A Familiar Ring

CHAPTER 17: DON'T TROUBLE THE WATER PART 2

"So it really ain't Team Casper no more? A nigga got a chance?" Khyrie asked earnestly while helping Cadence pack her car up. The party for the kids was over now and the adults were headed back to Macon for a real party.

Cadence laughed. "I mean, you see whose hand he holding. That man ain't stuntin' me."

Prosper was indeed stuntin' her, though. Cadence hadn't ever mentioned Khyrie as far as he could recall—not in high school or recently—but he didn't like how close they seemed. He was jealous of the image in front of him as he helped Phoenix get the last of her things from the beach and packed them into cars. Cadence, Khyrie, and his daughter looked like a happy little family from a distance. Prosper was possessive, though he would never admit it, and even though he was there with another woman he needed to let it be known that Cadence was spoken for.

"Let me introduce you to Cadence before we go. It'll probably be too loud at Lucille's to do a proper introduction," Prosper spoke directly to Nola. She perked up.

"Cool. I'd love to meet her!"

Briscoe overheard his plan and instantly knew it was a bad idea.

"This boy bout dumb as hell," Briscoe spoke under his breath to his sister as Prosper and Nola walked off.

"Mmmhmm. I'm so mad at him," Phoenix replied.

"Let me go make sure he don't be too stupid, shit. It's like Venus and Serena at Wimbledon around this hoe."

Phoenix laughed at her brother while pushing him away. He was always joking around even when things were serious. On the inside she was admiring how much Briscoe was looking out for Cadence like a real sister. When they were growing up, they absolutely hated each other. So to see him going out of his way to protect her—from Prosper's selfishness no less—was endearing.

But he never even needed to make his way over to diffuse the situation. Before Prosper and Nola could even reach Cadence she was in the car driving off.

***

Back at Miss Joanne's, Cadence had finally brought everything in the house that she needed to. She helped Phoenix haul some things back since her and her husband's cars were filled with Messiah's gifts. She placed them in a bin near the front door so she wouldn't forget to take them to her in the morning. Then she headed upstairs to get ready.

Tonight she was going to Lucille's—the one club that existed in Macon that wasn't in a strip mall. It was also owned by her father and she'd never been. As Messiah's party was wrapping up, the adults decided that they would host the after-party there. She wasn't too keen on it at first but the way Khyrie asked her out was kinda cute and the day spent with him and his daughter was a welcome distraction from both Duke and Prosper. In fact, it was the first day since her fateful wedding day that she hadn't thought of Duke at all. She was making progress.

She had already made up her mind earlier that day that she'd go back to Atlanta tomorrow. So she decided to truly have a night out and let loose. Tonight, she just wanted to be free. After her shower, she styled her thick curls in a high ponytail and wrapped her edges while she applied her makeup. Just as she was finishing, Khyrie called her via FaceTime.

"I'm alllllmost ready," Cadence answered cheerily but quickly furrowed her brows when she saw his expression.

Khyrie was spellbound by her beauty but it wasn't enough to hide that he was visibly upset. "Damn, shawty. You so fuckin' gorgeous," he finally stated.

"Thank you. What's up? Why you look like someone stole your favorite toy?" Cadence tried to make him ease up a bit which worked.

"Man, the way you looking right now? A nigga just might steal you from me tonight and I can't eem do nothin' about it."