Read Online Always and Forever by Farrah Rochon - Free Book Online Page A

speak. He whipped his head around, his eyes wide with surprise. “The restoration is coming along pretty well, don’t you think?” Phil asked him.
    Jamal nodded. “Yeah, everything is running on schedule. It’ll be open for business in time for the big tourist rush.”
    “I was tempted to head there today,” Phil continued. “My time would have been better spent working over there than here watching football.”
    “What do you have against football?” Jamal asked.
    Phil shrugged. “Same thing I have against catch-and-release fishing and playing marbles. I don’t see a point to it.”
    “Phil’s problem is that she doesn’t understand the game. At all,” Corey interjected. “I tried to explain football to her once in high school. That’s an hour of my life I’ll never get back.”
    “The rules make no sense,” Phil argued. “How can you penalize someone for holding on to a player so that he can’t tackle the guy with the football? Isn’t that the players’ jobs, to stop the opposing team from tackling the guy with the ball?”
    “You really don’t understand football.” Jamal laughed.
    “I’ve tried to learn it. It just doesn’t make sense to me.” She’d tried watching a game with Kevin once, but like Corey, he’d gotten frustrated and suggested she watch HGTV in the other room.
    “I’ll teach you if you really want to learn,” Jamal said.
    “Don’t do it.” Corey was shaking his head. “You don’t want that headache.”
    Jamal shrugged off his friend’s concern. “I’m serious,” he said. “If you really want to learn, I’ll go over some of the basics with you.”
    He looked so sincere, so genuine. Even though she had no interest whatsoever in learning more about football, Phil couldn’t stop her heart from melting just a bit from his offer.
    “Thank you,” she said.
    “Fumble!” someone shouted from the living room, and both Corey and Jamal took off running.
    That coy grin still planted on her face, Mya emptied the store-bought spinach dip into a bowl. “Don’t make me have to ask,” she said.
    “Ask what?” Phil tried for innocent.
    Her best friend pointed a spoon at her. “Girl, you better start spilling. And I mean right now.”
    “There’s nothing to spill,” Phil said as she climbed back onto her bar stool. “I’m helping him with the house, nothing more. By the end of the day we are both tired and sweaty, and not in a good way.”
    “That is such a waste. Have you taken a good look at that man?”
    She slid her best friend an exasperated look. “I know how he looks, Mya. I’ve been staring at his ass for nearly a month.”
    “Well, stop staring and grab it,” Mya said. “Come on, Phil. You’re both single.”
    “We’re both single? That’s the best you can do?” Phil laughed. “My neighbor, Mr. Jenkins, is single. He’s a grandfather and a widower, but still single. Should I ask him out?”
    “You’re both single and under the age of sixty-five,” Mya said, heavy on the annoyance. “I’m being serious, Phil. Why wouldn’t you give Jamal a chance? I’m sure the two of you have things in common.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like architecture,” Mya returned.
    Phil nearly choked on a laugh. “Believe me, our take on architecture is definitely not something we have in common.” She held her hands up when Mya started to speak again. “I know now that you’re back with the love of your life you’ve developed this obsession with finding me a man, but it really isn’t necessary, Mya. I’m perfectly content with my single status. Honestly, I have neither the time nor the energy for a relationship.”
    Mya frowned as she absently rubbed her belly. “I just want you to be happy.”
    Phil gave her a cheesy fake smile. “I’m happy. I promise.”
    Mya leaned closer and whispered in a harsh breath, “The least you can do is sleep with him once so you can tell me how good he is.”
    “What makes you think he’s any good at all?” she asked