Free Chapter and Verse by Jo Willow, Sharon Gurley-Headley Page A

 There’s a barista at the Starbucks that’s just begging to be slapped.”
    “ Is it the little dark haired one that talks through his nose and is slower than molasses?”
    His eyes grew huge and he drew me into a hug.
    “ You understand!”
    He pulled back and leaned in conspiratorially.
    “ I swear I almost punched that kid.  He annoys the livin’ shit out of me.”
    I whispered back just as seriously.
    “ I’d have bailed you out.  No questions asked.”
    He raised his fist and I bumped it as expected.  We stood staring at one another, each one waiting for some revelation to occur.  I turned around and reached into the cabinet for two mugs.
    “ Cream or sugar?”
    “ Both please.”
    I added both to both cups and turned around again with my arms crossed.  He stood silently waiting.
    “ Okay Deacon.  Here’s the deal.  I don’t care who you date or sleep with.  I’m your biographer and maybe your friend, we’ll see how that goes.  The thing is, if you’re out with ME, and you introduce me as your date, there are certain expectations that go along with that.  I expect a certain amount of attention and consideration.  I expect a ride home if you’ve provided the ride there.  Do NOT introduce me as your date if that’s not how you’re prepared to treat me.  Understand?”
    He made the sign of a cross over his heart and kissed my hand.
    “ I promise and you’re right.  Completely and totally right.  Last night will never happen again Dorothy.  You have my word.”
    I turned around and poured our coffee, then handed him a mug.
    “ Yeah?  Well your word is worth shit at the moment Deacon, so save your promises.”
    “ I’ll make it up to you, I swear.  You’ve never seen me on a mission yet and you have no idea how shitty I feel about Friday night.  I’ll earn your trust back Dor’.  I will.”
    I playfully jabbed at his abdomen with my fist and took a sip of my coffee before leading him back to the table.
    “ Good-luck with that Wolf.  I don’t trust anyone to begin with.  So trusting you was a giant leap of faith for me.  Trusting you again?  Highly doubtful.”
    I was opening the muffin bag so I missed the brief look of grief and pain that flashed in Deacon’s eyes.
    “ Blueberry?  Fair guess.  But next time, grab a chocolate one too.”
    I handed him a muffin and I smiled, but the smile I got in return was forced and never touched his eyes.  Something I said chased his dimples away and I felt the sadness pass between us.  I couldn’t take it back and I wouldn’t if I could.  If we were going to be friends, there had to be honesty.  We’d never have anything if we rebuilt everything on playful lies meant to soothe hurt feelings.  Something needed to be said and I felt that I had to be the one to say it.  I reached across the table and took his warm hand in mine.  He squeezed and I squeezed back.
    “ Deke, if we’re gonna do this, there has to be honesty between us.  I can take the pain, I can’t take the lie.  That will kill me every time and I’ll walk away.  Every time.  You say you never apologize?  Well I never give second chances.  But here we are.  You’re apologizing to me and I’m giving you another shot.  I don’t know what that means, but I have a theory.  You wanna hear it?”
    “ I do indeed.”
    “ Alrighty then.  I think we see something in one another that’s strangely familiar.  Maybe something that we see in ourselves.  Maybe it’s something we’re missing that’s right there within reach.  Who knows?  Whatever we see in one another, it’s something we want to keep and that makes it something worth trying for, to both of us.  So you apologize and I forgive.  We’ll build this friendship and I’ll write your bio.  You’ll learn it’s latte’s and chocolate muffins and I’ll remember it’s cream AND sugar in your coffee.  I’ll cook and you’ll drop in and eat.  We’ll become friends.  How does that