Read Online Fool and Her Honey (9781622860791) by Kimberly T. Matthews - Free Book Online

we’re just talking, that’s all.”
    â€œMmm-hmm. That’s how it all gets started.” She joined me in a light chuckle. “I guess I’ll call Celeste, then. I’ll talk to you later.”
    â€œOkay, girl.”
    I dialed Celeste’s number, but her phone just rang. “Celeste, call me when you get this message. I need to vent.”

Chapter 8
    Candis
    I was glad Dina didn’t try to hold me hostage on the phone, although she did sound like something was wrong. I promised myself to follow up with her later as I switched my line back over to SeanMichael.
    â€œI’m back, baby,” I said in what was just a hair above a whisper. SeanMichael and I had been talking voice to voice for a good while now and had embraced terms of endearment. I’d never been in a long-distance relationship before, and honestly, I was apprehensive about saying I was in one now, but more and more, it was feeling that way. He had me jumping for my phone every time it vibrated, not wanting to miss his call or text. I’d caught myself grinning when I saw it was him and whatnot. I felt silly because we’d never even met, and here I was, letting my emotions get involved.
    â€œI missed you.”
    â€œI wasn’t even gone a full minute,” I said in a giggly schoolgirl voice. That was exactly how SeanMichael made me feel—like a schoolgirl. Like Fantasia scribbling X s and O s in a notebook, all dreamy eyed.
    â€œAnd that was too long,” he mumbled. “You know what I’d wish if I had one right now?”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œI’d wish that I was in your arms or that you were in mine.”
    â€œI’d like that,” I said in all honesty. I was falling in love with him, but that notion sounded too ridiculous in my thinking for me to allow myself to dwell on it. “So what’s holding you back?”
    â€œHolding me back from what?”
    â€œFrom allowing me to be in your arms.” That was my way of asking him to come see me without just putting it out there.
    â€œMoney,” he blurted out in a guffaw. “I was going to try to come out there, but do you know how much a ticket between here and there is?” His tone was both incredulous and rhetorical.
    â€œI’ve never been out there, so I have no idea, but let me look. I have my laptop right here.” With a quick Google search, I found a few quotes, the least expensive one being just a couple hundred dollars. I shared. “I see a ticket that’s only two sixty-five.”
    â€œYeah, I can’t afford that,” he countered just as soon as my words hit his ear.
    â€œThat’s not that bad.”
    â€œIt is if you don’t have it,” he said and chuckled.
    â€œI can understand you not having it planned in the budget,” I said, trying to understand his angle. “But you can save up for it. I’m having a party for my birthday, and I’d love for you to come.”
    â€œThe way my check gets garnished . . .”
    Garnished? What?
    â€œI hardly have enough money to get stuff I need.” SeanMichael sounded defeated and relieved at the same time, like he had been waiting to tell me that and had finally gotten it out.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” It wasn’t that I didn’t understand what he’d said. I was just taken aback by it. His check was being garnished? Don’t tell me he has ten kids somewhere and is being forced to pay child support. This man better not be trying to fix his mouth to ask me to send him some money, I thought. “Why is your check being garnished?”
    â€œI just had some bills that got out of control,” he said, trying to dismiss the matter.
    But I had more questions. Usually when people didn’t pay a regular bill, it just ended up on their credit report, but garnishments were generally for things like taxes, credit cards, student loans, and . . . child