Page 38 of Bern and Isley
“Oh, so it’s like that?” she asked.
My jaw clenched and my brows furrowed. “Gone on, I’m not in the mood for bullshit. This is a family event. Respect that shit.”
Isley snuck up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I’m ready to go.”
Unique’s face reddened and her nostrils flared. “So y’all finally launching your relationship, huh?”
“Theo, Antwan, I’ll holla at y’all. We about to head out,” I told my boys, completely ignoring my ex.
They dapped me up. I grabbed Isley’s hand then strolled off, leaving Unique standing there foaming at the mouth. I knew had it not been a DP sponsored event, she would’ve showed her ass, but she knew better than to cut up at the block party. It would’ve been a gang of chicks around the way beating her ass.
“Did you enjoy yourself?” I asked, pulling Isley closer to me.
She smiled. It was the first time in a long time where her grin actually reached her eyes. “Yes, Bernie. I had a good time. Thanks for demanding that I come with you.”
I chuckled. “I’m glad you gave it a chance. I had fully planned to stay with you in the apartment all day if you refused to join me.”
“You were going to miss the block party for me?”
“What? Be for real.” I kissed my teeth. “I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself knowing that you were up there by yourself. Besides, I’ve never been to the block party without you.”
“Can we go to your place? Aunt Fee is still at the party and I’m not ready to be alone.”
“For sure.”
I led her to my apartment, not knowing how our relationship was about to change.
Chapter 22
Isley
I immediately removedmy shoes upon entering Bern’s unit. When he moved into his place weeks ago, he bought me a pair of white fuzzy slippers that were kept beside the front entrance. I really loved the way he and his mom had decorated his place. I was feeling the neutral color scheme they came up with. I hadn’t spent any time at his place since the accident. He’d been over to me and Aunt Fee’s place every single day though.
“You want anything to drink?” Bern asked as he put our plates in the fridge. I couldn’t leave the block party without grabbing one of Miss Delanie’s soul food plates for later.
“No, I don’t need any more to drink. Those drinks I got from Miss Emma’s tent were strong as hell,” I answered as I plopped down on his leather sectional. I wasn’t drunk, but I was feeling relaxed. It was the calmest I’d felt in a long time. “What were you and Unique talking about?”
He raised a brow as he took a seat right beside me. “Not shit. She spoke and that was it.”
“Hmph.”
He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. “What’s that ‘hmph’ mean?”
“Nothing…it just seems like she did more than speak.”
“She wasn’t talking about nothing. I’m not messed up about that broad. But why you ask?”
I shrugged, suddenly embarrassed about questioning him. What he talked to his ex about wasn’t really my business. Or was it?
“I was just asking.”
He smirked, knowing I was being a little jealous. He sat back and browsed through the movie selections on the screen before finally settling onBoyz n the Hood. It was one of our favorite classics. I lifted my right foot to my lap and massaged it lightly. The sandals I wore weren’t as comfortable as I thought they would be for all of that standing.
“Your feet hurt?”
“A little,” I admitted.
“Here, let me massage those dogs,” he jested.
