Page 105 of Free Agent

It just felt like he was.

“You want to tell me why you’re dodging my calls, ignoring my texts?”

I sucked my teeth. “This is my phone that I pay for. I’ll press whatever buttons I want to press, when I want to press them, on this phone.”

“Oh. But you’re not mad?”

“I’m not mad,” I shot back. “Look, what do you want, Tatum?” I asked, and he blew out a sigh.

“Rori, listen to me. I was not trying to minimize or make light of this thing between us. I just didn’t feel like anybody else needed to really be in our business like that. And I may have been clumsy in communicating it.”

“I disagree,” I said. “That you were clumsy, that is. I think you communicated your feelings just fine, Tatum. And I’m not mad at you. I’m frustrated that me trying to process my feelings is being seen as being mad, and that shit is going to make me mad.”

“Okay. My bad. Maybe I did make an assumption there, but you’re definitely giving mad energy. I’m just trying to get ahead of that so that whatever is happening in your head, whatever feelings you’re processing, are based on how I actually feel. Not the nosy interviewer version.”

“Understood,” I told him. “Was that all?”

“See?”

“See what?” I groaned.

“Your ass is mad.”

“I’m not mad. Will you stop telling me I’m mad?”

“Will you stop giving mad vibes?”

“Tatum, I don’t have time for this. I’m tired. I need sleep,” I told him.

“Cool, I’ll let you go,” he replied. “Get your sleep, and I’ll be out that way tomorrow so we can talk in person.”

“Okay… if you’re coming to Blackwood, I guess that’s fine since I don’t own the city, but you should know that I already have plans tomorrow night.”

“Oh, what’s up? You doing dinner with Sierra or something?”

“No.”

“Shannon? Hollis?”

“No.”

“Your parents and Amina?”

“No.”

On the other end of the line, Tatum groaned. “Okay, what are the plans then?”

“Uh, if you insist on knowing… I have a date.”

For a long moment, there was silence.

“A date? Rori, cut the bullshit.”

I sucked my teeth. “No bullshit. I have a date.”

“With who?”

“Not your business.”