Twisted by Imari Jade

doorman,” Alexis answered.
    “You mean Hank?” Kevin asked.
    Tina nodded. “Alexis has the hots for him.”
    “What is he, ten?” Kevin asked as he drove away from the curve.
    “Nineteen,” Alexis answered proudly.
    “What can you do with a nineteen-year-old?” Kevin asked.
    Both she and Alexis giggled.
    “They’re like little Energizer bunnies. They keep going and going and going.”
    Kevin looked over at her. “Do you have the hots for him too?”
    “Who, me?” Tina asked. “No. I’m only interested in him for his mind.”
    Alexis laughed again. “Sure you are.”
    “Shaddup,” Tina told her. “I might need him to manage one of my businesses one of these days and the last thing I want to do is sleep with someone on the payroll.”
    “Ooh, you did not go there,” Alexis said. “What if Erik would have heard you?”
    “Screw him,” Tina replied, suddenly serious.
    Kevin looked over at her but did not comment. That’s what she liked about him. There was something about the strong and silent type that made her stomach weak.
     
    ****
     
    Doctor Jerome Bennett waited patiently in the restaurant when they arrived. The waitress brought them over to the table and Tina gave him a friendly, sisterly kiss on the cheek. “I haven’t seen you in months,” she told him as Kevin helped her into a seat.
    Jerome wore a nice double-breasted navy blue suit and she bet he hadn’t paid a fortune for it like the ones Erik wore. And Jerome looked good in it. He was clean-cut and shaven and he reminded her a little of an actor she watched on the television lately.
    Kevin looked equally good in a dark brown suit. He was much taller than Jerome, but Jerome outweighed him by a couple of pounds.
    “I’ve been busy,” Jerome said. “Sometimes being a doctor has its disadvantages. It takes me away from my lovely girlfriend more nights than I like.” He rose, kissed Alexis on the cheek, and then helped her into a seat.
    “This is my partner, Kevin Chen,” Tina told Jerome. “Kevin, this is Alexis’ boyfriend, Jerome Bennett.”
    The two men met and shook hands.
    “It’s good to finally get to meet you,” Jerome said. “Alexis has told me so many nice things about you.”
    “All true,” Alexis said.
    “Nice to meet you, too,” Kevin told Jerome. “What field of medicine are you in?”
    “Pediatrics,” Jerome said as he walked back to his seat and sat down next to Alexis.
    Kevin sat down next to her. “That sounds exciting. Have you always wanted to be a doctor?”
    Jerome nodded. “Ever since my mother gave me my first doctor’s kit as a child. I remember it came with a toy stethoscope and some candy pills.” He chuckled. “I used to play doctor on all the little kids in the neighborhood.”
    “Mostly the girls, I bet,” Alexis teased.
    “But of course,” Jerome said. “Alexis tells me that you’re an inventor like Tina.”
    “Yes, and a designer too. Like you, I started out young building things with blocks and whatever odd things I could find around the house.”
    “I’ve read about all the fine things you’ve done for the community too.”
    Kevin blushed.
    “Oh, don’t tell me you haven’t told these two. This young man makes a big contribution to one of my favorite charities,” Jerome said. “The Leukemia Association.”
    “I didn’t know that,” Tina said.
     “He also gives free Kung Fu lessons at the YMCA for the kids.”
    “Ooh, you should have told me about that. Maybe I can come with you some time,” Tina said.
    “Sure,” Kevin replied. “But don’t beat me up too bad in front of the kids. I have a reputation to uphold.”
    Jerome laughed. “Yeah, Alexis told me about that too. I can’t believe our little Tina has so much brute strength.”
    “She’s good too,” Alexis replied. “She’s Kevin’s star pupil.”
    Tina felt a blush coming on. The waitress arrived just in time to take their order before Kevin had time to comment.
    Halfway into the meal, Tina