Page 26 of Domino
“You ask me, you’re makin’ a big mistake gettin’ all hung up on this broad,” Trig says.
“How so?” I ask.
“Here we go,” Cosmo says, rolling his eyes.
“You’re young. I’m sure some chicks out there think you’re good-looking,” Trig presses. “You should be out there dippin’ your wick into as many honeypots as you can, brother.”
“Trig here doesn’t believe in the whole one man, one woman, making-each-other-happy-forever thing,” Poe says.
“Damn straight. If God had meant for us to be monogamous, he would’ve given us our life partners when we were born,” he says.
I look at him for a long moment, unsure if he’s being serious or not. The solemn expression on his face and the earnest gleam in his eyes tell me that he is, in fact, dead-serious. He leans forward in his chair and looks at me, gripping the edge of his kutte between his thumb and forefinger.
“Know what this is?” he asks me.
“Yeah, a kutte?”
“Wrong,” he says. “This here… is a pussy magnet.”
We all laugh together, except for Trig, whose expression remains serious. He seems fully committed to this idea.
“Please. Elaborate,” I say.
Trig smiles as if he’s pleased. “Chicks like bad boys, kid. I’m telling you. Wearing one of these is like Spanish fly. A chick sees you in this, and her panties just automatically drop. It’s like magic.”
“Except in Trig’s case, it’s because he actually is using Spanish fly,” Poe snarks, touching off another round of laughter.
Trig makes an obscene gesture at him but joins in with the hysterics of the others.
“Seriously, kid,” Trig says. “Always keep your options open. Don’t tie yourself down to just one broad so early. You’ve got plenty of time for that shit.”
“Yeah, well, this is all a bit premature, anyway. But thanks for the advice,” I say.
“Anytime, brother. You ever need some sound dating advice, you come see me. I’m full of it,” Trig says with a grin.
“That’s the first thing he’s said that I agree with,” Poe cracks. “He’s absolutely full of it.”
The merriment continues as my mind turns back to Ashley. It absolutely is too soon to be thinking about anything. But there’s also another part of me that can’t stop thinking about her all the same.
Chapter Eleven
Ashley
Standing at the window in the front room of the guest house, I watch the kids playing in the backyard. Cole seems to be having a great time with Emma and Elton. The way they’re squealing and giggling as they chase each other around is adorable, and I can’t keep the smile from my lips. I’m glad to see that he seems to be fitting in with them pretty seamlessly.
As I watch them bouncing around the backyard, I can’t help but admire the resilience of children. It was just a few days ago when Cole was scared. When he was sullen, quiet, and seemed so uncertain of everything. And now, watching him run around so gleefully, seeming to be having the time of his life, you’d think none of that ever happened.
“I wish I could bounce back as well as kids do,” I say to the empty room.
The guest house is small, but it is far more than I expected. It has two small bedrooms in the back, the front room, and a small kitchen with a breakfast nook off to the side. It’s clean and tastefully appointed with furniture that’s not quite top of the line, not like in the main house, but way nicer than anything I had or expected. Every time I walk in here, I’m reminded of just how lucky I am to have landed here.
The sound of my phone ringing pulls me out of my reverie, and I realize that I don’t know how long it’s been going. Thinking it might be Keith, I scramble for my purse and yank the phone out, quickly connecting the call and pressing it to my ear.
“Hello?” I say almost breathlessly.
“Where the fuck are you?”
My blood instantly turns to ice and my pulse starts to race. I’ve been ignoring Ryan’s texts and sending his calls straight to voicemail since I left Georgia. Swallowing hard, I steel myself. I knew I wouldn’t be able to dodge him forever, and now that I’m starting to feel a little more stable, like I’ve got my feet underneath me again, I figure that I might as well deal with him now. I’m turning a corner here, and it’s best to make a clean cut and leave Ryan where he belongs… in the past.
