Page 47 of Are You Going to Love Me

“Yeah, in a couple of weeks,” Brody shared.

“You still on that bullshit. I need my shit clean nigga. Like licensed, bonded, and out of the streets.”

“I can do that.”

“Ay B you know if you fuck up you out right? You got some place to stay, or your girl finally got some sense about herself?”

“She got some sense,” Brody huffed, making Maximus laugh. “Fuck you.”

“Listen I got you, keep your head down until you get out and I’ll make some shit shake,” Maximus stated as the doorbell chimed. “I mean it, B. Don’t fuck this up nigga.”

“I got you, I promise.”

“Aight call me back when you got some shit set in stone,” Maximus shared the two final words before he hung up and opened the door for Staysha. “What’s good?”

“I got you a gig.”

“Another one?” he asked. “What show is it?”

“Halftime at the Waves game. Fifteen-minute set. You doing it or am I going to have to tell them no?” she asked, roaming further into his house.

“You know I’ve never done a show before, where the fuck we start?” Maximus asked.

Staysha beamed. “You know I'm already on it. Ever heard of DJ Rudy?”

“Yeah, he’s dope as fuck,” Maximus replied. “You know him?”

“I do. I got him on standby. Eden did some work with him. If you say yes to the Waves, I can handle the rest.”

Maximus’s ears perked when he heard Eden’s name. He’d been trying not to call or text her, but dare he admit it out loud, he missed her. Social media stalking her just wouldn’t do it anymore.

“Shit tell them hell yeah. Keon is cool with it?”

Staysha nodded. “Waiting to hear the word.”

Maximus watched Staysha peck away on her phone. “Ay what’s this blog shit about? Saying Eden and I are a thing? That’s not going to fuck up nothing is it?”

He wasn’t concerned about himself. He knew he would bounce back from anything, but he couldn’t help but feel like, for Eden, it would be different. Especially since whatever she was fighting, she hadn’t uttered a word about.

“For her or you?” Staysha asked, gauging his concern.

Maximus gave a knowing look. “Come on, Staysha.”

She smirked. “Let it be. The blogs are free press. Matter of fact, invite her out to the game. You got a plus one, and Keon doesn’t count, he’s management.”

“You trying to spend some fake dating shit and plan a public break up?” Maximus grunted.

“I’m never putting my sister in a position to look stupid, so no. But I saw what they saw and maybe just maybe I’m not wrong this time about what she needs, and you could be good for her.”

“Damn what about me?” Maximus joked but was serious.

“You’ll be fine. She’s going to alter your nervous system, but you’ll be just fine.”

Maximus grunted. The thought of Eden altering his world was welcomed. Which meant that she was already altering his nervous system. Before his thoughts wandered off and he found himself trying to rub the wayward thoughts of her away, he ran his hand over the top of his head.

“Heard you. What else you got?”

“Depending on your halftime performance, you’ll have an interview with Way Up Waynesville.”

---