AT MY BEST

Twenty

Jordan

It had been a couple of weeks since Giselle had tried to do something nice for me by cooking dinner. I hate that I had to leave right in the middle of it, especially since there was so much I wanted to say. Had I not have to deal with dumb legal documents, the way dinner was going Giselle would have been my fiance by sunrise. The ring that shawn bought for me was burning a whole in my pocket. Every morning, every day, every night that we spent together all I thought of is her and making her Mrs. Giselle Michael's. I couldn't wait anymore. I sat in my office at work and made some important plans. I called JT and Scottie and asked if they could assist me in planning a special weekend for Giselle and I. Scottie booked us a room at Mandarin Oriental Atlanta and made arrangements for the dining area to be closed for Giselle and I. Because I wanted to completely surprise Giselle I decided to go to shawn's house to borrow a suit instead of going home. JT had gone to my house to decorate my room with roses and candles and picked out Giselle something to wear while she sent Giselle to run fake errands for the Boutique.

"Aye! Jordan I'm excited for you man. I know how much you love Gee! And the fact that she's already like my sister makes it even better." Shawn smiled like a proud father watching his son go on a first date."Thank you so much shawn.For everything. And don't think I'm not about to pay you back for the ring."

Shawn shook his head at me as he raised an eyebrow."And I'm going to give you that money right back. You're my brother stop it. You wanna pay me back? Then marry Giselle, start your business and have some babies like I told you. Deal?"

"Yeah! Man. Deal!"

Soon, Scottie came in the house from the hotel."Aww! Jordan you look so nice. Your room and the dining area are decorated so beautifully Giselle's gonna die."

"Thank you Scottie. I wouldn't have been able to pull this off without you and JT."

"No problem. And the ring that you picked out is beautiful. Shawn was sweet for buying it for you." He and I both looked surprised. Shawn smacked his teeth before giving me the look black parents give they kids after you tell other family members your business.

"I can't believe you ratted me out. It be your own brother."

"I-" I started to speak when Scottie interjected." Actually Loraine told me. I was designing your ring and she slipped that info to me by accident. But I'm not mad. It's for my best friend." Shawn raised his hands to the sky thanking god scottie  didn't bug the hell out. As the three of us we were talking the doorbell chimes. It's JT and Reggie. Reggie and I had hung out a few times with Shawn outside of the girls and we actually became good friends."Hey! Cousin we just came to see you off. Y'all room looks amazing and the outfit and lingerie I picked out is gone have ya! ass drooling baby!"

"Thank you Jatavia! And reggie what's up man!? How's the team looking?" Reggie had been in training camp getting ready for preseason with the Falcons."I been good bra! And the team is looking good.  But right now the only team I'm looking forward to is you and giselle."

"Well let's hope a brother can make a touchdown pass tonight." We all laughed as Scottie poured all of us champagne.
"Oh! Jordan on the note I left Giselle, I told her that you'd be there by 9pm so you better get a move on."

"Wait! I'd like to make a toast to Jordan before he leaves." Shawn said as he passed around champagne filled glasses." I'd like to say good luck to my cousin who is definitely more like a brother to me, I've seen you go through so much good and bad and to be here with you as you take the next step in your relationship is truly beautiful and I'm happy that you included us all in your journey. I hope tonight the girl of your dreams says yes! Even though she doesn't have any other options but to say yes. To Jordan and Giselle!" We all tapped glasses as I smiled at the most supportive friends and family any body could have. I was extremely thankful to have them in my life. I checked the time to see it was thirty minutes till nine. I got the ring from shawn before hugging everyone as I made my way out.

On my way to get Giselle, I had a moment to reflect on my past relationship and how it made me so afraid to love somebody or to trust somebody again that it almost kept me from going after the fine ass girl at my cousin's birthday party. I loved Ashlyn with all of my heart. And to be honest I wasn't ready to be a parent when she told me she was pregnant. But there was no way I was going to abandon a child who for one didn't ask to born and second because though my father was young he worked his ass off to give me a better life. And because of my love for my Ex I wanted to give her the world too. But when I found out she cheated and the baby wasn't mine it broke me. I wasn't happy for a long time. I cut all my family off and became a hermit. I hated women for a while because I felt like everybody after Ashlyn was gonna be just like her. And after talking to my mother I began to feel empathy for all women because that's exactly how they feel when it happens to them. And then I realized how much I loved women and that snapped me out of my feelings. I buried my self in my job because healing children was my passion, but I wasn't ready for a relationship.

That was until some sexy little dime was sitting alone at a party. The way she played me and had me looking stupid twice made her even sexier to me. I knew from our first date where I took her to my parents house she was the one. A few seconds with her erased over a year worth of pain. And now I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

When I pulled up to the house my stomach began to fill with butterflies. As I parked my car in the driveway I noticed a red Camaro parked by Giselle's car, but I figured it was Devyns car he had bought with his check from the hawks. I opened the door expecting Giselle to be waiting anxiously by the door looking sexy in the outfit JT picked out. But I was stopped in my tracks by the sound of two people arguing. I could tell it was Giselle but the other voice was Male and I couldn't quite figure out who but I knew it wasn't Devyn. As I got to where I could see them but they couldn't see me it was clear who she was arguing with. I let the conversation go on uninterrupted as I stood and listened. But as it continued I wasn't too pleased on what I was hearing. And like that, the hate and anger I felt for women was back.