Damn, the first time I put myself out there I got shot down like a simp.I nodded, then said, “That’s what’s up.” I took a stepback. “Have fun or whatever with what you got going on tonight, and yeah, we can keep fucking.”
Her expression softened. “Zane, trust me, you don’t want this. You just think you do.” She stepped into my space, put her hand behind my neck, then pulled me forward. Her lips pecked mine. “I gotta go.”
I watched her walk away. After I heard my door close, all I could do was laugh.It’s been a fucked-up week.
A Few Hours Later…
Asher was on his way to my crib to chill since Katniss had to go into work for one of her doula patients that went into labor. I didn’t have to answer the door for him since we had codes to each other’s places. It took him less than five minutes to get to my place.
“My boy, wha you got goin on in here?” Asher’s loud ass asked when he came into my place. He had always been a happy person, however since he and Katniss got together, he’s been happier and lighter spirited. He sat down in the recliner that he always sat in.
When he came in, I had some game tapes on to look at plays and shit. I needed something to focus on and I’d finished my investments for today. “Ain’t shit. Watching game tapes. What’s up with you?”
“That’s what’s up.” He glanced at the television for a second. “Oh, dis a good game too.” He reclined back in his seat. “Hopefully, Fat-fat patient have dat baby soon and I ca squeeze in some time befo Daisy come back from ha lil date.”
My temples thumped.I know he didn’t just say what the fuck I think he did.“Date, word? Who she got a date with? You know?”
I saw the side-eye that he gave me. I knew that he would answer my question if he knew. “Mason.”
My head snapped in his direction. “Mason Phillips?” He nodded confirmation to my question. “As in our cornerback?”
“No, nigga, da dry cleana man,” he said with a chuckle. “Yeah, da cornerback. Shit I think dey been lowkey mixin for a while.”
Don’t do it! Don’t do it!“You know where they went?”
“Ah, hell no! What you fitn to do?” Asher asked before he sat his chair up. “Don’t be wilin outcha.”
I leaned forward.Should I tell him? Fuck it!“Man, I asked that girl if we could try being together on some exclusive shit today. She told me we don’t do relationships together or separately. Told me the only reason I asked her was because I’m hurting or some shit with that Porsha shit in a roundabout way. Now if relationships ain’t for us together or separately, then why the fuck she out on public fucking dates with someone who is blog worthy?
“When we first started fucking around, she told me that she didn’t want to be seen with me in public because she didn’t want to be linked with me,” I said. Miffed wasn’t a strong enough word for how I felt. My slit eyes lasered into Asher. “She’d rather be linked to Mason who got a baby mama and another on the way as well as rumored to have a fucking hand problem?”
Asher sat there for a second before he spoke. “Well, you know dat hands rumor is well-kept. Hardly nobody know dat shit. As far as da baby mama thing, you got me der.” When I asked him again where they went, he answered, “I heard her say dey been goin to Flem.”
“Cool, I appreciate you. I’m about to get dressed and get some dinner. You coming?” I asked after I got up from my seat.
Asher shook his head. “Man, I feel like I should say no, but at da same time I know Mason can ack up when he mad. I ain’t tryin to see you get lock up.”
I told him to get dressed. Flem was an upscale establishment. We needed to walk in there dapper. Daisy had me fucked up.Let me go put some sunshine in her life.
Me and Asher were ready in less than an hour and a half. We only lived a few blocks away from Flem. When we got there the hostess was so excited to meet the Asher Wilson and Zane Anderson together. We told her that we didn’t have a reservation, and she told us that was cool. She haphazardly mentioned that Mason came in tonight as well. It was nothing to ask where he sat, so I could tell myhomeboywhat’s up. “Oh, yes, he’s in a private room.”
A private room, huh. Yeah, Daisy had me real fucked up.Miss hostess led the way to the room. She lightly tapped on the sliding door, then slid it opened. “Mr. Phillips, a couple of your teammates wanted to say hello.”
After she stepped to the side, I came into the room. Daisy’s back faced the door. “Mason, what’s up?”
“Aye, what it do, Zane?” He stood to dap me. “What you doing here?”
I took a step back from him. “You know a man has to eat.” I turned to face Daisy. Her beautiful eyes were two times larger than normal. “Oh, shit, Daisy. What’s up, love?”
She stared at me like a deer in headlights. “Um, um, Zane, hey.” Poor baby didn’t know what to say.
Mason’s head bounced back and forth between the two of us. He pointed at each of us. “Y’all know each other?”
“Yeah, this my boo right here,” I told him with no smile, humor, or remorse present. I heard Asher sayoh shitfrombehind me. “Daisy, you not going to stand up and give me a hug?”
The smoke that came from her ears increased the temperature by at least five degrees. “Zane, you can’t be serious right now. This is what we’re doing, now?”
“Man, what the fuck going on?” Mason asked. He turned to face Daisy. “You fucking this nigga, but you on my dick?”