Janet.
"Thank you for coming, Gil."
He nodded as the waiter came over. "Hey, you guys wanna start with some drinks? The special today will be—"
"Thanks great, can I get a glass of your best wine?"
The waiter smiled with a look of irritation as he wrote down Gil's order then looked at me.
"What was the special, sir?"
"Double Duvet of 1911. It's super rare, only one bottle made every year."
"I'll buy the bottle." I smiled. "Thank you."
The waiter walked off. I looked at Gil who didn't seem to mind he was being inappropriate. I decided against correcting him due to the thin ice I was on.
"I wanted to apologize to you, Gil."
"Really? For what?"
"For being a bad friend this past year."
His eyes darted in my direction. I could tell he was fairly surprised by my words. I continued.
"I was mad and petty, and a bitch to be completely honest. I shouldn't have fire and rehired you like you are replaceable. You're not. You are my best friend and my co-leader of the team. There's no one better for either of those jobs. I shouldn't have made you feel like there was. I love you, Gil. I don't know if we can be what we were, but I'd like to try."
The waiter came with our drinks and set them down. Gil took a long sip from his glass before talking.
"Dunk, I love you too. I'm sorry for being a bitch too. I let Queen Gil get in the way of snatching you up by those big beautiful curls of yours and forcing us to make up. I was spewing unnecessary hate your way when I'm supposed to be your biggest fan. I'm sorry for everything."
"Can we be sisters, again?" I asked.
"Sisters? Baby, we are married."
I stood up and gave him a hug. "I missed you." I said to him.
"I missed you more."
We sat down and sparked up conversations like we hadn't been feuding for a year. "So who's been rattling your heart lately? The glow is back." He said.
I popped open my bottle and poured it. "Somebody I love." I hinted.
"Let's try again, when did you and Shawn start fucking again?" He asked making me choke on my drink.
He came around and patted my back. "I'm good. Thanks." I said. He returned to his seat and awaited my answer. "Why do you figure?"
"I didn't suspect anything until you just hugged me. You smell just like her new cologne. New Love. I brought it for her as a gift so I'm quite familiar with the scent."
"I mean—" I started
"Don't lie, Dunk."
"We aren't fucking. We are just being more friendly. After what happened with Tina, I had to reconcile with you two. It's what Tina would want."
"So you and Shawn aren't having sex?"
"No."
"So those hickies came from who?"
I picked up my knife and examined my neck. At what point did she leave three hickies on my neck? Frankly, I don't remember last night all too well but I definitely don't remember the love bites.
"Are you guys ready to order?" The waiter asked.
"No, we'll take the bill." I said.
Gil scoffed, "Bitch, how you bring me to lunch and I cannot eat. Where that add up?" He looked like a whining child.
"I'll make you dinner at my place. I have to go."
"Go where?"
I remained quiet and rolled my eyes to myself.
"You're gonna leave me to get some loving?" He gasped.
He can still read me. Damn. "I'll tell you at dinner. Bye, boo." I said laying a hundred dollar bill on the table. "Thank you for coming."
"Fine. Thanks for inviting me."
After that, I raced home. Seeing the hickies made me wet. In the middle of a public restaurant, I was embarrassing. I'm glad I chose to where black today.
When I got in the house, I screamed for Shawn. I heard her run over to the foyer where I was standing.
"What? What?" She asked frantically.
"Hickies? Really?"
She chuckled slightly out of breath. "Janet, I know you did just freak me out over some damn hickies on your neck." She sighed. "Not cool."
"What's not cool is you leaving your marks on me without telling me."
"Sorry, babe."
"Good, now can we have sex? Seeing them got me hot in the middle of lunch." I said as I started stripping in front of her.
"I was starting dinner."
I stared at her in nothing but my underwear and bra matching set. "Wanna skip to dessert?" I asked.
We had a pretty intense staredown.
"You are so spoiled." She said making her way to me. "Lucky I love your ass." She picked me up and I subconsciously wrapped my legs around her waist as we began to make out.
She slapped my ass making me moan out in pain and pleasure. She moved down to my neck before looking up. "You love me?" She asked.
"More than the flowers love rain and the blues love pain. Why?" I asked as she found herself infatuated with my neck again.
She sucked the life out of my life and I knew that would be a sore mark left. "I was just asking. I love you too, cornball." She said as a tear left her eye.
"Baby, what's the matter?"
I wiped her cheek with my thumb, confused by her sudden feelings. "Some days, it just hits me that we found our way back. I never want to spend a day without you, J." She said at this point sobbing.
I wrapped my arms around her neck and embraced her as she cried into my shoulder. "You never will my love." I cut off the hug and held her face in my hands. "Okay?"
She nodded and pecked my lips. There was a slight grin on her face before she started laughing. "I totally just ruined the mood." She chuckled.
I laugh as well, "Yeah, kinda. But we can watch movies and eat whatever you were about to cook. Cuddle and kiss a little." I said.
"Deal."
I gathered my clothes, ran upstairs and grabbed my robe before meeting back with Shawn in the kitchen to prep the meal for tonight.
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Hope you guys love this book! Vote, comment, add... y'all know the vibe❤️😚
Dropping FIVE chapters tonight.
