Page 28 of Only You

“There’s this woman who works at the hospital that I need to run up on,” I said after taking a few bites and a drink before continuing.

“A nurse. Ivy Smith. She was acting real out of pocket when Brice introduced us the other night. I almost snatched her FB thirty Brazilian body wave off her scalp,” I said.

“Not you remembering the color,” Jourdan said. I waved my hand.

“Only because it was pissing me off even more. Her hair was laid and I couldn’t bring myself to hate on a fly ass weave. But her ass… There’s something about her. Brice told me that he moved me from the hospital because someone had been drugging me.”

“You think it was her? See, this is my type of carrying on! Can we go after we leave here?”

“Go where?” Jourdan and I both jumped at Stephon’s voice. We were so into our conversation that we hadn’t realized he was there. Although I’d heard you wouldn't if he didn’t want you to.

“Damnit, Stephon. Wait, are you tracking me?” Jourdan chastised. He ignored her and peeked inside the stroller at a sleeping Angel. Then he pushed himself into the booth beside her. Once he was settled, he leaned in and kissed her lips. Until six weeks ago, I’d never seen Jourdan act this way around a man. Jourdan was Brice in female form, as hard and cold as they came.

“Baby, don’t ask questions you already know the answer to,” he said and smirked Jourdan's way.

“Oop,” I said and laughed. Jourdan rolled her eyes but liked every bit of Stephon’s antics.

“Tay, you’re laughing, but Brice said once you finish eating bring your ass to the hospital so he can talk to you about driving his car. Your man Brice is not the same nigga as your best friend Brice,” Stephon said

Thehell!

I hadn’t really thought about the differences, but there had definitely been a shift. The tone in which he spoke to me was sure and loving. There was a possession and reverence in his touch, and apparently, he was secretly keeping track of my whereabouts. I found myself biting my lip and smiling at the revelation that I was finally his.

“So, Steph, tell me how you managed to tame a wild animal,” I said teasingly. Jourdan stuck up her middle finger, causing me to laugh.

“Easy, I let her ass believe I wasn’t,” he said. Jourdan reared back and hit Steph as hard as she could in the arm. He didn’t even flinch but grabbed her fist and kissed her knuckles. He stopped antagonizing her long enough to focus his attention on me. For a while, he only stared.

“I’m sorry for staring. I can’t believe you’re my sister, or the fact that I even have one. The shit still trips me out a lil’ bit. I want to get to know you, and my mother does too. Would you be up for having dinner with us? It can be like our first family dinner,” he said and smiled. It warmed my heart that he was trying to bring me into the fold. Stephon was the perfect big brother. I also knew what he meant about tripping him out, because I often felt the same way. It would have been nice not to have endured a childhood alone with Nina, even though we lived on separate coasts.

Who are you kidding, Tay? That ho didn’t even tell you that you had a father.

Those quick thoughts of Nina were enough to refocus my agenda, and that was that she still had to go.

“I’d love that. Please let me know a time and place, and we’ll be there. Can you two watch Breezy while I run to the hospital?” I asked.

“Yeah, you don’t even have to ask. He can ride with me,” Steph said. Jourdan had a pissed look on her face.

“Look what you did, Stephon. We were supposed to run up on a ho, and then here you come, busting up all the fun,” she said.

“Hmph, you two weren’t about to take Angel and Bryson to go do some bullshit. That was a no-go before you even thought about it, Baby,” Stephon said. When I stood to leave, so did he, hugging me. Then I leaned over to hug JoJo, whispering in her ear.

“I’ll call you with what I find out,” I told her, then leaned over to kiss Bryson on his forehead. I was definitely back on my bullshit. I didn’t care what my brother had to say about it. Brice, he’d better get beside me or end up behind me.

CHAPTER 17

Brice

“Hello,” I answered as I ducked into the nearest room to take the call.

“Heeey, Dr. Washington, wooo, that sounded sexy. Sexy title, sexy man! I’m so unprofessional, let me stop before I get in trouble,” she said as I laughed loudly. It was Demitri’s wife; she was a handful and was just as wild as the man she married. Putting them in a room together was like watching two comedians perform inside a UFC octagon ring.

“It’s Melanie Cain. I was calling to let you know that your building has been completely remodeled and will be ready for design when you are,” she added.

“I’ll stop by to get the keys soon. Thanks again.”

“You’re welcome. When you come, wear that lab coat and scrubs combo. With your fine ass. Damn, let me get off this phone,” she said before hanging up. I chuckled.

That woman is a trip!

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