Page 15 of Sunday

“Our conversation earlier today. I want you to be happy, you know that, right?”

“I do. But now I feel like a crackhead.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’ve got me feenin’ for the dick, Cedar. I won’t lie.”

He chuckled. “Baby girl, you stretching a nigga’s jeans.”

“Well, it’s not my fault. Every time I’m around you, my nipples get hard.”

His hand lightly brushed against my top on the side of my breast.

“Stop before you get some shit started,” he growled.

“I mean, I’m trying to.” I wore a flirtatious smirk on my lips as I winked at him.

“Watch TV, shawty.”

Cedar started working for our company, JD Peale Construction Group, eight years ago, and I was hired as an intern four years ago during my senior year of college. The company built several commercial and residential properties. They had brownstones and townhomes, and they kept several available units in each for their staff.

We could purchase or rent units at a discounted rate. Cedar and I rented our unit. I met Cedar, who was an instructor for my orientation group at Peale, during my senior year.

One of the company benefits was residential discounts and housemate pairing. The program ran in-depth background checks on potential roommates, including past residences and credit checks. I signed up for the program after graduation and was paired with someone within three weeks, but we didn’t get along very well, and she returned home to Wisconsin without notice.

I was in over my head with bills, so I put in a request for a new roommate. For two months, I was on my own. Just when I feared I would have to return home with my parents, the housing coordinator manager informed me that she had one option. She was unsure how I would feel about it since it was a male, and he was six years older than me. I was hesitant until she told me who it was.

Most people thought it might be odd to pair the two of us, but I had become comfortable with Cedar, and I trusted him. Fresh off a divorce, he was starting a new chapter of his life. I jumped on the opportunity because I knew I would feel safer than living alone, and I would be able to afford to stay out on my own.

That was just under two years ago. My salary had increased since, and I could afford to live on my own, but I loved living with Cedar. I lived for nights like this.

“What’s on your mind, kid?”

I sat up and mushed him in the side of the head.

“I told you that I’m not a kid.”

“Whatever,” he replied and sucked his teeth.

“You ever thought about therapy?”

“For?”

“The divorce. Healing. You have unrealized dreams in your heart, and it’s not okay for her to have stolen them from you.”

Cedar shrugged. “I’ll be a’ight in time.”

“Maybe, maybe you won’t. If you keep those feelings locked inside, it will be harder to open up. You should give yourself, your future wife, and your future kids a shot, Cedar.”

“I might consider it, Dr. Monroe.”

“Shut up.”

“What about you? You’re the one who seemed like you’re most ready to settle down.”

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