“Yea whatever,” Tate flagged him off. “How Narri find out that time I put a tracker on her car? His lil ass.”
“Didn’t nobody tell you to do that shit while they was outside!”
Tate walked in like he owned the place, sat the bottle on the counter, and leaned against it like the weight of what he was carrying needed support.
“You and Narri good?” Adair asked. Half-joking. Half-not. He’d lost count of how many times Narri had left Tate, called Sabine crying, showed up with the kids and a car full of bags.
“Would I be here if we were?” Tate cut his eyes.
“Don’t get mad at me, shit.” Adair grabbed two bottle of water. None of the hard stuff yet. Whatever this was felt like a conversation that needed clear heads.
“What happened?”
“I heard Narri on the phone with Sabine before her date.”
Adair’s whole body glitched.
“Be…be…before…her…her…what?”
“Her…her…da…da…date nigga!” Tate mocked him while cracking up.
“What do you mean…date?”
“That nigga she been workin’ wit took her out.”
“What nigga she been workin’ wit?!” Adair exploded. “Why the fuck would you just now tell me she was working with a man?!”
“I just found out too! Some nigga name Garland or some shit?—”
“Garland?” Adair’s nose curled in disgust. “Fuck type of pussy name is that?”
“Now Garland a pussy name ‘cause he got ya wife,” Tate jabbed, ducking the swing Adair threw. “Chill nigga!”
“Stopfuckin’playin’ wit me!”
“Bro…” Tate was hollering.
Adair sat down. His pulse was roaring in his ears. That tight ache was back in his chest, the one he thought had dulled over the last few months. The one that used to keep him pacing the kitchen when Sabine wouldn’t talk to him.
“How the fuck you know she went out with thisGarlandmuhfucka?”
“Narri was on FaceTime with her in the bathroom, getting ready. You know how they are.”
Adair turned to him, jaw tight. “And you just stood there listening like a bitch?”
“Nigga, it’smy woman. I pay all them bills in that house, if I wanna stand in the doorway and admire the fine furnishings, I can do that! I wasn’t tryna hear what I heard though, but once I did? I couldn’t un-hear it.”
“What all she say?” Adair rubbed his face.
“Look, I’m tellin’ you 'cause I know you. You still call heryour wifeeven though them papers been signed.” Adair stayed quiet. “She didn’t do nothin’ wrong,” Tate added. “So don’t be on some shit…she was nervous. Kept saying it felt fast. She even said it felt like cheating on her past or some shit.”
“Did Narri still tell her to go?”
“Yeah. Told her she deserved to be seen. To be soft or some shit. All that ‘wine and dine’ shit women be talkin’.”
Adair nodded once. “She does…she does deserve that.”
Tate looked at him sideways. “So why you look like somebody took your rib out your chest?”