Careful of the Company You Keep Page 16

  “Yeah.”

  There was a momentary silence while she took another bite of her ice cream. Even though my head was down I could feel her staring at me.

  “You know I’m still pissed at you.”

  I raised my head from my bowl and met her eyes. I tried to look innocent but Danny wasn’t going for it. I could see the hurt and disappointment. I expected it, but it didn’t make it any easier to deal with. “Yeah, I know, and you have every reason to be.”

  “That shit was grimy, Renee.”

  “I know and I’m sorry.” There, I said it. And just so you know, I don’t say sorry too often. “I was just trying to help you out but things got a little carried away.”

  “A little? Calvin was having a little afternoon snack when I walked in.”

  “Actually it was a feast,” I teased.

  “Ho, shut up,” she barked although I could tell she was struggling to keep a straight face.

  I was laughing, then got serious quick. “Danny, I’m sorry really. I really didn’t know you were feeling Calvin like that. If I had known, I never would have even went there with him.”

  Danielle gave me a skeptical look. I’ll admit that in the past I’ve done some scandalous shit, but I have never intentionally slept with a man if I knew he was involved with one of my girls, and that’s on the real.

  “Don’t you remember screwing Kayla’s man?” Danielle asked as if she could read my mind.

  “Because I thought she didn’t want him,” I cried defensively.

  She took another spoonful of her ice cream although her eyes never strayed far from mine. “I’ll admit it was partially my fault. I should have never asked you to get involved in the first place. I should have just been up front with Calvin. Instead, the shit blew up in my face.” Pondering, she chewed on the spoon. “I didn’t realize how much he meant to me until I saw him with you.”

  “Are you sure you don’t just want him so that no one else can have him?”

  She shook her head. “No, that isn’t it at all. I really do care about him a lot.”

  “Okay, so what’s stopping you from working things out? He really loves you. That man has been blowing up my phone. You need to take him out of his misery.”

  “Chance is my man now.”

  “And . . . ?”

  “And I really like him because he keeps it real.”

  “But . . . ?”

  Danielle pursed her lips together thoughtfully. “No buts. The relationship is still new but I’m crazy about him. I get turned on the second I see him.”

  I pointed a finger at her. “Remember I used to feel like that about Bryant, and it took me a month before I figured out his ass was psycho.”

  “Chance is also a fabulous lover.”

  “You already screwed him?” I asked incredulously.

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t act like you don’t screw on the first date.”

  I had to laugh because she had me on that one.

  “We’ve been dating for the last two weeks.”

  “And what’s he working with?”

  She licked her lips. “Oh, he has a hell of a package on him.”

  My eyes grew round with interest. “Shit, it sounds to me like you have a winner.”

  “I think so, and that’s what’s scary. He seems almost too good.”

  I finished the last of my ice cream. “Have you looked his ass up yet on Intelius?”

  She shook her head then looked uncomfortable. “No, not yet.”

  “What the hell you waiting on?”

  She shrugged. “I’m scared to look. I don’t want to ruin things. Things are so perfect. Looking him up means I don’t trust him. He hasn’t done anything yet to make me doubt my trust.”

  I told you my girl was stuck on stupid. As a practice, anytime we meet a guy we first go online and look him up. Anyone who’s been to court for anything, including a traffic ticket, will be listed. You’d be surprised how many convicts I’ve met in the club and ran home to look their asses up and found out they just got out of jail for rape. Hell to the no. You better believe I looked Kenny up.

  “What’s his last name? I’ll look him up.”

  She hesitated. “Garrett.”

  “And how do you spell his first name?”

  “I guess it’s C-h-a-n-c-e.”

  I nodded. “Got it.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re going to look his name up in the computer.”

  “Yep. You know I am, and I’ll call you later with a status report.”

  She looked like she wanted to say something else but changed her mind and ate her ice cream instead.

  I pointed my spoon at her. “I’m seeing someone now.”

  “Who?” she asked impatiently.

  “Kenny Johnson.”

  “Kenny! Skinny Kenny?”

  I was offended. “He’s not that skinny.”

  She burst out laughing. “Girl, puh-leeze. Kenny’s skinny with glasses and looks goofy as hell.”

  She was hating on my man. “I think he’s cute.”

  “Ugh!”

  “Shut up!”

  “So what’s up with y’all? I mean how serious is it?” she asked, then started cracking up.

  “It’s new,” I said, trying not to sound too excited. “He’s working on a car that I bought from Nadine.”

  “Now one thing about Kenny, he’s good with cars.” She paused, then frowned. “Isn’t he living with Reese?”

  I nodded. “You know her?”

  “Yep. Ugly, but then he ain’t nothing to look at, either.”

  “Girl, quit hating on my man.”

  “Your man?” She was staring at me like I’d lost my mind.

  “Bitch, you know what I mean. We’re just friends right now.”

  She gave me a skeptical smirk. “I know Kenny, and he’s gonna try and get in them drawers before he fixes that car.”

  I thought about how true that statement was, but I wasn’t about to admit it. “Girl, we talk on the phone all the time. He seems like he’s a sweetheart.”

  “He is. He used to date this one girl I worked with and she said he takes care of his women.”

  Good, because that was one criterion I had for the men I dated, they needed to have a job and not be stingy with their money.

  “What’s he going to do about Reese?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Girl, I heard they are getting married. You know he’s going to try and dump her for you.”

  I smiled because the thought had crossed my mind. “Hey, that’s on him,” I said with a shrug.

  Danielle shook her head. “Wouldn’t that be something if he did? Don’t hurt him,” she teased.

  Tamara finally made her way out of the bathroom and I turned up my nose as I rose. “I hope you washed your hands.”

  “Yes, I washed my hands,” she groaned and moved out to the car.

  Danielle nudged me in the side. “Quit embarrassing that girl.”

  “Shoot, I just wanted to make sure her stinky behind washed her hands before she touched my car.”

  28

  Danielle

  I was barely home an hour when Chance came knocking at my door. Dammit, I’d been having so much fun I forgot all about fixing him dinner. As soon as I opened the door he pushed inside and started looking around the room. “Where you been?”

  I had to turn around at that because I was sure my daddy wasn’t in the room. “I went out for ice cream with my girl and her daughter.”

  He gave a laugh and flicked his nose with his thumb like he didn’t believe me. “You sure you weren’t with yo otha nigga?”

  I rolled my eyes and flopped back on the couch so I could catch the end of my program.

  “What, cat got your tongue?”

  “Nope. I’m just not answering.” I tried to keep a straight face. I love when a man is jealous.

  Chance took a seat beside me on the couch and rested a hand on my knees. I just continued to
sit there popping my gum. “That’s okay if you’re seeing someone else, just tell me.”

  I jerked my head around. “I’m not fucking anyone but you.”

  “I told you I wasn’t sharing.”

  “Would you just shut up!” Damn, it was cute for the first thirty seconds, but now he was getting on my nerves.

  Chance started laughing, pushed me back onto the cushions, and started tickling me under my armpits.

  “Stop!” I screamed. “Dammit, I said stop!”

  “Nope. Not until you tell me you’re still my boo.”

  “Yes, yes! I’m still your boo.”

  He stopped and climbed on top of me. “That’s more like it.” His tongue slid between my lips in and out, mating with mine. Then his lips moved to trail along my cheek where he whispered, “Don’t ever leave me.”

  “I won’t, baby.” I hungrily kissed him back, stuck my hands beneath his shirt, and pulled it over his head. My lips moved across his shoulders and traveled to his flat nipples, which I licked and nibbled until he was moaning. I reached for his belt buckle, unfastened his pants, and reached inside for my prize and squeezed.

  “Damn, baby, that feels good.”

  “I know what would feel even better.”

  “What?”

  “You, being inside me,” I cooed close to his ear.

  Chance rose from the couch and I quickly removed my clothes, then moved back over to the couch. Chance frowned. He took my hand and pulled me up beside him, then kissed my lips. “Come on, baby girl. We don’t want to mess up the upholstery. Let’s take this to the bedroom.”

  I felt a twinge of disappointment because it took away the spontaneity that comes with trying something new. “How about we fuck on the kitchen counter?”

  He gave me a look of disgust. “Near the food? Hell nah! Now come on, I’m horny as hell.” He took me by the hand and we raced up to my room and fell on the bed together. Chance removed his clothes and rolled on top again. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered as he started kissing me again. I could feel his beautiful dick pulsing against my inner thigh and my pussy clenched with excitement. That belonged to me. His lips traveled downward and my nipples tingled as they waited for the contact.

  “Aaah, that feels so good.” There were no words to explain the way I felt by the time he slid inside my body. Chance started slow, then built up his strokes until they were long and deep. His entire body slammed against me and I locked my ankles around his waist and held on for the ride. “Baby, I’m about to come. Eeeaaahhh!” I had no control. My hips were rocking hard and I arched off the bed and knew the exact moment he came because he shot so hard inside me I felt its impact following a hot, wet feeling. He grunted inside my mouth and stroked hard while I squeezed my thighs tightly together and milked him for everything he had. With one final breath, he collapsed on top of me, then rolled over.

  “Uhhh, Danielle . . .” I heard him say then his voice purposely trailed off.

  Knowing the routine by now, I rose from the bed and moved into the bathroom to get two towels. One to wipe him off and the other one for us to lie on. Chance smiled, pleased that I knew what he liked without him having to tell me. As soon as I was done I snuggled my head under his arm, resting into his chest. A smile was on my face. “Tell me something about you that I don’t already know.”

  “Like what?” he asked, sounding like he was suspicious.

  “I don’t know . . . anything.”

  “Okay, well, let me think a second.” He was quiet but I could tell he was thinking. “I like lying in bed watching Lifetime on Sundays.”

  “Are you serious?” I couldn’t believe that shit. A man was actually admitting to watching those crazy-ass movies. “So do I.”

  “I guess we know how to spend a Sunday together.”

  I grinned. “I guess we do.”

  “Your turn. Tell me something about you.”

  “I’m thinking about getting breast implants.”

  “Why? I love your body the way it is, especially your breasts.”

  I squirmed uncomfortably. “I don’t. I never have. I’ve just learned to live with it, but I’ve never accepted having such little breasts. I’ve been saving up for the last three years to get the surgery done.”

  “Damn, that deep. I guess I need to be honest with you.” He drew a deep sigh and I braced myself for what he was about to say. Damn, Renee was right. I should have checked his ass out on the Internet.

  “What?” I asked impatiently.

  “Okay, here goes . . . I’m thinking about getting a dick implant for this little-ass dick I got.”

  I raised up and stared at him. He tried to keep a straight face. I tossed a pillow at his head and he broke down with laughter. “Be serious!”

  Chance embraced me and kissed my lips. I don’t know what I expected to hear, but it definitely wasn’t that. I held on tight, loving everything there was about this man, wanting to know anything and everything there was to know.

  “Have you ever been arrested?” I asked.

  “What black man hasn’t?”

  I had to laugh at that because it was true. “What were you arrested for?”

  “Stupid stuff. Never anything that I had to serve time for. What about you?”

  “Yep. Writing bad checks.”

  “No shit?”

  I sighed, hating to even bring up that time in my life. “Yeah, my husband and I had split up and I was struggling trying to raise Portia with almost no help. I started writing checks to buy food and got myself in a mess. I had checks bouncing all over town. The prosecuting attorney’s office only gives you thirty days, and I couldn’t pay them all in time so I was arrested. I only had to stay in jail overnight, thank God, but it was long enough for me to know I never ever wanted to set foot in there again.”

  He pulled me into the circle of his arms and dropped his lips to the top of my head. “Jail ain’t no place for a woman. Especially not my woman.”

  I lay there and drifted off to sleep. I don’t think I have anything to worry about.

  29

  Renee

  I went home, logged onto my computer, and clicked on Intelius. It took me a while to find Chance Garrett’s name. Something with the way his name was loaded. So I scrolled through all of the Garretts until I came across Chance. There was only one. He lived right smack in the hood. Aggravated assault. Ex parte. Child support payments. “What the hell?”

  I reached for the phone and called Danielle’s cell phone, but she didn’t answer. I’d try again in the morning. For the time being I sent her a text message. LEAVE THAT CRAZY MOFO ALONE.

  My office phone rang. I reached over and grabbed it.

  “Hello?”

  Silence.

  “Hello?” I said with a little more attitude.

  “Bitch!”

  I took the phone away from my ear, looked at it before bringing it against my mouth again. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. Bitch,” she sneered.

  “I got your—” Oh no, she didn’t hang up on me. I flipped over the receiver and quickly checked the Caller ID. Dammit. The call had been blocked. I was so angry I slammed down the phone. Who the hell was calling me? I could think of dozens of people who couldn’t stand me for various reasons, but no one recent I had pissed off besides Landon. Speaking of piss . . . I reached for the phone and dialed his number and wasn’t at all surprised that he didn’t answer. “Listen, you pissy bitch, you better call me this evening, otherwise I’m coming to your job tomorrow!” Once again I slammed the phone.

  After a while I decided to push my anger aside and get to work. I had a book due and a new scene to write. I turned on Destiny’s Child, “Cater 2 U,” and started outlining the next chapter. An hour into my work, I heard a knock on my office door.

  “Mama, there’s some man at the door to see you!”

  A man. I sprang from my chair and moved out of my office and down the hall to the front door to find Calvin waiting on the porch. “I
got it.”

  Tamara hurried back to her room. I opened the door. “Come on in out of the cold.”

  “Thanks.” He moved inside. His hands were deep in his pockets and he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The bags underneath his eyes meant he hadn’t been sleeping much.

  “Please, have a seat.” I moved over to the couch and waited for him to take the wingback chair across from me. “Whassup?”

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I want to know what happened that evening.”

  I gave him a silly smirk. “You need me to spell it out for you?”

  Calvin shook his head and gave me a look that said, quit playing games. “I want to know why you made a pass at me.”

  “I . . . I was feeling vulnerable and needed a man to make me feel good.” Damn, I hated lying to this man.

  He pursed his lips. “I think you did that on purpose to break us up. The question is why?”

  “You are a grown-ass man. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do,” I said with straight attitude. No way was he going to put all the blame on me.

  Calvin dragged a hand across his face and blew out a heavy breath. “I know, and I’m beating myself up. Hell, I’m a man and we are known to be weak.”

  “That’s for sure,” I teased.

  “Listen, I know this might be hard for you to believe after everything that happened between us, but I love Danielle.”

  I could tell he was sincere, which only made me feel worse about what happened between us. “I’m sorry, Calvin. Really I am.”

  “If you’re sorry then you’ll help me get her back.”

  Oh no! The last time I got involved, she and I stopped talking. I wasn’t about to go through that shit again. “I’d rather not. She just started talking to me again.”

  He blew air between his teeth. “I think she’s seeing someone else, and what happened the other day just gave her the excuse she needed.”

  Damn, he was smarter than I thought.

  “What do you want me to do?” Part of me felt that I owed Calvin. It wasn’t his fault that he was a weak man and couldn’t resist tasting this caramel kitty over here.