Page 33 of To Love and Protect
“Girl, is you cool? You been staring at the damn melons for two whole minutes with a goofy ass smile on your face.” Isla’s eyes turned to slits as if she suddenly figured something out. “You’re acting like those dumb bitches in the movies that be . . .” Her eyes grew wide. “In love!” She snapped her fingers and then tugged on Remedie’s hand. The basket around Remedie’s arm swung and hit her in the hip. She cringed as Isla continued to speak. “Bitch, spill!”
“There’s nothing to spill,” Remedie said as she rubbed her hip. She avoided her friend’s eyes. They happened to travel back to the melons in front of her. Nico didn’t even like melon. She wasn’t sure how she ended up staring at them in the first place. Maybe Isla was right. Maybe the love bug had bitten her. Who was she kidding? It had bitten her long ago. She was just tired of fighting it at this point.
“You a damn lie.” Isla tugged on her arm again, and the basket swung between them and caught Isla in the side. “Ow!”
“Well stop pulling on me then,” Remedie snapped.
Her eyes tried to wander back to the melons, but Isla snapped in her face to stop her. “Aht! Focus. You livin’ in that man’s big ass house and feeding him day in and day out. You can’t tell me ain’t nothin’ goin’ on between y’all. He wanted you as soon as he laid eyes on you.”
Remedie rolled her eyes. She had kept her budding feelings for Nico close to her chest because she wasn’t sure if it was too soon, too fast, or just plain dumb of her to get involved with the man who signed her paychecks. But Isla was on her case now, and Remedie needed an outlet, so she exhaled loudly and slowly walked away from the fruit in search of onions and fresh garlic.
“Okay, look . . . me and Nico have something going on?—”
“I knew it!” Isla squealed excitedly. “You’re in love, ain’t you? I don’t think I ever seen you look like this before.”
Isla tugged on the hem of Remedie’s purple T-shirt. Remedie swatted her away. “Like what, exactly?”
“Happy. Like you’re walking on clouds. Like you ain’t got a damn worry in the world. The dick must be good?—”
“Isla!” Remedie looked around the aisle before cutting her eyes at her best friend. “Could you be a bit quieter?” she asked through clenched teeth.
Isla waved her off. “Girl, everyone in this aisle done had dick before,” she said loudly as she eyed an old lady who glared at her.“Yeah, even you, granny.” A man further down the aisle cleared his throat as he shot daggers at them. One of Isla’s brows rose. “Especially you, fatty. Keep it pushin’.”
Remedie groaned as her cheeks flushed red. “Why did I bring you along anyway?”
“Because I ain’t seen you in forever, and this was the only time you had for your dear old friend. Now I know why. My girl been getting dicked down?—”
“Okay, enough about Nico’s dick. I’m for real, Isla. I need some advice. I think I’m falling for him . . .”
It was hard for Remedie to be vulnerable with people about her feelings. As off the wall as Isla was, Remedie knew if she showed how serious she was, Isla would stop playing around and offer her a listening ear.
Isla’s features softened, and she grabbed Remedie’s free hand. “Is that such a bad thing? You deserve to experience real love. Nothing like what you had with Zayden. I told you from day one he was no good for you.”
“And you were right. I guess I just feel like it’s too soon, and a part of me is scared. What if I get hurt again?”
“Let me tell you something, Remedie. Love is a risk. It don’t matter who it’s with. After that first heartbreak, it feels scarier and scarier each time. That don’t mean you stop chasing after it. Hell, even a pimp like me wants to experience the real thing one day.” They snickered. “For real, best. Don’t let fear stop you from experiencing love. If anyone deserves a happily ever after, it’s you, and I have to be honest. I like Nico for you.”
Remedie’s brows rose. “You only met him the one time.”
“Yeah, but he’s cool in my book. The way he put Zayden in his place was everything, and he ain’t let up off you since. He done laced you in the nicest neighborhood, filled your pockets, and probably sexin’ you good too. Yeah. He aight with me.” Remedieshifted on her feet as she thought about what Isla said. “Girl, what? Spit it out.”
Remedie glanced at Isla with tears in her eyes. She didn’t even know why she was close to crying. She just felt so . . . happy, and that was foreign to her. She didn’t know what to do with it.
“What am I supposed to do?” she asked in a whisper. “How do I . . . tell him?”
Isla smiled. Remedie was thankful that she didn’t make a joke out of her innocence. When she and Zayden said they loved each other, it was in the middle of sex. Their first time, actually, and Remedie didn’t really understand what romantic love was at the time. She just went with it and hoped for the best. She got shit in return.
“Do what you do best. Cook that man a meal he’ll never forget and tell him how you feel. I’ll bet my left titty that he’ll reciprocate those feelings.”
A tear rolled down Remedie’s cheek, and she giggled as she tried to get a hold of her emotions. The thought of expressing her feelings to Nico made her feel giddy and terrified all at the same time. She imagined that this was what skydiving must feel like.
“Your left titty?” Remedie asked as she wiped the rest of her tears. “Really?”
Isla nodded seriously. “Yeah, girl. I like my right one too much.”
Remedie laughed loudly. “You’re too much.”
Isla squeezed Remedie’s hand. “I’m serious, though, Rem. Tell that man how you feel and make things official. Now, is someone cutting onions in here or what?” Isla pointed a stiletto nail at the onions that were right in front of them, and Remedie grinned as she reached out for one.
