“You’ll really do that?” The question breaks my heart, and when I think of what Colt confessed to me about the previous woman in his life, I pinch his thigh hard.
“Ouch,” he says as he moves his leg away. “What the heck?”
“I’ll really do that, Evan. I want us to be friends. You know how Vincent and Tara are friends?” He nods. “Well, I hope we can be like that, but only cooler.”
“Really?” he asks.
“Really.” I mess his hair.
He looks up, giving me a shy, uncertain smile. I make it my mission in that moment to win him over.
TWENTY-NINE
The house isquiet and dark when we come back from the pool. Evan trembles next to me as his flip-flops make a squishing sound along the hardwood floor.
“Go get in the shower. I’ll be right there,” I tell him.
He runs down the hall, dripping water along the way.
“Queen Vee!” I yell in the apartment. She’s not sitting at the kitchen table or on the living room couch. When I burst through my bedroom door, she’s not in there either, but her things are still in my closet, so I know she hasn’t left.
I grab my phone from the nightstand and send a text.
Me: Not that I miss you or want you here, but where are you?
It takes a few minutes until I see the three bubbles that indicate she’s sending a text.
Queen Vee: Upstairs with Tara. Coming back now
Me: Door’s unlocked. I’m going to wash Evan up
I add a kiss emoji and go find my son.
About half an hour later, I find her at the kitchen table with her laptop in front of her, typing away furiously. With Evan on my back, I approach and kiss the side of her neck.
“How was swimming?” she asks. “I’m sorry I missed it.”
“We’re getting you a bathing suit tomorrow. Swimming is our thing,” I tell her.
She raises both eyebrows and says, “You have a lot to learn about being with a black woman, Chastain. So much to learn. Mama didn’t prepare you for this.” She picks up the wineglass I hadn’t noticed before, raises it to me, and takes a sip. “Tara gave it to me,” she says with a wide grin.
“The devil’s milk in my home.” I put a hand to my chest. “Why, I do declare.”
“Yup. Go ahead and clutch your pearls.” She hands me the now empty glass. “Pour me another.”
“Can I have some?” Evan asks.
“No,” we both say at once.
I walk to the fridge and return with a full glass of white wine and place it in front of her.
“I can get used to this.” I stand behind her and rub her shoulders. “I say jump, and you say how high.”
“I am but your lowly servant, Queen Vee.” I bow with Evan still on my back. “But this is the perfect little segue into what I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”
* * *
Colt putsEvan down and tells him to go fix himself a snack. He takes the seat next to me and holds one of my hands. He puts it to his chest, then repositions himself in the chair, all the while sighing loudly. He shakes his head as if he’s about to deliver bad news.
