Page 57 of The Love of Priest

"Well, excuse me for calling you out on your bullshit. I’ll let you go back to living in your controlling little man world," Britain scoffed. She and Priest often had conversations just as heavy as this one. Priest knew Britain as reserved and timid, but when he got to picking her mind and delving into deep conversation, her layers peeled back, and she was way louder and more outspoken than he thought.

"A man's world? That's what you call it?" Priest chuckled, finding her a tad bit dramatic.

Britain nodded her head confidently. "‘Cause that's what it is, and you know it. You think because you’re over it and patched things up with your mother, Jazzy should too. You’re not taking her feelings into consideration at all, so instead of allowing her to deal with your mother accordingly, you’re trying to silence her by keeping her away. That one argument you’re trying to avoid them having could break new ground in Jazzlyn’s healing, which she deserves."

A heavy silence took over the vehicle as Priest digested everything from Britain’s perspective. He had never really stepped outside of himself to view things from Jazzlyn’s point of view. He thought keeping the peace was good for everyone, but all along, it had only been serving him and had proven to be a disservice to Jazzlyn. His silence worried Britain a bit. She didn’t know how he was processing what she had just told him. The last thing she wanted to do was overstep, but she just had to be honest with him.

“I need somebody like you in my corner to get me right sometimes.” Priest shook his head, ashamed of himself.

Britain pursed her lips, relieved that he hadn’t taken any offense to what she said. “You’re not perfect, and I don’t expect you to be. Holding yourself accountable is all the progress that’s needed, and I commend you for that.”

A faint smile graced Priest’s face as he nodded his head. “I appreciate that,” he expressed his gratitude.

For the rest of the ride, they played music instead of having a conversation. Priest still needed time to digest what Britain told him, and she was okay with that. The drive lasted all of thirty minutes before Priest came to a smooth stop and parked the vehicle.

He never really got out much, so he only frequented a few of the spots the Hamptons had to offer. The boardwalk was often his go-to spot since many small business owners ventured table to table to get their products and services out to the people. He was always down to support a small business. With the moon creeping into the sky, Priest was sure the boardwalk still had a ton of festivities to offer, so he decided to bring Britain here.

Once he paid the parking meter, he helped Britain out the car, allowing her to take a quick look around. Feeling the brisk wind flutter over her skin, she felt a calm wash over her. Together, they stepped onto the boardwalk, letting the bright lights and joyous atmosphere hold their undivided attention. Although Priest was enjoying his surroundings, the contagious smile plastered on Britain's face brought him far more joy. Her eyes lit up in excitement at the sight of all the lights and the thrilling people they had encounters with.

Her laughter fluttered through his ears, warming his heart. "You think you can win that for me?" Britain asked while pointing to a big stuffed dolphin that was displayed as a prize for a carnival game.

Priest scoffed. "I'll win all this shit for you. Yo, run me a round!" He skipped the line, going straight to the counter where the carnival basketball game was being conducted.

Sheepishly, Britain followed behind Priest, apologizing to those who were in line awaiting their turn patiently. "Priest, you can't just skip the whole line." She attempted to drag him to the back of the line by his arm.

"Chill out. I got this," he assured Britain before turning to the snappy people in line who weren't pleased by him skipping. "Everyone’s first round on me. That cool with y'all?" he proposed the irresistible deal. Unanimously, the entire line of people agreed, allowing Priest to go first. Fishing in his pocket, he retrieved a folded stack of money, fingering through a slew of different denominations before he halted at the core of the stack where the blue bills were. Pulling a crisp blue hundred-dollar bill from the stack, he handed it to the middle-aged white male who was running the whole game.

"Lord, you better win this, or I'm gonna be so embarrassed." Britain pinched the bridge of her nose, causing Priest to laugh as the man handed him the first of the four balls he had to shoot perfectly into the different hoops that were set higher and higher through the game.

Priest smirked confidently as his hands gripped the medium sized ball. "Let me impress you real quick." Running his tongue over his lips in concentration, he rotated the first ball in his hand before extending his long, tattoo-decorated arms for the shot. Beginner’s luck was on his side, and he managed to knock down the first shot with ease.

As confident as ever, Priest went shot after shot, breezing them right through the hoop. Once he got down to the last ball and the tallest hoop, he shot Britain a wink before shooting it. Like magic, the ball went through the hoop effortlessly, causing the man running the game to press down on his air horn in celebration of Priest’s successful run through all four hoops.

"Get my shorty the dolphin up top." Priest pointed to the big stuffed animal that Britain had her eye on.

Once Priest got the dolphin, he turned to face Britain with a charming smile on his face, cockiness oozing out of him. He handed the dolphin to Britain, who squealed in excitement that he got her what she wanted. Britain wrapped her arms around the dolphin, snuggling her face against the plush fur of the stuffed animal.

"You're the best," Britain gushed.

Priest chucked at the fact that the stuffed animal was practically her size. "‘Preciate that." He draped his arms around her shoulders. "You impressed?"

Britain hiked her head up with a radiant smile. "I can’t front. I am," she assured him. Priest craned down, pecking her lips twice before mirroring her smile.

As the night continued, Priest and Britain alternated playing different games that were lined up on the boardwalk, along with indulging in a few carnival snacks. The boardwalk gave the carnival vibe throughout the year, and that alone amazed Britain.

As they continued walking the boardwalk hand in hand, Britain gazed at the beauty of the array of lights surrounding them from the different attractions and small restaurant spots that had set up shop on the walk. "Why'd you bring me here?" Britain randomly asked Priest as they locked eyes with each other.

Priest furrowed his thick brows together. "You're not enjoying it?" He returned with a question of his own. Britain nodded her head, assuring him she was.

"I am. I love it. I just wanna know your reasoning." She shrugged as she continued to cling to the stuffed animal.

Absentmindedly, Priest breathed a sigh of relief before shrugging. "I don't know. This is just a spot that is guaranteed great vibes. My sister and I come out here when she's visiting," he enlightened her.

"Will I ever get the pleasure of meeting her?" Britain inclined her orbs up at him.

Without any hesitation, Priest nodded his head. "Definitely. You two seem to have a lot in common." He smiled lightly. "She's gonna be a little hard ass at first. The tougher she is, the more she likes you. She's just trying to see if you crack under pressure."

"From what you've seen, does it look like I'll crack under pressure?" Britain questioned Priest once more.

---