Page 9 of This: Blake & Emon

“Word?”

“Word. Wait here.” Blake rushed to her car, which wasn’t too far away. When she returned, she was carrying a cooler with a carefully wrapped container inside. She couldn’t believe this man had her in the kitchen, but he did, and now she was glad that she had.

Emon raised a brow as she handed it to him. “What’s this?”

“Open it and find out,” she said.

Emon opened the package and grinned so wide the next town over could see it. She’d made him a Key Lime Pie.

“You got in the kitchen for me, bae?”

“Don’t act like that. Maybe I was thinking that you’d like a pie since you mentioned it, or maybe I just enjoy baking.”

“Yeah, you can play all day like you don’t want me, but I see through that shit. Fuck with me today. Skip work.”

“Skip work?” Blake asked, giving him a scandalous look that made him laugh.

“I had a shitty day. You had a shitty day. I’m saying.” He shrugged with his hands extended. “Give me a price and skip the rest of your shift. Come kick it with me.”

She should say no. She had patients waiting and responsibilities, but something in the way he was looking at her, combined with how thoughtful he’d been bringing lunch and that receipt in her hand, had her wanting to be reckless just this once.

“You know what? Yes. Fuck work.”

“For real?” His eyebrows shot up, clearly not expecting her to agree.

“For real. Let me go tell them I’m not feeling well. Give me five minutes.”

“I’ll be right here,” he called after her, that signature smirk playing on his lips. Emon watched Blake walk inside. He didn’t think she would agree, but he was glad she did. His day hadn’t gone as expected with his meetings. He was tempted to resort to what he knew, but he believed spending time with her would remind him why his staying from the streets was best.

When she returned, he was already in the driver’s seat, pie secured safely in the cooler.

“Where we going?” she asked, climbing into his truck and looking around like she was breaking the law. Emon laughed, appreciating her taking a risk.

“Wherever you want, love.” He reached for her hand. “We got all day.”

As they pulled away from the hospital, Blake felt lighter than she had in weeks. Sometimes the best medicine was knowing somebody cared enough to help her catch her breath.

“Take me somewhere peaceful,” she said, settling into the leather seat. “Somewhere we can just be.”

“Bet.” Emon nodded, knowing exactly where to go. As they drove, Blake felt the stress of her day melting away. She couldn’t remember the last she’d done something spontaneous like this.

“Who messed up your day or is it a what?”

“Shit, both. I’m tryna open a third spot for the carwash, but mufuckas tryna play like I can’t buy the whole street up.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Got me in meetings with people who think they know my pocket better than me. Like I ain’t been doing this.”

“That’s why you had meetings today?”

“Yeah, trying to expand, but seems like every time a young black man trying to do something legit, everybody got questions, acting like the money ain’t green.”

Blake reached over and squeezed his hand. “Their loss if they sleep on you.”

“Facts, but I ain’t worried. At the end of the day, I’m gonna own that block whether they like it or not.” He brought her hand to his lips. “Having you skip work with me is making it better though.”

They wound up in a secluded spot overlooking the city. Emon backed his truck up to the view and helped Blake into the bed where they’d eaten lunch earlier. The afternoon sun was warm but not hot, perfect for lying back, eating pie, listening to music, and watching clouds drift by.

“Do you remember your first love?” she asked, picking at the chips he’d brought. She’d been wanting to pick his brain about previous relationships. Emon seemed like a man that shouldn’t have been single. Maybe she hadn’t seen the undesirable parts of him, but who he had shown her she couldn’t deny he was checking her boxes. Kind, thoughtful, paid, and available. Not one person had called, texted, or dropped by to bring any tea about him. And she could appreciate that.

“Yeah, money,” he said without hesitation. “Had to be. Watching my mama struggle, seeing how people treated you when you ain’t have it. Figured if I loved anything, it needed to be getting to them bags first.”

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