Always Wrong - Xyla Turner Page 0,31
that’s happened to me. She’s out here playing match maker, so I guess I was bit by the bug too.” He was no longer laughing, which made me pull my defenses down.
I had heard this about him. That he had changed. Not that he wasn’t a powerhouse of a businessman, but he and Noah were very close, since they were in business together. We’d operated in the same circles for a while before this, but now I had a more intimate knowledge of him, his wife and family. He was insanely devoted to them and protective. Stand-up guy.
“We’re doing a thing,” I admitted to the man. “Not for public knowledge, per se. However, I am trying to find ways to…”
“Impress her?” Harvey interjected.
This caused me to pause. Was I attempting to impress her? On some level, usually I was. The nice restaurants and all.
“I guess,” I reluctantly answered.
“So this is the thing,” Harvey started. “With women like Zora and South. They are not impressed by us. Shit, Zora shut me down the first time I tried to get with her. I mean, kicked me out of her fucking office.”
We laughed at that, because the story was bloody brilliant. She was my type of woman. Just like Sheryl.
“So I had to do other things,” Harvey continued. “Anything I could get her, she could get herself, so I had to show up and give her a different experience. I had to show up and be there for her. One example that she always remembers was when she was sick. I came over and took care of her. She noted that no one had done that for her. Not really in her adult years. It’s a small thing, but for her, it spoke volumes. Fancy restaurants are nice and all, but sometimes it’s simple shit. I bought a beach house in Jersey and who knew, Zora loved it. The kids love it and when life just gets crazy, that’s where we go.”
What he said made sense—a lot of sense. Nodding my head, I took a bite of salad with tuna.
“So I should get a beach house?” I asked.
“Well, big money. Yeah, but you can also use mine. It’s empty, and I hate renters. The only people I want going through a house I own is at the hotel. So just hit me up when you want to get in there. Until you get your own, of course.”
“What about next weekend?” I pushed.
“Sure, we’re out of town, so you got it for as long as you want,” Harvey confirmed.
Hence why Sheryl was standing in the sunken living room with her mouth wide open in the Blacks’ beach house, looking quite perplexed. “What is this, Jacquez?” she asked.
“A beach house.” I put her go bag down on the side table.
“Why are we here?” she clarified.
“You’re a workaholic. You’re ovulating. You need to rest. Tammy cleared your schedule and I’m here.” I walked up to her and rubbed her arms so she would relax. “I’ve got some things for you to change into. We’ll go to the beach, get some food and relax while watching the waves come in. Work is done now.”
The woman eyed me, then shook her head. With a big sigh, she turned to leave, then stopped herself.
“You’re trying to top dog me,” she commented. “Boarding and clearing my schedule. Just so you know, I don’t like that type of shit, but I’ve been trying to be calm and cool. It’s running low.”
There she was.
Moving in so that my nose was mere centimeters from hers, I whispered, “I told you before I’d fuck the snark out of you. Please do me a favor and lose that patience so I can really show you who’s the alpha. Now, do you want to get your ass ready or do you need me to get you ready?”
“Still an arrogant asshole, I see,” she mused and pursed her lips before she chastely kissed my lips before turning to walk through the home. Nabbing our go-bag, I followed her as she did her own tour.
“Is this yours?” she asked me without turning around to look at me.
“No, a friend’s,” I replied. “I am looking to buy one for us.”
This had her turning around to face me.
“Are you serious?” she asked.
“Very,” I answered.
She stared at me for a bit, then shook her head.
“I’m going to learn that you are crazier than a loon, and I’m just as crazy for going along with this foolishness.”
“Match made in heaven,” I commented