Page 72 of Jaeda

“It’s nice to meet you too, baby,” her granny said. She nudged Jaeda as she winked at me. “He’s a handsome one.”

Jaeda blushed. “I know.”

Her grandmother turned to Donna. “Now who is this beauty, Steel? Baby, you are thicker than a bowl of cold grits.”

Donna laughed. “I try, I try.”

“Grams, this is Donna,” Kerrion answered.

“And who is Donna to you? You know you don’t bring women around.”

“She’s a good friend, Grams.”

“A friend or afriend, friend?”

“A special friend, but not in a romantic way.”

His grandmother waved him off. “I don’t know what you kids are doing these days, but okay. Welcome to my home, Donna. Hopefully, we’ll get to know more about you today.”

She nodded in agreement. “That’s the plan. Anything I can help you with in here?”

“Grams doesn’t like anybody in her kitchen,” Steel explained. “She’s probably about to kick us out.”

His grandmother laughed. “I’m glad you know it. Go on and get out of here.”

She didn’t have to tell us twice. Jaeda grabbed my hand and led me out the back, with her brother and Donna right behind us. The two of them left us as soon as we stepped out. I knew they had a big family, but I wasn’t prepared for the amount of people I saw in the backyard.

“Damn it’s a lot of y’all,” I observed.

“It is.”

A group of women made their way over to us, all wearing smiles. Their expressions alone told me that they had been waiting to see me.

“Well, well, well,” one of them said, looking me over. “We finally get to put a face to the name in person.”

Jaeda rolled her eyes. “Quaid, these are my girls, my sisters. This is Salima, Deuce’s wife. Romi, Smoke’s fiancée. Her sisterRenay. She’s dating my cousin Jakobi, so you’ll meet him. And the loud one here is Sharina, Maceo’s wife.”

Sharina stuck up a middle finger.

“So you’re the one that gave her the peptalk?” I asked.

“That would be me. You’re welcome, by the way.”

I chuckled. “Much appreciated.”

“Mm-hmm.” She turned back to Jaeda. “Who was that thick ass girl Steel walked in here with?”

“Her name is Donna,” Jaeda answered. “And before you ask, he says they are special friends, but not romantically.”

“So basically, he’s fucking her.”

“Shit, I don’t blame him,” Renay said. “Sis is stacked and fine as hell. Y’all see that ass? You think she’d let me touch it? I just wanna know if it’s real.”

“I know he’s tearing that up,” Sharina added. “I bet we could hear the clapping from our house.”

I stifled a laugh. I didn’t realize women were so bold when checking out another woman.

“Here we go,” Jaeda mumbled. She looked up at me. “I apologize in advance.”

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