Page 19 of Candid Moments
“Then remind me to tell her we need more tea when she comes too.”
She drinks from her coffee cup then she tastes the pecan roll. The look of satisfaction on her face entices me to take a taste too and it’s good as hell. We finish our little breakfast and right before we get ready to head to the store downstairs, there are light taps on the door. I open it and it’s housekeeping.
The tiny woman comes in, removes the old linens and towel, empties the garbage, restocks the coffee bar, then makes the bed with fresh linens. Before leaving, she places stacks of new towels on the bed. When she walks out, so do we. She continues down the hall to the left and we head to the elevator. It opens as soon as I press the button but it’s full. We wait for the next one and it’s full too.
“Damn,” Jamila utters. “Let’s take the stairs. I’m wearing flat boots.”
She’s wearing the same sexy ass outfit from yesterday but this one is black. Yesterday’s was brown. But sets accentuate her curvy, thick body and she looks amazing. After I place my hand on the small of her back, we trek to the stairs and head down. As soon as we walk out of the stairwell, we discover why the elevator was so busy.
The reunion.
The hall is filled with peopleand them.Maddox and ol’ boy are in the middle of the crowd. I don’t know if they spot us orwe spot them first but as soon as Maddox’s eyes lock with mine, Jamila possessively latches her arm with mine. I guess seeing them again was inevitable and the moment is now. We have to walk past them to reach the store. Maddox is holding his hand but she releases it as we move closer to them. She also inches away from him. The gesture is small but clearly visible.
“Are you ready for this?” Jamila asks.
“There’s nothing to be ready for. I’m good and so are you.” I lean in to her ear, then add, “It’s really fuck them.”
She laughs then kisses my cheek. When I lift my head back up, Maddox is glaring. I can see the fire in her eyes. While shaking her head, she marches toward us.
“Wow.” She’s doing this.
“She won’t do anything. Trust me,” I assure Jamila and she simply sucks her teeth.
“She better not,” she huffs and I can’t hold my grin. She’s cute as hell with this tough girl act.
“Can I talk to you?” Maddox snaps the moment she’s in front of me.
“He has nothing to say,” Jamila snaps back to Maddox’s dismay.
Her entire demeanor shifts and her shoulders drop. She slightly turns so her eyes aren’t on Jamila, then she gives me a pleading look. “Denim, baby, please,” she whispers and I feel nothing.
Her cheating and me seeing and hearing that shit has totally killed anything we once had. I gave my all to her and shebasically gave me her ass to kiss. She doesn’t deserve another minute or second of my time and I’m not giving it to her.
“There’s nothing left to say because there’s nothing left between us,” I state firmly. “You made your choice. Go back to him, Maddox.”
“What about my business?”
“What about it?” I made the initial investment and I’m not looking for my money back because I’m not that type of man. A gift is a gift and I have no expectations of getting it back simply because we are no longer together.
“In front of her? Please don’t do me like this.” A tear falls from her eye and she doesn’t bother to wipe it. It’s for me; she’s soliciting my pity but the act is futile. I truly have nothing left for Maddox.
“You two should talk. Let me go handle his ass,” Jamila says.
She stands on the balls of feet then softly kisses my lips. She smiles extra hard at Maddox then walks toward him. I’m more interested in their interaction than this unnecessary moment with Maddox. So when Jamila walks off, I turn to Maddox.
“The money was a gift. I don’t want it back or anything else from you. You made your choice and I’ve made mine,” I tell her then walk off too.
I head toward Jamila but stop by the end of the hall. I’m close to them but far away to give her privacy. That’s her past relationship to deal with just like I handled mine. However, I’m just here if she needs me.
Jamila
Let me just get this shit over with!
Corey is dead to me and if he has any doubt about where we stand, I’m ending that shit right now. As I trek towards him, Corey walks to meet me. When we are face to face, he reaches his hand out to me.
“Let’s go in here,” he says as he motions his head toward the door of the banquet room.
“I’m good right here.”
