Prince: Love Always Wins

Lesha

I was so stupid. A muthafuckin’ fool. It was impossible for me even to digest the information I was given so I had to call an emergency girls meeting. I literally could not believe my damn eyes.

“I say we beat his ass! It ain’t shit but a muthafuckin’ flight, and I ain’t got shit to do.” Nesha paced the floor in my living room back and forth.

“Calm down, Nesha.” Satisa soothed her hand down her very pregnant belly as she sat against the wall.

“Look at this shit! He is playing in my damn sister's face! Who goes so far as to propose to my sister just to fly down and get married to another bitch in less than a week.”

I closed my eyes and rocked back and forth in my seat. I started out the day feeling so relieved. I finished my stint with the after-school program, and I was home free. I was ready to spend the weekend celebrating that. Much to my damn surprise I woke up this morning with over a hundred text messages from Devin’s baby’s mother. It showed her posing next to Devin in their wedding photos with her very pregnant belly. She even included a video for good fucking measure. I couldn’t be surprised that she had gotten my phone number because women were better detectives than the FBI but damn. Yes, I told Devin this was over, but when he left, he acted as if he would do anything to make us work. Why the hell do all that shit knowing you were getting married to someone else? More than anything, we were supposed to be friends. There is no way a wedding was planned in less than a week. I just fucking could not! My head hurt and I was sick to my stomach all at once. How could he do me of all people like that after all we went through? After he knew all the intimate details of my story.

“This nigga really ain’t shit.” I fell back on the couch. It wasn’t even noon, and I was on my second glass of wine. I needed it.

“That is some low shit,” Even Satisa admitted.

“Let me see that phone!” Nesha said as she swiped it from my hands without allowing me to respond. “Look at all this shit! All these text messages between them. He telling her how much he loves her and shit! This nigga is so dumb. He is damn near convicting himself of a crime already. Don’t let this nigga say shit to you! Yeah, we need to hop a flight, sis’!” Nesha bounced around like she was preparing for a heavyweight match.

“Nesha,” Satisa called her name. I don’t know what it was about my best friend, Satisa, but the way she spoke your name communicated everything she wanted to say. At this point, she was calling for Nesha to back down. I was hurting, and all Nesha could see and feel was rage.

“No fuck that, Satisa! Everybody’s life ain’t always smiles and fucking rainbows. The only way some of us get through it is if we let these muthafuckas know that ain’t nobody gone play with us. Niggas and females alike. Nobody comes to save chicks like us, so you wouldn’t fucking understand!” Nesha snapped, and there was lethal silence in the room.

“Wait a minute! This isn’t about you or anybody else! I called y’all to help me feel better because I am the one going through it but quite honestly everybody can just leave! I’m sorry Satisa. You didn’t deserve that at all.” I added quickly as I saw the tears start to well in her eyes.

I walked to my back room, holding back tears of my own. I don’t know why the hell Nesha snapped off on Satisa like that when the only person we needed to be mad at in this situation was Devin’s snake ass. I landed in my bathroom, and I slapped my hands against the counter as the tears that had been threatening to fall finally slipped from my eyes.

“Sis’,” I heard Nesha’s voice from the doorway, and I waved my hand. “No, I’m sorry. You know I hate when somebody play with you like that. I fucking hated Devin, but if no one else understands why I do. I never wanted our lives to end up like this.”

I turned to her, and her eyes filled with the same tears mine had.

“Please come back. I’m just going crazy lately.”

“Wait. Where is Satisa?” I asked, looking over her shoulder.

“I told her I was sorry and would come back here and get you. I thought she was right behind me.”

I wiped my eyes the best I could, but at this point, I couldn’t hide the fact that I was crying. I walked down the hall, and I saw Satisa still on the floor, rocking back and forth, looking like a turtle on his back.

“Shy, what the hell?” Nesha laughed.

“Y’all, why the hell I can’t get up.” She laughed, and I doubled over. She threw both her hands in the air, calling for an assist, and we gripped her in sequence and pulled. Once on her feet she looked at us both.

“No matter what has happened to you and what type of things you have been through, you are worthy of love. Both of you. I’m so sorry this has happened to you, .” She hugged me, and another wave of tears threatened to fall. My phone chimed, and it was snatched out of my hand.

“Ooh, shit!”

“What?” I replied to Nesha.

“Prince’s fine ass, just texted your phone. I’m about to text him back.” Nesha stuck her tongue out as her fingers migrated across the keyboard. That ripped me away from Satisa to snatch the phone from her.

“Ooh wee girl, not too much! Didn’t you say you spent a little weekend with him? That’s exactly what you need to get your mind off this bullshit,” Nesha spoke matter of factly.

“That’s the last thing I need.”

“Now, I usually disagree with Nesha, but maybe going out with him won’t be so bad. You said he’s been hounding you. Just get out. No pressure,” Satisa stepped up.

“Right! No strings attached, and slide right up under that nigga and let him take your pain away. It does it for me every time!”

“Now wait, I didn’t say all that. You may not be ready for that, but Prince is a good guy. He’s been through a lot, but he is a stand up dude. I’m not just saying that because he is my husband’s brother either.”

“Well, everybody ain’t Priest. You have a better chance of him being like Chaz, but you don’t need anything serious right now, either. So give me your phone,” Nesha sang the last line, and I had no energy to fight. I let my phone slip from my hands.

“Don’t say anything crazy,” I added.

“He just telling you he coming through. See, I love me a nigga that tell and don’t ask. I’m just gone reply, okay? Gotta keep shit cool because you don’t want him to think you are over the top liking his ass. He still gotta earn, and he better treat you damn good tonight.”

“Trust me. Them Richards men step!” Satisa added, and we both looked at her.

“Look at Shy proper ass trying to be a little hood. She been around our asses too long!”

“Right!” I agreed with Nesha.

“Well, we need to get out of your hair, boo, because you have a date to plan for. Fuck Devin! Don’t think about him. Not even another second. Shy, can you fix my hair later tonight?”

Both the ladies migrated to the door.

“Yeah, I got you, but you got to come by the house. Priest got me on lockdown so I’m not moving.”

“I got you.”

They both kissed my cheeks, and they were out the door. I let out a huge breath. My date wasn’t until seven, but in the state I was in, it probably would take me just that long to pull my shit together. I was so used to being hurt and masking the pain that I felt a familiar numbness come to me as I started the shower. The thoughts of Devin and what we had didn’t stay at bay, but I suppressed them enough not to let it slow me down. I decided on a black cocktail dress that stopped mid-thigh. I knew how to make Prince’s eyes dance when he saw me. I pinned my long sew-in up. The curls that Satisa put in them a few days earlier still looked good, and it made the strains that I pulled out on each side that hung in the front drop just right. I was putting the finishing touches on my makeup when I heard a knock on the door.

Halfway through the walk through my living room I already pointed out a change. No nigga was bold enough to blow the horn and think that I was coming out, but Devin’s lazy ass would text here instead of coming to the door. Pushing that thought away, I quickened my pace to the door, but of course, I stopped by the full-length mirror on the right side of my entryway. A woman should always look at herself one last time before the world sees her, my mother’s voice reminded me . Makeup was in place. My C cups were sitting up just like they should. They weren’t spilling over, but it was enough to give that nice peek-a-boo feel. The last thing I pushed on was a fake smile. For all intents and purposes, I was ready. I swung the door open.

“Damn,” I mumbled and prayed he didn’t hear me.

“You look amazing, Le,” he complimented me as he swept his eyes over me. Excitement wanted to well up, thinking of a new beginning, but I cut it down quickly. If a nigga would create a fake engagement just to get married the next week, there was no telling the lengths one of them would go. I really shouldn’t even be going, because this shit is going to be on my mind all damn night.

“Are you okay?” Prince looked at me through furrowed brows. Those damn eyes. His question took me so aback that I almost told him the truth. Outside of my small circle, no one asked me that question outside of casual conversation. Especially a member of the opposite sex, who is not nearly as fine as Prince. His thick body was wrapped in a button-up shirt that screamed money and a pair of slacks that fell perfectly on his trim waist. It was the fit of it all. Expensive, tailored, and fucking grown. Then he smiled, and the diamonds in his bottom row almost blinded me. I was not too fond of golds, and there were so many men that had them back home. The diamonds were perfectly placed. Not gaudy, and damn, weren’t they sexy.

“I’m fine.” My dry throat finally allowed my lips to become unglued.

“Let’s get something clear right now. I’m interested in you and all that comes with that. There is nothing you can say to me that I will judge you for, but please close those beautiful lips before you lie to me. That’s the only thing you can say to me that I can ever find ugly. You can tell me things like I’m not ready to discuss that. I’m not sure I can vocalize my feelings or plain the fuck out none of your business nigga. Whatever works for you.”

We stood under my porch light, which I flipped on because I knew I would be coming home late. Honestly, not coming home tonight at all wasn’t out of the question. The words he spoke sliced through me and made me want to disappear. His assertion made me feel so naked that I’d rather take off my clothes than to have his eyes keep penetrating me that way.

“We on the same page, beautiful?” he asked, hiking that familiar right brow. My head rose and fell to acknowledge my understanding as he swept a piece of my hair that made its way from the right side of my face to the front of my nose. His touch got better each time.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yes. Let me get my shoes.” I turned and walked into the living room. This was the perfect time to tamper down the heat that was skyrocketing. I pranced to get the shoes I conveniently left on the side of the couch. I bent down to secure the strappy heels. To my surprise, the little show I planned so well was all to Prince’s back. He turned around, wholly staring the other way toward my driveway. I couldn’t get a track on this man.

“I’m ready,” I whispered. He moved away and stood behind me while I locked up. He walked me to his car and opened the door on the passenger side. This car was different from the one I’d seen him in before, or should I say the one he dusted my ass in. It matched our black perfectly. Always betting on black was the way to go.

“Who you listen to?” Prince settled into the driver’s side.

“No preference. I’m an old school kind of girl.”

“What’s old school? Somebody hit me with some 2005 shit talking about old school. Shit had me hot as fuck.”

I laughed so hard I snorted, and that made his ass laugh so hard I couldn’t do anything but laugh more.

“No, seriously.” I waved my hand. “I’m talking about 90s R&B type old school. I love a few new songs because they were in such heavy rotation at the clubs, but at home on my own time, the last thing I want to do is listen to stuff like that.”

“Connect to my system then. We have about a thirty-minute drive.”

“Where we going?”

“You’ll see,” he replied, and I didn’t push. I did what he asked and paired my phone to Bluetooth. I appreciated the moment he was giving me to recover from earlier. Something about the car ride and listening to my favorite songs on the way didn’t allow me to remain uptight. The way he held the road so seamlessly made me feel at ease. No jerky stops or quick changing of lanes. Don’t get me wrong, we were zooming, but I couldn’t describe the trip as anything other than relaxing.

My defenses should have been higher, but as he opened my car door and helped me stand upright next to him, a feeling of comfort spread through me. I ogled the building in front of us. Chateau Le Fleur. It was definitely a restaurant, but one I hadn’t heard of before. We walked to the door, he gave our names, and the gentleman at the door opened it for us.

“We serve alcohol. We do need to check IDs, please,” the gentleman asked. I fished in my purse to pass mine over, and Prince followed suit. When he passed it back, Prince hovered over my shoulder.

“Le Monroe. I like that,” he quoted my middle name. It was like silk on his tongue. I would’ve corrected him if I didn’t want him to say it again the exact same way.

When we stepped inside, it looked nothing like a restaurant for dining, as the outside presented. Six different stations were set up. Couples were already standing behind them at four stations and putting on aprons. We walked around the closest table and went to the only other open one, and I saw both of our names on the placards.

“What in the world is this, Prince?”

“It’s a couple’s cooking activity. Don’t make us lose, either,” he said, pulling an apron from under the covered station and looping it around his head.

“Me? Can you even cook?”

“I guess you betta show me if I don’t.”

I smiled. I had to give him points for his creativity. I was ready for dinner and a movie, but he entered us into a challenge. He didn’t know he was waking up a monster because I didn’t lose at anything besides to him. I was sizing up the competition as we spoke. The first few couples were so enthralled with each other that I could tell they wouldn’t be focused on the task at hand. There was a couple in the corner that I would have to keep my eyes on. Sis’ looked like she could throw down, and her man was a teddy bear looking like one of those IG food influencers.

“Look at yo’ pretty ass. You are already sizing everybody up. I figured if I gave you somebody to fight with, you wouldn’t be fighting with me all night. Did I tell you how good you look tonight?” Prince’s hands seared to my side as he planted firmly before me. His touch was so sure.

“You are handsy, ain’t you?” I popped my head back, trying to show a little attitude. Even if I planned to ride his dick all night until I forgot all about the bullshit currently going on, he didn’t have to know that. It didn’t have to be easy.

“Oh yeah. I should have asked for permission. May I touch you, Le? Is that a problem for you?” he asked, knowing damn well it wasn’t. My words didn’t reach my lips fast enough before he turned around and started securing the apron around my waist.

“Okay, it looks like everyone has arrived! First, thank you all for signing up for this exclusive package. As you know, the opening of Chateau Le Fleur has been highly anticipated, and you guys will be the first to taste the menu and cook it yourself! We appreciate you purchasing our platinum package, and the winner of today’s cook-off will be entered for a chance to win a special gift!” The host stood in the middle of the floor. The excitement leaked from him so fiercely that it made me excited myself.

“Up first, we will have the appetizer round. You can pick from three options that you would like to prepare. You will have thirty minutes for each round to prepare your dish. We have everything you may need and want in the pantry.” He waved his arm toward the makeshift pantry in the corner of the room, filled with spices and goodies. I hummed to myself. I don’t understand how he could have thought about something like this or set it up so soon. I felt like he was sitting outside my window while I watched one of my favorite shows on the Food Network. Cooking was my element, and throwing competition in there? You got me, hands down. I turned to him and cocked my brow. Damn, I was impressed.

“You betta stop looking at me like that, Le,” he warned.

“I would tell you two to stay focused so you can win the prize, but if I am not mistaken, sir, you seem like you already did.” The host winked at Prince and dropped a form on our table, and I blushed.

We picked out our starter dish. I let him decide on the main course. The dessert round was mine, hands down.

“Alright. Let’s begin!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, I started bringing the pots and pans from under our station while Prince dashed over to get the ingredients. He worked next to me egoless. He surprised me. He knew exactly what he was doing in the kitchen. I mean, he was not me, but he knew a little something. While the other couples were laughing and making eyes at each other, we worked hard on the task. I could see halfway through that he was just as competitive as I was. He was trying to come out on top. We won the starter round easily. When we got to the main course, I worked on the sides while Prince cooked the perfect medium steak.

“My God, sir! What school did you attend?” the host asked. I thought he was putting it on thick until I tasted it for myself.

“Wow,” I said as soon as I closed my mouth around the piece of meat. The flavors zipped through my mouth. It was so tender and flavorful that my tummy rumbled, and I had to go in for another bite.

“You like that, huh?” He draped a towel across his shoulder and leaned back against the counter.

“Where did you learn to cook like this?”

“I’m self-taught. You betta come right on this dessert woman. I don’t like to lose,” he teased.

“Whatever. Don’t you worry about that. I got this, so you won’t.” I popped my head back, and he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his chest. He dropped a quick kiss on my lips. His velvet touch against mine made me stumble. I was glad I could blame it on his swift movements.

“I don’t think there is any way I can,” he spoke. When I popped my eyes open, still in his embrace, I could tell by the cocky grin placed on his face he knew it was all him. With wobbly legs, I felt my way to the cooking station before us. I turned my back to him and let out an inaudible sigh. You will not fuck this man in this building. You will not fuck this man in the car on the way to your house. I chanted my hoe commandments in my mind just as the host announced the final round.

Hearing the timer go off knocked me back into competitive mode.

“You didn’t tell me the ingredients we need,” Prince came to me.

“And I won’t. This is my momma's secret recipe. I will not have you teaching your other hoes this.” I laughed because the words came out a little too harshly. Something as simple as a nice date gave me respect for Prince. He was being thoughtful.

“You funny. Tell me what you want me to do.”

“I’m going to put sugar and butter in this pot. Your job is not to burn it.” I raced to the pantry and got the ingredients I needed. I was making my mother’s remarkable strawberry turnovers. It had just the right amount of sweet and tangy balance to make a pallet dance. It was only a twenty-minute recipe, and I knew Prince would love this—the judges, not Prince. I got back to the kitchen and went to work. Surprisingly, I started to reminisce about my mother. She was something for sure, but when she wasn’t over the top crazy making us obsess about our appearance and what we ate, she was a sweet woman. Once a month, she would make these for us. They were so light and flaky. I pushed out the small batch of dough, thinking about the memories. Those times when we were just able to be close to her. When she was just being our mom were the best. Snuggling in her bed was a scent that I would never forget.

“Are you okay?” Prince’s hand rested on top of mine, and I jerked slightly.

“Yes. Just two more minutes on the dough.”

I moved to the other side and ensured the strawberries and sugar were set up perfectly for assembly. I wouldn’t have much time to construct the dish, and it had to be perfect for this one. I heard the ding and assembled the dish just in time before the clock expired. I wiped my forehead from the small beads of sweat that mounted there. I felt like I had just finished running a marathon.

“Damn, you made me one?”

“I ain’t made you nothing, but you can have it if you want,” I teased.

He gripped the plate, and I turned to hand him a fork. When I turned back, he shoveled the last piece in his mouth. I watched as he enjoyed it to the last bite, and I wished I could frame the satisfaction on his face.

“Damn Le.”

“I told you I’m like that,” I sang and gloated.

“You did, and you are.”

“We betta win.” I looked around as the judge started to tally their votes.

The host came directly to us after receiving the card.

“Ladies and gents, it's no surprise that these are our winners! Since most of you didn’t finish your dishes and the others almost blew us up a few times, let’s give it up for Prince and !” He swept his hand our way, and Prince picked me up and swung me around while I laughed the softest I remembered.

“What do we get?” I whispered to Prince as he sat my feet on the ground.

“They haven’t told us yet. They will let us know via email what the prize is in the next few days. Everything is so exclusive. It wasn’t the prize for real. I brought us here because I figured you would enjoy it.”

“I did. Thank you.”

“You got that anytime.” He locked his sleepy eyes on mine. I nodded and looked away quickly. They let us pack up our leftovers, and between all the tasting and testing, I was full anyway. Prince opted not to eat more either as we left the building.

“Wow, it’s already ten?”

“I know that blew by. It felt like only an hour. But we ain’t done unless you gotta get home.”

“No, I’m good.”

He focused on the road while I looked for something to play for our next trip. Once I had my next playlist, I ran over to my girls' group chat. They were already in there going off.

Satisa: How’s it going?

Nesha: This hoe ain’t answering. She probably already got her ass up and head between the headboard!

Satisa: No she does not! She gone let that man take her out first at least. Right…

I laughed and I texted back.

So far so good. I’ll call as soon as I get home.

“What you smiling at?” I asked Prince when I caught his expression in the window.

“You on your phone talking shit about me, huh?”

“You swear,” I said, but I ensured my security screen remained intact. His phone began to ring. He silenced it. My mood changed. I tried not to let that shit bother me. In the back of my mind, I always wondered why a man as fine as Prince claimed to be single. My trust issues were way too high that anything out of place tipped the scale. Nesha was right. The only thing I needed to think about was having him warm my bed if he was up to par. You know that man would fuck you senseless. Why the hell did men lie the way they did? It was always my experience. Maybe it was me.

The next thing I knew, I was scrolling through my phone, doing what I promised myself I wouldn’t. I was reading all the text messages Devin sent me from different numbers. Devin knew me. My block game was strong but Devin was the type not to go down easy. He would text and call from a series of different numbers until I finally gave in. This time the only time I would answer was to curse his ass out. That wouldn’t happen until I was good and ready. Just that quickly, I was ready to go home, but we were already on our way to our next destination. Wherever that was.

When he took the exit off the highway, I sat up with anticipation, thinking of what was next. When we stopped, we pulled into the driveway of an elaborate home.

“Whose house is this?” I asked.

“Right now, no one’s. I bought this for a steal, rehabbed it, and I’ll put it on the market.”

“Umm hmm. So you mean to tell me you just have all these nice houses just lying around?”

“Damn, you looking at me like you want to see the deed. Didn’t we talk about you helping to stage some of these?” He laughed that smile, threatening to take me under. Then his phone rang again.

“Looks like someone really wants to get in contact with you.” I popped the door open and stood outside the car irritated as hell.