Always Wrong - Xyla Turner Page 0,46

don’t give a fuck how long it takes before you see it. But if I need to wait until you get off sabbatical and start making decisions about your relationship, then that’s what the fuck I will do. Just wait. You’re the one for me. You’re the one I love. Baby or no baby.”

With that, I watched a tear slide down her beautiful brown face and then I turned and said, “See you tomorrow.”

With about eight steps in, I heard Sheryl yell, “I want an everything bagel, lox, and iced coffee.”

I waved my hand to acknowledge her words but kept walking. Then I threw up a quick prayer to God.

Let this woman take me back.

Please.

Chapter Fifteen

Sheryl South

On some level, I knew that the man was capable of finding me. Maxine wouldn’t tell, but if he wanted to find me, I knew that he would. I thought it would have been sooner, but I did not expect him to apologize. That caught me completely off guard. I damn sure didn’t expect him to walk away from me after I set the boundary. I also did not expect his response. Was he different? Did he mean what he said? I didn’t know, but my heart ached for him when he left. In my freedom, I embraced the sabbatical life, but when he said he was going to take me out and spend time with me, baby or no baby, let’s just say I was glad I was sitting already. I would be lying if I said that he didn’t mean something to me. Hell, that I hadn’t fallen for him. I was hurt, by my own actions, but my next work did not include a man. I was hyper focused on my father situation, and I had been running recon. My mother was little help, but my former neighbors were more than helpful. My sabbatical was only six months, but I was enjoying my new life way more than I’d anticipated. However, I was curious how Jacquez would infiltrate it, and more importantly how I would respond. This would determine how much I’d grown or not. However, what I decided I wouldn’t do was try to do this alone. Therefore, I texted my coach and asked for an emergency session. Where, as she always did, she put it back on me.

“Well, how does that make you feel?”

“Do you have feelings for him?”

“Did you welcome his presence?”

“Are you in love with him?”

These were all very hard questions, but only because I did not want to admit anything to myself. What if I was wrong? Again? We were always wrong, right?

The next morning, I woke up with anticipation of the day, and I knew why, even though I tried to act like it was any other day. At eight in the morning, there was a knock on my door, and with my heart racing, I answered and before me stood a smooth and cute Jacquez with a clean-shaven face. That knocked some years off of him, but either way, the man was fucking gorgeous.

“Morning, love.” He greeted me and held up two white paper bags and a tray of two iced coffees.

“Morning,” I greeted him back and moved aside so he could enter.

Like he always did, he walked straight to the kitchen like he owned the joint, set the food down, and began to pull out plates and utensils.

“Make yourself at home, why don’t you?” I sarcastically murmured, but he kept going and then sat down at the kitchen bar.

Before me was exactly what I’d asked for. Lox, everything bagel, and iced coffee.

“Bon appetite.” Jacquez held up his plastic cup of iced coffee towards me, indicating that he wanted us to tap lids.

Going along with the tradition, I smiled and said, “Thank you, Jacquez.”

And we ate. He didn’t try to seduce me or make any innuendos. When we were done, he cleaned up and then nodded and said, “I’ll see you at lunch. Are you down for fishing?”

Hmmm.

There he stood at the door, but it was almost like it was a test. Like he was tempting me, but there was a weird tingling in me that knew he was not joking. He was honestly trying to get this right. I would test my theory, but for now, I also wanted to get it right too.

That afternoon and evening, Jacquez came to my place, where he picked me up and we took off to go fishing and then out to the carnival where he did,