Page 73 of Not My Type (Not My Type #1)

Nickoi

“Morning, Junior nuh get up yet?” I ask Suzanne when she opens the door. She nods her head with a smile and I walk in. “Him wake up man but him in the office,” she says before she calls him. “Junior!“

“Nickoi reach?” he shouts back.

“Mi deh yah,” I chime in and he emerges from his office.

“Arite... mi a go deal with a thing, mi soon come back fi yuh by noon,” Junior kisses Suzanne. When they pull away Suzanne quickly walks in her room and I turn to Junior.

“Mi wah the car by mi place now enuh,” I tell him because I don’t want it to get there too late.

“Mi know mon,” he nods. My eyes drifts behind him as Suzanne calls me.

“Tell Zara happy birthday and this is for her,” Suzanne gives me a gift bag.

“Ah mi o’ mek she get it,” I promise. I put it in the back of my car and drive out when Junior gets in.

“Mi tell yuh seh mi nuh like wait pon the day fi do things enuh and yuh dead if yuh would a’ answer yuh phone yesterday. She never deh home yesterday fi suspect nutt’n that’s why mi did wah dweet dem time deh and yuh seet? A today a har birthday and a today man affi a deal with this,” I hiss.

“Bredda yuh woman a go get har car,” Junior defends. Him specialty a fi late in a everything.

“She ah get it yes but the car should a deh a mi place already,” I argue.

“Arite Nickoi mi understand,” there’s a hint of frustration in his voice.

“Mi tell yuh all the time enuh say yah wah good business man but yuh have a late problem and yuh nah try fi improve enuh badman,” I say, overtaking the cars.

He laughs. “Bad man of course mi a’ improve mi use to worst than this,” he isn’t lying. I remember when Ms. Cherry use to beat the bwoy fi wake up. Jah Jah.

“Gramz always say yah go late fi yuh funeral,” I recite and he laughs. Then my mind runs on Gina once I mention funeral. “Try nuh late fi Gina funeral.”

“No mon cyaa’ guh late,” he breathes.

“Try mek sure,” I say firmly.

When we get to the car mart I choose the best c63 after I checked the interior and exterior of all the other c63 that’s in the mart. I find Junior smiling.

“Dawg yuh whipped with me enuh... cas yuh nuh wah yuh woman get nothing weh a nuh quality and a same wid mi and Suzanne,” he chuckles.

I laugh before I hiss. “Who whipped?” You!

“Yuh betta believe yuh just check 10 other c63 a check which one yuh feel good enough all though a the same car,” he speculates.

“Nuh start with the foolishness,” I laugh, avoiding the conversation because I know where it’s going. I continue to inspect the car.

“Wah time?” I ask, changing the topic and he says 7 o’ clock.

“Yuh see how early mi come a yuh place cause all now we nuh go check out the jet. The amount a things mi affi do in a short space a time,” I shake my head.

“Yah decorate that too?” he questions.

“Want some birthday balloons in deh yes,” I say.

“Oh yah go all out,” he smirks. “Nuh tomorrow yah fly out?”

“Yah but mi go wait last minute again fi do that?” I ask him making him chuckle. That him wah mi do enuh.

I drive the new Benz to Caribbean Estates and pass Junior’s house, heading to Michelle’s new place.

She told me that she wanted to buy a new house after the incident with Henry and I bought this one for her.

She was excited when we came here to decorate the place with the event planner.

It looks better than the first place so she decided to have the party at the new house instead of the first venue.

A nuh Zara alone you a spoil, my subconscious beams. A nuh nutt’n that mon.

I turn in the yard and get out. Junior parks my Benz behind me. He gets out with a smile. “Yuh buy this?” I blush. Genius is already here, Junior hails him.

“Dawg in love… Jah Jah… bare big moves yah mek enuh,” Junior tilts his head. “Is a good look.”

“Big Dawggg,” he hits me playfully and I laugh.

I grab the red ribbon, tying it to the bonnet of the car, then add a silver diamond steering wheel cover with pink stones.

Before I’m done, I slide a rose gold champagne bottle into the passenger seat, a pink Jacobs and Co watch and a heart-shaped box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates placing it on the armrest. Junior then helps me to fit all the designer bags in the backseat, 4 of them being Hermès Birkins on the floor with wads of cash in all of them.

While my tech guy, Genius, wraps up the custom Benz lights. He finishes, opens the door, and Zara’s name lights up on the floor in glowing script with the Benz logo right beside it.

“A she that,” my brother smiles and I bump my fist against his, then Genius’ “Respect Bredda Bredda.” I park the car in the garage and head to the jet.

ZARA I push up my body off the bed and look around for my phone.

When I find it I check my phone and it’s blowing up with happy birthday messages and mentions on Instagram but there’s just one birthday message that causes my smile to grow.

‘Happy birthday mi Don.’ “As mawning light Nickoi mek you a smile... Nickoi just know how fi mek yuh feel good. Mi wish mi could a find a man like him,” Sash says, walking out of the bathroom. I smile at her.

“Happy birthday though dolly baby we a go Braff today!” She says excitedly, waking up Gavin.

“Hey gyal you see if a never fi da birthday princess yah, a dash sup’m pon yuh fi wake me up,” Gavin says and we start laughing. Sash falls to the ground laughing.

“Hey mi cya bother enuh,” she laughs. Drama dem be enuh.

“Morning though best friend... Happy Birthday, I love you and mi know yah go enjoy yuh 24 hours worst when mi deh ya and mi nah ask Christ or twice,” he hisses with a laugh as he gets up.

I exude the biggest grin. “Awww love you guys and thank you.”

They hug me. The door pulls and my mother comes in with breakfast. “Breakfast in bed unuh guh?” Gavin says excitedly and they laugh.

“Good morning mi daughter,” my mother says, giving me the breakfast before she pecks my jaw. Mama walks in with a cup of tea.

“Good morning my beautiful grand daughter... Happy birthday to you and I hope you enjoy your day. God will protect you and give you strength... grandma loves you,” she hugs me.

“I love you,” I smile cheekily. When they got out I smile at my breakfast: pancakes with bacon and blueberries. Watch nice breakfast ova yasso! Spice voice

“Eat up Barbie doll,” Sash says and I smile. “By the way mi fi still call Anne?” She asks and I shake my head.

“Nickoi say he’s gonna get a makeup artist,” I say eating my breakfast.

“Okay ma’am,” Sash retorts.

Gavin starts laughing. “Gyal yuh did have 2k followers and look pon it now.”

I gasp and pull my phone. 7k!? “How?” I ask with a laugh.

“Yuh man post yuh,” the moment he says that I blush.

“Eeeh?” I squint at my phone. He posted a video of us lying in bed, and the next slide is a picture of me smiling in the house. When him tek this? The caption makes me grin: “Happy birthday, mami. Later a problem.” I comment, Thank you with a heart and lock my phone before going back to my food.

After eating, I head to the bathroom, do my morning routine, and slip into a purple spaghetti-strap dress that stops mid-thigh.

“A wah time we a go a the restaurant?”

“3 o’ clock we a leave,” I tell her and she nods.

“Morning, everybody good?” I hear Nickoi’s voice and my smile grows. I walk out of the room and see him talking with mommy and Mama. Watch d’ lady nice man.

“Yes we alright... we a fix up fi go a the restaurant,” mommy tells Nickoi and he smiles at her before he looks at me. Whew the way him look pon yuh girl.

“Birthday girl,” he grins, walking over like he owns the place — and maybe me too — and I melt right into his arms. Gavin walks out without a word, but the grin on his face? Loud..

“Wah gwaan, Nickoi?” Gavin says, heading to the veranda, and Sash follows him after giving Nickoi a quick greeting.

“Deh yah enuh,” he says to Gavin before he pulls me a little closer and moves his lips to my ear. Ouuu.

“Happy birthday again mami,” he whispers in a seductive tone making me shift awkwardly on my next leg. I hear my mother chuckling.

“Reminds me of when I was young and in love,” Mommy giggles, and I blush even more.

“Mi know that,” Mama says.

“Here,” he hands a Ferrero Rocher chocolate to me and I take it.

“Thanks babe,” I say and he nods. I see a white Mark X at the gate and Nickoi looks.

“Candy reach,” he says and Sash gasps. Look like Sash know a who. I look out and Gutta comes out with a woman, bringing a glitter bag for her.

“Yuh know a who that?” Sash whispers since she’s on the veranda.

“Good morning,” she waves and everyone greets her.

“A who?” Gavin press.

“Is one of the biggest makeup artists in Kingston, and she popular pon Instagram, yuh know how much rich people makeup she do?” Sash explains, her eyes wide with excitement. I just nod, watching as she chats up Nickoi like it’s breaking news.

My mother walks outside talking to her for a while. After a while Nickoi comes in. “Candy ready fi deal with yuh makeup,” he says and I nod. It seems like he’s gonna leave.

“Weh yah go again?”

“Mi a go deal with some things,” he answers. My mood drops. Yuh betta get back in a the mood enuh. Oh.

“Mi a go fawud later on,” he tells me.

“Who a guh bring me to the restaurant?” I ask, looking up at him under my lashes.

“Mi rent a car Zara,” Mommy chimes in.

I nod. “Okay.” His eyes are piercing through me.

“Be careful,” I say, pulling him into a hug, and he waves at the others before stepping out. Not long after, I’m on the veranda, finally taking in the makeup artist. She’s stunning — same complexion as me, rocking a blonde wig, a denim dress, and fresh white Air Forces. Total vibe.

“Hey,” I smile, sitting in front of her.

“Hey happy birthday pretty,” she says and I offer a pleasant smile. She’s organizing her makeup stuff.