Page 26 of Sparks Will Fly

I shrugged. “Girl, I don’t know. She didn’t want to tell me, but I’m about to head over if you want to come.”

“I guess I can go be nosy.”

“Good. That way we can refill the flask before we go.”

Drey stopped me as I tried to get up and walk away.

“No. We gotta refill it when we get to Granny’s. You know she got all the good shit stashed over there.”

I nodded, realizing she was right. My daddy had the stash of a saint in his office. It couldn’t compare to Granny’s stash for sinners like me and my cousin.

* * *

“Granny! I’m here!” I yelled once we let ourselves in her house. I immediately kicked off my shoes. It smelled like fresh flowers and vanilla, so I knew she’d been in her garden today. I lay out on her couch as Drey snuck off to fill the flask. I called out for my Granny a few more times, but she still didn’t reply. I sat up just as Drey came back.

“She’s in the backyard.”

I laid back down, feeling better about her silence. For a minute there, I thought something might’ve happened in the time it took for us to get over here. I stretched an arm out to Drey for the flask.

“Give it because I know you already took a shot.”

She tried to cover her smile with her hand, but I knew how she rocked. We were one and the same.

“You’re right. I did. Scoot over, bitch, because I’m only passing you this if you’re going to finally fill me in on this funky attitude of yours.”

I’d forgotten all about our conversation at the community center.

“Okay fine, but I need that shot first.”

She handed me the flask, and I wasted no time guzzling the fiery liquid. It stung as it went down, but I didn’t care. I was ready for the aftereffects and freedom from thoughts of Romani.

“It was supposed to be about the community center, but I fucked around and actually caught feelings for that high yella man,” I admitted quickly. I was already on my second shot by the time my last word left the tip of my tongue.

Drey started tapping her fingers together like a madman beside me. The smile on her face was too damn big and wide, pissing me off. She was going to make me dig deep into this, and I wasn’t ready to admit how I was really feeling. There was a lot of insecurity and doubt brewing in my depths. I knew it was going to make for very bitter tea session.

“So, this is all about Mr. Sexy Caramel.”

I frowned then glared at her. “Do not call him that.”

“Why? ’Cause that’s your man.”

I fell backward on the couch. “No lie. I was hoping that he could be, but I haven’t heard from him in a week, and now, I’m thinking what could a man like that want with me anyway. I showed my ass real bad. You know I don’t have no good sense. He’s better off, and I don’t think it would’ve worked long-term. He’d only try to fix me like everyone else.”

I damn near jumped out of my skin when I heard his deep raspy voice responding to my rant.

“You definitely showed your ass, but I know it’s because you’re fragile underneath all that rah rah shit you pop. You couldn’t scare me off even if you tried. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I’d follow you anywhere.”

He emerged from the shadows of my Granny’s hallway to stand at the opposite side of the room. I hopped up quickly.

“Romani, what are you doing here?”

Embarrassment flushed through my cheeks, and I was hoping it came off as shock. I did my best to control my excitement seeing him standing there as handsome as ever in a black sweat suit. I tucked my arms behind my back to keep myself from charging at him.

“I needed to see you.”

There was this sincerity in his eyes that sucked all the fight out of my left nostril. I released a shaky breath, not realizing how badly I wanted to hear him say those words.

“I see you’re busy getting fucked up and confessing your feelings, but if I could have a minute of your time, I’d like to prove how you’d have more fun doing so with me.”

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