Page 68 of In the Safety's Zone
“I appreciate that so much. Thank you for getting my head on straight.”
He kissed me quickly and I knew it was because we had a bunch of stuff to do today. “It’s always my pleasure. But get off me before you have Billy mad ‘cause you miss this meeting. Tonight though, we got a meeting in the bedroom.”
“Hey, Billy!”
I rushed inside the restaurant with the media being shut out behind me. I was grateful that she’d given me the heads up when I was in the car that a few were always hanging around this place. As soon as the driver opened my door, the few who had been lingering jumped to attention when they saw it was me. Sunglasses were on my face but I couldn’t deny I was recognizable. They shouted out a bunch of questions that I of course ignored as the valet opened the door to the restaurant for me.
“Girl, them folks better get the fuck away from this restaurant. Sampson is my brother-in-law and he doesn’t playabout his restaurant or his customers. He will be out there with his shotgun if they keep up.” Billy was frowning at the paparazzi who were still trying to snap pictures through the door. When she turned to me, a smile was on her face and she looped her arm through mine.
“Damn. Who don’t you know?”
“Well, I have a knack for picking talent and they become family. And then they tell a friend and then it just snowballs.”
She shrugged as if she weren’t basically saying that she was one of God’s favorites and I could only shake my head. We didn’t have to wait for anyone else to lead us to a room, Billy headed to a separate part of the restaurant. I could tell she ate here often and the place was beautiful inside. Ornate wood, a large carving station I got a glimpse of as we moved past the dining room and images of Black cowboys were on the walls. I didn’t doubt the food was good because one thing Billy loved was eating.
“I can’t imagine teams like that.”
She scoffed as she pushed open a door and we stepped into a private room. She was wearing an expensive silk romper and I was glad I had gone with the linen dress I was wearing.
“Don’t give a damn what they like. I already had to cuss out a coach in New York today, if someone slips in here they’ll have a very good sound bite for whatever media outlet they represent.”
“That’s the last thing we want. ‘Cause then your entire family is going to be somewhere causing havoc and I know the city doesn’t want that.”
We sat down and she picked up her glass and grinned.
“Jacoby’s daddy will figure it out.”
“Not you leveraging that man like he’s your henchman.”
“Like a white lady tripping over a branch running from a serial killer. I’ll be a damsel in distress all I need to. Mac doesn’t play with people messing with his family.”
“Crazy.” We got settled and placed our orders and I had to admit it wouldn’t be too much of a hardship to be around her and the people I knew really cared about me on a regular basis. Anthony was still waiting to take me to visit his brother but that was going to be happening this weekend. I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t nervous. Especially when he talked about how feisty his sister-in-law was.
“So, tell me what I need to know about you and Anthony.”
I could only grin because Billy was not in agent mode but firmly in her bestie bag. “Do you want to know details?”
She gagged slightly and shook her head like that Prince GIF. “I don’t need to know positions or anything like that but I know he’s treating you well, right?”
“He is. You know how things are with my parents—”
Billy sighed and I knew they’d probably been blowing up her phone trying to figure out where I was. They were sure to have that answer after the paps sold those pictures.
“A whole other topic we need to cover.”
“I’m sure. But he’s gentle with me in a way that makes me feel okay not to have to be strong all the time. I’ve been basically on my own my whole life.”
“Girl, we’ve been cool for years.” The expression on her face was hilarious and I had no problem laughing at how offended she was at my statement.
“You’re right but you were states away and you had your own life. I loved when you would drop everything and come when I needed you, but I also knew that I couldn’t keep that up. Especially when you needed to focus on you and your family.”
Billy's face shifted to a softness that was reserved only for the people she truly fucked with. “I still would’ve come.”
“And that wouldn’t have been right of me to even ask. I’m a lot like you but I think it was born out of necessity just like you. You’re tough because you had to step up for yourself andyour family. I’m tough because I’ve had to carry the weight of everyone in my life. It’s frustrating because I never had a person but he seems to be that. He wants to be that and it’s so odd to me.”
“Odd?”
I toyed with my fork the heavy weight a welcomed but momentary distraction. “Billy, you might have had some shit happen but you know what it’s like to have your parents love you. I don’t. I’m a product to them. A trophy. And a protégé they can trot out when they want to show off what their perfect genes and bullshit marriage accomplished. Anthony makes me feel safe and not in the crazy ‘I’ll die without him way’. He just makes me feel like…how I know Coby makes you feel. I remember at the wedding when you looked at him like he hung the moon in the sky and he looked at you like you were the stars. You were both beautiful in your own right but together you made something even more exquisite. That’s how I feel with Anthony. Not complete, because I’m good on my own. But with him, I’m an even better version of the person I was and want to be.” My throat was tight with emotion and I knew I had teared up because even Billy was dabbing at the corner of her eyes.
