Chapter 19
Gemma had showered and was waiting for a call from Royal. She wasn’t killing time by watching a movie or tidying up her room. She was sitting on the bed staring at her phone, waiting for the thing to ring. She glanced at the clock: 9:47 p.m. Why hadn’t he called yet?
She grabbed her emoji pillow and squeezed it close to her chest. Maybe he was tired and went to bed early. No, this was Royal. He didn’t get tired. He had the stamina of a rodeo bull and that was without any caffeine boosters and energy drinks. So, where was he? When she couldn’t handle waiting any longer, she picked up her phone to dial his number and her phone buzzed in her hand. It was him. A smile instantly came to her face.
“Hey,” she answered.
“Hey. You must’ve been on your phone already, huh?”
“No. I had just picked it up when I saw you calling.”
“Oh. How are you, Gemma?”
“I’m good. How are you, Royal?”
He chuckled. “Why do we sound so formal? I’m supposed to be like, wassup bae. And then you’re supposed to follow up with, whattup handsome.”
She giggled. “I like how you automatically assume I’d call you handsome.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Well, yeah, I would.”
“Okay, then. Quit playing with me.” He chuckled. “Anyway, how was your day after we parted ways?”
“Good.”
“Carson wasn’t trying to drill you for information was he?”
“No. Not at all. Plus, you took my tongue so I couldn’t talk, anyway.”
“Funny,” he said.
“Oh, and I picked up my meds on the way home and took a nap once I got here, of course.”
“What about dinner? What’d you eat?”
“Soup. Carson made some vegetable soup just for me.”
“Cool. I’ll have to thank him when I see him.”
“How was your day at the office?”
“It was work. I had a few fires to put out…nothing your boy couldn’t handle.”
She smirked.
“Hey, I found out from Regal that mother is hosting dinner at her house this Sunday since she knows me and Regal will be out of town. I would like for you to come with me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Royal said.
“But—but we haven’t really told anyone about us yet.”
Correction: you haven’t told anyone. “We don’t have to actually tell anyone anything, Gemma. People can come to their own conclusions.”
“So, you’re okay with your parents knowing about us?”
“I am, but I want to focus on us being us before making my parents aware of us.”
“In that case, I shouldn’t go.”
“Why do you say that, bae?”
“Because you St. Claire men like to stare at your women. You stare at me a lot, just like Ramsey stares at Gianna. And your mother is going to peep that right away.”
“What if she does? I don’t care.”
“I do. Your mom’s nice, but I can’t read her. I don’t know if she likes me or not.”
“Are you kidding? My mother likes everybody, and she thinks you’re a doll.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. Why would you think otherwise?”
“Because I saw her looking at me all weird because I had the scarf on.”
“She probably wonders why you’re wearing one.”
“What’s there to wonder about? She knows I had cancer, right?”
“Yes, but you have hair, Gemma.”
She did have hair but not the hair she used to have. Her hair used to be long, thick and curly. Now, it was about four inches long, still curly but lacked that same luster and beauty it once had.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” he asked.
“What’s tomorrow?”
“Friday.”
“Oh. Right. I’m going to the bakery with Gianna tomorrow.”
“Perfect.”
“Why’s that perfect?”
“Because I want you to spend the weekend with me and it would be convenient for me to pick you up from the bakery, so pack a bag.”
“Um, excuse me?”
He snickered. “There’s no need to pretend you don’t want this just as much as I do.”
Gemma chuckled. “How did I not see how arrogant you were before?”
“It’s not arrogance.” More like love. The need for your love. An obsession I have with you.
“Then what is it, Royal?”
“Spend the weekend with me and maybe you’ll find out.”
Gemma smiled. “Let me stop giving you a hard time. Of course, I’ll spend the weekend with you. I miss you so much I can’t stand it. I was sitting here practically tongue-kissing this emoji pillow before you called me.”
He laughed. “You just made my night. Pack a bag before you go to bed. I’ll pick you up from the bakery as soon as I’m off work.”
“Okay, Royal. Have a good night.”
“Thanks to you, I will. Sweet dreams, baby.”