Page 3 of Loving a Libra
“Yeah. I’m headed there. Why?”
“I’ll go with you.”
Before he could respond, I turned and headed back toward the elevators.
“Damn.” I heard him whisper, causing me to pause and turn around.
I wasn’t sure how to take his slip of the tongue, but when I caught him licking his lips and adjusting his dick, I knew his eyes had been on my ass. It wasn’t the first time he’d looked at me in a way that would be deemed inappropriate since his best friend was my man.
“Let’s go.”
With his long strides, he caught up with me before I made it to the elevator. On the way down, neither of us spoke, but by the time he helped me into his car, I had a few questions.
“Tariq, be honest with me.”
I noticed he released a deep breath before pressing the button to start the car.
“I’ll do my best, but you know there are some things I won’t discuss.”
“Is there something I need to know about Maurice?”
“Why do you ask? Have you noticed something?”
“No relationship is perfect.”
“If there’s anything you need to know about him, or your relationship for that matter, it needs to come from him.”
“Why would he lie about you having a date?”
“You’ll have to ask him. Look, Devyn, I don’t mind you coming to me when you and Maurice have problems, but lately, it’s been a lot more frequent.”
“You noticed that too?”
“Yeah. It was cool when it wasn’t that often, but this is getting a little . . . tricky.”
“How so?”
“Does he know how often you text and call me or show up at my door? I should’ve turned you away a long time ago.”
“But you didn’t because you’re a good man, Tariq. I was a woman in need of a shoulder to lean on, and you offered yours.”
“And I don’t mind, but you’ve been at my door every other week complaining about him for the past year. Maybe you should reconsider what you want from your relationship.”
“Believe me, I am.” I paused. “Has it been that long and that often?”
He nodded. “Maybe more than a year. I’ve lost track. What are you expecting to find when we get here?”
“I don’t know, but I’m prepared to deal with it.”
Due to noefforts of my own, I’d somehow been involved in the inner workings of Maurice’s relationship with his girl, Devyn, since their first disagreement. The first time she called, and I realized the reason for the call, I suggested she call one of her friends. She claimed not to want anyone involved in her business because her best friend already didn’t like Maurice.
Initially, she only reached out every few months. I mostly listened and managed to avoid giving advice most of the time. However, occasionally, it was unavoidable, and I hated those times. Maintaining my loyalty to Maurice while advising his woman on how to handle his bullshit was no easy task, but they were still together, so I guess it was working.
When Maurice and I openedElite Retreat Lounge—a chill spot for people aged thirty and up, where we sold alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, handheld foods, and hosted live music and other performances—it was understood that he’d be the face. He loved the attention and access it gave him to certain things and people.
Although I still liked to go out and have a good time, I’d grown tired of the drama that came with dating and the nightlife. If I wasn’t atERL, I preferred to chill at home with someone on the same wave as me. Of course, I made appearances atERLa few times a week, and Maurice and I made all the business decisions together. The way we ran our business worked for us, and that was most important.
Almost as soon as Devyn moved in with Maurice, shit got sticky for me. Devyn was a nurse and worked three nights a week. On the nights she was off, Maurice rarely stayed home with her anymore, leaving her alone. When she wasn’t hanging with her best friend, she’d end up at my place.
