The Single Life with Zola Patterson - Danielle Allen Page 0,33
public knowledge now.”
“Who is Jeremiah?” Nikki asked loudly. “Do I need to move to Richland? Damn!”
“Jeremiah is not the one either. But together, Cameron and Jeremiah bring qualities to the table that serve a purpose in my life. They know we aren’t exclusive. It’s all good,” I answered, hoping to end the conversation right there.
“If Jeremiah looks anything like Cameron and you are willing to play them both to the left, I’m moving to Richland,” Nikki quipped. “There’s something in the water here.”
I smothered my giggle. “You are so silly!”
“I’m serious! So spill!”
“No one wants to hear—”
“Nah, you wanna be all up in what our love lives are looking like,” Trenton taunted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Now it’s your turn to be in the hot seat.”
Everyone agreed and I sighed.
I took a gulp of wine and placed the glass on the table. “Fine. Both Cameron and Jeremiah are good people and the sex is fire,” I started.
“You’re having sex with both of them? At the same time?” Kia gasped.
“I hate you,” I laughed.
“Women be out here just like dudes?” Joe wondered, in awe.
“Both men are aware that they are not the only man I’m dating. We use protection every time, no exceptions. What’s the problem?” I asked.
Joe’s eyes widened. “No problem! More power to you!”
I pointed at him. “Yeah, I thought so,” I snickered. “But seriously, Jeremiah is fun and down for whatever. Cameron is intelligent and focused. Individually they bring different things to the table”—I held my hands apart— “but together”—I brought my hands together— “they have what I’m looking for.”
“And again I ask, what is the problem?” Nikki threw her arms in the air dramatically.
“Cameron and I don’t have much in common personally, but we have a similar mindset when it comes to achieving our goals. But our conversations are very surface level, and in a year, it never progressed beyond that. He doesn’t know me because he doesn’t ask the questions to get to know me. Our relationship worked because he wasn’t looking for anything serious and neither was I. But now he is and…” I shooed the air with my hand. “Jeremiah works hard, but he isn’t very driven. And he can be extremely…accommodating. I’m not saying he’s a pushover, but with me he is a yes man. And I don’t like that.”
“If you had to pick one of them, who would you pick?” Kia wondered.
“I pick myself,” I said with a shrug. “I’d rather be by myself than with someone that isn’t right for me. When the right one comes along, the need for me to be out here casually dating will be obsolete. Until then”—I cupped my hands around my mouth— “batter up!”
They laughed, but I was serious. Now that Cam was out, I needed to refresh my lineup.
“Have you ever met a man you thought had potential?” Nikki questioned.
An image flashed in my mind and I immediately forced it out.
Lifting my hands, I said, “I’m still single, aren’t I?”
I was finally able to get them to change the subject and we spent the next hour debating the best movies of all time. The conversation was all over the place as we let the alcohol work itself out of our systems. By the time the evening was wrapping up, Darius and Ciara could be heard arguing through the wall.
The second-hand embarrassment was real.
As I hugged each of them, they all promised they would be at the release party.
“I think you’re scared that if you give a dude a chance, you’ll lose your edge,” Kenya whispered in my ear. When she pulled away, she smiled. “You’re one of the edgiest people I know. No one can take that from you. Give one of those men a real chance.”
“I’m happy, Kenya. I promise.”
Chapter Seven
After my friends left, I couldn’t stop thinking about what they had said. It wasn’t the first time in my life that my singleness and my dating practices had been questioned. It wasn’t the first time that people struggled with the idea that commitment wasn’t the goal for me. It wasn’t the first time I had to defend the art of dating. But it was the first time that when asked about a potential relationship someone came to mind.
And that didn’t sit well with my spirit.
So, I placed a call and within an hour, I had a car dropping me off.
“Zola, Zola, Zola…” Jeremiah greeted me as he swung the door open to his apartment.
The man was eight inches taller than