Page 109 of The Love of Priest

Involuntarily, Britain's lips curled into a grin that spread across her face. "I love you, playa," she professed, still managing to be playful.

Priest laughed. "I love you too, playa," he professed right after he leaned over the table to apply a kiss to her lips.

Laughter overtook them within the conversation they were having over their glasses of wine. As he spoke with Britain, Priest occupied himself with carving something on his side of the table.

"Who's been calling you?" Priest glanced up from the table to eye Britain who was declining another phone call.

Britain waved it off. "Just Jadey." She set her phone on vibrate and slipped it into her small purse.

"Playing mad?" Priest asked with a small smirk.

Britain shook her head with a loud scoff. "I'm not playing mad. Iammad," she clarified. "She shouldn't have put me in a situation like that."

"Okay," Priest nodded. "But how is being angry benefiting you now?" He raised a brow.

Britain shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but it is."

He laughed at how quickly she tried to brush the conversation off. "Gioia, it's good to forgive," he reminded her, causing a long sigh to draw out of her.

"Yeah, but I can't forget," she snapped out in a quick response.

Priest nodded his head. "Yeah, but no one is asking you to forget. Always forgive, never forget."

She let out a deep sigh before shaking her head. "I can't. She betrayed me."

"And a million other people are going to do the same shit," he pointed out. "The point is you have to decide whether the friendship is worth dealing with it and overcoming it. Life is about what and who you can and cannot tolerate," he preached to her.

Britain sat across from him with a look of realization on her face. Priest smirked cockily at the fact that he taught her something. "I just put you on game. Don't forget that." He winked at her.

With a small laugh, Britain rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever." She waved him off.

Priest reached over the table, gently lifting her head with his index finger gently to lock eyes with her. "That's what you say when I'm right."

Britain grabbed ahold of his wrist, moving his hand away from her face so she wouldn't have to admit that he was indeed correct. Priest found her little attitude funny, so of course, he continued to harp on the fact that he was right.

Once they finished their glasses of wine, they handed in their glasses. "Awe, that's cute." Britain smiled before kissing Priest's cheek. At the table, Priest had taken his time to carve Gioia & P into the wood of the table. "What's this?" Britain pointed to the small sign he had carved next to their names.

"I love you in sign language," he enlightened her while holding his hand up and gesturing the sign.

Britain puckered her lips, indicating that she wanted a kiss, which he granted her. "How did you learn sign language?" Britain asked as Priest led her toward the acres of grapes which they were free to pick at their leisure to make their own wine.

Priest picked a bunch and placed it into his wooden pail. "Funny story," he began with a hearty laugh. "I fucked this one shorty that was deaf." Britain’s eyes widened in shock at his confession.

"P, are you serious?!" she gasped, only for him to nod while he was still laughing.

"Deadass," he confirmed. "I met her at work while I was doing landscaping. We had the mowers going, so it was loud when I got her number. We texted for a few days, and then we linked. I thought she was just shy ‘cause all she did was nod her head to shit I was saying. We started to fuck, and I didn't realize something was up with shorty until she said my name in sign language instead of moaning it out. I laughed for weeks, G." He doubled over in laughter.

Britain stood behind him, patting his back to help him catch his breath. "You've experienced far too much in your time.” Britain shook her head once he recovered from his laughter.

Priest shrugged his shoulders. "I lived out my twenties. I was wild."

"And now?" Britain eyed him.

Priest smirked down at her as they continued to walk down the many rows of sprouting grapes. "You don't think I've matured?" He swiped his tongue over his lips.

Britain felt her insides do a back flip as sparks ran their course throughout her body. "Yeah," she nodded.

Priest placed his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in closer. "Exactly. Plus, everything worked out from me being wild as hell. I’m fluent in sign language," he shrugged.

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