Feel The Heat. Cheris Hodges

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      “All right, all right. Dinner’s on me.”

      “That’s a given.” The men climbed the three stories and made it to Brent’s front door.

      “Why did you decide to move anyway?” Jamal asked.

      “Tired of yard work,” Brent joked. “Besides, I moved out to the burbs because I thought I’d be starting a family.”

      Jamal dropped his head. “I tried to warn you. Denisha Tate wasn’t worth your lifestyle change.”

      Brent sucked his teeth. “Are you ever going to let that go?”

      “Nope. Because you keep dating these paper broads.”

      “Here we go,” Brent said as he unlocked the door.

      “You want these women who have all of the right papers. The Spelman graduates, the PhDs from Yale, the Links sisters...”

      “Stop it.”

      “You need to stop it. You’re so busy trying to craft a perfect life that you’re not living. You’re a litigating machine, but when you crawl out of your work hole, you’re boring.”

      Brent shook his head. “I’m far from boring. I just choose not to run the streets like a college student looking to score.”

      “Hey, I resemble that remark. Dude, we’re living in the land of plenty. Plenty of booty, plenty of breasts and plenty of women who are down for whatever. You’d know that if got out of your law office every now and then. As a matter of fact, we’re going out tonight.”

      “I’ve got briefs to prepare.”

      “After all of the work I’ve just put in moving your bed and desk, we’re going out tonight to have a good time.”

      Brent relented because he couldn’t deny how much help Jamal had been in moving his stuff. There was a part of him that knew there was a lot of truth in what Jamal said. But he had to craft his life this way; being the son of one Georgia’s most notorious lawyers who fell from grace made everything he did subject to scrutiny.

      Did he push himself too hard? Maybe. But he never wanted anyone to ever mistake him for his womanizing father. So, he had a type, and if she stepped out of line, his next step was out the door. Brent couldn’t help it that he needed someone who kept her business private to go along with the image he’d created for himself. But lately, the women he’d met wanted nothing more than to be the next housewife of some reality show.

      And his ex-girlfriend Denisha Tate had almost sucked him into her plan. Who knew the contract attorney wanted their relationship to play out on TV?

      “Yo,” Jamal said, snapping his fingers in Brent’s face, “we’re done, right?”

      “Yeah. I’ll unpack this later.”

      “All right then, we’ll meet back here in an hour and I will show you the beauty of Buckhead nightlife.” Jamal headed for the door, then turned around and gave his friend a stony look. “Now don’t let me come back in here and find you’re buried in a law book or a brief. Give it a break for a few days.”

      Brent chuckled. “Okay. I’ll try. I will give you tonight because you had a brother’s back with this move. No work.”

      Jamal nodded and headed out the door. Once he was alone, Brent walked over to the bay window looking over the city. Maybe this was the change that he needed.

Chapter 2

      Mimi had a good day and she was looking forward to a quiet night. MJ had finally stopped harassing her about the viral blog post. The World Wide News interview had been a success and video snippets were being shared on Twitter and Facebook. And her blog was blowing up even more. MJ had gotten Mimi booked on the local TV station for the five-thirty newscast.

      Now that work was over, Mimi was ready to let her curly hair down and relax. And by relax, she meant getting wrapped up in a good book.

      “MJ,” Mimi called from the terrace of her condo. “I really don’t want to go to some loud nightclub this evening.”

      MJ walked onto the terrace holding two glasses of sweet tea. “Good, because we’re going to the Jazz Spot. My client has turned that place into a hot spot in the city.”

      “Oh, that’s what we’re calling him now? ‘My client’?” Mimi laughed and MJ narrowed her eyes at her.

      “I can’t with you. Nic and I have a professional relationship that works. Don’t be a hater.”

      Mimi rolled her eyes and turned toward the picturesque view of downtown Atlanta. MJ stood beside her friend and handed her a glass of tea. Mimi took a sip of the tea and sighed.

      “What’s that all about?” MJ asked as she followed Mimi’s glance.

      Shrugging, she set her glass on the railing. “I guess I’m just a little tired.”

      MJ shook her head. “Bull. You’re plotting something in that pretty little head of yours. I know you, Mimi.”

      “I’m bored.”

      MJ furrowed her brows. “Really?”

      She nodded as she took a long sip of tea. “How long have we been in Atlanta?” Mimi asked. “Since undergrad, and we’ve been out of school for...”

      “I clearly know how old we are. But you have a great base here.”

      Mimi folded her arms across her chest. “I want to experience something new. I want to travel and write about new things. I know it’s popular, but this dating stuff is getting really old. What’s the point? My blog is about adventure, but I’m in a rut. I don’t want to write a follow-up to my book. What am I supposed to say? Dating in Atlanta still sucks rotten eggs?”

      MJ shrugged and downed her tea. “I love Atlanta. Driving down 285 is an adventure for me. Where do you want to go?”

      Mimi’s eyes sparkled. “Dallas, New Orleans, New York, Mexico. I just want to take a map, throw darts at it and go.”

      “And you don’t think we’re at the age where it’s time to settle down?”

      “Maybe you are—I mean, you have this client you want to nurture and stroke.”

      “Shut up! Anyway, I’m going to change my clothes and I’ll be back in about an hour. Then we can talk rationally about why you shouldn’t leave Atlanta.”

      Simply because she didn’t want to start an argument, Mimi nodded and agreed that she’d consider it. But there was seriously nothing that could change her mind. She needed something new in her life and she was going to reach out and grab it.

      * * *

      Brent had already broken his promise to Jamal this weekend. After their early morning workout and plan to explore the new neighborhood, Brent returned home and started working. He’d spent the majority СКАЧАТЬ