Page 20 of What She Deserves
“We’re friends, and I don’t have a reminder set in my phone for either of you to go to the doctor,” Layla said. “Do you have a reminder for my annual exam on your calendar, Tamika?”
“I sure don’t. Do you have one for either of us, yourbestfriends?” Tamika asked pointedly, to Dana.
“Enough. Can we please take the focus off me and myfriend, Omar? Thank you.” Dana swiveled in the chair and faced the monitor.
“Look at you, avoiding the issue. You date all these other men, and Omar is right there,” Tamika said.
“I’m not avoiding the issue, I’m setting up the next game. Omar is a friend. How many times do I have to explain that?” Dana tapped the keyboard.
“Till we believe it,” Layla quipped.
She and Tamika giggled while Dana shot them a dirty look.
“I have something to tell you guys,” Layla announced.
“Sounds serious,” Tamika turned in her direction.
Dana swung to face her, too, offering her full attention.
Her friends definitely wouldn’t approve of her next remark because after her breakup with Rashad, she’d been very clear that she was done with him for good.
“I saw Rashad last night.”
“Voluntarily?” Dana quirked an eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“Um, why?” Tamika asked.
“Because I wanted to talk to him about getting back together.”
Tamika’s eyes widened.
“Layla—” Dana started.
Layla thrust up a hand. “Before you start, I already know what you’re both going to say, believe me, and I agree. Rashad and I won’t work. We’ve been there and done that. He’s too closed off, but I realized that I don’t need a normal relationship with him. I know exactly the kind of man he is, and I know what I’ll tolerate. I intend to focus on the best part of our relationship, if you know what I mean.”
“Yes, we know what you mean,” Tamika said with a sly grin.
Layla blushed.
“I’m gonna need you to spell it out for me. What exactly are you thinking about doing with Rashad?” Dana asked.
Layla had no doubt that Dana knew exactly what she was suggesting, but being a practical person, she wanted Layla to explicitly state what she meant.
“I suggested we have a sexual relationship.”
“You, Layla Fleming, are going to have a purely sexual relationship?” Dana asked with copious amounts of skepticism.
“Yes. I can absolutely do that,” she said. “After all this time, I realize I don’t want to be his girlfriend, and I don’t want him as my boyfriend. However, what he lacked in the boyfriend department, he more than made up for in the bedroom.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Dana said.
“Why not? She’s a grown woman and knows her own mind,” Tamika said.
Dana shook her head. “Yes, she knows her own mind—”
“—I’m right here, guys. Please stop talking about me in the third person.”
