Page 114 of Friend Zoned

“The lady does not,” Erica tells him.

“Then I won’t do it.

“Erica, go get him some food. He’s our guest,” Myra says.

“Do you think you can handle a little bit of spice, Jimmy?” Erica whispers.

“My tongue can handle all kinds of things.” His Jamaican accent gets thicker with each word.

“I’m not the type of woman who would ever serve a man, but I can make an exception for you.” Erica inches closer to him.

“You’re the type of girl who will do what your aunt tells you to do,” Myra says.

“My girl,” Vickie shouts at Erica.

“Darlin’, I’m gonna need another plate. Myra has outdone herself.” Colt says. His upper lit twitches in mischief.

“You’re really trying to get murdered today, aren’t you?” Vickie asks her husband.

“She’ll get it for you when you’re ready,” Myra chimes in.

“I’m honored, Erica,” Jimmy says.

“You have to tell me what you like.”

“I’ll take whatever you want to give me.”

She eyes him up and down and says, “Yeah, you will.”

Jimmy stares at her while she walks away. When Myra clears her throat, he finally takes a seat.

“God damn, boss man,” he whispers. “What the hell is in this family’s gene pool? That woman is fine.”

“Jimmy,” Jeannie says. “She’ll chew you up and spit you out.”

“Yeah? God, I hope so,” Jimmy says, craning his neck to look at Erica.

“Do you need to go inside and take a cold shower?” I ask him. All he does is grin at me. I clear my throat and change the subject.

“Since you two are responsible for this,” I pick up Jeannie’s hand, “Chastain, I’d like you to be my best man.”

“And you my matron of honor,” Jeannie says to Vickie. Layla looks around the table, clearly ready to speak up, but Jeannie stops her. “Don’t worry, Layla. You’re in the wedding too. I want you to be a bridesmaid.”

Wakowski snorts, and Layla narrows her eyes at him. “Is there such a thing as a wedding grinch?” Seth asks before laughing at his own joke. “Or maybe a wedding scarecrow. I bet you’d do a great job scaring the guests away.

“Asshole,” Layla says under her breath.

“What was that?” Seth says, raising his voice and putting a hand to his ear.

“I called you an—”

Myra looks at Layla, who promptly closes her mouth.

“Play nice,” Myra orders. “Or no cake,” she says as if she’s chastising two children.

Chapter 61

Jeannie

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