Page 62

“You don’t know him.”
“Try me. I know everybody in the city and if I don’t know them, I have the means to find out who they are.”
“That is none of your business and unless you want me to tell Gema, I suggest you leave my office and let me get back to business.”
“Onlybecause you brought up Gema. I’ll be here bright and early in the morning. Have fun on your lil’ date.” He turned and walked away.
“Big date!” I damn near screamed to his back.
He didn’t need to know where I was going and who I was going with. Just like I had spent time worrying about him, it was time for him to worry. Maybe that’ll teach him to open his mouth and communicate.
CHAPTER 15
Lawton
“Big date my ass.” I laughed. Walking down the hall to my office, I had to force myself not to turn around and pry. From the little bit I knew about Talitha, I knew her ass wasn’t going on a date tonight. She was being spiteful and I understood. I didn’t have to disappear on her, but I did.
When Sincere called me that night, I knew something was up. I could tell by the tone of his voice. I asked him a few times if he was sure everything was good, and he swore it was. My gut was saying otherwise so when I made it back home, I decided to pull up on him.
It was then that I learned he had run into Dahlia at the mall. What he said to me next threw me for a loop. Dahlia was pregnant but the baby wasn’t mine. Preme asked and said she laughed so hard in his face at that question. I mean, he should’ve known the answer to that himself, but I appreciate him for asking.
I knew what Dahlia’s desires were. She expressed them the night she left my ass, so I don’t know why it made me feel some type of way. We were over and had been for months so to hear that she had moved on so fast and was now expecting hadme wanting to believe that there was already someone on the sidelines. I knew Dahlia; therefore, I knew that wasn’t the case.
However, to learn she was expecting kind of sat my ass down for a while. Don’t get me wrong, I still handled my business and what not but unfortunately, Talitha took the brunt of my disappearance. I chose not to speak with her. Anytime she called, I had Chari speaking with her. In my absence, I was still heavily involved with the renovations at the school. In fact, I spoke with the contractor several times a day.
I knew me going silent would make her feel some type of way but never had I imagined she would be pissed to the point where she would reach out to Poppa. I think that’s what fucked me up the most, and it’s part of the reason I stayed away after I had come to the realization that Dahlia moving on was a good thing.
I knew today was the day she was planning on unveiling the new equipment to the kids. Of course, Poppa put me up on game. Hell, the nigga called me the day she called to tell him what she wanted to do. Talitha had to understand that in my world, nothing moved until I gave it permission to do so.
Whole time she’s thinking Poppa sponsored the equipment and it was really my ass. I would continue to let her think whatever she wanted. If Poppa wanted her to know, he would have to be the one to tell her.
All she had to do was tell Chari and I would’ve made it happen. She knew exactly what the fuck she was doing when she reached out to Poppa. But that was neither here nor there. The shit was done and now I was excited to see the look on the kids’ faces.
I was also planning on getting down to the bottom of what plans she had for herself tonight. I needed to make things between us right. After strolling into my office, I placed a call to the florist and ordered Talitha an arrangement of flowers. I had them sent to her house instead of the office. I didn’t needanyone around to know that I’d ordered her flowers. That was the recipe for rumors starting. I didn’t want to give anyone any preconceived notions. All I was trying to do was get back on her good side. Busying myself on my computer, I signed a few contracts until it was time for the kids to start rolling in.
Standing beside Talitha and her team, I smiled. They had this whole presentation set up for the students. When the kids came into the building, they were presented with colorful lei’s. After being shown the trampoline portion of the gym, the team ushered them outside where the new playground was unveiled.
I had completely missed out on all of what they had planned in my absence, but I was grateful the kids were enjoying it. When they walked to the back of the building, Talitha had Kona Ice, Slutty Vegan, and Hibachi Ninjafood trucks for them to eat from. They could eat as much as they wanted for free.
They took advantage of that first and now they were running around the playground jumping from machine to machine. For the middle and high schoolers, she had a game room set up. There were pool tables, basketball, and pinball machines. The whole thing looked like a smaller version ofDave & Busters.
Poppa’s ass failed to mention that all of this was a part of the shit that he’d done. But still, I was thoroughly impressed and happy to see a bunch of smiling faces.
“You guys did an amazing job,” I let them know.
Everyone but Talitha thanked me. Instead of saying anything, her ass stood there snacking on a cup of shaved ice. She knew I wanted to say more to her, that’s why she turned around and furrowed her brows at me before strutting off.
“She’s had a rather long week,” Rossi stepped in and tried to offer some type of reason for the attitude I was being tossed.
Stroking my chin, I asked, “Is that right?”
“Yes sir. This whole thing had her stressed. She was uncertain if it would happen and to be standing here right now is a bit overwhelming for her.”
“In that case, I’m happy that she got to witness her vision come to fruition.”
Stepping closer to me, Rossi clasped his hands together. “Mr. Harvey, I hope I’m not being too forward but Talitha has been working day in and day out trying to make this happen. This evening we’re going to Centennial Park for Wine Down Wednesday. You’re welcomed to join us. That’s if you’re not busy or anything.”
Bingo. I knew she wasn’t going on no fucking date.“What time?”