Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Davina,
I hope you don’t mind me reaching out to you like this. I told Arnold to give me your email address. Just checking in with you. Hope you’re good. I know you’ve probably heard this a million times and are sick of it, but I’m truly sorry for your loss. If I’d known, I never would’ve brought your husband up at Silver Wolf.
Keep your head up.
Deke
I tugged on the string of my hoodie while reading the email again. First the flowers to my house and now this?
I probably shouldn’t have emailed him back so quickly—he was my colleague, after all—but he’d sent the tulips, which were pretty and thoughtful, and the man had carved time out of his schedule to type up a personal condolence letter.
I pressed Reply.
Hey Deke,
Thank you for reaching out and for checking on me. You didn’t have to do that. Seriously. But thank you. The flowers are gorgeous. I’m surprised you remembered tulips are my favorite. I am curious how you got my home address, though. Don’t tell me you’re stalking me now.
Also, very sorry the rebranding party got rescheduled but I hope you can make the new date!
P.S. Why an email this time instead of a DM?
Thanks again for checking in.
Talk soon,
Davina
I read the last question in my reply again, debating whether to keep or delete it. Deke wasn’t a man with a lot of time on his hands, and any other person would’ve just given condolences the next time they saw me or not brought it up at all.
Not Deke, though, and I wanted to know why.
I pressed Send and sipped red wine as I waited for his response.
“Who are you texting?” The blue light of Octavia’s phone highlighted her face.
“It’s the basketball player we signed to endorse Golden Oil. Deke Bishop. He emailed me.”
At that, Octavia lowered her phone and gave me her full attention. “How in the world did you manage that?”
“I didn’t manage anything.” I laughed. “He’s the one who sent the tulips. I guess he was making sure I got them.”
“He sent you flowers and a follow-up email? That’s dedication.”
“Dedication for what?”
She sucked her teeth. “To get in those panties, girl! Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about!”
“Octavia! No!” I waved a dismissive hand at her, fighting a laugh. “First of all, it’s too soon for any of that. Second of all, it’s not even like that with him. He’s pretty cool for a famous athlete.”
“Yeah. Okay.” She delivered a playful scoff and lifted her phone. “If that’s what you wanna tell yourself.”
As she scrolled, I couldn’t deny that Deke trying to get in my panties wasn’t a thought in the back of my mind. He’d made it perfectly clear at Silver Wolf that he was into me, that he wanted to get to know me, and that the only things stopping him from making a serious move were the rings on my finger.
But back then, he thought I was still married, and fortunately, he respected that. I didn’t know how to explain it, but after receiving the flowers and the email, I didn’t feel like it was an agenda or a scheme from him. Or maybe I was just being naive about it, and he really was doing this to catch me at my lowest and make his move.
That would’ve been extremely shallow of him, though, and a title like that didn’t suit a man like him.
Still, I had to be careful. I wasn’t looking to be serious with anyone right now.
I guzzled down the rest of my wine, climbed out of my chair, and said over my shoulder, “I’m getting a cupcake!”
FOURTEEN
From: Deke Bishop
To: Davina Klein-Roberts
1:22 a.m.
I’m back. My bad. Just touched down in ATL. Had to shoot a commercial in Cali. About knowing your home address, I reached out to your girl Tisha. She gave it to me, but not willingly. She told me I’d owe her . . . should I be scared? lol
And why the email vs a DM? Well to be real with you, DMs are impersonable. I don’t post on IG like that unless I want to or I’m contractually bound to. Plus sending my condolences on an app would’ve been lame AF, D. Come on. I’m better than that. And why wouldn’t I remember what your favorite flower is? You were all starry eyed over them.
But real talk, I’m glad to hear from you.
Deke
From: Davina Klein-Roberts
To: Deke Bishop
1:28 a.m.
Well, your reasoning about the email vs DM thing seems solid. I’ll allow it. As for Tish—yeah, I think you should be a little afraid. She’s going to make you repay that debt somehow.
Glad you had a safe flight.
Davina
From: Deke Bishop
To: Davina Klein-Roberts
1:38 a.m.
Oh, so I was on trial, huh? Damn. Glad I wasn’t found guilty lmao. What are you doing up so late? Thought you’d be sleeping . . .