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“Oh, then you stupid. How you losethat?!”
“Young and dumb.”
“Yeah, definitely stupid.”
I had no rebuttal for that. To let another man marry her and give her a child? I was something on the other side of stupid.
The song ended, and I told myself not to jump up and take off running in her direction. Folks would think I was crazy or getting ready to rob the place. So I turned back to the bar and threw back another shot. When I looked up, Brooklyn was gone. Princess had missed her exit, too. Hell, I actually got up and walked around the small club and didn’t find a sign of her anywhere.
CHAPTER20
BROOKLYN
In black thigh-high boots and a beige sweater dress that hugged my curves, I made my way through the entrance of the Owens Sports Complex, stepping around groups of well-dressed students and alumni toward the main gym entrance. Handing the door attendant my ticket, I accepted a glossy program book from the same attendant and stepped into the gym. The lights were bright and the bleachers were relatively full. On the gym floor was a platform holding chairs draped in royal blue cloth with gold bows tied on the backs of them. At half court, another platform where contestants would showcase their talents before Miss Romey U would be announced and crowned. The performances were basically just for entertainment, as the winner was always chosen by the student body before this event. The results were kept secret for this special announcement. First runner up was the university’s de facto Homecoming Queen. Both would be honored during halftime at the homecoming football game, escorted by the gentleman of their choice. Romey was one of the few HBCUs that didn’t crown a homecoming king.
Standing to the side of the gym doors, I checked my phone, rereading Nadia’s message informing me where everyone was sitting:Section F, Row 13.
Looking around, I moved to the set of bleachers on the right, climbing the steps, my heels hitting the metal bleacher floor as I headed to my friends. I smiled once I spotted them, a smile I had to fight to keep pasted on my face when I saw Vann London sitting behind my friends and their husbands. Of course, I knew he’d be here, but that knowledge didn’t make me feel any less pissed off, although I had no right to be.
While I was onstage at Geneva’s, I saw him, and I saw her, his damn date. Was it irrational of me to be upset about a single adult man going on a date? Yes, it was, but this single adult man loved me. He’d said it, or did I dream that shit? I’d thought it was a memory but maybe it was a hallucination, an after effect of being sloppy drunk. Because if he loved me, why would he be on a date with another woman.
Fool, you loved him and married a whole other man.
Sometimes my thoughts really worked my damn nerves.
I exchanged greetings with my friends and their men, hugging Nadia and Sharla, before deciding to sit behind the couple farthest away from Vann, who sat to the right of his sister. No date tonight.
Insert eye roll.
I could feel him looking at me and then I realized I’d very conspicuously failed to speak to him, so I said, “Oh! Hi, Vann! Didn’t notice you sitting there,” with my gaze locked on him.
His eyebrows shot up as he gave me a lopsided grin, which served to make my stomach flip. “I don’t know how you managed to miss my big light-bright ass, but uh, hey, Brooklyn.”
I simply nodded, turning my attention to Nadia. “Hey, Lovely isn’t coming? Braeden’s an alumnus, right?”
Craning her neck to look at me, she replied, “They’re at our house with Little Nathan and Ian. Mommy’s really been into the grandmother thing lately, and Braeden is into whatever Mommy’s into.”
Braeden was Nadia’s Mom’s much younger fiancé.
“Yeah, he loves him some Lovely Day. I just can’t believe they haven’t gotten married yet.”
“I can. I’ve no doubt she loves Braeden but I was never completely sold on her believing in marriage now. We’ll see, though. You never know with my mother.”
“True, and that’s why she’s one of my favorite people—the unpredictability. That woman is the definition of marching to her own beat.”
“I know that’s right,” Sharla agreed.
“Mecca here?” I asked.
“Yeah, with some of her friends. She’s too cool to sit with us old folks. I still can’t believe she moved into a dorm when her home is right here in the city.” It was Nadia’s husband Nathan who answered my question.
“Aw, you know she wanted the full Romey U college experience, baby,” Nadia soothed him.
“What about Miss V and my guy Rabbit, Sharla? They didn’t want to come?
“Ma and Rabbit are hanging with Messiah and Romey-D at Sharla and Jovani’s crib tonight,” Vann offered. “They’re heading back home tomorrow.”
I had to fight not to roll my eyes at his “I love you but I’ma go on a date with a beautiful woman anyway” ass. Turning back to Sharla, I asked, “Wait, Messiah is still in town and at your house and you’re here, Shar?”
