Page 45 of Mahogany 2
I glanced up at him with a tight-lipped smile and nodded. “I’m glad you see things my way. I thought for sure you’d have an issue with ditching the black.”
“You lead, I follow,” he responded before walking away. “It’s been that way—why would that change now?”
Instead of responding, I just followed him with my eyes. With a light sigh, I scratched at the back of my head with frustration. I wanted him. Bad. Too bad. So bad that what Emerald said about bending the rules ran through my mind. What would it hurt? A kiss? Some type of contact? Other than what we had? It wouldn’t hurt… would it?
My phone buzzed with a text message from Duke, and I laughed a little. How ironic.
Duke: I was tryn to see if you wanted to go over ma’s house with us. She still want to talk about helpin with the party.
With a deep breath, I shook my head.
I couldn’t stand Duke’s mother, so I had absolutely no interest in sitting up in her face. Especially since she wanted to help with Aubry’s party and that was already being taken care of. I’d have to listen to her make smart remarks about how we were fancy, wasting money on planners when we could have done it together. A bunch of shit I did not want to hear. If there was an area in my life where I could get a little help, I was taking it. I did enough planning at work—I didn’t want to have to plan an eighteenth birthday too. Plus, she was late. Very late. If she really wanted to help, she would have extended the offer six months ago.
Me: There’s nothing to help with. The planners handling everything. Let her know. And naw, I’m good. LOL.
Duke: SMH. Alright. I love you. Hopefully work don’t keep you held up.
Me: I love you too.
“You need a minute?” Crescent asked.
I looked up from my phone. “Hm?”
He nodded towards my phone. “If you need a minute, I can give you that.”
I sat the phone down and walked back over to the whiteboard to take the color palates down. “Oh no. I’m good. Just family stuff.”
“Four kids?” He asked.
There were pictures of them sitting on my desk.
“Yep. Four big head kids,” I said, pivoting to face him.
He returned the smile and gripped the top of his pants to sit on the couch. “What a blessing.”
I tossed all but the green color palate in the trash then joined him at the couch. Hesitantly, I asked, “Do you have more?”
He shook his head. “Hell naw. Nova Ray was my one and done.”
With dipped brows, I asked, “One and done? You don’t want more?”
He stroked his chin and shook his head. “Naw. I don’t.”
I wanted to know why. Wanted to meddle a bit. Wondered if he had a special lady in his life. Wondered what had happened with Nova’s mother. I wondered a lot when it came to Crescent but because I was trying to keep it professional, I kept it professional. As much as I could at least. However, the familything… questions about it sat on the tip of my tongue. Not because I wanted to know if he was fucking someone else, giving them what I wanted so bad. But because from what I’d learned about him so far, I’d say he was a good catch. Charismatic. Down to earth. Authentic. Smooth. Attentive. He had qualities I was sure a lot of women were looking for.
“Do you mind if I ask why not?” I struggled to ask.
“Losing a child leaves you with inconsolable pain. A void.”
“You don’t think having another one would fill it?”
He shook his head. “Nothing will fill it, Ms. Mills.”
Because we were in the middle of a deep conversation, I didn’t correct him.
“I can understand that,” I told him. “But?—”
“How you feel about grass walls?” He interrupted, changing the subject.
