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“Actually, I want to punch your ass in the gut,” Sharla hissed. “I’d fire your ass if you weren’t so good at the job.”
I nodded. “Okay, I can understand that, but thank you for allowing me to keep my job. I don’t wanna have to sell my clothes.”
“Damn label whore. Youshouldunderstand it! You hurt my damn feelings keeping me in the dark. Vann is Vann. I’m pissed at him but it’s not unusual for him to be reticent. But you? You and Nadia are my best friends, dammit! How could you keep this from me? Vann has always been reticent but you? We tell each other everything. This shit hurts.”
“Everything? You sure about that?”
“Yes!”
“Then why didn’t I know what Vann was talking about when he brought up you having dreams?”
Sharla opened her mouth but didn’t speak.
“So you understand there are some things you can’t even share with a trusted friend, right? I fucked your brother knowing how much you love and look up to him, casual sex that morphed into something that makes me sick with love for him. I’ve carried these feelings around with me for over a decade believing I’d never be with Vann again. Nadia didn’t know either. Britta is the only person I’ve ever told.”
Still nothing from Sharla, but I could see her beginning to thaw out.
“I love him, Shar.”
She sighed. “I believe you do, and I know he loves you, too. He’s a second from cutting me out of his life for you.”
“He wouldn’t do that.”
“Your probably right, but…shit, I should be thanking you for taking his ass. He ain’t going nowhere now that you two are together.”
I smiled, a weak, hopeful action.
She snatched me into a hug. “I forgive you for not telling me and I’m happy for y’all.”
Hugging her back, my smile gained strength. “Thank you, Shar.”
Releasing me, she sighed again. “You’ve both had shit to deal with from childhood and you deserve happiness. I’m glad you have each other.”
“Me too.”
“I’m so proud of y’all,” Nadia gushed. “Now let’s go back out there before Nathan sends the bodyguard looking for me.”
Her security was so stealthy, I often forgot about their near constant presence.
“Or before Jojo or Vann pop up,” Sharla said. “Because I know neither one of them play about theirs.”
We all laughed as we left the restroom.
VANN
“Damn, that was a good game,” I said, following Brooklyn into her apartment and dropping onto the sofa.
“It was! Usually, they pick easy prey for the homecoming game to ensure a victory, but this team actually gave them a real contest,” Brooklyn replied.
“True. Shit, I thought for a minute we were gonna lose. Glad they pulled out that W.”
“Yeah,” she said as she plopped down beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. “You hungry? Want me to heat up one or three of the fifty turkey legs you bought at the game?”
I chuckle. “Ooooh, so you got jokes, huh? Look, it’s been a while since I had a good turkey leg. You know, the ones wrapped in three layers of foil with the meat falling off the bone. And the ones they were selling at the game were big, too! I had to stock up!”
“You determined to put that bulk back on, ain’t you? Me likey.”
I grinned. “Sharla’s hating ass said I was fat.”
