Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
After eating, Virginia slid out of the booth. “Y’all leave without getting desserts and saying orévwar, there will be trouble, ya heard?”
“We won’t, Auntie,” Genèse said, smiling so hard, I swear her lip gloss started plotting crimes.
As soon as Virginia disappeared behind the kitchen door, Genèse sat forward, eyes glittering. Oh, here we go. She must’ve been waiting for adult ears to leave, so she could act the way Virginia called mannish.
“I just wanna say …” Genèse toyed with her straw, real coy. “This whole wedding situation may not be a good idea.”
“Situ-what?” I snarled, halfway offended and ready to baptize her in sweet tea.
Zuri raised her brow and stayed quiet, even though beneath her education sat a woman who was done with this creature.
“Genèse.” Phoenix’s lips tugged into a tight smirk. “What do you mean, wedding situation? Or is this about that other woman? Your bestie done chased after Montana for years. She failed, no question, booboo.”
“No, it’s—”
“Good, then give your quick, ‘My bad,’ because enough is enough!” Phoenix lowered her voice. “You married, Genèse. I’d tell you to go sit yourself down somewhere, but I doubt that would work. The only man you ever need to check is your husband.”
Genèse blinked.
“Yes, I’m coming for you,” Phoenix added, her hands shaking. “Zuri is too nice. And I’m at the next step of my anti-shyness campaign. Besides, you’ve sat here this week and last week. Said nothing about anything. Ain’t this the first time you’ve mentioned the wedding?”
Preach! I wished this woman were my other sister-in-law. Tennessee and Phoenix often dressed up together. They matched. Twinsies. Yet, rumor had it, he never benefited from the situation. It was as if Shonda had morphed herself into their situationship and drafted a no-sex clause, thus nullifying their besties with benefits. But he needed this woman. I needed this woman! She shaded with facts. All facts. And you couldn’t get mad at her.
We all stared at Genèse for a rebuttal.
But how did the boys’ cousin respond?
Miss Messy … burst into tears.
washington
. . .
Eyes half-closed, spirit halfway home, I struck my gavel to end the court hearing. I hit that sucker hard enough to mean business. If I could imprint my size-eleven Italian loafer on the back of the kid walking out, just a little tap for the frustration he’d given me, I would’ve. But, nah. I was a professional. And more importantly, I kept hope alive! Tomorrow night at the winery, in the right suit, I’d make Madison forget Shonda’s no-touching, no-heat, no-fun contract.
I stood and unzipped my robe when the bailiff cleared his throat. A familiar Bruh, I hate to tell you this. He said, “You’ve got one last case on the docket.”
“Since when? I’ve got somewhere to be.” And someone to ruin. Tomorrow. But I’d prepared for that.
He gave a don’t-shoot-the-messenger shrug and strolled to the double doors.
With a voice that could fill a stadium, the clerk announced, “The State of Louisiana versus Madison Selene Spencer.”
My heart tripped.
Then my mouth curved.
Madison swaggered inside, hips an ocean as if she’d practiced in the hall while adjusting her lip gloss. She wore all orange. The dress hugged her curves like it had beef with me. Please. That fabric didn’t stand a chance with a desperate man. I’d fight dirty to unwrap the sweetness underneath.
I leaned back and shook my head. “You nailed the dress code right for an Orange Is the New Black reboot. You might wanna be careful. A big butch baddy named Fade Fresh Felicia …” I used those crisp barbershop haircuts to name Madison’s would-be prison stalkers. “And her sidekick Low Fade Loretta are gonna fight over all that.”
My eyes pinned the stenographer, her three-inch fingernails on the move, recording every word I said. Like always, I admit that. But the moment I beheld my wife, her brown skin glowing against the orange, nobody else existed.
“Everybody out.”
Everyone fled, but it took Creepy Nails a few seconds to get up, her nosy, beady eyes ready to jot down anything I said on the way out.
You’re not getting any action, sis. Kick rocks!
Madison watched the stenographer go, then strolled toward the counsel table. She stopped in front of the defense’s side, planted her palms on the ledge, and sat. Her legs opened just wide enough to steal the breath from my lungs before one slid over the other, smooth, thick thighs offering a taunt.
Lord.
She looked too good to correct.
Madison glanced back toward the hallway doors, checked the windows to confirm nobody was watching. “Your stenographer is about that life. Very nosy. You think she and Latrice take lunch?”
Hell, yeah, but the only thing I cared about sat five feet from me. I stepped down from the bench, my eyes tracking every breath she took, that dress straining against her breasts. “Woman, you walked in here looking like a whole snack smuggled across state lines.”