“That’s ole’ girl you was rocking in your arms last night?” Mac asked. The look that came over Kenny’s face was priceless. He opened his mouth as a devious grin appeared on his shocked face. Gabe already knew what was coming. He shook his head slightly at Mac.
“Why would you say something like that in front of him? And I was not rocking her in my arms.” He grumbled. Mac grinned.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure you were rocking her in your arms. I umm…” He reached in his pants pocket and pulled out his phone. “I took a picture cause… I couldn’t believe it myself.”
“Oh, hell yeah!” Kenny said bringing his fist to his mouth. “Hey yo, send that to my phone bro, please!”
Gabe pointed at Mac. “Word is bond yo—you send him that picture and I will drown you in my pool.”
I looked down to hide my smile. Seeing him with his friends gave me a whole new view of him. He was not as rough with them as he was with the rest of us. Even when he had shoved Kenny earlier, it had been gentle compared to the blow he had given the guard last night. He loved them. It’s why they were able to joke with him like they did and not fear he would kill them, or hurt them like he had told me he would do if I ever crossed him.
That intense feeling of loneliness washed over me, reminding me that everyone that loved me enough not to hurt me was dead.
Kenny held up his hands. “We still have a huge problem.”
“What’s that?” Mac asked as he walked to the fridge.
“The Apple Jacks are all gone, what am I supposed to eat now?” The look on his face brought me out of the slight depression that settled over me when I thought of my dead loved ones. His charm was infectious.
“How about you try eating at your own house?” Gabe grumbled, causing Mac to chuckle as he pulled out leftovers from the party last night. Kenny held up his finger as he went to join him.
“You see how you do me. This dude sleep on your couch and you don’t say nothing. I come over for a bowl of cereal every now and again and I’m a mooch.” Mac looked up at him, just as Kenny began to put some of the cold cuts in his bowl he still carried.
“Oh! I don’t sleep on the couch. I got a room for when I spend the night.” He said that with a slight grin, or as close as he could get to a grin as he began to pile turkey and cheese on a bun. With a look of pure shock, Kenny turned to look at Gabriel.
“You gave him a room?” Gabe chuckled nodding his head slightly.
“Who laughing now you funny f**ker!” He muttered.
“Oh, okay I see how it is. I can’t get a room in the boss’s house because I ain’t from the hood. Is that it?” Neither of the men responded to him. They both just shook their heads.
“Well…” He stood straight up puffing out his chest. “I’ll have you both know I got street cred!” Mac chuckled.
“You have no street cred, you a preppy bastard from the suburbs!” He said before he took a massive bite out of his sandwich.
Before Kenny could respond, the kitchen door opened and a little white man with glasses rushed in. Like Kenny, he was dressed in a suit. But unlike Kenny, his suit didn’t fit half as well. It seemed too big for his body.
“Why do I always miss the breakfast meetings?” He asked placing his briefcase on the counter.
“Because you’re never invited.” Gabriel said matter-of-factly from where he still leaned at ease against the island between my legs with his massive arms folded across his chest. The man chuckled nervously before pushing his glasses up on his face with his index finger.
“I know you don’t mean that.” His laugh was forced.
Gabe nodded his head. “Sure, I do.”
“I here congratulations are in order!” The little man said clapping his hands together, choosing to ignore Gabe’s hostile words.
“This must be the lucky lady?” He walked toward us pushing his glasses up on his face to get a better look at me.
“Wow!” He put his hand on his chest. “May I just say that you are simply amazing!”
“No, you may not!” Gabe grumbled.
“Thank You.” I said at the same time, so glad for my dark skin because at this point I was blushing like crazy. They were all staring at me except for Gabe which was good, because it was his gaze that made me feel weak inside.
The man laughed. “Look, the groom to be is already fiercely possessive of his lady love. You know, I would be too if she were mine.” He spoke to Kenny and Mac who were both finishing off their sandwiches. The man turned back to look at me, his eyes raking over my body calculating.
“And this is the young lady you were looking for last night I presume?” He asked gesturing toward me. “The stri—” Gabriel cut him off.
“Barry… the wedding, how soon?” Barry took out his handkerchief smiling nervously as he wiped it across his forehead.
“Saturday; which gives you enough time to present your beautiful fiancé tomorrow night at the Autism Awareness Fundraising Banquet.” Gabe shook his head.
“I told you, I’m not going!”
Barry chuckled, his beady eyes shooting nervously to the other men before going back to Gabe’s.
“Sure, you are, not only will future investors be there but so will Peterson. It will be the perfect time for you to express your delight at the merging of your companies.”
“I don’t have to be there. The President of my company will be there that’s good enough.”
“Gabe work with me. If you don’t show up with your future bride it will be a slap in the face to Peterson. You already forced him to make
