Page 35 of Through Treacherous Weather
“Thank you.” As if he was noticing her matcha for the first time, he frowned at the green concoction. “I’m convinced nobody likes matcha for real. That shit looks gross.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it. I’m about to order you one with almond milk, vanilla syrup, and vanilla sweet cream cold foam. Can I get the girls some cookies, muffins, egg bites, anything?”
“They can have a muffin each. Blueberry, I guess.” He was still learning Shai’Ann.
As Fatima walked to the register, he found himself ogling her. She was dressed simple in black spandex shorts and a matching sports bra from Alo. Most women wore exercise clothes because it was comfortable and not because they actually worked out, but he could see Fatima doing Pilate or yoga or some shit.
Her natural tresses were brushed up into a bun, and her baby hairs weren’t over dramatic. He had seen her draped in diamonds but on this day, she wore simple gold jewelry. Cartier bracelets, gold smart watch, a few necklaces. While the jewelry was nice, it was nothing that would make jack boys foam at the mouth like her diamonds would. Shorty was bad. Esco didn’t have low self-esteem, but he wasn’t on her level financially, and he had not one but two kids. He really couldn’t see hood royalty like her being with a regular man like him.
Walking back over to them with a smile, she passed him the matcha that she seemed too excited for him to try. When he took it, she gave Star a muffin, and broke a piece off the second one to hand to Shai’Ann.
“You seem to be really good with kids,” he stalled.
“Stop talking and start sipping,” she giggled. “I know you didn’t waste my money.”
He frowned while inspecting the cup. “I didn’t tell you to buy me a cup of grass.”
“Boy, if you don’t,” she giggled.
Esco pushed out a deep sigh before taking a sip of his drink. When he didn’t gag, her brow hiked. Esco took another sip, and when his head bobbed, she knew she had him.
“I told you it was good.”
“I mean, it’s not a ten out of ten. I give it a solid eight, but it’s nowhere near as nasty as I thought it would be. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
The reality that they were about to part ways made her chest ache. She tried to force a smile because she didn’t want him to know she wasn’t ready for him to leave.
“Or since you seem to be so good with kids, maybe you can come with me to take them to the pool Saturday.”
“They know how to swim?”
“No. When I say take them to the pool I mean get in the water with them and watch them carefully.”
“What if you bring them to my dad’s house. He has a pool, and I can call GiGi. She gives all of the kids swim lessons. By the time Wisdom was one, he was swimming like a pro.”
Stunned, Esco stared at her.
“What?”
“You just casually invite my kids to a house with a pool and a swim instructor. Got damn.”
Fatima chuckled. “I mean, my father has a pool, and he loves you. And GiGi is sweet, and she loves kids.”
“How much will a lesson for the girls cost me?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Hell nah. What you mean don’t worry about it. If she’s an instructor, she gets paid to teach people to swim. You can’t expect her to come out on a weekend and spend time working and I not pay her. I don’t even get down like that.”
“I offered it, and I’ll pay for it. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Damn. Was this what it was like to be cool with a woman with money? Esco was far from a free loader or a leech, but he wasn’t going to keep arguing with her about who would pay.
“So, later that night you have to let me take you out to dinner. I’m not taking no for an answer. Even if you are dating anyone. Nine times out of ten if you are, he’s a lame.”
“And how would you know he was lame if you didn’t know him?”
“Because it’s not me,” he winked making her blush.
