Page 85 of Jaeda

“We good. Just put one in the air to get our heads together.”

I chuckled. “You’re a pothead if I ever saw one.”

“Weed is a plant. That’s nature, and nature is a gift from God himself. I’m smoking the Lord’s work while doing the Lord’s work.”

“Man, shut your dumb ass up!”

He and the rest of the guys were cackling at his ignorance. I shook my head. That was my best friend.

“All jokes aside, the weed keeps me levelheaded, man. You know how I like to crash out. I’d fuck around and slip up if I wasn’t calm.”

“You know he has to make it back to his ol’ lady in one piece,” Booker said. “Ain’t nobody in the afterlife gon’ argue with him like her.”

“Fuck you,” Titan spat. “You worry about driving this muthafucka.”

I chuckled. “I’m sure Mia would miss you, T.”

Titan kissed his teeth. “Oh, you got jokes too? Nigga finally gets a girlfriend and thinks he can jump in on the commentary. Where’s your lady anyway?”

Just as he asked that, the doorbell rang.

“Just got here,” I said. “Hold on a second.”

I stepped away from the computer to answer the door. When I opened it, Jaeda stood on the other side with a smile on her face.

“Hey, baby,” I said, pulling her in for a hug.

“Hey, you.”

She tilted her head up for a kiss, and I was happy to oblige. Grabbing her hand, I led her into my office and pulled her down onto my lap. After unmuting the phone, I spoke.

“You there?” I asked Titan.

“Yeah, man. We’re about five minutes out. What’s good, Jaeda?”

“Hey, Titan. Y’all be safe out there.”

“Aww, look at you caring about a nigga’s safety. To think you didn’t like my ass at one point.”

Jaeda rolled her eyes. “You’re my man’s best friend and my sister’s . . . whatever y’all are. Of course, I care about your safety. I don’t have to like you for that.”

“You gon’ love my ass, baby.”

“Don’t be calling that man’s lady baby, nigga,” Romero said.

Titan kissed his teeth. “It’s a term of endearment, muthafucka. He knows I don’t want her like that. That’s lil sis.”

“Aye, she got another sister?” Noah asked. “Mia’s fine as hell, and I know Jaeda has to be a looker too.”

“My sister is fourteen,” Jaeda answered.

“Well shit. You got a single auntie? I’ll be a cub to a cougar. Your daddy still messing with Maddie’s fine ass?”

“You nasty as hell for that,” Titan said.

“What?”

“Maddie has been around us since we were kids, man. She’s like family.”

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