"He gave you roses?" Kristal said with a slight tinge of jealousy. "Wasn't that sweet?"
Ayanna shrugged. "I guess."
Ayanna invited Kristal over for dinner at her apartment to catch up with each other. Ever since Ayanna and Kristal parted ways at the university, they mainly communicated by e-mail and phone calls. However, tonight's Chinese take-out had a significant meaning. It was the first time both women had seen each other since Ayanna started working for Dave.
But now Kristal was curious as to what was happening with her ex and her best friend. She kept trying to tell herself that she didn't care but something pressed inside her that she really did—more than she wanted to. "What did you do to deserve that wonderful gesture?"
"I'm not sure." Ayanna took a bite of her Moo-shu pork. "Honestly, I'm not sure what was behind that. Maybe he was just being nice."
Kristal shot Ayanna a disbelieving look. "This is David Bautista we're talking about, right?"
"Mmm hmm."
"Girl, that man doesn't do anything without a motive behind it." Kristal sipped her Merlot. "I know all too well about that." She muttered.
Ayanna felt a pinch of guilt by leaving her roses out in the living room. A year was not nearly long enough for Kristal to get over for Dave. Funny because the way he acted today, you would've never thought Kristal was ever in the picture, Ayanna thought. She totally forgot that Kristal was coming over for dinner and would've hid them in her closet if she remembered. Yep, I'm a genius. "We don't have to talk about Dave, if you don't want to."
"Girl, I'm fine. We don't really see each other anymore and it's like he's on my speed-dial or anything." Kristal took a bite of her cashew chicken. "I'm fine."
"Alright."
"But we can talk about my new man." Kristal smiled.
So soon? "Oh really?"
"His name is John." Kristal beamed. "And girl, he has a body that won't quit! And his dick…like, damn."
"Big, huh?"
"Girl, I almost choked on the damn thing!" Kristal laughed. "He's incredible. He's no Dave, though, but he got it going on."
I was right—too soon. "He's no Dave?"
"John fucks me and not that there's anything wrong with that because sometimes I just need a good fucking. But Dave…" Kristal smiled. "Dave was something else."
"How?"
"Dave was different." Kristal reminisced. "He loved to feel, caress, explore. Dave, it was more than just sex; it was lovemaking."
"Do you miss him?" Ayanna asked.
"Hell no!" Kristal shot back. "I miss the sex, not the man that came with it."
"Something tells me you miss the man and the sex that came with him." Ayanna countered.
Kristal slightly shrugged and stared out the window. Maybe she missed Dave more than she wanted to admit, despite how much he fucked her over. "Probably. But enough about me. What's going on with you?"
"Well, there is this one guy at my work…"
"Do tell, do tell…"
"His name is Randy and he's a nice guy." Ayanna smiled.
"Big dick?"
"Oh my God!" Ayanna yelled. "It's freakin' huge!"
"So what's the problem?"
"He's a player."
"So? Are you trying to get serious?"
"Not really."
"Then it's not a problem. Girl, if he's big and he knows how to use it, just take it for what it's worth. No man is worth crying over." Kristal shook her head. "I just wish somebody told me that about Dave."
-------------------------------------------
"Today, I'm taking you out to lunch." Dave greeted Ayanna.
Ayanna could barely keep her eyes open. She and Kristal had way too much to drink the night before and Ayanna was surprised she remembered the route to work the next day. "Alright." She muttered.
"So choose something nice and we'll spend a couple hours going over business and what-not." Dave smiled. "I'll see you then." He went into his office.
Ayanna yawned as she Googled nearby restaurants. It was only nine in the morning and she wondered how she was going to survive until noon. She finally decided on something that wasn't five-star but better than a drive-thru when she was interrupted.
"You look like shit today." Randy commented.
Ayanna looked up at him and grinned. "You know, Orton…tired or not, I can still kick your ass."
"I like to see your drunk-ass try." He smirked. "Let's have lunch today."
"Can't. Dave is taking me out to go over some projects."
He is, is he? How fuckin' generous of the bastard. "Well, what about dinner tonight? I still owe you one."
"You don't owe me anything, Randy."
"Yes, I do." He reached over and trailed an index finger down her cheek. "I owe you an orgasm."
Ayanna just stared at Randy. She cursed herself for being too hungover to have sex during her break period.
---------------------------------------------------
"So how are you doing? Liking your job?" Dave looked over the menu.
"I love it there. It's taking me some time to get used to everything and everyone but other than that, I love it there." Ayanna complimented.
"Good, good." Dave nodded. He stirred his iced tea a little before asking his next question. He knew he was straddling the fence on being personal and professional but he just had to know what was happening with his partner and his assistant. "So what's going on with you and Orton?"
"We're friends."
"Dating?"
"I wouldn't call it that."
"What would you call it?"
None of your damn business, David. "We're close."
"I see that." Dave grinned. "Well, just be careful."
"David, I appreciate what you're doing but I can take care of myself."
"I know you can. But I know how Randy is."
A player offering me advice on how to deal with a player? How about that? "I also know how you are and you don't see me offering you advice?" She countered.
"Speaking of which," Dave was unfazed, "How is Kris?"
Ayanna shook her head. "You have her number, Dave. You should call her and find out."
Dave shrugged and sipped his tea. "When the time is right."
"And when's that? Never?"
"A lot of things happened between me and Kris, Ayanna. A lot of things. It wasn't just one. Kris probably exaggerated some stuff between us."
"Oh, so you really are Asian down there?" Ayanna retorted.
Dave almost spit out his tea. "Good one. Good one."
"Listen, Dave. Whatever happened between you and Kristal is none of my business."
"The moment Kris told you about us it became your business whether you wanted it to or not." Dave countered.
Good point, asshole. "So is this the reason for our two-hour lunch?" Ayanna asked.
"No, it's not." Dave greeted the server setting down the plates. "I was seeing how you felt about me on a personal level."
"Why?"
"Because I want to invite you to dinner this weekend."
Ayanna looked at the man across from her. She wanted to slap him. She wanted to smile. She wanted to strangle him. She wanted to hug him. She wanted to cuss him out. She wanted to make love to him.
But most of all, she wanted to knock some sense into herself first. "I heard the salad bar here is great!"