Page 16 of Grown Folks Confessions: Black Lush

Then another time in junior college, but she found out it was a dare and got pissed. Like, throw damn pots at my head kinda pissed.

The last proposal was a time when we agreed never to talk about it again, which was the only time that truly counted I guess. That’s why we were friends and not lovers at the present moment. It wasn’t just the fact that she turned me down that sucked. It was the fact that she told me that day in church that she’d need my help with something, and if I cared about her, I’d help her out no questions asked.

The dummy in me had said yes even though I probably should have just let the aunties tell my mama I’d been caught fooling around. But the truth was, throughout our entire twenty-year friendship, fuckship, relationship, or whatever other ‘ship’ there was, we’d never lied to each other and always kept our promises. A lesser man would have told her too many years had passed for her to collect on her favor and only a stupid man would have promised her the world had she asked, even after she refused to marry him.

Her eyes caught mine from across the room, and when she smiled like she was unsure what would happen between us next, I smiled back to reassure her, enjoying the fact that she was giving me any attention at all today.

But who the hell was going to reassure me after I found out what she needed? I’d barely survived getting my heart broken by her all those times before. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something felt different between us today. Like the tides were turning and I needed to put on a life vest to survive the waves.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,” I mumbled under my breath when she got distracted by something one of the other bridesmaids said.

We’d had a saying back in high school that when it came to Layla Payne, LP always got what she wanted.

I’d fallen for her antics in high school.

I still fell for them now.

And I was pretty damn sure that made me a sucka and a dumbass who was still drunk off thebestpussy he’d ever had.

six

Grown Folks Confession #6: Common sense is like deodorant. The folks who need it are usually the ones who never wear it. At some point in life, everyone gets a little funky.

LAYLA

What the hellam I doing?I thought for the umpteenth time today. I mean really, I think I was borderline losing my mind for requesting that Ares meet with me.

Ares with his sexy face and delicious body.

Ares with his smart mouth and quick banter.

Ares with his long, thick—

“You know, I never would have asked if I could stay with you for a couple days if I’d known you’d ignore me while I’m here.”

I blinked a couple times, silencing whatever thoughts about Ares were running through my mind at the moment. “I’m sorry, girl, what did you say?”

She smacked her lips. “Girl, I don’t know what you got to talk to Ares about that has you acting all jumpy and shit, but maybe I should just grab a hotel tonight since I leave tomorrow anyway.”

“No, you don’t have to do that.” I slightly lifted myself from the couch to reach the pitcher of mimosas I’d made and refilled both our glasses. My play cousin was in town visiting, and when Tysha came to visit, it was always a good time. However, she was right. I’d been distracted since she’d arrived. Usually, my girls Meeka and Ivy would have already made me work through my thoughts by now. Yet, they had been wrapped up in their own stuff, so I’d been trying to figure it out on my own.

Clearly, the shit wasn’t working.

I thought about calling my girl, Jade, since she was often in town these days visiting the Crowne family that she married into, but homegirl stayed busy with work or family shit.

Tysha scooted closer to me and picked up her mimosa. “Okay, LP, just spill it. What’s going on with you?”

I took a large swig, letting the sweet-ish taste of the champagne linger on my tongue for a bit. “Let’s just say, I’m in too deep with trying to launch my own design business.”

Tysha frowned. “I don’t get it. When you quit your interior design job with your prior company to pursue branching out on your own, you were all excited about it. Plus, it seems like you’ve been booking a lot of jobs.”

“I have.” Under my breath, I mumbled, “I just need to fake a few things to skyrocket my career.”

“What was that?” Tysha asked.

Clearing my throat, I informed her, “I need to raise more money for LaLa’s Luxury Designs if I want to grow. That’s why I’ve been taking those Black Lush jobs lately. Ivy hooked me up with that team and there’s a lot of money in adult entertainment set designing. More than what I thought. Jade vouches for the business, too, and I like working with other boss women. Plus, I need this since the investment that my great aunt left me is gone. But, I need money quicker than Black Lush or my other jobs will pay.”

Tysha blinked her eyes a few times. “Hold up, we are gonna have to come back to the part where you explain what you’ve been doing for Black Lush and why I’m just now hearing about this, but bitch, how the hell you blow through a hundred thousand dollars in a couple years? Yo’ ass ain’t even been on no vacations.”

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