Skye sported what the ladies called a teeny-weeny afro. It was curly, and her hair looked soft, but I’d never had the pleasure of touching it. She must have gotten her eyebrows done weekly because they were perfectly arched.
Her almond-shaped eyes were framed by long lashes, her cheekbones were high, her nose was slightly broad, and her beautiful, thick lips were always glossy. I could look at her all day and never tire of seeing her face.
“You know something?” she asked.
“I know a lot, but what do you want me to know?”
“If you’re not saying something borderline inappropriate, you’re staring at me.”
I chuckled because she spoke no lies.
“Is that what you think?”
“It’s what I know, and if you’re not saying something borderline inappropriate, I’d bet my last dollar you’re thinking it."
I released a laugh deep from my belly that time because she had me pegged.
“My bad, Skye. For some reason, it’s hard not to express myself around you, but I’ll work harder at keeping my thoughts from slipping out of my mouth.”
She shrugged. “I’m used to it now and find it quite humorous.”
“Humorous is cool, as long as you’re not offended.”
“No, I’m not offended. To be honest, sometimes I think it’s cute.”
“I’m a grown ass man, Skye. Nothing I do is cute.”
She laughed.
“It’s cute to me.”
“You’re cute to me . . . beautiful, really.”
She looked away from me, blushing as she sipped her wine.
“Thank you. So, are you ready for football camp?”
“Using football to change the subject, huh?”
“No. I genuinely want to know if you’re ready.”
“I am. The team has been working hard, but most of it’s been individual work. I’m excited to get them on the field to see what they can do.”
“I don’t know about the other players, and I’m biased, but my nephew is the truth. If the rest of the team works as hard as Nyeem, you’ll have one helluva season.”
“You might be biased, but me and Kilo peeped Nyeem’s skill and work ethic the first time we saw him work out. Honestly, we could see it in his high school film.”
“I’m excited about his first football and track seasons.”
“So am I. Is Stokely an athlete like his mother?”
“He ran track in high school but was just average. He honestly only did it to keep in shape. He’s very much into fitness and health and is studying kinesiology.”
“What happened between you and his father—I mean, if you don’t mind sharing?”
“We started dating in high school, and when I got pregnant, his family encouraged him to distance himself from me. He didn’t listen to them at first, but by our senior year, all the negative seeds they’d planted in his ears about me affected our relationship. We broke up, and he promised to continue to be an active father. That lasted until he left for college.”
“Damn. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”