Page 61 of Lovetown, USA
“I mean, you know I don’t give a fuck, but Sanaa was all up in my ear about it.”
I take a long gulp of water, completely unsurprised by the turn this has taken. Bryce’s wife Sanaa is on the Lovetown Hospitality and Tourism committee. I still look back fondly on the dinner they hosted for me when I got to town—I didn’t know at the time that being a handsome, single black doctor was like catnip. They wanted to get in on the ground floor I guess, but here I am, still single almost three years later despite their aggressive attempts to set me up. I bet Sanaa reminds Bryce every day what a big disappointment I am.
“Look, I don’t control what she writes,” I say. “Whatever she puts on a page is exactly what she wants to say and she don’t give a fuck what anybody thinks. I lowkey like that about her.”
Bryce frowns, studying me closely before smiling big. “You hit.”
“What?”
He swipes the back of his hand across his forehead. “I figured you did, but listening to you, I see I was right.”
“Fuck outta here,” I say, laughing. “We’re just friends.”
“And? Nigga, you got a lot of friends.”
“Whatever. Tell Sanaa I said hey.”
I don’t take the bait. I might have a few years ago, but I don’t need to prove my conquests like trophies on a shelf. That shit is lame, and I’m too damn old for it.
My phone buzzes in my gym bag. I fish it out and get annoyed.
It’s Daphne.
I step away, pressing the phone to my ear. “Mayor.”
“Trey,” she says, her voice sharp and impatient. “Give me an update.”
I wipe sweat from my forehead with the hem of my shirt. “I’m getting closer. She trusts me. We have a date tonight.”
She sighs. “Okay. That’s progress, at least.”
“Anything else?”
“You rushing me off the phone?”
“Basically. I got shit to do.”
She waits a beat. “Well, as a show of good faith, send Monica something and I’ll approve it.”
“Why?”
“Because you sound irritated, and I wanna show my appreciation.”
I stare at the empty court, squinting against the sun as I realize something is finally going right for me with this clinic.
“I’ll stop by my office and send you something.”
“Perfect. See? This is give and take, Trey. I’m grateful for your help on this.”
I end the call, irritated by the nagging feeling that there’s something Daphne isn’t telling me, something that explains why she’s so pressed about this.
But I can’t think about that right now. Tonight, it’s all about Lane.
Damn, she looks good as hell.
I’m leading her across the crowded football field, and I can’t help but sneak looks behind me every few steps. I’d like to think she wore that tight red strapless dress for me, but I guess the why doesn’t matter when the reward is this great. Brown skin glowing, curves showing, hair pulled off her pretty face, which looks like it belongs to an angel.
I’m the luckiest man out here tonight.
