Page 83 of In the Safety's Zone
“I’ve seen it but I’m not going to count on it for myself.”
“You already wear a bunch ofDesperadosstuff eighty percent of the time. I don’t think it would be such a big deal if you splurged on yourself.”
“I’d rather put money into a house than anything else.” This was the first time he’d said anything about moving and now my interest was piqued.
“You’re thinking of buying a house?”
“Potentially. I want to see how things go with camp first. Either way, my brother is here so it’s more than likely I’ll be here.”
I nodded my head in recognition of how sound his logic was. “Whenever your thoughts become more concrete, include me in the conversation, okay?”
He looked at me, eyes studying mine for the meaning behind my words. When I grinned he grinned and our silent agreement to take another step with each other was solidified.
“Deal. Now, are you going shopping with me today or not?”
“Yeah, I’m going.”
“Cool. Sterling and baby Ami will be there since I’m meeting Money.”
I pushed him off of me because now I needed to get ready. “Why didn’t you lead with that? You know I’m not about to be around people looking a mess.”
“You’re always beautiful, baybeeh and we got time.”
I snatched my hair down out of the bonnet it was in and headed to the bathroom. “Spoken just like a man. Give me half an hour and I’ll be ready.”
I was holding baby Ami in the haberdashery we convened in to get their suits together. She was snuggled next to my heart to give Sterling a break and I could understand baby fever so much better now. I didn’t want one soon, but it was easy to imagine yourself with a ball of combined DNA between you andyour partner when you were holding someone else’s. She was as pretty as she wanted to be and getting more active by the day. She currently had one of my locs in between her chubby fist as I bounced her gently and waited for Anthony to come out of the dressing area.
We’d gone to the shopping district avoiding the mall to a bespoke atelier that did custom men’s suits. Since Money was far flashier than Anthony there was no way they’d walk out with similar outfits. This place did everything custom and kept impeccable records so that they knew who ordered what so there weren’t any duplicates between teams or players.
“You look good holding her.” Sterling was grinning at me as she sashayed back from wherever she’d been looking at fabric.
“Girl, don’t even get me started on babies. That man is probably trying the fuck the shot out of my bloodstream right now and in this state that’s a dangerous thing.” I sniffed Ami’s hair again falling deeper into the trap.
“Facts. Have you figured out your first-game outfit?”
The way her eyes lit up I knew she’d been planning something and I wanted the deets on how things had shifted between her andAldrich. She refused to call that man by anything but what his mama named him and it cracked me up watching him chastise her every time she did it like it would intimidate her into calling him what he wanted.
“I’ve thought about a few things but I’m not sure.”
I bit my lip because now I was worried I was going to embarrass this man at work. The first game was an away game but like Antwan I believed that Anthony was going to show out during camp. I didn’t want him to be unprepared for what was to come and I couldn’t be either.
“Would you mind if I made you something?”
“Made? You make clothes?”
She shook her head and then leaned over to check on Ami before she responded. “Alter is more like it. I’ve already started working on Ami’s outfit and mine so it’s nothing to throw in something for you.”
“I wouldn’t even know what to do.”
“Well, since you’ll be coming from winning and making history you’re going to want something that’s comfortable because I know your body is going to be tired.”
I grinned at her words because she spoke about me doing this thing like it was a fact. “Y’all really speaking life into me.”
“Definitely are. You’re too damn good to let anything throw you off your game. That’s all you've gotta say to yourself.”
“Maybe.” I watched him walk around the room laughing with Money before I turned back to Sterling. “What do you think about a custom jersey dress?”
She nodded her head and tapped her finger and her thumb together. “Oh, that will be cute. What are we thinking? Mid thigh? Boots that will reach the bottom? Slightly fitted? Oh, I could probably style you some thigh-high boots out of his jersey. Those would be fire.”
