“That was one of the best nights of my life.”

Carla squealed and wiggled in her seat as I made a left on Torrence Avenue.

“I won’t tell you the details, but girrrrl…” My smile was brighter than the sun.

“Wait, you can’t tell me the details?”

I shook my head vehemently. “No, ma’am. But I will say this, we are officially a couple.” I glanced to Carla boastfully. “You should be proud of me. I pushed back the idea that Josiah’s too young to commit and went for it.”

Carla looked on with a sister-girl prideful nod. “I am, girl. I really am.”

We both squealed again.

“Now, I’m nervous,” Carla admitted.

“About what?”

“Meeting Jacob. How do I look?”

She flipped down the visor to check her appearance. Carla could easily be the poster child for CoverGirl cosmetics. With features were more than catching. I didn’t think she knew that though. I skimmed an eye over her sundress and four-inch heels.

“You look great,” I said, turning into the driveway of Christopher Lee Rose’s entrance. “It looks like we’re the last to make it.” I glanced around at the full lineup of vehicles.

“Girl, you’re not nervous?” Carla whispered sharply as if we weren’t alone in the car.

I chuckled. “No, let’s go.”

I opened the door and got out, making sure to adjust my clothes as I did so. This was a barbeque. So instead of a fun, flirty dress, I wore a pair of destroyed denim jeans, a flirty top that sat loosely around my breasts but wrapped snugly around my waist. Carla made her way around to me and got a full look at my attire.

“You make that simple look so stylish,” she said. “How do you do it?”

I shrugged. “I’m just being me, girl, come on,” I said, tossing a hand around her shoulder. We walked to the front door, and it opened before we could knock. Desiree stood on the other side with a broad smile.

“Heeeeey!”

I leaned in, and we hugged long and steady.

“Well look who it is,” I joked, “one of my old friends.”

Desiree pulled back with a purse of her lips. “Stop!”

“What? I don’t see you anymore now that you’re a Rooosssee,” I accentuated.

The three of us fell into laughter, half-bent over.

“What’s so funny?” another voice said. We all turned to Claudia, Samiyah, Octavia, Selena, Eden, Jasmine, and Phoebe.

“Looks like the gang’s all here,” I said. “I was telling Desiree we used to be friends before she married a Rooosssee.” We all snickered again.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Samiyah said, “You need the black card to get in here.”

I leaned into my hip and smirked, “What in the world is the black card?”

“Your last name has to be branded with an R,” Samiyah responded with a wink. Samiyah held her hand out. “So where’s yours?”

I patted myself down, pretending to look for a card. “Oh wait, I think I found it,” I said, playing along. I pulled out my ID and frowned. “Oh no.” I looked at Carla. “Do you have yours?”

Carla licked the tip of both her pinky fingers then wiped them over her eyebrows. “Nope, but I’m working on it,” she said, side-stepping Samiyah.

“Ouuuu!” we guffawed. I died over laughing as Carla shimmied her hips down the hallway in search of Jacob.

“I love her,” Desiree said, still chuckling.

“Come on, girl, everybody’s in the back,” Samiyah said.

We sauntered down the hallway, one behind the other. When we got to the back door, we found Carla huddled up in front of the screen door peeking through. We laughed again and shooed her. Stepping out came with a sinful delight. The Rose brothers were accompanied by another team of men, and there were no shirts in sight. A picturesque image of muscles, toned arms, ripped abs, wrapped in different shades of brown were on display in a fun game of football. My eyes searched for Josiah, and I found him in a running position to the right side of Jonas. My gaze rode over his toned flesh, thick biceps and smooth skin. My body was always aware of him, and just his presence awakened my nerves and warmed my heart. The fellas crouched as Jonas counted down then yelled.

“Hike!”

The football flew into his hands, and the team dispersed, finding their position. A handsome dark skin fella broke through Jonathon’s block, headed straight for Jonas. On the left side down the field, Jaden was uncovered, holding out a hand, but Josiah was closer. In a split-second decision, Jonas released the ball just as he was nailed to the ground. Josiah went for it, extending his torso and arms as he sailed into the air to grab it with a tight fist rolling to the ground.

 “First down!” Their father shouted, and the Rose team hooped and hollered.

“Man, you got lucky!” The dark skin fella who’d tackled Jonas said.

I trailed over to Norma and gave her a hug. Samiyah’s mom Marth Jean, and Desiree and Claudia’s mother Adeline sat comfortably with Adeline wearing a sunhat and pair of colorful reflective shades across her eyes. As I dipped down to speak, I realized she was asleep then I noticed her soft breathing. Turning to look behind me, I mouthed to Desiree, “Your mom is sleep. Shouldn’t she lay down?”

Desiree waved me off. “She’ll just wake up with an attitude and swear your next step will be to put her in a nursing home.” Desiree rolled her eyes. and Norma and Martha Jean snickered.

“Probably where she needs to be,” Martha Jean surmised.

“Mom!” Samiyah said.

Martha Jean shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

Everyone snickered again, and I made my way across the yard to greet Christopher Lee Rose. The game was in full swing when I placed a hand on his back and step to his side.

“Mr. Rose,” I said. “Having a good time, I suppose.”

My eyes flickered to Josiah just as he caught the ball for the second time.

Mr. Rose turned to me with a wide smile. “Hey Santana, I’m glad you could make it.”

At the mention of my name, Josiah’s head curved to me, and a full-blown smile stretched across his face.

“Baby, watch out!” I yelled, but it was too late.

The same guy who took down Jonas had pinned Josiah to the ground.

“Oooooh!” the men yelled.

“Damn, little brother.” Jonas strutted up to him and held out a hand, which Josiah accepted. Jonas pulled him to his feet, and Josiah shook himself off. Josiah pointed at the man who’d tackled him.

“Q, that’ll be the last one you get. I hope you enjoyed it,” he said. A whistle bounced off Josiah’s tongue. “Xavier, you’re in!” Josiah tossed the ball to Xavier and jogged off the field toward me. The closer he came his hustle slowed, and I reached out to him for a hug. His arms circled my waist tightly, and he scooped me up off the ground. The kiss that greeted me stole my breath, and it was carried off in a swirl of wind that ran over us. A giggle tickled from my lips, and I smiled against his mouth.

“That’s some greeting, son,” Mr. Rose said.

“You should’ve seen the one they had at the club,” Carla murmured.

Octavia, Selena, Eden, Jasmine, and Phoebe joined our side.

“Ain’t it the truth,” Selena chimed, and Octavia agreed with a nod.

Slowly, Josiah sat me back on my feet but kept me pinned to his chest.

“In case you didn’t know,” Josiah said, gazing at me, “this here’s my girl.” He brushed a kiss against my forehead, and I blushed.

“Looks to be much more than that,” Desiree offered.

“Mmhmm,” a few others agreed.

Josiah kept his eyes on me. “We’re getting ready to play flag football in a minute. The women against the men. Are you game?” he rubbed his hands together.

“Flag football, huh?” I looked to the ladies. “You girls game?”

“Hell yeah, we are!”

It was Carla who said it.

Me and the girls burst into laughter again.

“I guess I’m game then.” I looked back to Josiah.

“I can’t wait,” he said.

“Come on, girl,” Eden spoke, “I’ve got some shorts and a thin T-shirt you can wear, so you don’t get your blouse dirty.”

“I’ll be back.” I gave Josiah a light squeeze and followed the ladies into the house. We all changed into short shorts and solid ribbed tank tops. When we reappeared, the fellas’ game was over, and they all hung out under the shade that the backyard deck provided. One by one, they all turned to us and groaned.

“Oh no, y’all can’t wear that,” Jonathon said. All of the men agreed.

“Why not?” Samiyah said, carrying her curvy hips to the front of our pack. She crossed her arms over her chest, and Jonas stepped up to her.

“Baby,” he wrapped his arms around her waist and grabbed a handful of ass, “you can’t wear this. It isn’t fair.”

“How isn’t it fair?”

“Come on, baby. It’s a distraction.”

“So we’re supposed to wear jeans and be hot because you all can’t stop drooling at us?” Claudia asked.

Jaden and Josiah nodded. “Hell yeah,” they both said, slapping hands.

I twisted my lips. “Not a chance.”

“Eww, come on, Phoebe, go put on some clothes!” Jordan said.

“Jasmine, Eden, all three of you,” Jacob agreed. “The last thing I want to see is my sisters’ asses hanging out.

Phoebe walked closer to Jordan and Jacob, turned, and bent over to smack her ass.

“Oh, come on!” They yelled, disgusted.

“Leave her alone. She all right,” the one they called Q mentioned.

The brothers turned to him.

“Aye, Q, you checking out my sister, bro?”

Q didn’t answer; he was too busy doing exactly that. His eyes traveled up Phoebe’s legs to her round derriere, lost in a trance. A solid hand landed on his chest, almost taking his breath.

“My bad,” Q said, “but your sister’s a grown fine ass woman. I’ll take a beatdown to get to her.”

“Aye!”

“Fellas, I hate to interrupt, but are we going to play this game or not?” Claudia intervened.

Josiah strolled up to me, and again I was embedded against his skin.

“Let her go. She’s on our team, not yours,” Samiyah chimed.

I giggled and looked up into his golden dark brown eyes.

“Nah, she’s on my team,” Josiah said. “Ain’t that right, baby?”

I giggled again. “Always.”