Read Online Unsuitable Men by Nia Forrester - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nia Forrester
Tags: Literary, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction, African American
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Tracy looked around for a moment, wondering where Shawn had gotten off to.
“Probably in the back office calling Riley for the first of a hundred calls he’ll make tonight,” Brendan said, noticing her search.
“He won’t have to,” Tracy said following Brendan over to the bar. “He already told me he’s not staying long.”
Brendan shrugged. “No shock there. Sometimes I think he fired me just so I wouldn’t keep him from running home every five minutes.”
“Well, I think it’s sweet,” Tracy said leaning against the bar.
A bartender dressed in all-white, wearing silver lipstick and eye-shadow approached and smiled at Brendan.
“Mr. Cole? What can I get for you and your guest?”
“Give us a couple of the signature martinis,” Brendan said. “Thank you.” Then he turned back to Tracy. “I want you to tell me what you think about this drink.”
“Sure,” she said, flattered again that he cared what she thought.
“So back to Shawn and Riley. Yeah, I agree, it is cool that they’re that into each other. But a man’s got to make a living, right? Can’t sit around staring into your wife’s eyes all day.”
“Now you’re exaggerating,” Tracy said laughing. “He still spends at least one week a month on the road. And she is pregnant. So I’m thinking there’s a little hater-ism in your commentary.”
Brendan grabbed his chest, as though she’d shot him in the heart. “Hater-ism? Me ?”
“ Yessir . I can hear it. And I recognize it, because I have occasional bouts of the same affliction myself.”
Brendan grinned at her. “Do you? You want that? All that crazy-out-of-your-mind type love?”
Tracy nodded slowly.
Brendan looked at her, his smile disappearing for a moment. “I don’t know if I want that,” he said quietly. “I mean, I want a partner and someday a family, but that shit they have? It’s . . . disruptive.”
Tracy burst out into surprised laughter. “I’ve never heard true love described in quite that way.”
“You know what I mean,” Brendan said. “You were there. You remember all that? I know there was a time there when I thought my boy had straight-up lost his mind. I mean, everything was about Riley.”
“She helped him grow up though, Brendan,” Tracy said. “He’s the man he was supposed to be, now.”
At that, Brendan leaned in closer as though studying her. “Damn,” he said. “Am I mistaken or do you actually admire who Shawn is today?”
Tracy shrugged. “He’s a good man who’s all about his woman. How can you not admire that?”
Brendan nodded. “True story.”
The bartender returned with their drinks in frosted martini glasses and Brendan held up his glass. Tracy followed suit.
“Let’s toast to the opening of Lounge Two-Twelve,” she said.
“And to you finding a good man who’s all about his woman,” Brendan added.
Tracy forced a smile at that last addition but drank to it anyway.
The club was stuffed to maximum capacity, everyone was enjoying it, and the launch was an undeniable success. Brendan circulated through the crowd, shaking hands, accepting congratulations and pretending to himself he wasn’t looking for Tracy again. When Shawn slipped out just after midnight, he’d made sure to let Brendan know he was leaving and asked him to tell Tracy and make sure she got home okay. So he’d gone in search of her and found her.
She was sitting in one of the alcoves with some dude who was leaning in close, ostensibly so she could hear him over the crowd and music. Brendan swallowed the flash of annoyance he felt and interrupted their conversation to deliver Shawn’s message. She looked up at him, her gaze as impassive as though he was a waiter coming to refresh her water glass, and took the news of Shawn’s departure with a nod and a shrug, smiling in assent when Brendan offered her a car home whenever she was ready. Then she looked at him with dismissal and returned her attention to her companion.
When she
“Probably in the back office calling Riley for the first of a hundred calls he’ll make tonight,” Brendan said, noticing her search.
“He won’t have to,” Tracy said following Brendan over to the bar. “He already told me he’s not staying long.”
Brendan shrugged. “No shock there. Sometimes I think he fired me just so I wouldn’t keep him from running home every five minutes.”
“Well, I think it’s sweet,” Tracy said leaning against the bar.
A bartender dressed in all-white, wearing silver lipstick and eye-shadow approached and smiled at Brendan.
“Mr. Cole? What can I get for you and your guest?”
“Give us a couple of the signature martinis,” Brendan said. “Thank you.” Then he turned back to Tracy. “I want you to tell me what you think about this drink.”
“Sure,” she said, flattered again that he cared what she thought.
“So back to Shawn and Riley. Yeah, I agree, it is cool that they’re that into each other. But a man’s got to make a living, right? Can’t sit around staring into your wife’s eyes all day.”
“Now you’re exaggerating,” Tracy said laughing. “He still spends at least one week a month on the road. And she is pregnant. So I’m thinking there’s a little hater-ism in your commentary.”
Brendan grabbed his chest, as though she’d shot him in the heart. “Hater-ism? Me ?”
“ Yessir . I can hear it. And I recognize it, because I have occasional bouts of the same affliction myself.”
Brendan grinned at her. “Do you? You want that? All that crazy-out-of-your-mind type love?”
Tracy nodded slowly.
Brendan looked at her, his smile disappearing for a moment. “I don’t know if I want that,” he said quietly. “I mean, I want a partner and someday a family, but that shit they have? It’s . . . disruptive.”
Tracy burst out into surprised laughter. “I’ve never heard true love described in quite that way.”
“You know what I mean,” Brendan said. “You were there. You remember all that? I know there was a time there when I thought my boy had straight-up lost his mind. I mean, everything was about Riley.”
“She helped him grow up though, Brendan,” Tracy said. “He’s the man he was supposed to be, now.”
At that, Brendan leaned in closer as though studying her. “Damn,” he said. “Am I mistaken or do you actually admire who Shawn is today?”
Tracy shrugged. “He’s a good man who’s all about his woman. How can you not admire that?”
Brendan nodded. “True story.”
The bartender returned with their drinks in frosted martini glasses and Brendan held up his glass. Tracy followed suit.
“Let’s toast to the opening of Lounge Two-Twelve,” she said.
“And to you finding a good man who’s all about his woman,” Brendan added.
Tracy forced a smile at that last addition but drank to it anyway.
The club was stuffed to maximum capacity, everyone was enjoying it, and the launch was an undeniable success. Brendan circulated through the crowd, shaking hands, accepting congratulations and pretending to himself he wasn’t looking for Tracy again. When Shawn slipped out just after midnight, he’d made sure to let Brendan know he was leaving and asked him to tell Tracy and make sure she got home okay. So he’d gone in search of her and found her.
She was sitting in one of the alcoves with some dude who was leaning in close, ostensibly so she could hear him over the crowd and music. Brendan swallowed the flash of annoyance he felt and interrupted their conversation to deliver Shawn’s message. She looked up at him, her gaze as impassive as though he was a waiter coming to refresh her water glass, and took the news of Shawn’s departure with a nod and a shrug, smiling in assent when Brendan offered her a car home whenever she was ready. Then she looked at him with dismissal and returned her attention to her companion.
When she
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