The Joneses Read online

  “I’m Tyler Williams,” the mystery man said, extending his hand out to me.

  I shook it as Lisa continued. “She’s Charity and single, and I’m Lisa.”

  I wanted to hit Lisa, but instead I gave her the evil eye.

  “Charity, your speech was very motivating.”

  “Thank you,” I responded.

  Tyler removed a business card from his wallet and handed it to me. “Maybe we can get together for lunch or something. My numbers are on here.”

  I placed the card in my handbag. “Maybe.”

  Lisa said, “She’ll definitely call you.”

  “I’m counting on it.” Tyler winked his eye and left our table.

  “Lisa, you act like I’m desperate the way you kept pushing me off on that man.”

  “When was the last time you got laid?”

  I didn’t respond.

  “Exactly. You can thank me later.”

  Before I could respond to that comment, Lisa had grabbed her drink and moved on to socializing with other people.

  I looked up to see Tyler looking in my direction. He smiled and winked. My eyes followed his every move until he walked out of the hotel ballroom.

  Lisa walked up behind me and whispered, “Like I said, you can thank me later.”

  I couldn’t do anything but smile.

  CHAPTER 4

  Hope

  I can’t believe Charity thinks I’m going to get a job. As long as there are able-bodied men out there, I’m going to find me a sponsor. I can’t do a regular nine-to-five job. I tried it once, and it’s clear that taking direction from someone else was not in the cards for me.

  That’s why I’m at the Horseshoe Casino right now, wearing my short, tight red come-screw-me dress with my red stilettos. My hair was fierce, if I do say so myself. Many women have paid hundreds of dollars to have the long, curly mane that’s natural for me. Of course, I still pay my beautician nice money weekly to make sure it’s always looking just right.

  I’ve turned down several passes from men because after inspecting their shoes, I knew they would not be able to fulfill my needs. One thing Charity and I could agree on, I needed to be more selective about who I give my goodies to. It’s way past time that I stepped up my game. No more strays, as Charity puts it, for me.

  Thanks to my older brother, Lovie, I could play poker with the best of them. I didn’t want to chance losing the little money I had, but sometimes you have to take chances. I found a poker table near where the real high-rollers were, and placed a few bets. I’d increased my winnings to a level that would gain me entrance into the back room. I should have taken my huge winnings and left. The average person would have, but I’m not your average person.

  I was a woman on a mission, and my mission hadn’t been completed yet. Flashing my kilowatt smile, I gained entrance to the back and sat at the table. I scanned the faces of my competition and placed my bet.

  Each one of the players, except for one, threw in their hands. I wasn’t one to back down. I placed some chips in the center. The older gentleman licked his lips, smiled, and matched my bet. When all was said and done, I walked away from the table thousands of dollars richer. Mission was partially completed as I pushed away from the table.

  “Do you need some help?” one of the men I’d been admiring asked. He smelled as good as he looked.

  “Sure, thanks,” I said, as he held my chair while I held my earnings and clutch in my hands.

  “I can make sure you get to your car if you like,” the same man stated.

  “Who’s going to protect me from you?” I flirted.

  He laughed. “I guess I should have introduced myself first.” He reached into his pocket and handed me a business card.

  I glanced over it. It read, Tyler Williams, CEO of Williams Construction. “I’m sorry, but you’re still a stranger to me.”

  “Let me treat you to a late dinner so we can change that,” Tyler stated.

  “I’ll think about it.” I walked away. Correction, I switched away leaving him standing there watching me go cash in my chips.

  The cashier asked, “How would you like this?”

  “Since that’s a lot of cash, please deposit it directly into my account.”

  I filled out the necessary forms and waited patiently while the transfer occurred. Satisfied that I was now $100,000 richer, I turned around to walk back to my new friend. I looked and looked, but he couldn’t be found.

  Disappointed, I decided to leave and go to another casino. “Hope Jones, is that you?”

  I turned to face the familiar voice. “Brett?”

  “Brett Simmons in the flesh, baby.” Brett pulled me into a long bear hug.

  “Whoa. We haven’t seen each other since what…graduation night?”

  Brett was no longer the skinny nerd that I befriended to help me with my school work. Gone were the Coke-bottle glasses. His broad chest and defined chin made him very attractive now.

  Brett was all smiles. He responded, “I know. It’s been a while. Looking good, too.” He admired me from head to toe.

  “I try to keep myself up,” I responded.

  “Brett, there you are,” a petite woman with short, platinum blonde hair said as she walked up to Brett, and wrapped her arm around his waist.

  The woman rolled her eyes at me. I was used to women hating on me. She needed to check her man though, not me. Besides, if I wanted Brett, I could have him. I was his first. Since she wanted to give me the evil eye, I would give her something to really be upset about. I reached into my purse and handed Brett a card with my number on it.

  “Brett, call me so we can catch up.”

  Brett stuttered, “It was nice seeing you again, Hope.”

  “You too.” I rolled my eyes and continued to walk toward the elevator.

  “There you are. You disappeared on me,” Tyler said, as he rushed up near me.

  I didn’t slow my pace. “I’m leaving now.”

  “Can I get a rain check?” he asked.

  I pushed the down button for the elevator.

  I avoided looking at him. “I’ll think about it.” I looked down at his feet. His shoes were not run over. They were well-kept. My eyes scanned him from his feet all the way up to the tip of his bald head. I thought about it.

  I faked a yawn. “I’m a little sleepy tonight, but if you’re available tomorrow night you can take me to dinner then.”

  The elevator door opened. “I’m at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don’t know anything about you,” he said.

  “I’m Hope. No last name right now. When I call you, you’ll have my number.”

  “I guess I’ll have to wait until then.”

  “Good night, Tyler.”

  “Good night, Hope,” his raspy voice responded, just as the elevator door closed.

  My night wasn’t a complete failure after all.

  CHAPTER 5

  Lovie

  I enjoyed my job at the club, Bottoms Up. It really wasn’t a job to me because I got to be around beautiful women all night and hang out with my boys. I also drank as much as I wanted, even though I rarely drank while on the job. Life could get no better than this.

  My cell phone had been blowing up all night with text messages from my sisters, the drama queens. I would call them later during the week. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with their homemade drama. They were always going at it, and it took me being the mediator to get them back on track. Being the older brother wasn’t always easy.

  Cindy Bell, my latest girlfriend of one month, would be the one to make me forget everything tonight. We were both naked by the time we made it in to the bedroom of my condo.

  “Lovie, I love you,” Cindy said, as she rode me like a stallion.

  I ignored her declaration of love, and continued to enjoy the ride. I did my best to maintain my cool, but Cindy knew how to push me over the edge. I screamed out in ecstasy, and dumped my sperm in the Magnum condom before rolling over and going to sleep.
r />   During my slumber, I felt my body shake.

  “Lovie. Some woman claiming to be your mama is on the phone,” Cindy said, waking me from my deep sleep.

  I snatched my phone from Cindy. “You shouldn’t be answering my phone anyway.”

  “Your phone kept ringing. I thought it was an emergency.”

  “Whatever. I think it’s time that you go.” I sat straight up in bed.

  Cindy fussed, but she got her stuff and left out of my room. I heard my front door slam. “Mom, you there?” I asked.

  “Yes, and I heard all of that drama. I’ve told you, you’re a Jones and you need to be careful. These hoes will do anything to trap you. I hope you at least used a condom.”

  “Mom, we’re not going to have this conversation.”

  “Lovie Lee Jones, you’re twenty-six-years old, but not too old for me to put my foot up your behind if you try to sass me.”

  “Mom, I’m just saying. What I do in my personal life is just that—personal.”

  “As long as I’m footing the bill for that condo you’re in, I have a lot to say.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t need you to do that. I got my own money coming in. I’ve been meaning to tell you that for a while now.”

  “So now you don’t need your mama? After all I’ve done for you,” my mom ranted and ranted. I pulled the phone from my ear, but could still hear her.

  “Mom, calm down. I appreciate everything you and Dad have done for me. I really do. But, I’m a man now. I just want to make it on my own. Know what I mean? I’ll talk to you later.” I hung up the phone without waiting for her response.

  My mom was trying to stress me out and it wasn’t even nine o’clock in the morning. I got up and turned on my fifty-inch television and PlayStation. I sat on the edge of the bed. Before I could get five minutes into my game, I heard a knock on the door.

  I looked through the peephole, and there on the other side of my door was my mom. It wouldn’t do me any good to ignore her. “Coming. I need to put some clothes on.”

  “Boy, I birthed you. Open up this door. Now!” she yelled.

  I unlocked the door, rushed back to my room, and threw on a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt.

  When I returned to the living room, my mom sat on my sofa with her legs crossed and a frown on her face.

  “Lovie, I want to know how you’re making enough money to pay your expenses.”

  I sat on the opposite end of the couch. “Duh. I do work. Don’t you remember?”

  “That job you got as the manager of that club isn’t enough to pay my dry cleaning bill.”

  “It’s legit, so you should be happy.” Of course, I wasn’t going to let her know that it was a front for the other business I had going on. I was good at numbers. My customers weren’t your average businessmen. I handled the books for men who got their money by dealing, hustling, and yes, even killing and stealing. At least I was putting my accounting degree to good use.

  “Son, you should be working for your dad. He really needs you.”

  “He’s been doing fine all of these years. I’m sure me working for him wouldn’t make or break him.”

  She reached for my hand. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Son, we are going broke. Your dad has mismanaged the funeral home’s funds and is about to put us in the poorhouse.”

  “What’s going on?” I asked. I was really concerned. There was no way my mom could go back to living the type of life she grew up living.

  “Business at the funeral home isn’t as lucrative as it once was, but what really put us in this fix is your dad. Royce made several bad investments with the funeral home’s money.”

  I looked at her in disbelief. Not my penny-pinching Dad. He liked nice things, but he was as thrifty as it comes. It’s my mom who liked to splurge.

  This was serious. Real serious.

  CHAPTER 6

  Lexi

  I had to think of a way to get Lovie to see why I needed him. I needed him working at the funeral home in some capacity. I couldn’t lose everything. I couldn’t go back to being poor. I refused to, and I wouldn’t.

  My baby boy looked at me with confusion in his eyes. “Mom, what can we do to save the business?”

  “I’ve been up most of the night trying to figure it out. First thing we need to do is fire Jason and hire someone else. That’s where you come in. You’re a CPA. You should have been doing your father’s books anyway, and maybe we wouldn’t be in this fix.”

  “Mom, you know me and Dad don’t always see eye to eye, so working together wasn’t an option for either one of us.”

  “It’s time to squash all of that. Your dad needs you. I need you.”

  Lovie rubbed his forehead. “Does Dad know you’re over here?”

  “No, but if you show up at his office, he’s not going to turn you away.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea. You know he can be stubborn. If he calls me and asks me, then yes, I’ll come help him out. But if he doesn’t, count me out.”

  Lovie got up and went to the kitchen. I followed him. “You two are trying to drive me crazy.”

  Lovie looked from behind the refrigerator door. “Are you staying for breakfast? I still make a mean omelet.”

  “No, dear. I’m going to the spa. I need to relax my mind.”

  “See, if you’re still able to go to the spa, things aren’t as rough as they seem.”

  “I hate smart-alecks,” I responded.

  “But you’ll always love me. I’m your only son.” Lovie walked up to me and pulled me into a hug.

  He was right. He was the oldest, and we had a special bond. He would always be my baby no matter how old he got.

  “You know how to soften me up,” I responded.

  “Have Dad make that call and I’ll be there, but until then, just let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.”

  “Well, there’s something else you can do, but I’ll wait to discuss it with you later. I’m hoping we won’t have to resort to it.”

  Lovie escorted me to the front door. “What? You got me curious.”

  “We’ll talk later. Love you.” I gave Lovie a quick peck on the cheek and left.

  Thirty minutes later, I was lying across a massage table with nothing but a towel covering me. I closed my eyes as tension left my body with each touch from the masseuse. For the next forty-five minutes, I pretended to be trouble free.

  After the massage, I got dressed and went to the room designated for manicures and pedicures. I felt like a million bucks afterward. I reached for my credit card out of habit but recalled there was no money available. So, I retrieved cash from my wallet.

  I heard some laughter from behind me. I paid my bill, turned around, and came face-to-face with Julie Washington and Mattie Adams. The cackling hens were the two women who tried to make my life in Shreveport a living hell.

  “Lexi, darling, we’re surprised to see you here.” Julie’s voice sounded like fingernails scraping a chalkboard. She’d been the product of one too many facelifts. There wasn’t a doctor alive who could fix her face now.

  Mattie, looking like Julie’s twin, added, “Yes, word on the streets is your credit is no good around these parts.”

  Without flinching, I looked directly in Mattie’s eyes. “Jealousy is an ugly color on you. So why are you all up in my business?”

  Julie grabbed Mattie’s arm. “Come on, Mattie. Don’t even entertain her with a response.”

  Julie and Mattie rushed passed me and in to the spa.

  “Y’all better go because I’m from the West Side. I still know how to throw down with the best of them.” I stood with my arms crossed.

  “She still has no class,” I heard Mattie say as they walked.

  The clerk at the front desk looked away, but not without me catching a grin on her face.

  “I’m sure the rest of your day will be boring compared to the scene you just witnessed,” I stated, before leaving.

  Women like Ju
lie and Mattie got under my skin. No matter how hard I tried to fit into their world, they were always trying to look down on me. Royce said I shouldn’t care, and he’s right, I shouldn’t.

  Speaking of Royce, he and I need to have a little talk. He purposely didn’t talk to me last night and left before I got up this morning. He can run, but he can’t hide.

  CHAPTER 7

  Royce

  Avoiding Lexi hadn’t been easy, and it seemed that it was all for naught. I heard her coming long before she made it to my office. I looked up toward the door awaiting her entrance.

  Lexi stormed in my office enraged. “Royce, you can run, but you can’t hide. You caused this problem and you’re going to fix it. Now tell me how you plan on doing it, so I can deal with other things.”

  Lexi plopped down in front of my desk.

  “Hello to you, too, my beautiful wife.”

  “Save the pleasantries for your customers.” Lexi held her hand in the air and then looked around. “Snap! There are no customers.”

  “Calm down. If there were some, you would run them off with that mouth of yours.”

  “Calm? How can I be calm when according to you, we’re going broke?”

  “Look. We still have money, but just not as much. So yes, I need for you and the kids to be more responsible and stop spending money like it’s water.”

  “I refuse to go back to the life I knew before we got together, Royce Jones. You promised me the good life, and I’m holding you to that promise.”

  I threw my hands up in the air. It’s clear where Charity and Hope got their drama queen antics from. From the Queen of Drama herself, my wife, Lexi.

  “Wipe that silly smile off your face,” Lexi snapped.

  “Baby, I need for you to bring your tone down a notch or two. I’m not your kids, and you will show me some respect. Or, you can leave.”

  I listened to Lexi complain, before calming herself down. “Royce, sorry, but ever since I got embarrassed at the country club, this has been eating away at me.”

  I rose up from my seat and walked behind Lexi. I massaged her shoulders. “Baby, I know it has. I promise to make things right. Things are going slower than I had anticipated, but I will make it right.”