Page 71 of Cause When You Love Someone
I shook my head. “That doesn’t explain why she’s doing ithere.”
I hadn’t seen Taylor since I’d dismissed her at Church’s birthday party, and that was months ago. Her lips hung so low when she walked away, so I never thought I would see her again.
From the bar, we watched Taylor speak to a young lady and an older gentleman for nearly twenty minutes before she shook their hands and sent them on their way. If they knew like I did, they would’ve tossed her business card in the trash the second they got out the door.
I prayed she followed her guests’ lead and left once she was done, but as soon as she had her things packed, she strutted over to us.
“Hey, you two,” she spoke in a high-pitched tone.
Durk lifted his chin toward the ceiling, whereas I just mugged her.
“Taylor, why do you keep finding your way back up here?” I quizzed.
“You don’t own the city, Ishmael.” She rolled her eyes. “My client got in town late, and most places are closed. I knew the clubhouse was open and safe.”
“Yeah. Okay.”
I sat back and listened to Durk and Taylor catch up and reminisce until he announced his Uber was outside. I wanted to shoot him for calling one without telling me, but when Essen’s number popped up, I got distracted.
“How did the dress shopping go?” I asked once I picked up the phone.
“It went . . . well. Are you still coming by to get the princess?”
“If I come over, I’m spending the night. I’ve been sitting in this bar for two hours, and my head is swimming.”
She hummed. “Okay. Yeah. That’s cool too.”
“Essen, are you sure everything is okay?”
“It will be once you get here.” She sighed. “I’ll see you soon.”
I stared at the phone like it was a strange fruit when I ended the call. I started to call her back, but I figured I could get more answers if I went to her house like she asked.
“Ishmael, I know I’m your least favorite person, but I know you hate spending a coin. I can drop you off wherever you want.”
I ignored her offer until I saw that the next Uber would take forty-eight minutes to arrive.
“Taylor, I’ll take you up on your offer, but please don’t try no weird shit. I’m not in the mood.”
I hated how excited she was when we walked to her car. She looked at me with a raised brow when I slid into the back seat, but she didn’t question me.
“This is nice,” I declared a few minutes after I gave her Essen’s address, and we got on the road.
“I appreciate that, Ishmael.” I watched her lick her lips in the rearview mirror. “I know it may not mean anything, but I am really sorry for hurting you. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t appreciate the way you responded, but that’s not for me to judge. You were transparent. I was holding things close to my heart. By the time I realized the damage, karma was already at my door.”
“It takes a thorough person to apologize, and it takes an honest one to admit some things are unforgivable. I gave you everything I had, and just like your apology, it wasn’t enough to keep us cordial. We don’t have to forgive each other. We just have to move on.”
When she turned on Essen’s block, I unfastened my seat belt. When I saw Clarke outside, I started to tell Taylor to keep going.
“Thanks for the ride, Taylor.” I dropped a fifty in her passenger seat.
I stepped out of the car, hoping she would speed off, but unfortunately, she climbed out of the driver’s seat
“Damn, Ishmael. I can’t get a hug?” Taylor opened her arms wide.
I opened my mouth to check her about being messy, but I didn’t have the chance since Clarke hurried off the porch and met us at the curb.
“Who the hell is this, Ishmael? I just got released from the hospital because of dehydration while carryingyourbaby, and you pull up to your best friend’s house with another bitch?”
