Page 10 of Finesse
Maybe. It might be me dreaming. But is it really dreaming if we’re up all night on the phone every night? If we’re sending random texts to each other throughout the day?
Of course, this could be completely one-sided. Cameron could see me as another conquest while I’m too busy sounding out Taylor with Page and wondering if I should hyphenate or completely get rid of my maiden name altogether?
And how would I fit in Buckhead society? If the Atlanta Real Housewives live there and they still don’t mingle with the Karens, Beckys and Susans, I know I won’t, neither.
Why am I thinking about all this and we still haven’t even gone out on a single date?
“I’m not getting my hopes up. I don’t want to be disappointed and start writing my name with hearts and smiley faces when I’m just something to do for him.” I throw caution to the wind.
“Then just have fun. Go mini-golfing, canoodle, and then peace out.” Meadow shrugs. “Ain’t no thing than that.”
Ain’t no thing…yet, it felt like one.
There was a knock on the front door and Meadow smiles. “I’ll go get it while you finish up in here. Oh, and wear Angel by Thierry Mugler. He won’t be able to resist you.” She leaves the bedroom.
I spray Angel on my neck and wrists before I glance my ‘fit one last time. I look cute. My melanin-rich skin is nice and supple with shea butter and my thick body is filling out this ‘fit like it was made for it. Yet, I’m nervous.
It’s just jeans and a t-shirt with some J’s. Is this too casual for mini-golf?
I walk out of the bedroom and the sight steals my breath. I smelled him before I saw him and my body tingles with arousal. Cameron is sitting on the sofa making small talk with Meadow, and he looks every bit like a Buckhead preppy boy.
He’s wearing slacks and loafers with a sweater vest – completely opposite of what I have on. Yet, he owns the outfit. An expensive watch completes his look. He doesn’t flash his money but he subtly wants everyone to know he has a lot of it.
New money screams; old money minds its business and controls the room.
Cameron looks up at me and flashes a beautiful smile at me before he stands up. He picks up a bouquet of pink roses on the table and walks over to me. Looking at me up and down, I’m nervous to see his reaction about our wildly different outfits. Is it too casual?
“You look…” He shakes his head. “…absolutely breathtaking.”
I think my panties just fell off.
He hands the bouquet to me and it just dawned on me the only man who has ever bought me flowers was my daddy. Now Cameron is the second. I’m trying not to get my hopes up and feel like I’m a part of some made-for-TV movie with the cheesy 80’s backdrop.
“Are you ready to go, Tay?” His voice is deep and oh-so masculine. My knees are weak.
“I’m ready.” For what, I’m not entirely sure. “Let’s go.”
~~~~~
“So, she just took off like that?” Cameron asks as he’s about to putt on the third hole. He’s an expert at golf (surprise, surprise) and I’m struggling because…well, let’s keep it one hundred – how many sistas does anyone know play golf?
“It’s not like she abandoned me completely. She’s gone to every graduation, promotion, and most of the performances.” Every hole we go to, we talk about something different. The first hole was about favorite trashy reality TV shows. I love 90-Day Fiancé and he’s a fan of random YouTubers (go figure).
The second hole was about a not serious but kinda serious conversation if Nicholas Cage was good or bad, inspired by the show,Community.We both concluded he can be either really good or really horrible; there’s no in-between with him. Weird.
Now, we’re on the third hole of mini-golf and the subject switched to our families. It was brought up when Cameron mentioned how his father watched Con-Air over and over and proclaimed how it was a family film.
Oddly enough, I actually see his point. I wish I have memories like that with my mom but I don’t. I hardly have anything quirky about our relationship to go on. “Honestly, I think Laurie was more in love with pregnancy and small babies. Once those babies grow up and start crawling and walking, she fell out of love. It happens to a lot of women, but it’s not talked about very often.”
Cameron nods as he makes his shot. “A lot of women don’t realize they’re not made for motherhood until well after the kid is here. It seems messed up but Laurie did you a favor. She also could’ve resented you and that would’ve been a disaster.”
“I get that now, but growing up it was hard. She made the obligatory birthday and Christmas visits. She came to a few performances and all of my graduations and promotions. But anything else? No show.” It hurts more than I want to admit and I feel the pain coming out with each word. “I guess what you’re saying is also true – she could’ve been there and really not care.”
“But you had a dad who cared and plenty of aunties who care?” Cameron turns to me. “So, it wasn’t all bad.”
“No, it wasn’t. I can’t say I had a bad childhood at all.” And it really wasn’t. I had birthday parties, trips to amusement parks, and pretty nice Christmases. I also had awkward conversations with my dad about boys until he finally turned me over to his sisters to give me talks. It’s my turn to suck again at miniature golf. I’m not sure why I even chose this game. I’m horrible at it.
“It’s about the wrists and the hips.” Cameron replies as I feel his eyes on me. It feels like he’s looking through me. “Too many people think it’s about the arm strength and that’s only a part of it.”
