Bumped - Completed Novel

Bumped - Chapter Five

I meant to return Blake's call; unfortunately the intent was lost in the haphazardness of the day. I didn't think about Blake again until I arrived home and found him in our kitchen. Actually, I knew he was there as I trudged upstairs to my place. His fragrant fingerprint lingered in the air the way the day smells after a fresh rainstorm. His unique scent with a twist of Issey Miyaki was faint yet distinctive, it proclaimed his presence as I swung open my front door.

Tara Hill was a gated mini-suburb within the larger suburb of Culver City, housing over 400 condos. The exterior was nothing to brag about. Brown stucco with the required muddy "Tara Hill" brown for the doors and patio fences. The interior was something else altogether. I loved the cathedral ceiling in the living room and my balcony reminded me of being ensconced in a tree house as spring sprung up around it with the neighboring shrubs and plants blossoming in a fit of green.

I kicked off my sneakers, my feet aching from not being in heels, and slammed the door behind me. Blake poked out his head, covered with nubby blond twists, from the kitchen doorway.

"You know I like a stocked fridge, where's the food?" he said as he gave me a frown.

"Had I known you'd be back in town..."

"You would have done what?"

"Left the take-out menus on the counter, what else? Give me a sec, I have to change."

I slipped out of my stained jeans and top. Pepper was like a furry thermos storing a gallon of warm pee. Disgusting. I couldn't get the smell out of my nose even after I took a shower.

Afterwards, I walked back to the kitchen and forced a smile as I stood on my tippy-toes to tussle his twists, loving the way the natural kinky curl of his hair tickled my fingertips. Touch-up queen that I am, I don't feel it too often.

"Hey, back up off me. I go to Arden's place smelling like perfume, she'll swear I was out screwing some chick."

"When did you get hair? You were sportin' a baldie last time I saw you."

"You know how Blake do, like to change it up some."

"You look good. Not that you need me to tell you that. I'm sure you say it to yourself daily."

"Haha make jokes at Blake's expense. Blake can't help it if God gave him all this." He gestured from his head to his toes.

"Talking about ourselves in the third person again? You must have landed another gig. Who are you doubling for this time? Danny DeVito?"

"Don't hate on a brutha, Elle. Especially when you're looking at Will Smith's stunt double in his next $100 million action flick." He accentuated his point with a slicing karate chop move before bowing.

"That's great, glad you're back cause the air conditioning went out," I said as I walked down the hallway. I didn't want to talk to Blake about what happened, still couldn't wrap my mind around it.

"Hey Elle, that's why I've been calling you. I sold the place." His words stopped me in my tracks and I walked backwards down the hall back to the kitchen.

"Excuse me? Did you say you 'sold the place'? What do you mean?"

"I'm saying, we're in a recession. I was getting ready to lose this spot and had to do a short sale...and I'm moving in with Arden."

"Why couldn't Ms. Money Bags give you enough dough to cover this place? When were you going to tell me all this?" My head felt like it was going to explode.

"I'm not going to ask Arden to bail me out. Look, I'm telling you now. This spot is sold."

"I have to move?"