Page 18 of Made to Love Ya

He smiled, winked, and slapped me on the thigh. “You got that damn right.”

I smiled and nestled underneath his arm before I turned my attention back to the TV. I could get used to cuddling with Zae like this every night. If only...

IZAEL & TALIA

IZAEL:

“Puta little sugar in there to cut back on the acidity of the tomato paste,” Talia instructed.

I smirked. “You think because your little ass went to cooking school you know more than a nigga, huh?”

“That didn’t start with cooking school,” she teased.

I grabbed the dish towel, popped it, and hit her on her ass.

“Zae!” she shrieked, running to the other side of the kitchen.

“You’d better watch that fly-ass tongue.”

“And if I don’t?” she sassed with her hands on her hips.

I bit my bottom lip to prevent myself from saying what I wanted to say. I was about to tell her I was gonna put something in it to shut her ass up, but I didn’t want them problems.

“Don’t make me call your mama.”

“Really, Zae? I’m a grown-ass woman.”

“A’ight, grown-ass woman. I see how y’all get when Mama Callaway speaks.”

“You too. Don’t front like she don’t have you scared.”

“A nigga ain’t ever denied that shit. Mama C gets mad respect from me.”

“How’s business coming along?” Talia asked.

“Business is business. I mean, one of my restaurants is facing challenges, but I’m not trying to focus on that shit right now. I just need to get in a good head space.”

“I hear you,” she stated and took her place beside me.

“Here, just a little more sugar.”

“You tryna give a nigga diabetes and shit.”

“No. I’m trying to help your old ass not have heartburn tonight. You know that you suffer from that shit.”

“Has nothing to do with age, baby girl. It’s always been a problem for me.”

“And old age surely can’t help.”

“You act like you’re twenty years younger than me or something.”

“Six years is light years from the retirement home, which is where you’re heading,” Talia stated, laughing.

I popped her on the thigh again with the dish towel. She ran to the sink, scooped some dishwater out, and flung it at me.

“Oh, that’s what we’re on now?”

I scooped a handful of sugar and flung it at her.

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