Page 17 of In the Safety's Zone
“The what?”
He hit me playfully with the back of his hand, as if that would somehow jog my memory of a topic I knew nothing about. “You know, the equestrian vaulting shit. I’m saying it’s a lot of skill and I haven’t seen us do it yet, but watch. We gone dominate once we do.” He nodded like he’d gotten a peek in the future and knew his words were the truth.
“I believe you, Antwan. I’m trying to get your brother to do this shoot with me.”
I wasn’t sure if she was changing the subject because she thought he was touched or if she was using his perceived pull with me to get what she wanted. She hadn’t even given me a chance to agree but the answer was always going to be yes. Still, I was impressed that she wasn’t above using blackmail to get me to do this.
Lil baybeeh applying pressure and damn I like it.
“What shoot? I thought it was done.” He looked between us and then back toward the photographers. They were taking down a lot of the sets but were also bringing out other pieces that I guess were for Aphrodite. They’d started hanging cream and gray fabric from the rafters making the place look like a cloud.
The hell they got going on in here?
“They seem to believe that I may win big this year so they want to get shots they can use on the future interview they believe I’ll be having with when I win.” Aphrodite was fidgeting with her fingertips as though saying that out loud made her nervous.
“Damn, that’s pretty fucking dope. I thought they’d been mad since your daddy was giving everyone hell.”
She winced and I hated that she was getting flack for what he’d done. I glared at Antwan wishing that his ass hadn’t been so blunt but he at least had the good sense to look apologetic.
“Yeah, they’re pissed that he left how he did but he’s not here to take the blame.”
I could tell that she wanted to be angrier than she already was, but there was a part of her that was used to being left holding the bag for her father’s bullshit. I knew something of that and my heart went out for her.
“Well, since I’m all about people speaking positivity in their life I’m definitely with this shit. What do you need me to do?”
Her smile was broad again and that shit made me feel good. “They haven’t said yet. I just needed to get someone else here. I’m not sure what they want to interview us about either.”
“I’m sure it won’t be so bad and they probably just want me to be a prop or something. Let’s go snap these photos however they want us to and then we can get it together.”
“Thank you! I appreciate it so much. I’ll go tell them that you’ve agreed.”
She leaned over and hugged me before she realized what she was doing. That brief contact was enough to set my body on fire and when she pulled back and walked away my ass started to follow her.
Antwan put his hand on my chest to stop me and I avoided his eyes as I watched her meet up with a blond-haired girl and start talking.
“She’s pretty as hell.”
I laughed because I knew he was going to pry and I wasn’t in the mood for it yet. “Don’t have me tell Rye.”
He turned to me with a sly look on his face. “I said the girl was pretty and Rye’s ass would agree. She ain’t ever one not to give another woman her props so she wouldn’t mind. Besides, I think she’d make a great sister-in-law.” He straightened his black fleece jogging suit and adjusted the strap of his duffel bag over his shoulder.
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean what do I mean?” He sounded completely dumbfounded at my not being able to answer him but I wasn’t about to confess to feeling this girl off one interaction. “I ain’t got but one brother that I claim so how else am I gonna have her be a sister-in-law?”
“Me?”
I rubbed my hand over my braids trying to keep my eyes on him but failing. As soon as I saw her moving out the corner of my eye, my focus was back on her as I watched her disappear somewhere.
“Yeah you. I can tell you’re interested. You've got that look on your face like you’re interested. And not the regular you just wanna fuck interested. You’re interested in her as a person. I know that look.”
He wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t someone who was sitting there desperate for women or trying to find someone, but this felt likesomething worth looking into. Aphrodite was probably out of my league but I never let shit stop me. If we continued to vibe the way we had the entire time I’d been talking to her, I might try to make a move. It was a long shot to even think about but I knew this feeling wasn’t going to just go away.
“Anthony?”
I’d been staring off into space so the woman that Aphrodite had been speaking to was now standing in front of me.
“Yeah?”
