you so soon. You said you loved me! Don’t do this. Don’t let hate win. I want to help you through this. If I didn’t want to be with you through this, I wouldn’t be here. Please, baby.”
She laid her head on my chest as my arms rested at my sides. She was making this shit so difficult. I didn’t want to let her go, but I couldn’t understand why she wanted to sign up for the shit show going on in my life. That was more than love. Fuck love. Who volunteered to be miserable in the name of love? Fuck that.
I put my hands to her head and tilted it back and kissed her soft, thick ass lips for the last time then pushed away from her and got in my truck, burning off. This was what was best and one day, she would thank me for helping her dodge this bullet.
CHAPTER16
YENDI
“Ms. Odom, I can’t wait to announce the winner of the iPhone. They gon’ flip because Bryson never reads!” Ashanni said as she laughed.
“I know. These contests did exactly what they were supposed to do. These kids stepped up to the challenge, and I’m so proud of the two of you for making it happen,” I said to Maui and Ashanni.
It had been nearly a week since I’d seen Jakari. I felt like I’d only been existing. Since I had to stay for the fucking pep rallies now, I couldn’t even go to the diner today. I’d been trying to run into him ‘unintentionally’ without just going to his house, but I could see that I would have to just pop up. I missed him so much, and it was taking everything in me not to sink into depression.
