Page 70 of One Good Reason

My eyes bulged. “Wow.”

Lifting his shoulder, he mumbled. “Right.”

“Is it yours?”

“Nawl,” he drawled. “I don’t know who the lucky man is.”

“How’d that make you feel when you found out?”

“To be honest, I can’t really say. Did I feel a way? Yeah, but I don’t know in what manner. If that makes sense.”

“It does. Do you regret anything?”

Shaking his head vehemently, he retorted, “Not one minute of it. All I’ve ever wanted for her was for her to be happy.”

“Then why feel a way?” I probed.

“Can’t answer that.”

Tucking a curl behind my ear, I picked up my glass and emptied it. “Well, I’m happy that she’s getting what she wanted out of life. Rossi and Marsha speaks highly of her so I’m certain they’re happy for her as well.”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t talk about her to anyone.”

“Are you bitter?”

Tossing his head back, Law laughed. “Is that what you came up with out of everything I said.”

I shrugged. “In a way. You’re a man’s man, Law. You lost your partner and not even a year later she’s carrying the next man’s baby. That’s gotta hurt.”

Leaning in, Law bit his bottom lip and studied my face. “I get what you’re trying to do Talitha and it’s not going to work.” Pulling back, he picked up his fork and resumed eating his lamb.

“Can’t blame a girl for trying.”

“If you say so. How was the rest of your evening with Rossi and Marsha?”

“It was well needed. Between working on this application, redoing things at the youth center, and taking care of Gema… I needed the adult interaction. I did have one too many drinks and had to catch an Uber back to the house.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve come and picked you up.”

“It was late. I didn’t want Baker having to get out of bed because I was careless.”

“Noticed I saidI.You could have called. It wouldn’t have been an inconvenience. Why didn’t Rossi or Marsha drop you off?”

“I live in Douglasville, Law. That would’ve been too much on them. They offered but I declined.”

“Next time, call me. It’s dangerous being in an Uber alone in that condition.”

“Yes, sir father,” I saluted him.

“You love trying me, don’t you.”

“Maybe I do,” I flirted.

“Finish eating your food Talitha before you get yourself in some shit that you can’t get out of,” Law advised.

And maybe it was the Tito’sthat I suggested they make my drink with, but my insides werebeggingme to ask what kind of shit he was speaking on. Since the night in the limo or better yet,the way he had my body pushed up against our hotel room door, I had been craving his touch.

For once, I wanted to let my resolve down and indulge in something that would have me shying away from him the next morning. I knew he wouldn’t make the first move, especially since I’d confessed the need to be in control. Hopefully if I baited him tonight, he would give in.

---