Page 106 of Love's Most Wanted

“We did… kind of.” She nodded with a half-smile. “He’s persistent but patient.” The ladies and I tittered in response. “Once Amir came, every morning Asif would be up early, showered, teeth brushed, cleaned up, and ready to go. Then while I did the same, got dressed, ate breakfast, relaxed, worked out or read a couple chapters of my book, he would be with the kids until I was ready to take them. Only then would he leave for the day to handle his business, and after a while, I was like I cannot be around this good man and not give him nothing. So we foundstuffto do.” We giggled. “But once I was clear, we didn’t even make it out of the parking lot—fucking in the back seat of RR.”

“That is some hood rich shit! I love it!” Bambi exclaimed, making us crack up.

We finished our gossiping session after we grabbed some food and drink.

The women told me about the incident with Daisy in full detail since I wasn’t there. That then led to them telling me about a Teyaira, who actually succeeded in brother hopping by fucking with Lequay and Shakur. Low-key, I wished I could’ve been around to see it.

“So are you coming to my wedding?” Anastazia asked, surprising me.

I’d seen the beautiful, large invitation that Unique got in the colors chocolate, beige, and gold. I could tell it was expensive, and a dead giveaway was that the gold on it was real. It was a winter theme as well which made me wonder how it would work due to the fact that we didn’t get snow here in LA.

I wanted to go, but I didn’t want to make her feel like she had to invite me or make Unique think he had to make it so.

“I would love it too, so long as it’s not an inconvenience.”

“It’s not at all.” She smiled as the ladies looked on, simpering at the interaction.

“The bridesmaids dresses are so pretty too—chocolate and silk,” Yolani told me, and the women agreed.

“I can’t wait to see.” I simpered. “I’m so happy you guys didn’t take me dating Unique after AJ the wrong way,” I felt the need to bring up, especially since we’d been discussing Teyaira and Daisy.

“Girl,” Couture sucked her teeth, “he was a loser who played you. Plus, him and Unique were not close.”

“They’re not. But a lot of people assume they are because they have to promote together and are seen together a lot because of that,” I explained.

“Right, but the only friends or close friends any of these niggas here truly got are each other. They may have some homies on the side, but that’s about as far as that goes,” Scotland said, and the ladies agreed.

“Okay, y’all, let’s go!” Banks shouted from across the backyard, so we all got up and went to the dance floor.

For the next half hour, we danced by ourselves and with the kids while the men simply watched.

That was until “Do I Love Her?” By DJ Quik came on, and then it turned into something reminiscent of them hood ass house parties they would throw back when I was in high school, where all the gang bangers would take over the dance floor, two-stepping and Crip or Blood walking while another gang banging rapper blasted through the speakers. It would be all fun until someone banged their hood too hard, and guns came out.

The brothers knew every word, even the ad-libs, and the sight of it all, plus the liquor in my system made it hilarious.

While they danced, Unique introduced me to his three sets of grandparents: Lisara’s parents, Prime’s, and his biological father’s. It was odd that the latter kept in contact and his father hadn’t even tried.

Suddenly, two guys came in along with two women. The brown-skinned one had his arm linked with the girl he came in with, and I noticed Banks had frozen up, stopping her dancing and loud talking that she’d been doing the entire night.

“What’s good?” The light-skinned one who Analicia told me was named Free greeted everyone, and they greeted him back.

The brown skinned one, who I figured out was Low, spoke next before the ladies introduced themselves.

“How do you know Low?” Banks asked the woman with the caramel complexion, who’d said her name was Rue.

“That’s my man,” the woman replied in sort of a snarky tone. I wanted to fault her, but most women would respond that way when asked how they knew their man.

Banks only looked her up and down before giggling and switching off. Rue and the other girl, Koi, gave each other a look of confusion.

“The real question is who is she?” Koi stated under her breath but not low enough because Banks heard it.

“Excuse me, baby girl?” She started back over, talking like she was older than the girls, but I could tell Rue and Koi were about Low’s age.

“Nothing.” Koi waved her off.

“Oh, you scared? How you asking who I am when you at my party? You acting like a hater all over a simple question.” She turned from Koi to Rue and continued. “I asked how you knew him because I see Low with a different chick every time he’s around.” Banks shrugged, and Rue looked across the party at her boyfriend while he conversed with Asif and Cemone.

“Willow!” Rue stormed off in his direction, and I noticed the slight smirk on Banks’s pretty face before she and Kailey walked off.