Page 16 of A Player's Prayer
“What do you want from her?” Mama eyed me over the rim of her champagne flute. The live band had the place rocking now, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before my mother was on her feet. “You just want her for sex, don’t you?”
Was Kodi fine? Yes. Did I want to drop dick off in her and have her pleading the blood of Jesus over her pussy? Absolutely. Was that all I saw in her? I didn’t think so, but because this shit was so unfamiliar, that was the trick question since seeing her diss my ass on that video Noemi played back.
“To be honest, Mama, I do, but that’s not all.” Sighing heavily, I wiped my hand down my face in frustration. “I ain’t saying I want forever with the girl or no sh—stuff like that. I just want us to be better than what we are. I want to be her friend, and I want to know more about her.”
Feeling like a chump, I let the conversation die as we continued to eat. The more I thought about what I’d told my mama, the more I realized it was true. I wanted to fuck shorty, but I wanted to have conversations with her too. She had me intrigued, and I wanted to know more about her. I liked her vibe, her energy. Being around her felt like a warm day during Milly Grove’s cold-ass winters.
After we finished eating, my mother wanted to hit the dance floor like I knew she would. Offering her my hand, I helped her from her seat and led her near the DJ booth.
“If you want different results, Adrian, be the man I raised you to be.” She gave me a small smile as we grooved to Marvin Sease. “You don’t have to propose marriage to get her to go out with you. Just treat her like a person, a woman. No lady in her right mind is going to want to be near someone who disrespects them at every turn. You’re handsome and charming, baby—probably the most charismatic son I have.” I cheesed at her revelation. “Oh gosh! I shouldn’t have said that.” She was absolutely right. I was sending it to our family group chat as soon as I left here. “Treat her like you would want a man to treat me or Gianna. I have all the faith in the world in you, Adrian.” Taking a pause, my mama looked deep into my eyes. “Can I ask you something, son?”
“Anything,” I answered as I spun her around. “You know that,Evie.”
“Boy!” She punched my arm, giggling. “You’re almost thirty, son. Why are you so opposed to settling down? Why are you so closed off to love? Did we do something wrong with you, baby?”
As I peered down into my mother’s awaiting eyes, I thought about her question. Was I afraid? No. Had her and my pops tainted something in me? Not at all. Marrying someone and having children just didn’t seem like the life for me.
“The world is full of beautiful women, Mama.” The DJ changed the record to Betty Wright, and the ladies were going wild. “I don’t have the desire to settle down with just one when I have so many at my disposal. Letting them know up front what my intentions are saves us both from lies and disappointment. They’re looking for a sponsor, Ma; someone to take care of them, and we know that’s not me. It will never be me to let a woman use me. The way I’m living now works for me; we both get our fix, and then I’m out of there.”
“There will come a time when a woman is going to make you eat those words.” She smirked before detaching from me. Harley’s mother had arrived, and I had a feeling my mama had planned her day beyond lunch without me. I guess I was just her ride to link up with her crew. “Gear up, son… Love comes when you least expect it. I hope you’re ready for the fight of your life. However, if you want Miss Dakota to take you seriously, show her something different. Show her you’re not just a silly boy, but a grown man that means business.”
Kissing me on the cheek, she waltzed away looking like the royalty she was. I stood back and watched as she glided over to her friends and giggled like a schoolgirl with Ma Nova. Making sure the ladies were okay, I went back to the table, reflecting on the conversation with my mother. Outside of the talks of marriage, family, and love, she was right. I would have to do things differently with Kodi if I wanted her to take me up on my offer to get to know one another as friends.
She’d become accustomed to Wild, but now it was time for her to meet Adrian.
“Someone is at your front door.”
Stepping back, I listened to the Ring camera and waited patiently for Kodi to answer. I was taking a chance by popping up at her home, but I’ve never been one to let anything stop me from doing what I wanted.
“One second!” I heard from the other side of the door before the locks turned. “That was fast—oh, damn. Who the hell are you? I’ve never seen a Domino’s driver who looks like you before.”
“Girl, does it look like I deliver fuckin’ pizza?” I frowned down at the half-naked girl at Dakota’s door. “I’m here to see Kodi.”
Looking at me with nothing but lust in her eyes, I got bad vibes from this chick. She was cute and thick, reminding me a lot of Countess Vaughn when she played Kim Parker. She was looking at me like she wanted to bite my ass, but even if she wasn’t here with Kodi, I still wouldn’t fuck her. It has nothing to do with her being on the thicker side or even her being Kodi’s friend. I was just good at reading people, and this girl’s whole being screamed deceitful. I’d fuck around and shoot her ass.
“Zaria, is that the pizza?” I heard Dakota shout from behind her. “Let me get my wallet—Adrian?” She appeared at the door, wide-eyed. “What are you doing here?”
After lunch with my mother, I began to plan a date for Kodi and me. I didn’t know much about her or what she liked, so I took a chance and asked Amelia. She gave me a whole lecture about not playing with her girl before she finally told me a piece of helpful information. Kodi loved the water, and I happened to know of a nice spot not too far from her crib. Once she told me that, the rest was on me.
“What’s up, shorty?” I nodded for her to come outside. “Let me holla at you for a minute.”
“Wait a minute…” Her friend, or whoever she was, grabbed her wrist to stop her. “Where are you going, Dakota? I thoughtwe were going to eat pizza and watch movies today.” She dragged her eyes back to me. “You can leave now.”
“Bitch, if you don’t get your Peppa Pig looking ass?—”
“Zaria, stop,” Kodi said while slapping her hand over my mouth. I know I said I was going to do better, but this troll had some nerve trying to dismiss me. “This is my house, so don’t disrespect my company like that. Head back inside, and I’ll be in there in a second.”
Looking from Kodi to me, Zaria kissed her teeth, letting Kodi’s wrist go with an attitude. We watched her step back into the townhouse, slamming the door behind her.
“Your sister almost got cursed the fuck out. What’s up with you being around all these cartoon-character-looking muthafuckas?” I raised my brow at her as we walked down the steps from her porch. “I was in a really good mood until her husky ass?—”
“Adrian, why are you at my house?” She tried to stifle her giggle as she crossed her arms, causing her breasts to rise in her tank. Licking my lips, I sniffed away the sleek shit I wanted to say about her melons. Kodi was so damn sexy even without trying to be. “You can’t just pop up over here, playboy.”
As bad as I wanted to tell her I could do what the hell I wanted, I nodded. “You’re right…” I handed her the heart-shaped box of fresh flowers from the dashboard of my truck. I made sure to order some from the flower box place that Skip sent me again. “I brought these for you. I wanted to formally apologize for being an asshole to you on multiple occasions. I would say that’s not me, but you know…” We shared a chuckle as she accepted the box and smelled the roses. “You’ve done nothing to me for me to act like a dickhead toward you. If you don’t mind, I would like to take you out in hopes that we get to know each other better, Dakota.”
“When?” She eyed me skeptically. “My best friend is in town to see me and?—”
“Now.” I cut her off. Stepping to her, I backed her into the driver’s side of my Trackhawk. It was still running because I low-key wasn’t leaving here without her agreeing. “Tell her you’ll be back in time for dinner, unless you decide you want to stay the night with a nigga.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at her “nigga please” face. “I’m not on no bullshit, Kodi. I know what your hands do.”
