Page 10 of Trust Issues
“Nice to meet you, I’m Maxwell Parker. What is your name?” I took her hand in mine and she beamed up at me with a beautiful smile.
“Hi, Maxwell. I’m Cadence. I’m Kyla’s friend from work.”
“Kyla? That explains why you’re sitting on this couch. You know Kyla. Not Kyle. Lucky you. Get out while you can.”
“Oh my god, Kyla, how different are you at work versus at home?” Cadence asked.
“Put it like this, sweetheart, at work, she’s one of those cute little treasure trolls with the colorful hair and the jewel in her navel.” My mind wandered to the summertime when Kyle insisted on wearing sundresses and crop tops that showed off her navel ring. I blinked and brought my focus back to the conversation at hand. “And when she’s at home, she’s the troll under the bridge in the Billy Goats Gruff. Either way, she’s a troll but she puts on a cute front at work.”
“Fuck you, Max. All I got out of that was you calling me cute. I knew you loved me.” She blew a kiss at me from between full glossy lips and I turned my top lip up in disgust.
“Youarecute, Kyle…for a troll.” Our banter broke out into a fussing session and Naima silenced us by clapping her hands several times above the clamoring like we were a rowdy kindergarten class. I settled into the armchair beside the couch and rested my ankle on my knee.
“Would you two please stop fighting like cats and dogs? We have company. She doesn’t need to know exactly how insane yall really are.” Naima rolled her brown eyes and shook her head. “Give these two a moment. They usually need it when they haven’t seen each other all day. If you want, I can show you my impressive blogging headquarters.”
“For Tea Time? Girl, yes! Where is it?” Cadence asked standing to her feet.
“Right here in the guest room,” Naima laughed. Cadence followed behind her shaking her head and I was left alone with Kyle.
She sat perched on the couch like a tiny little ball of grump. Her plump lips were turned down in a perpetual frown but her smooth mocha skin was perfect and undisturbed. I’d never seen such immaculate skin before. I let my eyes take a trip down her chest and flat stomach to her toned legs and perfectly pedicured feet.
I could definitely see the lure.
I just didn’t know why the hell any man would want a second date after she opened her mouth.
I looked at her lips and then forced my gaze to her hazel eyes. They sucked me in every fucking time. I hated it.
“What, Max?” Kyle snapped.
“I was admiring how dedicated you are to your job.” I tossed my gaze at the curly wig lying on the arm of the couch then back at Kyle. “I mean shaving the hair off your back to make a wig just so you can wear it to work every morning? That’s hard work and persistence.”
She leaped off the couch and hurled one punch after another at my chest as it vibrated with deep laughter. With every flail of her slender arms, I could smell hints of sugary candy and perfume. It’s how she always smelled.
“You are an insufferable asshole, Max.”
“And you’re an uptight crab.” She knelt over top of me, poised to throw another punch but she didn’t. Instead, we stared at each other for a few beats that left me wondering what the fuck we were. Were we friends or enemies?
Maybe we were neither.
We were just Max and Kyle.
We seemed to dance in an undefined area that only we understood. I was fine with that. It was a love-hate thing.
“How was your date?” She finally peeled herself off me and plopped back on the couch. Meanwhile, Barkley was torn between sitting on my lap or Kyle’s.
“It went the same way all my dates go. It was perfect.”
“You didn’t bring her home. Worried her owners might post missing dog signs around the neighborhood?”
“Sadie is gorgeous. Kill all the hate,” I said, pointing at her.
“Gorgeous. Sure. Is that why you’re letting her tag you in pictures on Instagram?” Kyle dipped her fingers into the crystal bowl of pink Starbursts she kept on the coffee table and tipped her head to the side. Her long locs tumbled down to her elbows like curly tendrils of ebony. Her hazel stare made me forget my words momentarily.
“Tag me?” I blinked.
“Yeah. Tag you. She follows Naima on Instagram. She showed me the picture of you two out at dinner earlier tonight.” It didn’t shock me that my date was followed Naima.Everybodyfollowed with Naima and she usually followed them back. The girl had over three million followers on Instagram.
“I wasn’t aware I’d been tagged. You know how I feel about that shit.” I pulled out my phone to check and sure enough, Sadie tagged me in a picture from dinner. My face wasn’t in it but it was close enough. I sighed and put my phone to sleep.
