Previous Chapter: "What do you want to watch, Beautiful?"
"Terminator," I answered without hesitating.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing. I think I'm in love," he kissed my forehead.
CHAPTER 21
I woke up tangled up in a bunch of sheets on a strange yet comfortable bed with my shirt pushed up above my head. I rubbed my face into the pillow and felt a strange calming feeling. I felt that tingling sensation on the back of my neck. Ranger's scent wafted in the air.
"I swear I didn't lay a hand on her, man. You know you can trust me," Lester said from the living room.
I sprung out of bed adjusting Lester's T-shirt back into place and padded out the door into the living room where I found Lester standing in the living room dressed in a cutoff black t-shirt and basketball shorts.
"Beautiful!" he smiled at me.
"Where is he?"
"Who?"
"Don't play dumb, Les. I know he was here. Where is he?"
"He just left, Beautiful. He's only came back to check on things. He's still in the wind."
I ran out the door and scanned the street and shouted, "Ranger?"
"Beautiful, he's long gone," he grabbed my hand. "Let's go back inside before there's a shortage on cold water this morning."
I looked at him confused.
"One look at you in this t-shirt, every single man in this neighborhood is going to need to take a long cold shower."
I blushed pulling down the hem of the shirt only causing it to reveal more cleavage.
"Jesus, Beautiful, are you trying to get me killed," he exclaimed dragging me back into the house.
"Why didn't he wake me up or wait until I got up?" I whined.
"He wasn't even supposed to be here, Beautiful. If I didn't know any better, I would think you've got it bad for my cuz yourself."
I scoffed as Lester gave me a final shove into the house. "We're just friends."
"Uh huh. I laid a fresh shirt and shorts out for you on top of the dresser and there's a new toothbrush in the bathroom for you. Go get ready and breakfast will be waiting for you once you're done."
I quickly got ready and rushed into the kitchen holding up the shorts that were ten times too big on me, "Oh my god, are those homemade pancakes?"
Lester held a tall stack topped with fresh strawberries and bananas in front of my face.
"You're an oddly domestic man," I grabbed the plate from his hands and slid into the chair.
Before shoveling the mountain of fluffy goodness into my mouth, I made sure to drown it in maple syrup. "Wester Sawntwos, I wuv woo," I mumbled shoving more pancake into my mouth.
"Beautiful, if this is the way to your heart, then what are we waiting for? Let's go get hitched."
I grabbed his cell phone and dialed out.
"Yo."
"I'm marrying your cousin."
"Babe."
"He's hot, has a great sense of humor and knows the way to my heart."
Pause.
"Just thought I'd share," I smiled shoveling another bite in my mouth. "Oh my gawd," I moaned loudly. "Ok, bye bye now."
Click.
"Beautiful, are you trying to get plan my untimely demise?"
I smiled at him with my mouth full of pancakes and shrugged. Washing everything down with coffee, I sat back and rubbed my belly, "That was the best breakfast. I've had in a very long time. Thank you."
"Beautiful, I think you just signed my death certificate but I'm happy to be of service. Anything to hear those beautiful sounds of appreciation leaving your lips," he smiled setting down a key fob on the table next to my plate.
"What's this for?"
"Well, you need transportation, right?"
I looked at him dumbfounded.
"Ranger dropped off his car for you."
My eyes widened.
"I told you the man has it bad for you."
"I can't drive his car again. It makes me too nervous. I send cars to heaven!"
"He said you'd say that. So he says you have two options, you stick with me twenty four hours a day so that I can keep an eye on you or you can take his car."
"Typical Ranger. There's no way in hell I need a babysitter, but I don't understand what makes his car so safe. Whatever. Fine, I'll take the car."
"He said you'd say that," he grinned. "Oh and he said that your bad taste in music is still in his stereo."
I grinned with delight recalling the Salt 'n Pepa CD Ranger had so kindly left in the car for me last week. "Well, I'm going to the hospital to visit Lula. Thanks for last night and the breakfast."
"Anytime, Beautiful. You're welcomed here anytime."
"Thank you, Les. That's really sweet of you," I gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Mind if I leave Monster and my box here? I'll come pick it up later."
"No problem. And I promise I won't look inside the mysterious box. I wouldn't want to be the fool who opened Pandora's Box."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I walked into Macy's and picked up a black dress and pumps for Suzie's services later that evening along with a few other pieces of clothes and shoes to get me through the week since I doubt anything in my apartment survived the explosion. As I loaded my bags, I heard a loud female shriek a few rows from me and then an old beat up black sedan speed off in the distance.
I ran towards the where I thought the sound of the scream came from and saw a young red headed girl lying unconscious on the ground with a god awful haircut. I pulled out my cell phone and frowned at the dead electronic piece and picked up the girl's purse and found a cellphone and dialed.
"Yeah," an angry gruff voice barked over the phone.
"Hey, it's Alyssa. I'm in the parking garage at the mall on the west entrance of Macy's and a young girl is lying unconscious on the ground with a butchered haircut."
"Shit," he muttered, "stay there and I'll have a black and white meet you there. I'm in the middle of something right now or I would come."
"I understand."
"Cupcake, you know that I'm glad you're ok, right? I care a lot about you. I-I—" his voice broke.
"—It's ok, Joe. I know. I'm sorry for losing my temper. I shouldn't have held what your mother and grandmother did against you."
Silence.
"I should go," he cleared his throat. "I-I guess I'll see you around, Cupcake. Call me if you need anything."
"Yeah, sure," I replied. "Take care, Joe."
Click.
My heart filled with sorrow. Did I mess things up with him before something was even able to begin?