Quarantine and Chill - AMBW Standalone Romance

“You’ve been watching the apartment?”

“Um. . .no.”

“But you know she walks the dog in the morning.”

“Please, Kamal. One conversation. That’s it.”

I gripped the balcony railing, wanting to tear it off.

“Kamal?”

I gazed to my right. A pizza store sat at the corner. People looked to be going in and out.

“Kamal, please.”

“Go to the pizza spot at the corner.” I pointed in that direction. “We talk for five minutes and then you leave.”

“I swear. That’s all I want.”

I hung up.

Fuck!

Amber headed off.

The balcony door bumped open.

I spun around.

“It’s nice out here.” Jade strolled out, raising her face. Sunlight covered her beautiful brown skin. “God, it’s a beautiful day. Ganesha is going to enjoy—”

“Let me take him out.”

She blinked. “You want to take him for a walk?”

No. Don’t make an excuse. But. . .she should know that there’s no more drama. . .and. . .

“Kamal?” She stepped close to me. “What?”

I tapped my phone against my leg. “Amber wants to talk. I was going to take Ganesha out and then deal with her.”

The enjoyable expression on her face left. “Oh.”

I sighed. “I don’t want to deal with Amber, but she’s here.”

“What?” Jade scanned the space below us.

“I told her to go to the pizza joint over there. I didn’t want her around you anymore. This whole shit is embarrassing.”

Jade edged back. “No.”

“No, what?”

“I’ll take Ganesha for a walk. You go talk to Amber.”

I frowned. “I told you that all of this Amber shit would be done with and here I am—”

“Kamal, it hasn’t even been a week.” She gave me a weak smile. “You’re a good man. She fucked up. Clearly she is going to fight for you. Most would.”

I reached out for Jade.

She stepped back. “No. Go talk to her.”

But I want to hold you. I want to take you to the bedroom and make love to you. I don’t want to deal with Amber’s shit anymore.

I was about to speak.

Jade left me on the balcony.

Fuck!

I headed back into the bedroom. “Jade?”

She brushed her hair into a ponytail. “Yes?”

What do I say?

My heartbeats increased. I went behind her, grabbed her waist, and hugged her from the back. “Are you upset? Pissed? Annoyed? Turned off? Talk to me.”

She stopped brushing her hair and leaned back on me. “I’ve never dealt with anything like this. Not that my exes aren’t weirdos.”

I kissed the curve of her neck. “I haven’t dealt with this either.”

“We just have to see.” She left my hold.

I tried to pull her back.

She moved my hands. “Go talk to her.”

“You say that as if things may change when I come back.”

“They could.” She grabbed a regular hospital mask, instead of her assassin’s one.

I scowled. “Things won’t change between us.”

“What if she has something to talk about that could change it all.” Jade shrugged. “What if she’s pregnant or something?”

I held my hands out. “We haven’t had sex since January.”

“Still.”

“If Amber were pregnant, she would need a paternity test before we discussed anything further. I’m done with her.”

“Okay.” Jade left the bedroom and called back. “I’m going to walk Ganesha. I’ll see you later.”

Note to self. Never make Jade uncomfortable.

I could feel her putting distance between us, guarding her heart, and making sure I didn’t involve her in this craziness. Every part of me yearned to go after Jade and finish this conversation. But she was right, I had to conclude this shit with Amber.

I shouldn’t have even said yes to talking to her. I need a book on dealing with a crazy ex.

Amber hinted at the fact that she’d been watching the apartment. She knew Jade walked Ganesha in the mornings. That unsettled me.

This is getting out of hand. I end this today.

The front door slammed closed. Jade and Ganesha had left.

I should be with them, not still dealing with Amber.Chapter 16

KamalSix-Feet Economy

Ten minutes later, I arrived at the pizza spot. On the door, a sign announced that all people would need masks to enter and that everyone had to keep six feet between them.

I entered. Yellow lines covered the floor, instructing each customer that they couldn’t go beyond it if another were in front. I looked up and scanned the place. Amber served as the only customer. She sat at one table with a gray mask on.

Here we go.

I walked over to the other table and sat down.

She turned my way. “Why are you over there? Why not come here?”

“Six feet rule.”

“But, I know you’re healthy—”

“What do you want, Amber?”

She placed her gloved hands on the table in front of her. “How are you doing?”

Behind my mask, I glared at her.

“Okay.” She cleared her throat. “I just want a chance to explain why I did what I did.”

“Go ahead.”

“When you moved me in, I felt like you pulled away from me after a while.”

“No. You’re not going to make your cheating about me.”