Distracted (18 page)

Kennedy

I should’ve felt good about this.

In all honesty, I should’ve been
ecstatic
to finally have the answers I wanted and the closure I thought I needed. But somehow, I felt even more horrible than I had before I left my apartment.

For one, I couldn’t believe Chloe’s ass had set me up to “run into” Bryson. And for two, I wasn’t exactly expecting the conversation between Bryson and I to happen anytime soon; if ever.

But what better time than the present, I suppose.

I dragged myself into the apartment, walking right in on a way too comfortable Landon who was lounging on the couch shirtless, sipping a beer even though it was well past two in the morning.

“Hey. Wasn’t sure if you were coming back or not tonight.”

“Well… here I am.”

He scooted over to one side of the couch before he patted a space for me to sit down. And even though I knew I wasn’t interested in his comfort, I walked over and plopped down anyway.

I was working to get my shoes off as he asked, “So, did you have fun tonight?” I nodded my head yes though I knew it wasn’t true.

“Was… he there?
”

My attitude was instant, forcing me to spit out
,
“That’s none of your business, Landon.”

He had the nerve to laugh at me as he said, “Damn. So he was there.” I rolled my eyes, standing up to head to the bathroom, but he pulled me back down to the couch.

“My bad, babe. I was just messin’ with you. How about you go change into some comfy clothes then we can watch a movie together or somethin’.”

I stood up again as I told him, “Not interested. I’m going to bed.”

“You’re going to bed?
Yeah right
. You’re way too tense to actually get some sleep.”

He could tell I wasn’t pleased with his assessment so he threw in, “Look, I’ll sit on the floor or somethin’ if that makes you feel better about us spending some time together.”

I thought it over and realized a movie may actually be the perfect thing to take my mind off of Bryson, even if I did have to sit through it with Landon of all people.

So instead of turning him down once more, I answered, “Fine. But you better not try anything.”

&

It was late.

Like…
really late
.

Like so late that it was almost time for the sun to come up.

But I felt so content as I laid on the couch with Landon sitting in front of me while we watched Booty Call like it was brand new, laughing at all the same parts that were funny in the 90s though I really had no business watching it back then.

Landon looked content as well, smiling while the light from the action on the TV screen flickered off of his face. He really was a fine specimen of man if you were able to look past his
gigantic
mistake of cheating with those damn strippers.

But I was no better.

I had cheated with someone who was probably on his way to being a modern day Wilt Chamberlain.

Okay, maybe he’s not
that
bad.

At least I hope not....

Landon must’ve picked up on my vibes as he turned around and asked, “You okay, babe?”

I tried to look as normal as possible as I replied, “Yeah. I’m fine. Just thinking about some things. I’m good though. Nothing to worry about.”

He wore of half-hearted smile, turning around fully to say, “Kennedy, we were engaged once upon a time. So I pretty much know you like the back of my hand, including when something is wrong with you. So what is it?” There was no way I was going to talk to my ex-fiancé about my ex-whatever we called ourselves doing.

So I stood up, stretching out a little and forcing a yawn. “Nothing, Landon. I’m just… getting tired. I think I’m gonna crash. Thanks for hanging out with me though.”

The smile was now full blown as he replied, “That’s what I’m here for, babe. I got your back.”

If only you would’ve done that from the beginning, I wouldn’t be in this mess.

I pushed my petty to the side to toss a, “Good night” over my shoulder while I headed to the room. Then I threw myself onto the bed, already trying to figure out how I was gonna deal with the coming days.

Chloe had already asked me to go with her to the Championship parade next weekend and even though I knew just being around Bryson exhausted me, I was still considering attending. It was a big deal for our city to have a championship team once again, so the least I could do was bask in the excitement of all the festivities.

At least this time I’d be a little more prepared to see him.

Or would I....

I honestly wasn’t sure how I felt about Bryson’s truth. I mean, of course I wasn’t happy about it, but I also wasn’t as upset as I imagined myself to be after the fact.

His intentions were good; it was his execution that was horrible. But was that really a reflection of who Bryson was?

He had been good to me… really,
really
good to me.

We were good together.

So why couldn’t we move past this one thing?

That one thing is a baby, that’s why.

Even though the baby wouldn’t be my responsibility, it would always be a part of him. So if I wanted any parts of him, I’d be sharing it with the baby, which also meant I’d be sharing him with Nicole.

And that was some BS.

But would Nicole really be
that
much of an issue?

I mean, I already knew how catty she could get, but I could pretty much assume Bryson would have no problem keeping her in her place.

Damn.

You’ve got it bad, Kennedy.

I couldn’t believe I was really laying in bed thinking up reasons why I should give Bryson another chance when he had already given up and said goodbye.

We
had said goodbye.

So anything more would just be a formality.

Or maybe…

Maybe we weren’t done.

Maybe there were actually more chapters of our story to be written.

I picked up my phone with every intention of sending Bryson a sappy ass text, but I put it back down just as quickly.

If I was really gonna go into the deep end, I’d at least have to sleep on it first.

Bryson

“Look, Bryson. I know you don’t really wanna do this, but I’m not exactly giving you a choice. It’s like a right of passage when someone does something big for our city and you know that, so I really don’t know why you’re being so hardheaded about it.”

Leslie wasn’t even looking at me while she went to work on her phone as we rode the elevator together to the floor that the radio station was located. I had been in the studio before and was quite familiar with the host, but I just wasn’t in the mood to deal with anybody I didn’t absolutely have to. But according to Leslie, this was an absolute have to; especially after she had complained the whole drive over about how she sat through multiple mediation sessions with my lawyer and Nicole’s.

So I shook hands, gave half-hugs, and set up in front of the microphone with my headset on like I was supposed to. I turned to Leslie ready to show her how annoyed I was, but she quickly gave me a thumbs up through the window before I could get the expression off.

“We’re going live, people! In three... two…”

DJ Mix’m hopped on the mic, completely in character as he said, “And we’re back with a special guest in the house, a champion if you will, Mr. Bryson “MVP” Harris!” There was a fake round of applause before I got on the mic to say what’s up to the listening audience.

“Now Bryson, first we gotta congratulate you and the squad on bringing the championship back to where it belongs here in Philly. But your performance in that final game was out of this world, bro. What got into you?”

“Honestly man, that game is still a blur. People blew my phone up talking about how legendary it was and I’m like… I don’t even remember any of it.” I pushed out a laugh and Mix’m did the same.

“That’s crazy! I can’t even ball like that in full focus and you’re out here doing it unconsciously!” I laughed again, this time a real one.

“So has anything changed since you’ve became a two-time champion? I’m sure the ladies are showing you mad love.”

“You know they are, man. But I only have eyes for one.” I could feel Leslie’s eyes burning through the back of my head, so I didn’t even bother turning around. Hell, she shouldn’t have asked me to do the interview if she didn’t expect me to be honest.

But apparently that was like music to DJ Mix’m’s ears -
literally
- as he lit up to ask, “Oh word? So Mr. MVP has a special lady in his life?”

“I wish. She’s not feeling me right now, but I hope she will again someday.” It was crazy that even after saying a pretty clear goodbye, I was still hopeful that Kennedy would somehow make her way back to me.

“Aw man. So our champ is in the doghouse, huh?” He even cued in the fake boo’s.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I replied, “Yeah, something like that. But if she
is
listening, I still wanna give her a little shoutout. Love you, Kenn baby.” Now came the fake awww’s.

“You hear him, Kenn baby? The champ loves you. Go ahead and take him back so he can bring us another championship! Matter of fact, we got a song for that.” My headset was instantly filled with New Edition crooning,
Can You Stand The Rain
. I took it off, but could still hear the song faintly as it played through the studio.

Since we weren’t on air, DJ Mix’m - who’s real name was Malik - decided to strike up a normal conversation.

“So what happened with you and your girl, B?”

I scrubbed a hand down my face, giving my beard a tug as I told him, “She umm… it’s kind of a long story.”

He laughed, moving his mic from in front of his face as he said, “Well condense it to the two minutes we have left of the song.”

I sighed, knowing I didn’t really wanna talk about it but probably needed to so I wouldn’t overthink it on my own.

“Basically… I have a child on the way. She knew it was a possibility, we weren’t together when it happened. But when it was actually confirmed, she found out from someone else before I could tell her. Of course that made her mad, we fought, she left. Then I saw her after we had already argued about it and we came to the conclusion that it only made sense for us to say goodbye, even though that’s not really what I wanted to do.”

He looked confused as he asked, “Well then why’d you go for it? Shit, why’d you even suggest it?”

I shrugged. “I guess I just... I couldn’t live with her being unhappy over my mistakes.” The last thing I wanted to do was make Kennedy bitter.

He nodded to agree with me as he said, “Ahh, yeah I feel you. Well look, let’s finish this interview up, then I’ll give you some tips on how I’ve been married for ten years and counting.”

Kennedy

“Well… that was cute.”

I sat in the passenger seat stunned as I rode to the mall with Chloe. I hardly ever listened to the radio in my own car, preferring my rotation of the same three CDs. But since we were in Chloe’s car, I had heard the whole thing.

The whole thing.

And I had to keep blinking to fight off the tears.

I tried to play it cool, looking out of the window as I told her, “It was nice.”

She quickly brushed me off. “Oh come on now, Kennedy. That was easily the sweetest thing I’ve heard in like… the last five years. Maybe even ten.” I knew she was right, but I refused to admit it out loud; especially since I had already been thinking about Bryson pretty heavy. It was almost like the interview, even if I had only heard it by chance, was the icing on the cake I was already thinking about baking.

Now I was ready to actually go buy the ingredients.

“So what do I do, Chloe?” I couldn’t believe I was asking her of all people for advice.

She whipped into the parking lot as she confidently shared, “If I were you, I’d show up on his doorstep in only a trench coat and those fancy ass shoes he bought you.”

I screeched, “Chloe, be for real! What should I do?”

I watched as she engaged in a parking war with another customer, cutting him off to get into the spot before she finally answered, “Honestly, I think you should take him back, Kennedy. I mean, you’ve been just as miserable, if not more since ya’ll… would call it a break-up?”

I nodded. “Something like that.”

She made herself busy checking her face in the sun visor mirror as she continued, “Well, anyway. Make him work for it, obviously. But hear him out and decide if it’s what you want. I’m pretty sure you’ll know right away if you can stand the rain,” she said with a laugh as she flipped it close.

Even though her advice wasn’t the worst I had ever heard from her, I still couldn’t help but tease her as we got out of the car, “Chloe, you’re really no help.”

She slammed her door shut, walking around the front of it to meet me.

“
What
? I gave you the best I had. But I know you, and you’re gonna do what you wanna do regardless of what I or anyone else tells you. I guess I’m just saving my breath.” I pushed her in the shoulder a little, causing her to stumble away with a laugh.

“But seriously, Kennedy. Just think about it, alright? Give yourself some time… maybe until the parade or somethin’, to decide what you wanna do and how you wanna move forward.”

In all honesty, it was a really good idea.

A
great
idea.

An idea I could actually make use of.

I pulled my girl in by the arm to tell her, “Thank you, Chloe.”

“You’re welcome, Kenn. Now since I gave you such stellar advice, I’m gonna need you to put every last one of those stylist skills to use to help me find something cute to wear for Mr. Wes tonight. Gotta keep my champion on his toes.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I said, “You’ve got a deal.”

&

My hands were filled with bags of stuff I really didn’t need, but still managed to feel good about as I struggled to unlock the front door of my apartment. And for once, Landon’s presence paid off as he must’ve heard me bumping the lock and came to open it.

“Thank you,” I tossed out, as I slid past him with all of my goods.

“Damn, girl. What’d you do? Buy the whole mall?” A laugh escaped before I could hold it in.

“Shut up, Landon.”

I sat the bags down in the bedroom before my nose led me back to the kitchen.

“Mmm… something smells good. What are you cooking?” He turned around with a smile before he went back to work on the stove.

“Some shit one of the other teachers wouldn’t stop raving about in our training, so I thought I’d give it a try. Here, how about you come have a taste?” I thought about turning him down just in case he was trying to poison me or something, but quickly realized he wasn’t
that
damn crazy. 

He lifted the spoon, holding his hand under just in case it spilled, before he brought it to my mouth. I gave him a skeptical eye before I opened my lips and accepted the sample. My skeptical eye shut as I savored the mystery flavor that was the perfect mix of spicy and fruity.

He leaned in, whispering in my ear, “It’s good, huh?” His closeness use to give me tingles, but now it practically gave me the same reaction as the sauce gave me. Quick burst of goodness that I could pretend to savor before it was indeed over.

So I shrugged, stepping away before I told him, “It’s alright.”

He laughed, turning back to the stove as he said, “Yeah right, Kennedy. I saw that face. It’s bomb.”

“Well yeah, if that’s what you’re into. I suppose you’ll be…
satisfied
.” He froze once he digested my words before he went back to stirring.

“Well, if you want some of this
non-satisfying
food, it’ll be ready in a few minutes.” I was ready to turn him down when my stomach growled, putting me on blast.

Landon laughed as he said, “Mmhm, that’s what I thought. You aren’t foolin’ me.”

I really wanted to say something smart back, but there was no use. And besides, a good meal would give me the fuel I needed to figure out my plans with Bryson.