Chapter 5

Wednesday, I had just completed work. Henderson eyed me sternly from his desk, “Don’t make me have to come looking for you.” he joked.

I laughed, “I’ll be there. I’m bringing my cousin Iyanna if that’s okay.”

He smiled, “Of course, they’ll be some other people there. I’m trying to build a better relationship with my half-brother.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“Girl, yes, same father, you know how it goes.”

“Yeah,” I replied. I did understand. However, I was an only child. So my cousins were like my brothers and sisters and friends growing up.

“Alright babe, I’ll see you around 5:30.”

“See you later.”

I got home, took a shower, and looked for something cute and comfortable to wear. Ah-ha, I spotted a romper, cute white with black designs, spaghetti-strapped, just added some accessories, bangles, necklace, and earrings and I looked somewhat dressy.

I go get in my Hyundai Elantra, which is what Elise liked to drive. She’s a practical person, for the most part, plus, it was good on gas. I headed over to Iyanna’s. I texted her when I was outside of her apartment complex.

I waited. I knew she wasn’t going to be ready. I just sat and scrolled through my phone. I got a call from Gianni. I answered and heard his voice, “Hello beautiful,” he said.

“Hi. I haven’t heard from you in a while, how are you?”

“Would be better if I was lying next to you.”

“Oh, wow, such a romantic. I love it.”

“When can I see you?”

“That depends.”

“I’ll be in Miami at the end of the month. Lock me in, I want the whole weekend.”

I chuckled, “Okay Mr. Gianni, I hear you. I have that last weekend reserved for you baby.”

“See you then, I can’t wait.”

The call ended just as Iyanna opened the car door and dropped in the seat wearing almost an identical jumper. We laughed. It was funny how we wouldn’t tell each other what we were planning to wear but somehow ended up wearing similar things.

“Why you always trying to be like me?” she joked as she clicked her seat belt.

“Because you my big cousin.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“I hope they have some cute men at this thing.”

My eyebrow rose, “Seriously, what about Shawn?” Who was her latest fling?

She sucked her teeth, “Ain’t nothing wrong with having a few options. Stick with ya cuz and I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

I cleared my throat, if only she knew. My options game was an entire force to be reckoned with.

We got to Henderson’s place. He lived with his partner in these fancy condos. “Come in love, look at you two, looking like high school students,” joked Henderson.

“High school, I’ll take it,” said Iyanna happily.

“I was hoping more for undergrad.”

He looked at me, “I see how you dressed it up, okay ... undergrad it is.”

I hugged Santiago, “How are you doing San?”

“Good, come get some drinks and meet everyone. We walk into this seating area and that’s when I saw him ... He smiled, “Elise.”

Henderson looked at me, “Do you two know each other?” he asked.

“Sort of, we met briefly.”

“And now, I know we’re destined to be together,” replied Henderson with a huge smile showing off his pearly whites.

Henderson’s eyebrow rose, “Well okay.”

I chuckled, “We’ll see.”

“This is my half-brother, Jefferson.”

He shook my hand, “I’ll be expecting a date this weekend. And no excuses.”

I nodded. But was I ready for that? Was he?

We played a few board games and later, he and I ended up sitting at a table playing UNO, where I completely ate him up. I hit him with three skips, two reverses, and a draw four before changing the color and calling, “Uno.”

“Damn Elise over here playing cutthroat UNO,” he joked.

My cousin chimed in, “Oh yeah, my cuz is vicious in UNO, and don’t play her in Monopoly or any of those Trivia games. It’s a wrap.”

He smiled, “Good to know.” His eyes danced across my skin, “Are we doing Friday or Saturday?”

My eyebrow rose.

He pointed, “Our date. I haven’t forgotten,” he urged.

I chuckled, “You’re still with that, huh?”

“Um yeah. You promised.”

“Technically, it wasn’t a promise.”

“Semantics?”

I laughed. I didn’t have any plans for the weekend. So I responded, “Friday.”

His eyes lit up, “Great. I need your number.” I gave him my phone number and we spent the rest of the night talking.