The Ex Project by Nia Arthurs

Chapter Twenty-Five

She hungup the phone and strode toward Latoya, Jada and Giselle. Janice had left after Tay-Tay’s game, claiming she had a business meeting to attend.

“What did Zaka say?”

“She’s waiting for her brother to come home.”

“I hope they have a nice reunion.” Latoya checked her watch. “What time is it in LA? Cole’s supposed to call soon. I need to get home.”

“You seriously can’t go a day without him, can you?”

Latoya placed a hand on her hip. “Girl, look in the mirror. We all know you’re dying to talk to West.”

Yolanda laughed softly.

“Where’s Tay-Tay?” Latoya lifted her chin and searched the football field. “I wanted to see him before I left.”

Yolanda pointed at the huddle of players who were helping Duane clean up the stadium. “He’s over there.”

“I’ll go say bye too.” Giselle hooked her arm around Latoya’s.

Yolanda arched an eyebrow. “You’re leaving already?”

“I have to help Marcy pack up the smoothie truck. She’s been working on her own all day. I think it’s only fair.”

“Alright. See you guys. And thanks for coming.”

Her friends darted off to say goodbye to Tay-Tay. He gave them bright smiles and enthusiastic hugs.

She laughed at the way he proudly showed the ladies off. Her son could care less about her friends in private, but when they were in public, he played up his ‘favorite nephew’ routine for the crowd.

Yolanda knew why. His little buddies always fell in love with Latoya and Giselle, skyrocketing her son’s popularity.

“He looks happy, doesn’t he?” Jada mumbled, folding her arms over her chest. She had a calm expression on her face.

“I’m glad. Today could have been worse.”

“Because of Devon?”

She sighed. “Did I make the right choice roping Devon into his life? Would he be better off with no father than one who always lets him down?”

“That’s a tough one. I think a child is never better off without a father. If the biological one is non-existent, a mentor is necessary.” Jada closed her eyes and made an ‘mm’ sound. “Mentorship is what shapes a man.”

“I’m not trying to be selfish. I’m grateful for Devon because he gave me my son, but…”

“But sharing a son and not being together is complicated.”

Yolanda sighed again.

“It doesn’t have to be messy. A father is crucial in a child’s life.” Jada placed a hand on Yolanda’s shoulder. “And Devon is improving. He was late today, but he showed up. That’s better than nothing, right?”

“Maybe.” She thought of her promise to give Devon a chance if he stepped up as a father. “I really hope it doesn’t get messy.”

“Yolanda! Yo-hoo!” Duane’s mother strode over, her bright smile rivaling the moonlight. The wind got stronger and whipped her hair around her face. Claire gathered the tresses in one hand and waved with the other, sliding gracefully through the grass.

Jada waved back and muttered, “Who’s this?”

“Duane’s mother.”

“Oh.” Jada flashed her pretty smile—the one reserved for business people she wanted to make deals with.

“Yolanda, I’m so glad I found you. I was worried you’d already left.”

“We wanted to stick around and help out. Make sure Duane doesn’t need anything.”

“You’re such a sweetheart.”

“Yes, she is.” Jada crawled her fingers into the crook of Yolanda’s elbow. “Like mother, like daughter.”

“Yolanda, this is your mother? I thought it was your sister!”

“My, my.” Jada laughed joyfully. “I can tell we’re going to get along great!” Her fingers moved away from Yolanda to snag on Mrs. Marden’s elbow. “I’m Jada.”

“Claire.”

The women twittered like long-lost sisters. Yolanda watched it all with a stunned look.

Claire smiled. “Do you have any plans after this? If not, you must come to dinner with us.”

“We wouldn’t want to intrude,” Yolanda said.

“We would love to,” Jada said at the same time.

She exchanged a frantic look with her mother.

Jada returned a scowl full of displeasure.

Yolanda narrowed her eyes. Mom, I’m not going to let you loose with Duane’s parents.

Jada pushed out her lips in response. You can and you will.

“Well?” Claire asked.

Jada smirked. “We’ll be there.”

“Wonderful!” Claire’s cheeks glowed red with excitement. “How about you ride with us, Jada? We’re heading home to start up the grill. Yolanda, you’ll need directions. I’ll ask Duane to take you there.”

“I have GPS on my—”

“Splendid idea, Claire.” Jada laughed loudly. “I was just thinking that I wanted to rest my feet and sip some lime juice…”

The women walked off without a second glance.

“Did I just get double-crossed by my own mother?” Yolanda murmured.

She frowned at Jada’s back. It had been a long, crazy day. The thought of socializing with Duane’s family was exhausting, but how could she say no?

At that moment, her phone buzzed.

DUANE: I’m taking down the last of the tents and then I’ll come find you.

Her smile bounced across her face without permission.

YOLANDA: Take your time.

“Mom!” Tay-Tay came running up to her. “Are we eating at coach’s house tonight? Grandma just told me.”

She caressed the back of his head. “That’s right.”

“Yes!” He pumped his fists.

Amused, Yolanda asked, “Why are you so excited?”

“Coach said his mom makes the best tamales. I want five.” He held up a palm.

“Can you eat that many tamales?”

“I could eat a hundred!”

“Whoa. Sounds like you’re going out for a feast.”

She stiffened when she heard Devon’s voice.

“Dad!” Tay-Tay launched himself at his father.

Devon patted his back. “Did you see me playing, son?”

“You scored the last goal! It was cool!”

“I know. It felt good.” One corner of his lips arched.

Yolanda tried hard not to roll her eyes. Duane had given him that goal.

“I’m heading out now.” He glanced at her.

She nodded, although she wished to tell him not to bother announcing when he was coming or going.

“Dad, you don’t have to go home yet. We’re going to—”

“Actually, son, I’m not going home. The team invited me out for beers. I’ll hang with them instead.”

Tay-Tay visibly deflated. “Oh.”

“But you’ll have fun with your mom, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’ll definitely celebrate next time, alright? I owe you.”

Tay-Tay scrounged up a brave smile that broke Yolanda’s heart.

Devon rose and looked into her eyes. “I got my brownie points for showing up, right?”

Her smile turned hard.

“Yo, Devon!” Someone waved for him.

“That’s my ride.” He brushed a hand over Tay-Tay’s head and stepped back. “You be good for your mams.” He lifted his fingers in a telephone gesture. “I’ll call you, Yollie.”

In a blink, he was gone.

Yolanda knelt beside her son. “I’m sorry, Tay-Tay.”

“Sorry for what?” Tay-Tay wrapped his arms around his waist. “I didn’t expect anything.”

“Are you sure?”

He bobbed his head. “You don’t have to be mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

“Coach was mad.”

Her lashes bounced up and down. “What?”

“He was angry at dad today.”

“I… what do you mean?”

“He played angry. Coach taught us not to play like that.”

Yolanda worried her bottom lip with her teeth. She’d seen Duane’s anger too. He didn’t have to say a word. It was there in the vein popping out of his neck while he ran. There in the aggressive tackles and steals. There in the flash of his eyes that only saw Devon as prey on the field.

“Did it bother you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me what you felt.”

“A part of me,” he rocked on the back of his heels as he struggled for words, “a part of me thought it was cool seeing coach play. He was so awesome. I didn’t know anyone could move that fast.”

“But you were also bothered, weren’t you?” She’d heard all of Tay-Tay’s little groans when Duane stole the ball or cut off Devon in the game.

“I felt sorry for dad.”

“That’s natural. He’s your dad.” She squeezed his hand.

“But I like coach a lot too.”

Her eyebrows rose.

“Is it okay if I like coach, mom?” He stared at her with his big brown eyes. “Is it okay if I think of him as my dad too?”

Yolanda’s breath hitched.

Sneakers crunched loose stones in the distance. She and Tay-Tay looked up and saw Duane moving briskly toward them. He seemed even more exhausted than she was but, when he saw Tay-Tay, his eyes lit up and he started running faster.

To her surprise, Tay-Tay tore out of her arms and went sprinting toward his coach. The two collided in the middle of the grass.

Duane swept Tay-Tay up and spun him around. Her son’s laughter bounced against the field and made her heart melt.

“You were awesome, coach!” Tay-Tay yelled. “You did that thing with your foot—” He tried to mimic the movement and failed badly. “And the way you dodged and your one-v-one… it was so frigging cool!”

“Language,” Yolanda called out by instinct.

“Language.” Duane shot her son a look.

He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“What kind of talking is going on at the football field?” Yolanda folded her arms over her chest and let her hips sway a little as she approached Duane. “My son does not hear that kind of talking at home.”

“Mom, you say more bad words than that.”

She narrowed her eyes at him and then tickled his side. “I do not.”

He giggled.

Duane wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I heard I’m your ride tonight.”

“Correction. You’re my driver. I brought a car.”

“I’m delighted to be of service.” He did a little bow.

Yolanda walked with him to the parking lot. They were the only car left.

“Did you get everything settled?” she asked.

“As much as I could tonight. I’m too tired to move all the booths. We’ll go back with a truck and some blood-related volunteers tomorrow.”

“Slave driver,” she teased. “Your brothers must want to throw you off a cliff.”

“They may think it, but they’ll never have the guts to act on it.” He flashed her a handsome grin.

Her heart stuttered. Even beat down from a long day in the sun, shirt grimy with mud stains and sweat, and the stench of a tiring game on his skin, Duane was still so sexy to her.

She wanted to cuddle closer to his side, but Tay-Tay wiggled to be put down and Duane stepped away from her to accommodate her son.

When they got into the car, Tay-Tay gushed about the game and Duane joined him. The boys did a play-by-play of Tay-Tay-’s match and Yolanda tried not to look as bored as she felt.

Eventually, her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep. When she woke up, the car was empty and Duane was sitting with his body angled toward her.

She immediately checked if drool was on her face as she asked, “Where’s Tay-Tay?”

“Inside getting stuffed with more tamales than a human body should contain.”

She chuckled and stretched. “Were you watching me sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Creep.”

“Only with you.”

She laughed. “You admit it?”

He remained serious. “I want to introduce you to my parents.”

“I already met your mom.”

“As the woman I love.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Is that okay with you?”

“Duane…”

“I’m not going to label it. I heard you when you said you didn’t want that. But,” he pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and it was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen, “I’m serious about you. You and Tay-Tay are so important to me. I want my parents to know.”

“Your mom knows.”

“My dad is clueless.”

She smiled. “Men generally are.”

He took her hand and squeezed. “Let me introduce you to my family.”