The Christmas holiday had come to a joyful ending at the Adams' and now Samara and Zay were on a plane to Virginia to spend New Year's with the Hayes'.
"I can't believe you're about to see my house for the first time," Samara gushed. "And my mom is gonna be so pressed to see you. You know she was shippin' us before we were even a thing, right?"
"Damn. Forreal? So your mom and my mom were conspiring to get us together all this time?" Zay laughed.
"Looks like it," Samara grinned. "Mama's be knowin'. What can I say?"
"Aye, they do though," he chuckled."
"Excuse me. Hi," a flight attendant interrupted, "We'll be landing shortly. Is there anything else that I can get you two before I take my seat?"
Zay looked at Samara who shook her head and said no thank you. "No, thank you," Zay answered politely. "We're good."
"Alrighty," she said with a southern lilt, "Please enjoy the rest of your flight, Mr. Adams."
Samara looked at Zay with wide eyes and smiled. "Mr. Adams?" she grinned. "Folks is on a last name basis with you now. Oh you poppin'," she laughed. "You think she really know who you are?"
Zay sucked his teeth. "Man, if she do it's probably 'cus of all that mess Lov caused. I was trending on Twitter. Some people still talking about it."
"And? It's only been a week, babe. Let 'em talk. They don't know you, but they will. Your character speaks for itself. They gon' find out real soon what you about. Give it time."
Zay looked over at her and smiled. "You always know what to say. You really ride with me. Like forreal." He laughed.
Samara looked at him and grinned. "Always have. Always will."
..
An hour after they had gotten into the ride Samara's dad sent, Samara and Zay had finally pulled up to the Hayes' estate.
Zay looked out of the car window as he opened the door and said to Samara, "How is it that your family clearly makes more money than mine and you're so humble about it? You live in a freakin' palace and you don't ever bring it up!"
"I don't like to brag about what my family owns. I think it's tacky," Samara said stepping out of the car and meeting Zay on the other side.
"Damn," he said grabbing their luggage out of the trunk, "You really bout this life."
Samara shook her head and smiled. "Boy, shut up! You are too."
"Mmm. I don't know. I think you a lil more in it than me," he joked. "Our home looks like a damn bed and breakfast compared to this place," he said heading to the front door.
Samara laughed. "Zay, would you stop it? Your parents have done extremely well for themselves and your family's home is stunning. Don't act like that. I'm bout to call ma right now, you keep playing."
Zay licked his lips and grinned. "I'm sayin though. You had me thinking I was doing something with the fine dining and the expensive gifts and you mean to tell me you was living like this all along!"
"Boy, you irritating. You knew I came from money. Go somewhere with that," Samara said letting out a laugh and playfully shoving him.
"But baby. I didn't know my best was the bare minimum," he teased, "Now I really gotta step my game up." Samara chuckled to herself as she pushed open the front door. "Lemme hurry up and get signed to a good team, cuz I don't want Big Don telling me I don't make enough to provide for his daughter," he grinned. "As a man I can't go out like that. Feel me?" Samara just put her head down and laughed.
Finally inside the luxurious home of Don and Valencia Hayes, Zay handed off their bags to the butler who insisted that he'd take them up to their room. At this point he was at a loss for words, because he wasn't accustomed to having 24/7 help in the house. When the butler was no longer in sight, Samara grabbed ahold of Zay who was looking around the foyer like he was in an art museum. Hoping to divert his attention away from the grandeur of the house, she pressed her body up against his and turned his face to hers.
"Isaiah Adams," she said smiling up at him, "Out of all the guys I've dated none of them have treated me the way that you have. Now that you have a glimpse of how I grew up, you can be sure that you were doing all the right things. You are the guy for me," she grinned, "You came along and have managed to exceed every expectation as a friend and now, boyfriend." She stood on her toes and kissed his lips softly. "You are the one for me. I love you."
"I love you more," Zay uttered just before Samara's lips began to seduce him. "You betta stop kissing me like that 'fo you get us in trouble," he mumbled against her lips.
"Sammy! Is that you?" Valencia called out from upstairs.
"See what I'm saying?" Zay chuckled.
Samara grinned and grazed her teeth against Zay's bottom lip before playfully tugging it down. "There are fifteen secret rooms in this house. I'm down to get into a little trouble in any one of them," she whispered in his ear. Just after she pecked his lips, she began to hear her mom's light footfalls on the marble staircase.
"Hey! I thought I heard voices down here!"
As Valencia gracefully walked down the steps, Samara quickly mumbled something slick to Zay, purposely making him flustered as she moved around him to greet her mom.
"Hey ma!" Samara grinned as her outstretched arms reached her. Zay was left standing there so clearly still in awe of her words and her lips.
"Hey baby. You look great! Looks like somebody had a good Christmas week," she nudged.
Samara playfully shoved her back. "Don't you start ma," she laughed.
Valencia laughed too and turned to greet Zay. "Isaiah! Come give me a hug. How are you? It's been so long since I've seen you."
"Hey! I'm good Mama Vee!" he said hugging her back. "It's always so good to see you."
"You too, hon! I can't believe y'all are finally together now," Valencia gushed, "It's about damn time."
Samara and Zay laughed. "Yeah. That's what everybody keep saying," Zay added, "It's nice to know that there are so many people who support our relationship," he laughed.
"We just know a match made when we see one," Valencia smiled.
Zay chuckled. "So, uh, where's Mr. Don? Is he here?"
"Oh, yeah. He's here. He's out back on the terrace. You can head back there if you'd like. If you go straight down that hallway and right through the kitchen you'll see the terrace is right beyond those doors."
"Got it. Thank you Ms. Vee," he said as he turned to leave.
"Of course honey and make sure to make yourself right at home!" she said behind him. As Zay disappeared down the hall, Valencia pulled Samara upstairs to her room.
"Dang ma. Could you be anymore excited?" Samara chuckled.
Valencia laughed. "Girl, I need the deets. Before you left I told you you needed to snatch him up, but you was acting like I was doing too much and like you weren't interested. Now y'all are together! Explain that."
"Well," Samara smiled, "at that time I was already feeling him and that was a big part of the reason why I was going down there for Christmas."
"Oh my god! And you couldn't have told me!?" Valencia grinned.
"I'm sorry mommy, but you talk too much. You would have called Mrs. Imani and blabbed to her," she laughed.
"No, I wouldn't have."
Samara gave her mother a knowing look. "Ma? Yes you would have. I love the both of y'all, but y'all are some gabby ladies when it comes to y'all kids."
"You know what? You right," Valencia agreed, nodding her head with a smile. "We just be so excited for y'all."
"Sometimes a lil too excited," Samara joked, "but we know it comes from a place of love."
"Always," Valencia smiled. "So. Are you and Zay being safe?" she asked casually changing the subject.
"Now ma!" Samara said trying to fight back a laugh.
"What? Don't look at me like that," she smiled. "Excuse my French, but I know y'all fuckin. I could see it all on Zay's face when I came downstairs. I don't know what transpired before I came down, but he was looking a little hot," she laughed.
"Ma, will you stop it?" Samara grinned. "You don't need to worry about that."
"I ain't worried. Just remember no babies before the ring and—don't be doing it everywhere in the house," she said standing from the bed. "I believe you should have a healthy sex life, but please spare me and your father all the loud details."
"Oh my goodness. Ma!" Samara gasped.
Valencia grinned at her daughter and laughed. "You don't need condoms, right? Y'all good?"
"Bye ma," Samara laughed. "We're good."
"Okay. I'm just trynna make sure," she chuckled. "That's all. I only ask because I care."
"And I love that about you," Samara smiled back. "Oh. Hey," she said grabbing her mom's attention before she left out, "Do you need me to help with anything for the New Year's party?"
"Oh, no baby, we're good. I already hired the decorators and the caterers. I've got everything all worked out. I just want y'all to enjoy yourselves while y'all're here."
"Okay, but if you need me just let me know," Samara stated.
"Will do, boo," Valencia said leaning in to give Samara a kiss on the cheek. "Love you. I'll be down in the kitchen. I'll send Zay up if I see him."
"Okay ma," she said behind her. "Thanks."
..
After finishing his second bottle of beer, Don switched the topic of conversation from sports to his daughter. He leaned back in his seat, arms folded, and with a light chuckle said, "So, Isaiah. You and my daughter, huh?"
"Yessir," Zay smiled. "Are you surprised?"
"Oh no. Not in the least," Don said shaking his head. "I could see this coming from a mile away. Actually surprised it didn't happen sooner," he grinned.
Zay's mouth began to form a big grin. "Oh, you too, huh?"
"Yeah," Don nodded, "I was waiting for my daughter to leave that knucklehead alone. Man, I was mad as hell when I found out that he dumped her."
"Are you serious?" Zay grinned.
"Heck yeah," Don said furrowing his eyebrows. "She should've dumped him. My daughter ain't no regular girl. She was raised by me and Vee." Don chortled. "But I couldn't be mad for too long, because it was honestly the best thing for her."
"Yeah it was. I never cared for him, so I was glad when they broke up, but I hated seeing her so down about it."
"Well I'm glad that you were there to look after her. Not too many dad's can say that they trust their daughter's guy friend, but I could always see that you really cared about her."
"Is that why you weren't surprised about us?"
Don shrugged. "I don't know. I could just see it for y'all. As a parent sometimes you just know."
"You sound like my mama," Zay chuckled. "She said something similar. It's like y'all have a sixth-sense about stuff like this."
"Among other things," Don laughed. "But yeah we do." He sat up and slid forward in his seat making sure to look Zay in the eye. "So," he continued, "if you ever decide you wanna do right by my daughter come and see me. Alright?" he smiled.
Zay leaned forward as well, delighted by what he had just heard. Don held out his hand for Zay to shake. Without hesitation Zay placed his hand in Don's and gave him a firm handshake.
"Yessir," he smiled.
"Alright," Don said standing up. "I'm gonna go on in the house and see what my daughter up to. Can you believe she didn't come out here to see me?" he chuckled.
Zay smiled. "It's probably because I came out here and she didn't want to interrupt."
"That better be the reason why or me and her gon' have words!" Don laughed.
..
