Page 112 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

"Now that we're alone, Mo," Toya started. "Are you ready to tell us how your date with Mr. Zaddy Miconi went?"

There was that smile again, creeping across Monique's face like the rising sun. Why was she freaking smiling?

"It must've gone well. You smile whenever we bring him up," Meka teased.

"While I'm mad at y'all heffas for leaving me alone with him, I'm also glad you did."

"See!" Toya exclaimed, facing Meka. "I told you a little alone time would help her feel better about going to the gala with him."

"What do you meanfeelbetter?" Monique asked.

"Wellll...." Toya drawled. "You seemed uptight and nervous around him when he was paying for our stuff and talking with the clerks about setting us all up for the glam squad treatment. If you had gone to the gala with him while acting like that,Raz wouldn't have been jealous at all. He would've known you were doing it to spite him. However, if you're relaxed around Frederico, laughing and flirting, that will piss Raz off to the highest level of pisstivity."

"While that may be true, you should've given me a heads up before abandoning me with Frederico. What if I would've done something like that to you?"

"Please do," Toya begged. "Find me a zaddy and abandon my ass."

Monique couldn't hold in her laughter.

"Now, tell us," Meka encouraged. "Tell us what you and Frederico talked about."

"Y'all nosey," Monique teased, knowing full well she was ready to tell them everything.

"Come on, Mo," Meka whined. "I'm dying to know. Did the older gentleman sway you even a little bit?"

"I'm not going to say he swayed me. But he did surprise me. Apparently, today wasn't the first time he's seen me."

Monique proceeded to tell her besties how her wine date with Miconi went. The looks on their faces let her know they were being swayed just as much as she was. Meka's next words proved it.

"At first, I was team Raz," Meka mused. "Now, I'm leaning more toward Team Miconi."

"Girl, Raz who?" Toya added. "I don't know anyone by that name."

"Don't be like that," Monique told them.

"Like what?" Toya asked. "I'm serious. Frederico seems like a great catch. The only problem is that his daughter is his life."

"As she should be," Monique countered.

"Yeah, well, I don't date men with children for a reason. I don't have any, and I don't want any. Plus, I'm an attention whore. I need all my man's attention on me."

"Toya," Meka whispered.

"What? At least I know what I like and don't like. I won't ever be mean to a man's child. Or any child, for that matter. I love kids. But I don't want to raise any. That's my preference. Luckily for Mo, Frederico's child is grown. However, if Monique is interested in Frederico, there are some questions she'll have to ask herself first."

Toya's gaze returned to Monique. "Can you handle spending holidays at the Miconi family villa with Raz and your stepdaughter-in-law? Can you handle seeing Raz with another woman? Can you handle Raz and your stepdaughter-in-law having kids and making you a grandma? Can you handle seeing Raz kiss her or say sweet things to her, the same things he used to say to you? If you can handle that, then hey, I'll root for Mr. Suave Frederico all day, every day. I like the way he looks at you, and I like how you smile when you think of him. However, if you can't handle that, Frederico isn't the man for you. I never want to see you unhappy again. So, Mo, can you handle it?" Toya asked, leaving Monique feeling a bit lost.

But the answers to those questions were clear in her mind and heart. Would she be able to handle seeing Raz with another woman? The answer was...Hell No!

Monique shook her head. "Honestly, no. I wouldn't be okay with that. It would be awkward for everyone, Frederico included. Raz is still my end game for now. I don't even want to think about Miconi yet. Right now, Raz still has my heart. Tomorrow evening, he'll either accept it or finish breaking it. And if he breaks it, I'll take a few days to nurse my hurt feelings, and then I'll move on. Simple as that."

Damn, why did her voice have to shake on that last sentence? Monique swallowed back tears and forced a smile for her friends. But they saw through her façade.

"You know what, thinking about Raz is making me angry. How about some drinks to take our minds off tomorrow night?" Toya suggested. "Who wants my famous dirty Bahama-mamas?"

"I'm down," Monique agreed, feeling like a strong drink was just what the doctor ordered. "But I may not have all the juice ingredients you need in my refrigerator."

"That's fine. I can make it work," Toya told her.

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