I frowned my face. “Nah. I’ve only been living here for about five years. I came when my mother relocated to be with Bayliss. My mom moved here to pursue a relationship with Bayliss. Collins and I came with her. Collins came because she was falling in love with Beckham. I came because I didn’t want to live in a world where my mama was thousands of miles away from me. Perkins came about two years after us to give her girls a different childhood than the one we had growing up. Bailey came about a year after that because her marriage fell apart, and she needed the support of her sisters and her mother.”
“Chicago girl. Got it. I’m still tryna get there.”
“Oh, really? I heard you moved around a lot. Never made it to Chicago, huh?”
“Nah. Can’t really fuck with the weather up there. Winter’s too harsh.”
“I can’t argue when you’re right.” I took a bite of my sandwich and shimmied my shoulders again. “Yes!” I cheered because it tasted so good.
Jones laughed aloud.
“Where are you from, Jonah?” I stuck a fry in my mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the flavor.
“Why you keep calling me, Jonah?”
I shrugged. “It’s the name your mother, or somebody gave you. And it honestly seems like it’s fitting. Jonah, the Hebrew biblical prophet, was headstrong and disobedient. I mean, he basically gave his middle finger to the Lord. Who does that?”
“And you think I’m like that?” He smirked at me.
“I definitely think you’re headstrong and . . . maybe not necessarily disobedient, but definitely mischievous.”
He laughed. “Jonah, the prophet, also got tight as hell at seeing his enemies get forgiveness. That’s some shit I can’t stand either. I need my damn revenge.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Oh, wow. Okay, so you’re headstrong, mischievous, and vindictive.”
“At times. If you really wanna see how I am, you shoulda went to the drive-in with me. You could’ve seendateJonah.”
“I’m seeing him right now.”
“What you think of him?”
I eyed him as I chewed a bite of my sandwich. “I think he’s probably a nice guy, but the promiscuity isn’t my scene.”
“I won’t apologize for liking sex.” He shrugged. “But I will admit that I could’ve been more selective, . . . more discriminating about who I hooked up with. Still, fucking available women ain’t all there is to me.”
“Well, if you want people to know that, you need to show that.”
Chapter 9
Jones
As the month of October came in, my crew and I were wrapping up Church’s project. All that was left to do was the finishing work and touch-ups. She would be ready to start production of her products at her own home in less than a week from the upcoming Monday. I wouldn’t be out of her hair completely, though. She’d already asked me to come by and do a few projects around the house.
It was Friday, the night that the annual Jackson Falls Fall Festival kicked off. It was my first October in Jackson Falls, and all the locals acted like the festival was the shit, so I agreed to meet Lex at the main stage. A band I’d grown up watching my mama love, Londynville Steel, was scheduled to perform. I found Lex in the crowd cupcaking with Mari. She was in front of him. His arms were wrapped protectively around her at the shoulders. Lex’s ass was gone. I’d never seen him do PDA with a woman. Ever.
He didn’t remove his arms from around Mari when he spotted me. “What up?” he questioned as I joined them. He held out his fist, still not releasing his lady.
I tapped his fist with my own. “Can’t call it.” I gave his girl a playful grin. “What’s up, Mari? You lettin’ this hoodlum be wrapped all around you in public?”
She grinned wide. “Just for today,” she teased.
He kissed her on the side of her face. “Whatever. You know you’ll let me wrap myself around you tomorrow, too.”
We all laughed. I spotted Church standing to the side.
“Ugh, I’m glad somebody else is here,” she said to me. “I was starting to feel like the third wheel. Hey, Jonah.”
“Damn.” I turned up my nose. “They been lovey-dovey and shit the whole time y’all been here?”