Page 72 of Bending The Rules

“We have,” she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice, even though I couldn’t see it. “If Bri wakes up, tell her I ran to the art gallery. What time is the thing at Jay and Reese’s?”

“Seven.”

“Alright. I’ll be back.”

“Don’t hurry.”

“Didn’t plan to.”

I chuckled a little as I heard her footsteps fade down the hall, then turned my attention to the computer. I hadn’t touched my manuscript since Toni looked at. I knew she was upset when she left, and that had killed my focus.

Even before the conversation with my father, and then Cat, I’d been pissed at myself for the way I left things between me and Toni. If the situation were different – somebody else being the one to send her mixed signals, with me hearing about it – I’d be ready to kick ass. It was hypocritical. And it was fucked up. And honestly, she deserved better.

In my head, I knew these things, but getting myself to act on them had proven difficult. And it was hard for me to create when my personal life was all jacked up.

I pushed out a sigh as my eyes skimmed over the same words Toni had been devouring before I cut her off. A smile came to my face as I remember the certainty in her feedback that it was a good start. And if it hadn’t been… deleting those words, and starting over, were just a few simple movements away.

Too bad that wasn’t how things worked in real life.

There wasn’t a big undo button I could press, no way to just erase the fact that I’d messed up, and start again. I couldn’t take anything back.

But… I could move forward.

I squinted at my screen as an idea began to take shape in the back of my mind.

I’d been able to make things right between us before… maybe I could do it again.

- & -

“You know she’s not going to say yes, right?”

I grinned at the look Jason gave me when I walked into his kitchen handing him the bottle of wine I’d brought with me.

“That’s the first shit you say to say to me after you walk in my house unannounced? At least Ihavesomebody to propose to nigga. Where is your woman? Oh, right – probably getting tongued down by a for real Nigerian prince right now, cause your stupid ass wanna be stupid.”

I scowled. “Goddamn, Jay! I was just messing with you, lighten the fuck up!” I glanced around the kitchen. “Where is everybody?”

“Don’t mind him,” Joseph chuckled from the other side of the kitchen, with a beer in his hand as he stirred something on the stove. “He’s nervous about tonight. Pops, Reese and Imara aren’t here yet. You probably passed Devyn sleeping out there on the couch. But to Jay’s point… I’ve always heard that Nigerian men like ass, and Toni has plenty of that. Plus that pretty ass skin…”

“The woman looks exactly like one of those “African Queen” memes,” Jay chimed in, pulling a stack of plates down from the cabinet. “So congratulations, Jus. You sent your queen into the arms of a nigga from the motherlands, and I bethewon’t be fickle about the shit.”

“That’s cold, Jason,” I said, shaking my head as I took a seat at the counter. “I’m your brother, and you’re really going to kick me while I’m down?”

“You started it, bruh.” He handed me the wine I’d brought, plus another bottle, and a corkscrew. “Open these. And I’m not kicking you while you’re down… I’m motivating you.”

“You’re coming for my damn neck is what you’re doing. Did you motherfuckers have a meeting or something today? First Pops, then Cat, now you. I’m waving my flag. Tapping out. I’m done.”

“We’re all on your side though,” Jay shrugged. “You know I’vebeena proponent of you and Toni together. Y’all were the only ones who couldn’t see it. Nobody else is surprised by the prospect.”

At the stove, Joseph nodded. “Yeah. We tried to tell you this when she first came back, but you brushed it off. If both people are single, there're only two things that keep a friendship platonic. Lack of compatibility, or lack of sexual chemistry.”

Jay chuckled. “And you and Toni can’t checkeitherof those boxes. The only reason it tookthislong for y’all to get caught boning in a car is because she wasn’t speaking to you. Shit was bound to happen.”

“So I guess you’re an oracle too, like Cat?”

“I prefer visionary,” he grinned. “But I mean, I’ll respond to any titles offering me the respect and admiration my insight deserves.”

Joseph and I laughed as Jay pretended to take a bow. I pulled the cork out of the second bottle, then got up to go peek into some of the dishes keeping warm on top of the stove.

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