Talk a Good Game (31 page)

“
Goodness, that
kid
’s
big!”

“
And tall too.” She smirked and I
saw something in her eyes she would deny. Janelle was starting to
get attached.

“
Listen boo,
it
’s
gonna all work out. Anybody can see that Jeremy
makes you happy.”

My mouth dropped. Who was this
person and where the hell was Janelle? “I am happy or at least I
was until… today.” A sob caught in my throat and Janelle swiveled
over to where I was standing and rubbed my back gently as she said,
“It
’s
gonna be okay.”

I nodded and tried to pull myself
together. “I know. I just can’t understand why he lied?” Suddenly
right there in the store I was crying real tears. Janelle pulled me
into her arms and held me close.

“
Shhh! Before they call security,”
she whispered.

“
I can’t
believe this is
happening to me!”

“
Girl, when are
you going to realize all men are alike? They don’t know any better.
That
’s
why they need good women to
whip their asses in shape.” She was stroking my hair trying to make
me feel better. “Maybe he was tryna impress you.”

“
Yeah… maybe.” I
wiped my eyes and pulled away from her embrace.
“I
’
m okay. I just need some time to
think.” I was certain all I needed was just a little time to sort
out my feeling.

Janelle took my hands and looked
me dead in the eyes. I’d never seen her look that serious before as
she said, “Listen, girl. I’ll never tell you to leave your man,
trust me, if I wasn’t in love, I would have left
Kaleb
’s
psycho-ass a long time ago. But
if you decide to stay then think about what
’s
gonna
make you happy.” She paused and struck a dramatic pose. “For me
it
’s
all about the money.”

Now
that
’s
the Janelle I know.

* * *

I was sleeping when I heard the doorbell. I thought
I was dreaming so I ignored it. But then I heard knocking and my
cellphone was ringing. I rolled over and reached for my phone and
looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. I tried to remain
calm.

“
Hello?
”

“
Angel?”

I blew out a breath. “What
Jeremy?”

“
Open the door before the
neighbors call the police.”

Goodness, the liar was at my door.
I ended the call and slipped into my house slippers. I grabbed a
few breath mints from the glass dish I kept on the end of my
dresser and popped one in my mouth as I went downstairs. I swung
the door open and glared at him. Anyone driving down the street
would have seen me in my Victoria’s
Secret
pajamas
but I was too angry to care. It was too early in the morning for
this crap.

“
Jeremy, what do you want?” So
much for keeping calm.

He looked so pitiful standing
there with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “I came to bring my
angel home.”

I gave a rude snort. “Home?
I
am
home.”

“
Home is where
the heart is and it
’s
with me.” I just looked at him
with one eye open but I
’
d be lying if I wasn’t
impressed he was here fighting for his woman. When was the last
time I had a man do that?

“
Can I please come in?”

I blew out a long breath because I
was really sleepy and needed to get up in three hours and get ready
for work. But I stepped aside and moved over to the sofa and took a
seat. Jeremy sat beside me and took my hand in his. “Angel,
I
’
m sorry.”

“
Sorry for what?” I wanted to
shout, “Sorry for lying?” but I contained myself.

“
For not telling you about
Alexis.”

I cut my eyes in his direction and waited.

If the look on his face wasn’t a
sign of a guilty conscience I don’t know what was. “Alexis isn’t my
wife, she
’s
my daughter. That was her phone
her mother called me on.”

“
I’m listening,” I replied
suspiciously.

“
I met Gwen in high school. We
were only sixteen and dated off and on and then she found out she
was pregnant. I don’t even know if Alexis is really mine, but I’ve
been raising her anyway.”

“
And paying child support,” I
added with sarcasm.

Jeremy looked down at the floor as
he nodded. “Yes, until she turns twenty-one. She
’s
a
freshman in college.”

Well, at least she was doing something with her
life.

I guess the silence got to be too
much for him. “So now what? You
’
re breaking off
our engagement?”

I just stared off at the wall. I
was in no rush to answer. All the lying. He had five kids. Dammit!
Did I really want a man with
that
much responsibility?

I shook my head. No way was I
making this easy for him. “
I don’t
know. I just need
time to think.”

“
Angel, look at me.” I tilted my
head and gazed into his big brown eyes that were full of remorse.
“Do you love me?” he asked.

God, why do I love this man so much? He was so
insecure but it was clear to see he had so much love in his
heart.

“
Yes, I love you.”

“
Then if you love me, why does it
matter?”

No he didn’t
. “It matters because you lied!” My neck was rolling with
attitude.

“
I didn’t
lie,
” he said.

“
Yes, you did!”
I snapped. “You told me you had three kids, then I found out you
have an ‘adopted
’
daughter, and now I discover
your oldest daughter is in college. All you had to do was just be
honest in the first damn place!”

“
You
’
re right.” I thought he was going
to confess everything—right then and there. So imagine my
disappointment, when Jeremy lowered his head like a little boy
being scolded by his mama, and it made me feel bad. Damn, why does
he do that?

His eyes finally met mine and he
simply said, “I understand if you don’t want to be with me anymore.
You
’
re beautiful, educated, and you
have no kids. That
’s
why I didn’t tell you because I
figured if you knew the truth you never woulda gone out with me in
the first place.”

His explanation didn’t prove a
damn thing as far as I was concerned. “Okay…, but correct me if I’m
wrong. Wouldn’t you rather a woman be with you because of
who
you are not
who
you pretend to
be?”

Jeremy was quiet again and looked so pathetic I was
the one squeezing his hand. After a long silence, I leaned back on
the couch and closed my eyes. This was some soap opera shit.

“
Angel.” I
opened my eyes and my heart warmed at the seriousness of his
expression. “I know I was wrong, but I
’
m a good
man. I just made a stupid mistake. Give me another chance and I
promise from this point on I’ll be honest.” He was down on his
knee, pleading with me to forgive him. “But I can’t
lose my
rib.
”

Rib? This was some ridiculous Adam
and Eve crap.
“What about Tracy? What ring
were you talking about?”

He shook his head.
“She
’s
my ex-girlfriend. While we were
dating she was wearing my fraternity ring. I asked her for it
back.”

I stared into his eyes, trying to
read him. After a long moment, I replied, “Why do I believe
you?”

He smirked. “Because Angel, you
know I
’
m telling you the
truth.”

No. I didn’t know because part of
me didn’t want to know. It was crazy and insane.

“
Angel, please forgive me?” Jeremy
looked at me, studying my facial expressions then leaned forward
until I was lying flat on my back. “I can’t lose my
angel.”

I should have told him to kiss my
ass and get out of my house, but I couldn’t. “
I don’t
know why I
’
m even considering forgiving
you.”

“
Maybe because
you know I
’
m a good man with good
intentions. And I promise you no man will ever love you like I
do.”

His lips brushed against mine and
one of us—maybe it was me—leaned forward and captured his lips in a
kiss. My kitty cat started purring and I was spreading my legs and
wrapping them around his waist. “Don’t you ever keep anything that
important from me again,” I scolded between kisses.

“
I promise,” he said and I felt
his lip quiver and thought he was about to cry, but then he slid
his tongue inside my mouth.

God had truly put this together.

JANELLE

“
What
’s
that—?”

I had just stepped out the shower onto the heated
ceramic flooring when I heard a bed squeaking like someone was
fucking. I wrapped a thick robe around my body then slowly opened
the door, expecting to see my man jacking off or something.

Imagine my relief to see Kaleb
sitting on my chaise lounge watching television. “What wrong?” he
asked.

I listened again and sure enough
there was that sound again. “What
’s
that
squeaking?”

Kaleb said like it was no big
deal, “Oh, that
’s
CJ rocking.”

“
Rocking? Like he does in his
chair?”

What the fuck
? I tied the robe tightly around my waist, then stepped out
the room. I moved down the hall and stood outside CJ’s room with my
ear to the door. Sure enough the sound was coming from
inside.

I hurried back to the master
suite. “It sounds like he
’s
fucking.”

Kaleb didn’t even bother to look
up from the television screen. “Nah, that
’s
how he
goes to sleep. It
’s
soothing.”

Really?
“No, it
’s
crazy! That boy is thirteen and
he still needs to be rocked to sleep.”

Of course that pissed him off.
“You always got something slick to say.”

Ignoring him, I hurried back down
the hall and flung CJ
’s
door open and stared
in horror. The television was on so I could clearly see him up on
all four, rocking back and forth, with his head on the pillow and
his eyes closed.

“
CJ!”

Kaleb stormed down the hall. “Jae,
leave that boy alone.”

“
Nobody wants to
listen to that shit. Christopher John, quit rocking!” I cried. He
moved around on the bed, mumbled something that sounded like, “yes
ma
’
am” then went back to sleep.
Cussing under my breath, I shut his door and padded past Kaleb and
went back to our bedroom.

“
I guess now
you
’
re gonna make fun of
him.”

“
Make fun? Whatever,” I mumbled,
under my breath.

Kaleb glared at me itching for a fight, but I just
ignored him and reached for my lotion and spread it on my body,
seductively of course. One thing about me, I know how to defuse a
bomb.

“
You want me to oil your
back?”

Bingo! I grinned.
“Sure.”

Kaleb walked over and took a seat
on the bed beside me then reached for the bottle of spearmint
scented lotion and started spreading it on my back.
“
Look
… I know you act like that,
because you care about CJ and me.”

Actually the thought of a
thirteen-year- old dry humping his mattress gave me the creeps, but
I wasn’t going to say that out loud.

He kissed my back, shoulder, and breasts then lifted
one leg and nudged at my opening. I rested my hands at his waist
and thrust my hips forward, causing his length to slip inside.

By morning I was hearing that damn rocking again. I
waited until we were down at the table eating breakfast before I
brought it up. Nothing worse than bitching on an empty stomach.

“
Kaleb, the boy needs help,” I
insisted.

“
What the fuck you mean my son
needs help?”