Playtime Rules

Rule #7 Have Bros in Every Area Code

She was not one for serious relationships. In fact, rule number seven of her playbook for dating was: have bros in every area code.

Yeah, like Ludacris. She did a lot of traveling, so if she met a guy she fancied, she would hook up with him. No strings attached.

Guys never had a problem getting too attached, so she never worried about that. And as long as she got what she wanted out of them, she was good with it.

Being in a relationship meant dating and the whole nine. Remembering anniversaries and birthdays, buying each other gifts, meeting the family, and such. None of that. She did not even invite guys to her home. She feared that inviting a man over he would want to stay forever.

She usually booked five-star hotels for rendezvous. If they made it past the initial phase of hitting it and quitting it, she would maybe stop by his place. There she was usually turned off by them. Men who were sloppy, had small homes or apartments, had roommates, or worse, still lived at home with their parents.

Back to rule number two, money is everything.

Now that she had stopped chasing JeVonte and he was chasing her it was game on.

She spent an unbearable hour in the sauna room while Janelle tapped out at fifteen. Her biggest complaint was her hair and makeup. Who comes to the gym with a full face? Her bestie Janelle was out there and said she would hit the shower before she went scouting again.

"Don't bother that man! He's at work," Yancy said to her friend.

"Girl, I will not go after a man you already have dibs on, you know that's not me. Besides, I need a big spender, looks ain't that important to me."

That is where she and her friend differed. Always top echelon for her. Did money truly matter to her? Yes! She needed a man who could complement her lifestyle. And he had to look like money.

After she sweated out what felt like ten pounds, she left to hit the shower and then hydrated. Since her hair was natural, the straightened strands turned into big, thick curls. She did not hate her natural hair, but it was not the look she was going for. She pulled it back into a bun, dressed, and texted Janelle.

Maybe she was having some luck.

She met her at the basketball court, of course. She was the loudest one in there, cheering on the guys as if this were an NBA game. After stretching her neck to look around both courts, she did not see JeVonte playing, so she was ready to go.

"I have two numbers," Janelle held up her phone. "I'm about to be booked this weekend."

She was kind of in a mood that JeVonte was not there, so they headed out. As they passed the cardio area, of course, she had to look in there to see if she saw JeVonte.

"Girl, I see you trying to find your man."

"My man?" She chuckled at her. "I barely know that man."

"What do you need to know? One, he's a man. Two, he's a fine ass man. Jump his mother fucking bones. That's it. Period! That's the statement."

She laughed at her, then as they exited the workout area, there he was, sitting in the lobby, head down on his phone, earbuds in, and scrolling through TikTok. He looked so young! That was another thing, she knew nothing about him, other than his name and that he worked at the gym.

She walked over and stood right in front of him, making him look up at her.

"You weren't, by chance, waiting for me?"

He stood and grinned at her. "I was hoping I would see you."

"I thought you were booked up."

"My last two clients for the day canceled, so I'm free. Want to hang out?"