Free CheckMate 4: Winner Takes All by Tiece Page A

do?” She questioned him.
     
    “Stay,” Rico said.
     
    ***
     
     “I can’t,” Mona spouted as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mom was at. “I can’t be with a man that doesn’t know what he wants out of life.”
     
    “Well, I can’t exactly blame you for that. At least you’re teaching him early on that you’re not one of those women that will be stepped on and looked over.”
     
    “That’s right mom. I’m not.” Mona agreed.
     
    “So, how are your feelings right now for your daughter’s father?”
     
    “I don’t know,” she sighed with a confused shake of the head. “I honestly don’t know. One minute I love our situation, because it gives me time to get my thoughts together and live my life for me. But then, the next minute, I miss Rico and my life with him in it. I’m just so unsure about things right now.”
     
    Catherine walked over and touched the back of Mona’s hand. “It’s okay to feel that way, baby girl. What’s important right now over everything is that you take care of yourself and that beautiful grandbaby of yours. Rico is more than just your baby’s daddy. He’s also your fiancé.” She said still noticing that Mona hadn’t removed her ring yet.
     
    Mona’s eyes also followed down to her finger as she stared at the glistening diamond ring that at one time made her so happy. “I need to take this off.”
     
    “You don’t have to take it off just because you’re not with him. It could be a reminder of the life that you could have with him, just so you don’t forget about it. I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself and your beliefs, but no man is perfect. However, if he’s willing to change and have proved himself to you then there’s nothing wrong with giving him another chance. Rico isn’t a bad guy. He just makes some of the worst decisions,” she said with a quick thought. “Reminds me of someone else,” she added thinking about Monty.
     
    “Yep, birds of a feather flock together.” Mona said with light laughter to lighten the conversation.
     
    Catherine laughed. “That’s usually a correct statement, but then again. You can never judge a book by its cover.”
     
    Mona agreed with a nod of the head. “You’re so right about that mom.”
     
    “So, what’s been going on with this late night giggling I’ve been hearing through the house? I thought at one point that you were trying to see someone else.” Catherine said just as the doorbell rang.
     
    Mona looked over on the wall at the time, and then said, “Trying and doing are two different things.” She said taking off her engagement ring, and then winking at her mom.
     
    “Mona,” Catherine called out giving her daughter the side eye. “What are you up to?”
     
    “I’m just having a little company, that’s all.” Mona said as the doorbell rang again.
     
    Catherine scooped up the engagement ring and shook her head. “Don’t go getting yourself in trouble.”
     
    “I got this mom. Gracious, I got this,” she repeated while heading toward the front door. “Coming,” she called out. As she opened the front door she smiled. “Hey Ross.”
     
    Ross smiled back. “Well hey you,” he said leaning in and giving Mona a warm hug. They hadn’t officially set eyes on each other in months and the embrace showed it.
     
    Mona inhaled the alluring cologne that Ross had on. “You smell so good.” She whispered then felt somewhat embarrassed, because she meant to say it to herself.
     
    “You do too,” Ross said kissing her in the top of the head.
     
    “Come on in,” Mona told him as he followed her into the house. “Have a seat.”
     
    Ross sat down, but he couldn’t take his eye off of Mona. She was indeed a pretty woman to him and he wanted nothing more than to be with her; if only she’d give him another chance.
     
    “So, what’s been going on?” Mona asked as she sat next to him.
     
    “Nothing much,” Ross responded, and