Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
A folded letter sat in the box—so nondescript that she’d initially missed it. Lola Young’s, ‘Big Brown Eyes,’ played as she unfolded the gray piece of stationary paper. It read:
Your name should be written in bright lights, but for now, dried flowers will do. If you’re reading this, it means you found the present, or I told you where it was. Either way, I want you to have this gift. If you ever feel down, look at it and remember you’re the shit.
Roman
P.S. I licked you. That makes you mine now.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Red Flags and Eagles Flying High
Genesis couldn’t help but beam. She sat at the little café that served her favorite breads and soups on her lunch break, smiling down at her phone. Roman’s words laced her heart. She looked around the restaurant, falling into a daydream while waiting for her long-time best friend to meet her. Rosalyn—who everyone called Rosie—was a pediatric nurse at the Healthcare Medical Center. The sounds of Lalah Hathaway’s, ‘No Lie,’ featuring Michael McDonald, blended into her thoughts. She glanced back down at her phone and re-read the text message.
Roman had said he wanted to see her soon, punctuating his message with a cute little heart emoji. It had been a few days since they’d spent time together, what with their hectic schedules. But this didn’t stop him from sexting, sending gifts to her job, and calling her to tell her that he was thinking about her. She loved how consistent he was. When he said he was going to do something, by golly, he did it. He was rather sly, too. Every time he’d stop by, she’d find little gifts he’d squirreled in her apartment. He entertained her with magic tricks, funny jokes, and even taught her some remarkable investing tips.
She’d never met anyone like him in her life. She tried to not overthink it, but he was exactly the type of man she didn’t believe existed. It was as if he’d been specifically designed just for her. A part of her enjoyed the surreal romantic journey they were on, while the other knew he kept some things in the dark. Secrets. Although he’d given her some not-so-pretty truths, she did wonder what else he may be hiding.
“Traffic was a damn mess!” Rosie tossed her oversized 1970s style burlap purse onto the table, then plopped down in the chair across from her.
“They’re building more condos out here, and another charter school, too. It’s only going to get worse. Glad you got here safely. You know how they drive over here. Crazy!” Genesis took a taste of her lime spritzer, then smacked her lips. Delicious.
“They drive like they’re blind, and playin’ it by ear, girl. What a day!” Rosie huffed. “I’m on my way over here, right? I called Rico about my schedule change today. I tell him that he needs to pick up Sharmaine from daycare because I’m workin’ late, and he made a big, damn deal about it. Never mind the fact he hasn’t seen his daughter in weeks!”
Rosie was a tall, caramel-colored African American woman with a curvy shape and bedroom eyes. Her wavy hair was currently dyed auburn, and it flowed a few inches past her shoulders. She was a hard worker, and serious about getting her hair and nails done religiously. Although a gorgeous lady, she had always felt self-conscious about the size of her forehead, so she’d often style her tresses with a half or full bang. Today, her half bangs were in full effect.
“Rico is a trip.” Genesis sucked her teeth. “You did him a favor by not putting him on child support.” Genesis had never cared for Rico. He was a good-looking son of a bitch, used to women providing for him. That caused him to be lazy as hell. Rosie divorced him once she found out he’d been cheating yet again. The second time was enough for her to throw in the towel.
“Girl, don’t ever get married,” Rosie snatched the menu from the table, then took a taste of the water that Genesis had ordered for her. “These men ain’t shit. Ain’t been divorced for six months, and his ass is already talkin’ about wanting his family back, but not doing what it takes to get his family back. Out here fucking all of these random bitches and not keeping a job past a few weeks. Nope. Me and my child will be just fine. I’m not going back. That ship has sailed. That bell has been rung. Put a period on that. Life goes on.” She shrugged, flipping angrily through the thick, glossy pages of the culinary selections.
“So,” Genesis picked up her menu, though she already knew what she was going to order, “I take it you won’t be getting dessert?”
“Not if it’s a damn man with a cherry on top.” A waitress came and took their orders. Two chicken Caesar salads, a lobster bisque soup for Rosie, and tortilla chowder for Genesis. An unsweetened iced tea and one strawberry lemonade, too. “Now, who is this investment broker, Bank of America, Goldman Nut-sacks motherfucker you’ve been seeing?” Rosie questioned as she spritzed watermelon-scented hand sanitizer on her hands, then rubbed them together.