Free Smoke by Toye Lawson Brown Page B

rejection? You had a fear of rejection from a woman….yeah right.”
    “Yeah I did—just like you fear being rejected by a woman with a brain. But, to reiterate an old topic, I don’t have problems with women of any kind; I love them all, but I have my preferences.”
    “I have preferences too!” Nick snorted. “And, I don’t fear smart women.”
    Slamming the locker door shut, he frowned. “Prove it, Nick. I dare you to date a woman that can count past three.”
    “This ain’t about me but you!”

    “Wrong again, it’s about you and your bigoted way of thinking lately, and until you change, there is no need for us to talk anymore unless it has to do with work.”
    Exiting the locker room, hot air filled Jonathan’s cheeks as he took the stairs to the weight room. His cellphone rang in the pocket of his basketball shorts. “Yeah,” he snapped meanly.
    “Hey, did I catch you at a bad time?”
    The sultry and desirable tone of Gabrielle’s voice filled his ear. “No, I just had a few words with an idiot but I’m cool. I thought you would be in church this morning.”
    “I overslept and didn’t make it. What are you doing?”
    He rested against the railing of the stairs to talk on the phone. “I’m at the gym right now.”
    ”Jonathan, has your doctor released you to exercise?”
    “I’m not lifting weights or anything—I’m walking the treadmill and maybe going for a jog around the track. I gotta keep in shape.” The long pause on the line heightened his interest. “If you aren’t in church, what are your plans for today?”
    “I was thinking I would make brunch for us at my place, and you could bring a movie and a nice bottle of wine for us to enjoy.”
    A smile broke across his face taking his anger for Nick away. “Let me make sure I’m talking to the right Gabrielle King before I accept the invitation.”
    “I’m the one and only. Well, why don’t you think it over and call me back after you’re done at the gym.”
    “The gym can wait; where do you live?” He asked returning to the locker room.
    “Got it; I’ll see you shortly.” He clicked off the phone and hurriedly dressed.

    “Where you going, man?” Anthony came through the door bouncing a
    basketball.
    “Gabrielle called and invited me to brunch at her place.”
    “Sweet—she’s warming up to you.”
    “The fact she made the first move could mean she is. Anthony, I owe you for being the better man and letting me pursue this.”
    “Who am I to stand in the way of true love? Are you packing?”
    Jonathan narrowed his brow. “What?”
    “You know! Do you have packing, shields—condoms, man!”
    “Not here but we’re only having brunch; I don’t want to rush things with her.”
    Anthony went to his locker pulling out a box. “Take these just in case. You might be taking things slow but she might have other ideas on her mind.”
    Jonathan took two off the strip handing Anthony the box. “I’ll take two just in case.”
    Anthony shook his head giving him the rest of the strip. “You gotta learn to be prepared. What if she gets feisty after the first two times, then what?”
    Hesitantly he took the strip tucking it in his gym bag. “I won’t ask why you keep these in your gym locker, but thanks.”
    “Have you seen the women that come in this place?”
    “Yeah and you have to stop looking at them; you have a woman now,” he joked.

    “What I have is a headache whenever she’s around. Have fun at brunch and do everything I would do.”
    “Yeah—I’ll make sure to eat all the grapes from the fruit bowl.”

    *****
Gabrielle placed the fresh vase of flowers on the table and removed the case containing her grandmother’s silverware from the cabinet to set the table carefully.
    Happy with the outcome she lowered the oven temperature and went to the bathroom to finish curling her hair.
    Her reflection in the mirror showed a happy person. She hadn’t entertained a man in months and couldn’t wait for