“No, I’ll be fine. I’m not staying around here long. Just long enough to settle Big Mama’s affairs, and then I’m out. For good.” Letting out an uneasy sigh, she turned to look at her oldest friend. “Thanks for being here for me. You’re always there for me, and I appreciate it. I know that you gave up a lot to stand by my side, and—”
Terrill interrupted her. “Don’t worry about it, Penny. But a lot of time has passed. Maybe enough time…”
Carla came waltzing in the room, her mouth wide open and spouting her nonsense. “So you ended up sticking around. I would have put money on the other one being here.” She gave Terrill her irritating grin.
“No offense, but I always thought he was a better match for Brat, anyway. His folks certainly had more money. But I guess you rollin’ in the dough now, too. Big-time record company man and all! Ha! You the one hooked Brat up with them videos?”
An excited gleam crossed Carla’s eyes, and she clasped her hands together. “You think you could hook me up? I’m thinking of moving out to Cali with Brat. I need me a change of scenery. I’m getting tired of P-Town. And Cali-for-nia, knows how to par-ty. Cali-for-nia knows how to par-ty.” Carla did a little dance as she sang the Tupac lyrics.
Oh, no, the hell you aren’t! “Carla, you can give that one up. You are not moving to California.”
“Why not? Why you gotta be like that, Brat? What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much, except give birth to your behind?”
“You have got to be kidding me, Carla. Just can it, ’cause I’m not the one. You can’t guilt me into taking care of you. You have never taken care of me. I don’t owe you anything.” Penny shook her head incredulously.
“I’ll help you settle Big Mama’s affairs and help you out so you can remain here and keep this place. However, when I leave here, the only thing you’re going to see from me is a monthly check. And if you keep tripping, you’re going to mess that up.”
“What do you think, Terrill? You think it’s right that Brat is gonna to throw her mama out to the wolves? She knows I need help. But she’s just gonna go on about her little life.” Carla had the nerve to let tears come trailing down her face.
“I think if you would stop calling your daughter Brat, she might be able to make her way past all the hurt you’ve piled on her through the years. And I think the two of you need to talk and come to a space of understanding.” Terrill gave Penny a peck on the cheek and placed his arm around her for a quick hug. “I’m going to head out. I’ll stop back by tomorrow to see how you’re doing. Maybe we can go to service at Mount Zion. Call me if you need anything.”
Carla shrugged, and her crocodile tears miraculously cleared up. “Hey, don’t forget about the videos. I think I have star potential,” she called after Terrill as he made his way out of the room.
Worried that her lips were going to remain stuck in the curled-up snarl she seemed to sport lately from being forced to tolerate Carla, Penny tried to form a smile.
It didn’t work.
“You aren’t moving to California. I’d move back to Paterson before I let you move with me.”
“So I guess you’re moving back to Paterson, then. Because I’m moving to California with you when you leave here. The sooner the better.”
Penny let out a sigh and threw up her hands. How did one reason with such an unreasonable person?
Chapter 3
The constant pressing buzz of the doorbell interrupted Penny’s argument with Carla. Penny made a mental note to thank the person who had the perfect timing to show up just when Carla was trying to figure out a way to make Penny take her to California.
Is it so bad that I don’t really want anything else to do with my old life? she thought as she snatched open the door.
Seeing Jason standing there answered her mental plea to the universe. Screw you, Penny. She couldn’t catch a break.
He’d changed from the suit he’d worn to the funeral into a pair of slacks and a short-sleeved silk dress shirt. Standing there leaning against the doorway, he gave off a definite air of sexiness that made her want to kick herself for even noticing. Even surly and sulking, the man was fine.
“Why are you back here?” was what she said. Why can’tthings be different between us? was what she wouldn’t allow herself to think. It was too late for them. There was no sense dreaming things could be different.
“Can I come in?” His square jaw and taut expression told her he wasn’t about to leave anytime soon.
That didn’t mean she couldn’t try. Penny dug in her heels and leaned against the door frame.
Big mistake.
That only brought her closer to him, and closer to his cologne. Musk with a hint of seduction never smelled so good. She moved back a little. But it was too late. The whiff had done its damage.
Dang.
She’d done her best to get over him through the years. She’d had relationships with other guys, but she’d always kept herself protected. She had a wall so thick and so tall around her, no one had been able to penetrate it. She liked it that way. It was so much safer.
The fact that seeing Jason again had the strength to drill holes in her wall and shake her foundation was unsettling, to say the least. She needed to do something to keep him away. She couldn’t go through what she’d gone through back then and survive whole. Putting herself back together after she had destroyed their relationship was the hardest thing she had ever had to do. She had to continue to protect what was left of her heart.
“Why? Can’t you just leave me alone? I’m truly fine with you hating me for the rest of our lives and us never seeing each other again.” Her voice cracked as she said those words, and she barely stifled a wince.
She realized at that moment that she didn’t want Jason to hate her. Too bad what she wanted didn’t matter. Not anymore…
“Well, I’m not fine with it. You’re going to talk to me, Penny. You owe me this.” Jason pretty much elbowed his way past the crack in the door and entered the house.
“Hey! The other one is back! You just missed the third wheel. Or are you the third wheel now? I’m having a hard time keeping track of y’all’s little threesome.” Carla snickered and ran her tongue across her chipped front tooth before smirking.
Honor thy mother.
Penny cut Carla a glance meant to shut her up. But even as she did, she knew it was useless. From the time she was a kid, Carla had been finding ways to torture her and make her life miserable.
No way am I taking that woman back to Los Angeles with me.
The scowl on Jason’s face hinted that he didn’t find Carla’s antics funny, either.
Carla stuck out her tongue at Penny before turning to Jason. “I don’t know what you looking at me like that for, Mr. Policeman. I ain’t the one that’s been stringing y’all around for years. I told Brat she should have stayed with you instead of hooking up with that other one. But hey, he’s a big-time music man now, and he’s gonna set me up love-ly. Ain’t that right, Brat?”
Carla danced around and started singing the chorus to Lil’ Kim’s “Crush on You.”
One. Two. Three. Four. Fi—Aw, hell!
“Carla, leave us alone! Go do something with yourself.”
“Why you gotta be all—”
“Go!”
“Fine!”