Her Man: An Interracial Romance (The Bentini Brothers Book 2) by Jaye McCloud Page B

wasn’t able to make it that
time.  We fall all over each other, squealing, laughing, and chatting like
teenagers at a high school dance.  With the men’s prompting, I show them to one
of the few available tables.
         “Hold on, I’ll be right back, I have to let my
partner know where I’ll be.”  I take off across the club in search of Kathy.  I
locate her talking to the caterers, and let her know where she can find me. 
Then go back to the spacious round table with my friends.  “How did you get an
invite to this private party?”  I ask the table at large.
         “Jason Bentini invited me—” Carmen says as if
she was given the first place prize.  “—and told me to invite anyone I want…so
here we are.” 
         “Yeah, she did invited me…but imagine my
surprise when Rachael also invited me.  You could have punched me in the face,
I was so shocked.”  Janette puts in.
         “I’ll bet you were.”  I reply chuckling.  “Where’s
Rachael and Frank?”  I ask.
         “She said she has family that she hasn’t seen
in a while, so they took off to go mingle.”  Mya answers.
         “So, bitch, this is what it looks like?”
         “Janette, please, we talked about that?”  Her
longtime boyfriend, Brian reminds her.
         “Okay, your right, I did say I was going to
try.”  Janette rolls her eyes and grumbles.  Then restates her question to me. 
“Well, Tiressa, you appear to be looking good and content with your life and I
was just wondering if that is due to your change in employment?”
         We all share a laugh at Janette being ‘encouraged’
to speak appropriately—at least in public.  “You know Brian; I think you are
good for her.  And yes, this is what happiness looks like…I love my job and I’m
loving life right about now.”  I respond in all sincerity, and we all toast to
happiness and loving life.  “Damn Ti, look at you girl.  I’ve never seen you
looking so beautiful and so damn sexy.  Girl, I’m so proud of you.”  My sister
says with a cheeky bright smile.  “Thanks Sis.”  I lean over and we give each
other a big hug.  “What I want to know is…are those real diamonds?”  Carmen
asks in awe.  I try to play it off.  “No, they’re cubic zirconia.”
         “No hell they aren’t.  I am an expert on two
things…men and diamonds.  Those are real diamonds!...And not the kind that 60K
a year will get you.  So, who is he?”  They all stare at me, waiting for me to
respond.  “No one…there is no man.”
         “A woman?!”  Janette asks with a sly smile.
         “Girl, no.”  I respond rolling my eyes at her.
         “Nobody looks like that without there being a
man somewhere in the picture.  Who is it?”  Carmen ask looking like she’s going
to keep trying to interrogate me until she gets the answer she wants.
         “No one.” 
         “Are you and that Derrick guy hooking up
again?”  Janette asks leaning forward.
         “No, we’re not.”  I say with a definite frown.
         “Bitc—I mean girl, who you think you foolin? 
You seeing somebody .”  As much as I love seeing Janette catching her
inappropriate words, I wish she would drop it.  “Leave the poor girl alone, she
says she isn’t seeing anyone.”  Brian is such a good guy, I wonder if Janette
knows how lucky she is.  “That’s what she says, but her face and this new look
and that jewelry tell a different story.”
         I’m starting to feel kinda foolish denying
what is obvious to my girlfriends who know me so well.  “Okay, okay, I admit that
there’s a new man in my life.  But, I’m not quite ready to talk about him yet.”
         “Why not?  Is he married, like that other guy
you told me about?”  Carmen asks.  I may be wrong, but I think she likes taking
a dig at me about my situation with Allen.  “No, he isn’t married.  And as it
turns