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Goody melted even more and closed her eyes. “I needed you.”

Jerrico turned his head to the side while continuing to cook so that he could see her. “Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you in my office, cool?”

“No, I want to stay right here.” She remained wrapped around him, only opening her eyes to see a few of his employees smiling at them. “You can finish cooking. I’ll wait.”

He chuckled but continued cooking, even humming some sort of tune while he finished. Goody’s anger was long gone by the time he plated the dish he’d been making and stepped away from the grill. He tried to turn around, but she tightened her grip.

“I don’t want to let go yet.”

More laughter came from him and two of the other ladies cooking on the grill next to him. “How am I supposed to get cleaned up with you on me like this?”

“Stay dirty, you know I like you that way.”

“I know that’s right,” one cook responded, making Goody smile. “Tend to your wife, Chef Blake. We’ve got it for a few minutes.”

“Be right back ladies,” he told them while walking up the stairs awkwardly due to Goody still holding on tightly to his waist.

She didn’t bother to release him fully until they were inside his office with the door closed. Jerrico stripped from his Chef’s coat and hung it on the rack behind his desk before taking a seat and welcoming her into his lap.

“Do you know how spoiled you are?”

“The question is, do you know? You’re the one who did it.”

His smile covered his face. “And will do it again, what’s wrong?”

Goody rolled her eyes as she thought back to Marcellus and the conversation she’d had with him at Calvary’s house.

“Your brother is trying to get beat down.”

“I would ask which one, but I already know it’s Money.”

“How you know? He must have hit you up with some bullshit too?”

Jerrico nodded. “He asked why we didn’t invite him to the cookout at our house the other day, and Cal told him the truth. He’s been acting foolish since.”

“Foolish enough to get beat up? Or foolish enough to show his bitter side?”

“Not really sure at the moment. He wasn’t feeling Forever dating Blue or taking him to California with her.”

“That’s not his damn business,” Goody flew off the handle immediately.

“I know, Paradise, and I told him that. Surprisingly, so did Cal. You know he’s typically on his messy shit, but he sided with me too. Even going as far as stating Blue is a good dude and that Forever was safe. Money really went crazy then.”

“That’s good for his ass. He needs to go crazy. He just better go crazy in the privacy of his own home that he shares with his wife.” Goody crossed her arms and rolled her eyes again.

“I agree, baby. Trust me, I do, but you can’t let him get you going like this.”

“Tell that nigga that! He the one showed up to Cal’s house trying to shade her to my face, as if that wasn’t dangerous enough.”

Jerrico eyed her with a smirk on his face. “Dangerous? What you gon’ do?”

“You already know how I’m coming behind Forever, so do Mrs. Sofia a favor and tell your brother to let it be. I’d hate to have to kill him.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she and Jerrico laughed together.

“I’m for real, Man Hoe. I know the situation is weird, but I get a good vibe from Blue, and I don’t want the smallest thing throwing Forever’s mind off. He seems like he genuinely wants to take care of her and make her happy. She deserves that. Especially after Marcellus.”

When Jerrico didn’t say anything, only looked off and nodded slowly, Goody grabbed his chin and made him look at her.