Page 7 of Bern and Isley (D-Ville Projects #5)
Isley
“Girl, I thought you said your car wasn’t going to be ready until tomorrow,” Snow said when I approached the table where she had been waiting on me for a few minutes. She had taken off from work and invited me to lunch at our favorite deli.
I rolled my eyes. “Well, unbeknownst to me, Bern took it upon himself to pay Mr. Bobby Joe to get it repaired a little faster.”
She pursed her lips and frowned at me. “And you mad about it?”
“No… but I told him he didn’t have to do that. I’d been without a car for three months. One more day wasn’t going to make a difference.”
“Girl, fuck that. If Bern wants to spend the money, let him. Especially seeing that your own man didn’t even take the initiative to hook you up.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for it. But I just don’t want to hear Marshall’s mouth about the shit. He’s already accused me of fucking Bern.”
“Fuck him,” she blurted. “He had the opportunity to handle that shit before Bern got out, but he didn’t. So, he can’t complain because another nigga got the job done.”
“He says that he would have given me the money if I’d asked,” I told her.
“A real man sees a need and meets it, Isley. And you know this. Marshall must have a dick of gold because you typically don’t go for this type of bullshit.”
I sighed heavily. “I mean the dick is good… but it’s not that. Marshall has been good to me. Is he perfect, no? But what man is. I’m thirty years old and ready to settle down. I can’t end every relationship just because a nigga has flaws. The perfect man doesn’t exist, Snow.”
“So, you’re okay with Mr. Good Enough?”
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. Was I mistaking red flags as just personality flaws?
She was definitely right that Marshall shouldn’t wait on me to ask him for something as big as a car repair.
Common sense should’ve told him that a car was a necessity and to offer the money if he had it to spare.
“That’s definitely something to think about,” I admitted.
“So how did the conversation with him go after he and Bern had words last night?”
“He said since I wouldn’t answer his calls or messages that he came over to apologize in person for being an asshole earlier that morning. Then, when he saw me and Bern when he got off the elevator, he snapped.”
“I’m glad Bern was there. I understand him being upset that you were ignoring him then running into you with another nigga. But he could’ve handled it better. Snapping on you like that was out of pocket. He should’ve given you a chance to explain shit. Another red flag.”
“I can’t argue with that.” I leaned my head into my hands. The shit was giving me a headache. “That definitely wasn’t how I wanted the two to meet.”
“He’s lucky that Bern’s trying to turn a new leaf.”
That was also true. The rage in Bern’s dark brown eyes nearly scared me.
The way he muffed Marshall’s head was his way of challenging him.
I was so glad my man had enough sense to stand down.
Although he was clearly bigger than Bern, there was no doubt in my mind that my best friend would have beat his ass.
I sat back in my seat and grabbed the menu from the holder on the table. “Okay, enough about them. Let’s order some food, I’m starving.”
Although I studied the menu like I was preparing for a pop quiz, I decided to go with my usual.
Half of a club sandwich with a small chef’s salad.
And I couldn’t forget their famous sweet tea.
While we enjoyed our lunch, Snow brought me up to speed on her work drama.
Her boss was fucking with one of the Latino custodians and the wife had found out about it.
On my way home after lunch, I continued to think about my conversation with Snow.
Was my desire to settle down clouding my judgment?
I had broken up with niggas for less in the past, but I’d given Marshall the benefit of the doubt.
At what point would enough be enough? I didn’t know yet, but I figured time would reveal all.