“Are you seriously putting your fucking beer in a koozie? Did you grow a vagina too?” Bobbie looks at me horrified.
“Nah, man it’s for Ari. She likes her beer to stay cold. I drink mine to fast to worry about that.”
I walk down the steps into the water and make my way to where the ladies have set up a small circle. Ari smiles when she sees me coming toward her. Her skin is pink from the sun but she blushes when she notices me staring at the triangle top. I see the outline of a bite mark I left last night that she tried to cover with make-up. She takes the beer from me and starts to say thanks, but I cut her off. Without warning, my mouth claims hers. I kiss her deep until a voice clears behind us and I pull back. Her face flashes red and she rolls her eyes.
“So what do we owe the pleasure of you guys joining us and ruining a perfectly good gossip session?” Lamar’s wife, Shani, asks.
“Sorry, Shani, but these idiots turned nosy. They want to know the story about finding Ari and Davis. I thought Ari should tell it.”
“Oooh, girl, do tell. I was saving that for the bottle of wine on the way back.”
Ari looks embarrassed but tells a little about our breakup and the misunderstanding. Then she tells how after I saw them on the beach then hired a private investigator and showed up at her door. Her story is short and rehearsed like she has been practicing it. She leaves out the most personal parts, specifically me declaring her mine and claiming her forever last night. When she’s done, a few of the girls wipe their eyes, but only Bobbie’s date has anything to say.
“I guess that’s why Tina had such a bitch fit last night. She heard Reed not only had a girlfriend, but a son.”
“What do you know about Tina?” Shani spews.
“Just that she was telling anyone that would listen that Reed got a girl knocked up and she was demanding that he bring her into his life. Tina said—”
“This before or after the dancing started?”
“After.”
“Skinny bitch needs to learn her lesson. I thought we took care of her in the bathroom.”
“What are you talking about?” Lamar asks his wife.
I look at Ari who has gone pale and is shaking her head at the other women. Shani doesn’t care and continues.
“That bitch cornered Ari in the bathroom last night and told her all sorts of lies. Then she accused her of trying to lock down Reed with a kid that didn’t belong to him. I’d already decided I liked Ari, so I stepped in and told her to back her skanky ass up. I threatened to tell all the rookies she had an STD and have her banned from any other player party. Then I told her that player pussy never becomes wife material and her days were limited since she insulted a player’s woman. She tried to back talk but Sassy stepped in and explained that if she didn’t shut up, she would tell Reed everything.”
Anger boils up from my stomach and I understand why Ari looked miffed last night when she came back from the bathroom. I expect this stuff from the public, but not some piece of ass with no self- respect. Sure, I’d fucked her once and let her suck me off a few times, but she never saw the inside of my car or my house. I didn’t even ask for her phone number.
“Hey, you okay?” Ari’s sweet voice breaks through my thoughts and her fingertips rub my cheek. I lean into her touch and kiss her lightly.
“Yeah, I’m pissed that it happened. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew she was trash the minute she opened her mouth. We were having such a great night, and I was meeting your friends for the first time. Then when we got home, things kinda got busy.”
“Got busy? Is that what we’re calling it now?” I tease her and watch a blush rise in her cheeks.
“Yoo hoo! Lovebirds—are you listening to me?” Sassy, Dwayne’s wife yells at us.
“No.”
“Well, I can see it won’t be long until Davis has a brother or sister.” This must shock Ari because she pushes me off her so fast I lose my footing and fall backwards under the water taking my beer with me. I flail around until I find the bottom and stand up soaking wet. My entire crew is laughing at me but I only have eyes for the woman a few feet away. I storm towards her as she tries to paddle away but I get close enough to jump on her float and sink us into the water.
“Reed! Stop! Please stop! You’re getting me all wet.”