Getting Schooled (The Wright Brothers #1)(3)
Refill was a popular hangout spot across town, too far from campus to attract the undergrad population. Sleek, modern décor, low key vibes, a liquor license, and a strictly enforced twenty-five or older policy made it ideal for the slightly bougie, professional late-twenties crowd.
My kind of crowd.
Still, I shook my head. “I honestly didn’t plan to. Grayson finally got some time off, so he’s supposed to be dropping by the house tonight.”
Olivia abruptly stopped in her tracks, her pretty caramel toned face screwed into a little scowl. She had braids like mine, and swung them over her shoulder as she rolled her eyes. “Oh. You and Grayson are still a thing? Of course you’re ditching your friends to hang with your man.”
I sucked my teeth. “Uhh, back up. Have I not kicked it with you often over the last two months while he’s been busy with this monster case? Don’t try to play me like I’m the friend who disappears because she has a man, when you know that’s not the situation.”
There was silence between us for about two-Mississippi because her frown softened. “I guess you’re right, huh?”
“I don’t have to guess,” I chuckled, turning to continue my journey down the sidewalk. “I don’t mean to duck out on you, but I haven’t been able to spend any significant time with Grayson in months. Girlfriend duty calls.”
Olivia let out a little sigh, then jogged a bit to catch up before falling into stride beside me. “I know, I get it. I was just hoping to have some company to go listen to Julian Black sing tonight.”
I cringed. “Oooh, that was tonight?”
Shit.
Julian Black was this generation’s Joe, Tyrese, Usher, Ginuwine, you name it. Handsome, talented, the body of an Adonis, without the social media fuckery. So basically, full blown unattainable crush material that I was missing out on seeing live in favor of kicking it with Grayson… and I wasn’t sure I felt like it was worth it.
“Maybe you could bring Grayson with you? That way you get to see Julian, see Grayson, and not leave me hanging. Three birds, one stone.”
I smiled. “As compelling as your argument is,” I said, stopping at a crosswalk to let a car finish passing before I continued, “it’s still a no. Grayson already says he wants to do something quiet, just me and him. I don’t think he’d be too enthused if I tried to drag him out there. Maybe next time.”
Olivia groaned. “Okaaay, Have fun with your boo.”
“I definitely plan to.”
We split up and went our separate ways, and in my car, I stifled a yawn.
Truthfully, part of my reluctance to go to Refill tonight was rooted in the fact that I was straight up tired. Between the coursework to finish my MFA, and my responsibilities as a grad assistant, I was a busy girl. I cherished the time I had to chill and kick it with my friends, but I was glad for an opportunity to be laid up in manly arms, and have my booty rubbed until I fell asleep early.
I pulled up to the duplex I called home about twenty minutes later, and dragged myself and my bag out of the car. I plopped down on the couch to take off my shoes and then sat back, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to stay there long.
This was one of few weekends that I didn’t have any assignments due when classes resumed on Monday. Still, it would be a good idea to get ahead, since I wasn’t planning to go out anyway, and it would be a few hours before Grayson arrived.
My cell phone let out a melodic chime, and I reached for it, taking it out of my bag. I grinned when I saw the message from Devyn, the woman who owned the title of “best friend” in my life.
“Grayson is still a ‘thing’ around these parts? Ew. – Devyn.”
Shaking my head, I thought about what I wanted to type back. Her ill feelings toward Grayson were firmly rooted in a conversation we’d had after his first month of scarcity. She’d gotten this weird look on her face when she asked me if I missed him and my answer was no, but it wasn’t that big of a deal to me.
I’d never been the girl to be stuck under a man, vacuuming up his time. If he wanted to chill, fine. If not, I wasn’t that pressed. Obviously, there were some boundaries and specific criteria to that, but in general, I wasn’t too bothered about Grayson’s absence. He was busy, I was busy. Shit happened when you were our age, finishing grad degrees, and starting careers.
Devyn wasn’t convinced, but that was okay. Bestie or not, I didn’t need her approval to continue a relationship with Gray. We talked, texted, grabbed lunch or dinner where we could, but between case filings, legal briefs, and traveling back and forth between here and Seattle to mollify some big shot client, his time was limited. Which was totally okay, cause I didn’t have time for him to always be sniffing behind me either.
“Yes, Gray is still a thing, smart ass. I need SOMEBODY to stroke this kitty.”
I preemptively chuckled, imagining her response, and then tapped on the blinking email notification at the top of my screen. Some of the messages were from classmates, exchanging notes, asking about assignments. I responded where necessary to those, and then moved to the ones from the program BSU used to allow professors to give feedback on student-submitted papers.
Because I was my mother’s grad assistant, and had the responsibility of providing the critique for her Modern Black Literature course, any correspondence was first routed to me – not that the students knew that. I’d had to stop myself from bursting into laughter in the middle of her lecture more than once, reading some of the asinine excuses some people gave for late, or bombed assignments. And then I handed them their asses, because that’s exactly what mama – ahem. Professor Bryant – would do.