Page 15 of A Player's Prayer
“Those were actually the first words his rude ass said to me at his store.” She rolled her eyes and continued to eat. “He said your name is Skip, right?” My brother nodded as she looked back and forth between us. “And that would mean you have another brother named Uno?”
“Correct.”
Sitting back and taking another bite out of her burger, Dakota toggled her eyes from Skip to me a few times before asking about our nicknames. Skip read my eyes as they said “no,” and we made a joke about the game Uno. The three of us sat there for several minutes and enjoyed our lunch together. This was another first for me as I didn’t enjoy women’s company beyond my dick being swallowed up. Kodi was funny as hell, though, and even Skip smiled and chuckled at her wittiness. Before we’d finished eating, my mind was already made up to ask her out on a date.
“So tomorrow night, I was thinking we could go out or something. Maybe catch a movie or?—”
“Wait.” She stopped me as I walked her to her car. She wasn’t parked too far away from me. “Are you asking me out on a date, Adrian?”
“I mean, not really.” I shrugged as I hovered over her petite, yet curvy frame. The gloss she applied to her lips was so damn shiny that I wanted to suck it off. “I figured I didn’t have to—wait!” I called back to her as she walked off. “Kodi!”
“My name is Dakota,” she shouted over her shoulder as she reached her car. “When you learn how to talk to me like a gentleman, maybe we can discuss going out to dinner. Until then, please stick to the hood rats that you’re used to, Adrian. Chao.”
Standing in the middle of the lot, I watched as she slid into her Benz and drove off. This was the second time she’s blown me off, and that shit is pissing me off. I don’t know what she thinks this is, but I’ve never set my sights on something and not get it.
“Damn, bro.” Skip clasped my shoulder as he chuckled behind me. “Let me find out you don’t have the juice like you think you do.”
Arms crossed, I stood there and thought about my approach with Dakota. She’s called me childish, arrogant, and rude. She has also questioned my motives as a man. Even with all of that, there was one thing I knew to be true: I wanted Kodi, and I was going to have her.
“Now, Adrian, if you’re going to be on some foolishness today, you can leave me at home.” My mother started fussing as soon as she got inside my black and gold Lexus RX. I had to bring out the new whip because there’s no way she would have gotten inside my Trackhawk. “You promised me a nice day on the town, and I’m going to hold you to that.”
Chuckling lowly, I held onto her arm and assisted her into the passenger seat. I’d only mentioned how bad Mrs. Williams’ wig and makeup looked on the cover of the neighborhood’s HOA bulletin. Mama was the one who had it out for people to see, knowing that the lady looked like a Mexican clown on the front page. I chuckled one last time before I got inside the car. It was a beautiful day out, and I wanted to spend it with my mother, so I was going to tighten up on the jokes. I also had another reason for wanting my mama’s company today. Kodi hadn’t left a niggas dome since our unplanned lunch at Burger Barn, and Mama was the only one I trusted to offer me some solid advice.
“Mama, why do you act like your baby boy doesn’t have any home training?” I glanced over at her as I adjusted the smooth tunes of Johnny Taylor. Mama didn’t play about listening to music with a whole lot of profanity when she was in the car with us, so the Blues was always my go-to. Today, I decided I would take her to her favorite restaurant near Grove Isles. “You act like I’m just a menace to society.”
“Son, it’s not that you’re a menace, but you’re damn sure a little terror. Talking about that woman needing to sign up for the circus. You’re lucky I wasn’t on the phone with anyone to hear you.” We shared a laugh at my outlandish comments about Mrs. Williams, which confirmed Mama agreed with me, even though she would never say it out loud.
“I know there’s a catch to this little lunch date, Adrian, but I don’t mind. It’s a pretty day out, and I don’t mind spending it with my youngest.”
“You mean your favorite…” I smirked, knowing all she would do was hum a reply.
As we rode the streets to our destination, my mind drifted to Kodi again. Her always telling me that I’m childish and don’t know how to treat women didn’t sit well with me. I wasn’t on any bullshit when I asked her out both times, and her shutting me down wasn’t making sense to me when the chemistry between us was there. Shit, the mere idea of taking anyone on a date was out of the norm for me, so in my eyes, she should be more than happy to agree. The more I thought about it, the more I decided I needed to change my approach if I wanted her to take my request for her time seriously.
“This place has the absolute best omelets.” My mother smiled as she began to settle and enjoy her brunch. “You sure do know how to make a girl happy.” I’ve never really understood the concept of fish and grits, but whatever made Mama happy.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Evie.” I nodded before I took a sip of my Sprite. You wouldn’t be able to tell from the crowd that’s here, but the food selection here was terrible to me. I settled for chicken fingers to be safe. Before she could fuss at me for calling her Antonio’s pet name for her, I continued, “There’s this girl?—”
“Oh my gosh! Are you seeing someone?” she all but yelled, grabbing the attention of those nearby. “I never thought I would see the day!”
“Mama, will you please lower your voice?” I asked in a hiss as I grabbed her hand from across the table. The lady had tears in her eyes and everything. “It’s not what you think.” Sighing heavily, I knew by her confused face that I had to give her the rundown on Dakota and me.
For the next series of minutes, I watched her face transform from one of anger to shock to nothing at all. By the time I was done, my mother was quiet, and I was nervous as hell.
“If we weren’t in this room full of people, I would beat your ass, Adrian Mills.” She pointed her fork at me before taking a bite of her bacon. “What on Earth made you not only disrespect a paying customer, but damn near get her fired from her job? Adrian, there comes a time when you need to grow the hell up and have some couth?—”
“Mama—”
“No, you will listen…” She held her hand up, causing me to shut my mouth immediately. “I don’t know why you feel the need to show your ass everywhere you go, but there comes a time when you need to grow the hell up. Sure, have fun. Laugh. But everything isn’t a damn joke. Dakota sounds like a good woman with a great head on her shoulders. You don’t deserve someone like that.”
Slumping back in my chair, I was taken aback by what my mother said. I wasn’t trying to marry the girl, just take her out.First, Kodi, and now, my mother, was telling me I ain’t shit had me feeling empty. My life was full of everything, but this situation here had me feeling vain.
“Dang, Ma, I didn’t know you felt so little of me.” I pulled my wallet from my back pocket to pay for our food. “Take your time and enjoy your meal. I’ll be on the back patio.”
“You’re going to sit your ass right there, and you’re going to listen to what I have to say.” She eyed me in a way that dared me to argue. Needless to say, I slumped back into my seat and complied. “Now, if you took my words as harsh, good. You were wrong for how you treated that girl, and she deserves to give you a hard time.”
“But, Mama… I bought her gifts to make up for it.” I eyed her in confusion. “What more can I do?”
Never in my twenty-nine years of living have I ever spent money on a woman before, but I’d dropped bags on Dakota just to say, “my bad.” What the fuck else is it going to take for that girl to give a nigga some play?
