Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

19. Fresh faces

" Our crib too big," Joseph said as he exited the home through the back door into the outdoor lounging area where Grace was laying on the couch reading, prompting her to look up from her book. " You got the fire pit started and shit," He chuckled, walking over to her.

" Why'd you say that?" She asked, placing her thumb in between the pages as to not lose her place scooting her body over letting him sit next to her. The New York weather was slowly beginning to change as they entered the fall season. Grace was trying to soak up the last bit of sunlight outside so she laid by the fire pit reading the new novel she'd just picked up from Barnes and Nobel last week.

" Cause I been lookin for you for a cool five minutes," Joseph said adjusting his chains around his neck, the metal pendants clanking against one another. " What you reading?" He asked leaning down and planting a kiss on her lips, his chains dangling in her face.

" Just a book I got last week," She shrugged making a smile tug at the corner of Josephs lips as his dark brown orbs darted around her face encasing her natural beauty with his eyes as she laid on the outdoor couch in a black skin tight SKIMS maxi dress that practically engulfed her tiny stature, her fresh blow out sprawled across the couch cushion she was using to rest her head on.

" What?" She asked, mirroring his smile as she looked back up at him.

" I can't look at you?" Joseph asked, gently grabbing her chin with his tattooed hand.

Grace tried to suppress the smile on her face as she felt her cheeks begin to heat up, blushing childishly. " You can," She said softly. " You look good, where are you going?" She asked upon noticing his attire, rubbing her hand down his chest.

Normally when they were home he was in a pair of sweats and house shoes if he was wearing any clothes at all, but right now he had on a pair of black slacks and a black button up with the cuffs rolled up revealing the thick iced out Cuban link bracelet on his right wrist and the plane Jane Rolex with an emerald green face she'd gifted him for his 27th birthday on the left. Grace had noticed he'd adopted this new sense of style since he'd come home, different from his normal street wear attire.

He preferred the slacks and button up look more now but still dressed comfortably every now and then but Grace wasn't complaining, it made him look more sophisticated and grown and added to his sex appeal, she loved it— it was also more fitting for his roll of a boss, it made him look even more authoritative.

" I gotta go handle some business," He said while simultaneously checking the watch on his left wrist.

Grace did a little eye roll reopening her book making Joseph kiss his teeth. " What Grace?"

" Nothing," She mumbled.

" It's something, what's your problem?"

" Nothing, I'll see you when you get home,"

Joseph clenched his jaw staring down at her as she ignored his glare. " Grace," He said sternly.

" What?" She responded with an attitude finally removing her eyes from the words of the page she was reading meeting his intense stare.

" What you got an attitude with me for? Why do you be tryna trip with me every time I leave to go work. You been doin this shit since you had that talk wit yo mama. You don't be havin a problem goin shopping and out to eat at all these fancy restaurants with yo girls but when it's time for me to go make the money you be spending its a problem," Joseph scolded.

Grace glared at him with a slight pout to her bottom lip, she hated when he got on her case. Truthfully Grace had been overthinking about the conversation she had with Emily since she had it unbeknownst to him— more specifically the comment there is no such thing as a happily ever after being with a man like that. It bothered Grace because she knew it was the truth. What man in the line of business Joseph is in do you know that had the family and the marriage with the white picket fence and the happily ever after?