Page 99 of Sing Your Secrets
twenty-nine
Miles
“Hey baby, what’s up?” I ask distractedly as I scroll on my laptop, looking at local apartment listings. I’m still not one hundred percent sure what my salary as venue manager will be once Petey takes over, but I have the sneaking suspicion that I’m going to need a roommate to afford to live anywhere downtown. The alternative is living outside the city and dealing with a gnarly daily commute…then again that might be a fair trade-off to be able to afford food.
“Are you still at The Garage?” Reese asks through the phone. I pop my phone on speaker and lay it on the bar.
“Yes, ma’am, I am. The registers were installed today. I can officially charge you for drinks now.”
“Technically, I think I can charge you for drinks.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah…any word on that?” I’m still not sure who the actual owner of The Garage is going to be. We all got curveballs thrown at our heads last week.
“No, I haven’t asked.” She sighs. “I don’t want to push my luck. I doubt Petey’s feeling generous anymore and I’m not looking forward to losing what I never really had…”
It pains me. Reese is not a materialistic girl. The most I’ve been able to give her are some pretty exceptional orgasms, but it’s not like I’m wrapping diamonds around her neck and wrist. She asks for nothing. She’s content just as she is. And it kills me that the one thing that she’s excited about, I’m powerless to give to her. But her famous and successful ex-boyfriend sure can.
“Maybe he’ll still come through for you.”
“Hm, maybe.”
“What are you doing?”
“Taking a bath,” she says with an odd giggle.
“Oh really?” And now I understand her low laugh. “By yourself?”
There’s an audible click and I hear a low vibration against the water. “I may have brought a friend.”
“Bad girl. You know I don’t like sharing you,” I growl into the phone. “I’m heading over now. Unlock your door and then take your sexy ass right back into the tub—”
The sound of the front door opening and slamming shut alarms me. Fuck. I thought it was locked. “Someone is here,” I mumble. I am really not in the mood for an altercation. Who walks into a building that’s clearly closed and not open for business?
Well, Reese that one time.
But right now, it’s not my girl. Standing a few yards away from me at the entrance of the main floor is her ex-lover. He shows me his palm in a gesture of hello. I wave back as I take Reese off speakerphone.
“It’s Petey. Maybe he’s here to talk business.” Law told me he already signed the sale paperwork. I think it’s too late for him to forfeit ownership of The Garage. His name is in ink on the deal. Now, what he ends up doing with it is still up in the air…
“No—I sent him.”
“Why?” Why are you sending Petey places? I remind myself I’m trying not to play the jealous boyfriend. I keep my eyes locked on Petey as he makes his way over to me.
“Miles, I think you need to talk to someone who gets exactly how you’re feeling right now. I think you’re so amazing, but every time I tell you that, it falls on deaf ears. You need to hear you’re great from someone you think is great. Maybe that’ll get your mojo back.”
“My mojo?”
“Hey man,” Petey says, standing right in front of me. “What’s up?” Reese must hear his voice and takes her cue to hang up after telling me good luck and to call her later. “Can we uh…just clear the air right out the gate?”
I hold out my hand. “No need.”
He takes my handshake and holds it firmly. “Yes, there’s a need. I’ve seen my fair share of beefs over women in this industry. The worst thing for business is bad blood.” He releases my hand.
I teeter my head from side to side in contemplation. “Do you have a problem with me, now?”
“I have an apology for you.” Petey snorts in laughter as he pulls back the sleeves of his long black shirt. “My homeboy up North told me real OGs don’t apologize. I guess I have to give up my card because I’ve apologized more in the past week than I’ve done in the past five years.”
“Gangsters don’t apologize, huh? That’s a new one.”