Page 39 of Devanté
“I’m going to talk to him when I get home. In the meantime, best friend,” I leveled a suspicious glance at her as I took another sip of coffee. “Tell me who left this Starbucks so I can thank them.” Honestly, I didn’t need her to tell me who left the coffee. The moment I saw a Mint Condition song on the receipt, I knew it could only be one person.
Noa’s arched brows raised on her smooth forehead as she regarded me. “Someone who insisted that you have a good morning,” she snickered.
“It was Devanté, wasn’t it?” I hid my smile behind the next sip I took.
“You know I can’t lie to you. Yes. It was his fine ass. I don’t know what you did to get on his radar but I don’t think he’s going to stop until you talk to him, and I mean more than just a business meeting.”
“I think you’re right. It’s not going to happen, but I think you’re right.”
“Why the hell not? What is the history with you two?” She rested her chin on her fist and tuned all the way in.
My skin turned itchy thinking about all the rich layers of history between me and Devanté. All the years I spent wanting him more than I should have. All the nights I laid in bed wishing he was beside me. All the nights he did fall asleep beside me and I didn’t know how to do anything other than admire how beautiful he was.
Eleven years of friendship with him thundered by like the beating wings of an eagle. Our first backyard kiss. Our Ring Pop proposal. The giggles. The cookouts and loud music. The birthday parties. The holidays spent running back and forth from his house to mine and then back again. The way he looked at me. The way I looked at him.
“Hello, Blake,” Noa snapped her fingers in front of my face and I realized for the second time in under an hour, I’d blanked out.
“Sorry. Um, things are complicated with me and Devanté.”
“I see. You went all That’s So Raven, staring off into thin air like you’re having a premonition.” She paused the rapid-fire words coming from her mouth and said, “Wait,areyou having a premonition because I have questions.”
“No, girl.” I laughed a little and turned on my computer. “We used to be best friends up until college. Now, that’s all I’m willing to say. Go…do some work or something.” I waved her out of my office and she fussed the entire time.
We grabbed lunch together but I still refused to budge and tell her more about Devanté. I thought I was over the hurt and pain his betrayal caused but every time I got close to mentioning it to Noa, my throat tightened and my heart cracked. It was still a sore subject.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, I created new marketing campaigns and refreshed several old ones before it was time for me to go home. It was a trip I wasn’t looking forward to. I knew when I got in there, I’d have to deal with Devin and his annoying friends being loud and taking up space that I didn’t feel like giving up.
Irritation already started to stiffen my muscles and make my head hurt. The closer I got to my house, the worse the headache got. How did I let this happen? I was dreading going inside my own damn house.
I sat in the driveway, staring at the front door, wondering how many of Devin’s friends were on my couch, watching my TV, running up my electricity bill, and eating all my food. With a final burst of annoyance, I got out, slinging my duffle bag across my body. I was going to go in there and put every man I wasn’t in a relationship with out of my house so I could talk to Devin.
I expected to be met by the usual raucous noise four grown men kicked up when they played video games and made videos. That was my every day since Devin moved in. What I wasn’t expecting was the sound of an unfamiliar female voice.
I took long strides into the den where everyone was congregated. I saw the usual suspects which included the core members of The Blue Boyz but there was a new face amongst the boys that I’d never seen before.
“Um, hello,” I said. I made no attempt to hide the attitude in my voice. The noisy chattering and laughter died down real quick. The woman on the couch, sitting next to Devin, slid over a few inches so their knees and thighs were no longer touching.
She was the opposite of me in every way physically possible. Her skin was light brown honey, her hair was cropped short and dyed pixie purple. Her curves were tight and petite, while her features were delicate and ambiguous.
“Oh, what’s up, Blake? I thought you were working late. You usually work late.” Devin hopped up from the couch, smiled at me, then tried to usher me out of my own damn living room. His strong fingers latched on to my bicep in an attempt to carry me off but I yanked my arm away.
“We need to talk,” I said. I moved over to the TV, snatched the remote from the coffee table and cut everything off. I couldn’t believe grown-ass men were smacking their lips and groaning like fucking kids. “Get out. All of y’all gotta go.”
“Come on, Blake. Don’t you want to make us some snacks and…”
“Fuck you and those snacks. Get out of my house.” The look on Devin’s face registered horror and embarrassment. He tried his best to smooth things over with his boys while I was rapidly picking up their shit and handing it to them so they could leave.
“Um…I guess we’ll link up tomorrow then?” The unidentified woman said, standing in front of Devin like I was invisible. I barked out a laugh and looked at her with my arms folded tightly across my chest.
“Unless you speak another language other than English, I’m pretty sure you heard me tell everyone to leave. That includes you. I don’t even know who you are and you’re in my house. Please leave.”
“This is Devin’s house and I was talking to him.” She blinked deep brown eyes at me then looked up at Devin.
“Excuse me? Devin’s house? Devin doesn’t pay a goddamn thing in this house. My name is on the deed. I pay all the utilities and I paid for every piece of furniture in here. You’re standing in my house. Now, you can leave, or I can call the police and have them escort you out. Your choice.” My blood was fire, bright red, and hot enough to burn.
“Damn, Blake, you’re doing too much,” Devin frowned.
“I’ll talk to you when all these people are out of my house,” I said. I stood with my hands on my hips, staring at the purple-haired pixie that didn’t want to leave unless Devin told her it was okay. I wasn’t a physical person but I was seconds away from putting my hands on her so she got the message. Finally, Devin gave her a slight nod and she left with the rest of the boys.
