The rehearsal dinner..
The wedding coordinator made sure everybody understood their duties as a part of the wedding party. When the bride told her Zac and Fatima had just met the day before, she was appalled.
"You guys are definitely up there with the bride and groom when it comes to the importance of the day" Amy started, adjusting her glasses and scrolling on her ipad. "You guys look amazing together though...love the chemistry but I have some building exercises I want you to try by tomorrow. It'll bring you even closer..I'll be right back" she said, smiling and bouncing away with her assistant behind her.
Fatima forced her face into a grin as Amy's ponytail swayed from side to side.
"Building exercises? This isn't the 3rd grade" Fatima laughed. Zac looked over at her "Right. She think we slow or some shit? Where is Preston?" Fatima waved her hand as if she was tossing something in the air. "I'm not doing that shit. All we're doing is walking and taking pictures tomorrow. Amy extra as hell." They laughed together.
"Besides" Zac started, taking the empty chair beside her. "I've learned all I need to know..for now" he looked over at Fatima. She side eyed him before chuckling. "Oh, is that so?" He nodded and flashed that smile making Fatima's chest tight again. "Yeah, you're Danni's sister. That's all I need to know for the time being"
"Psssh" Fatima laughed "Okay, if you say so"
"You'll be around me as much as I'll be around you. Trust me." he turned in his chair to face her. Fatima watched him closely without turning her head. "Trust you? I don't even know you" she gave a smirk, slightly batting her lashes.
Zac rubbed his beard and blinked slowly before making eye contact with Fatima. She made sure to keep her face unreachable. "And that's the fun part. I'll teach you..just like you'll teach me"
"Mhm" her lips poked out as she fought a smile "Sure"
"Hey! Booked and Busy..we're heading back to the house for the party. T, are you staying here tonight or my place?"Danni asked, as she and Preston walked over to them. They were swinging hands and she was grinning ear to ear. "I'm gonna come back tonight only because I wanna be here early enough to change whatever you don't like when I facetime you, I'll be at you house by 7 am" Fatima replied, playfully rolling her eyes. Danni smiled even harder "You're so spoiled it's sick" Preston said kissing the back of her hand. "Most of that is your soft ass fault bro" Zac added
"Right..this expensive ass wedding" he and Fatima laughed together making Danni squint.
"Aye, easy on my man okay?" Danni interjected "Right! and chill on my wife..sound like a bunch of hating going for two single people"
"Woaaah, ain't nobody hating on shit" Zac laughed, throwing his hands up.
"Right, I might be single but i'm far from alone.." Fatima said crossing her legs.
"Mhm, whatever" Danni said smirking and looking her friend up and down. "Babe, let's go. We gotta stop by the store before they close"
"Oh true! Bro, you coming back right?" Zac nodded, taking a sip from his cup. "You know it, I got you bro" he said giving Preston dap.
"See y'all later..keep them legs just as they are, Booked!" Danni yelled as she and Preston walked off.
Neither Fatima or Zac made another peep until Danni and Preston were completely out of view. Fatima sighed and stood up. "Room 1393" she said without looking at Zac. He chuckled, sipping his drink again.
"Woman, I know the room number. I paid for it"
•••
After the party..
Fatima got back to her hotel room at 10:45 pm. Her plan was to stay over night, get up early enough to make sure everything was going as planned downstairs and report it back to Danny by 7am. Her makeup slot was for 7:30. When she left Danni's, the bride was already pissy so sneaking away early wasn't that hard.
Fatima had a few drinks but just enough to give her a quick buzz. The hotel was literally around the corner but she made sure to have a few bottles of her own.
She smiled, hearing the key card beep from the other side of the door. "Fatima!?" His deep voice called as the door closed behind him.
"I'm in the bathroom"!
"I got you some food. I'm sure you still act the same when you're hungry" he said sitting two styrofoam takeout plates on the table.
"People can change Zachary" she laughed walking out of the bathroom, twisting the end of a platte.
"Oh shit! You wearing your curls tomorrow?" He asked walking up
on her, biting his lip. She smiled and nodded. "I don't want to but Danni loves this thick shit..I'm gonna cut it next week"
Zac smacked his lips. "What for? Don't do that Fatima. You so hardheaded"
"Whatever" she scoffed and turned to go back into the bathroom.
"Come on and eat before this shit get cold"!
"Damn nigga! Lemme me wash my hands!" she yelled back, making him laugh. "Mouth still fucking smart"
He sat at the table, grabbing the remote to find something to watch for them.
"Thank you Zac" she said, taking the seat across from him. "Aht! Don't mention it..you know better" he smirked.
"Soo" she asked after praying over their plates. She stirred the macaroni around with her fork. "How's life been treating Mr Taylor?"
Zac decided on HBO and chuckled, looking over at Fatima. He nodded. "Life's good..moneys good..mom asks about you all the time" he voice grew into a whisper.
"Oh man..I miss her! The sweetest woman on the planet"
"Yeah" Zac said, playing over his food. "How's life been for Ms Wilson? I hear your business been doing big shit since I last seen you" She smiled and nodded. "Yeaaah, my baby is taking off, she's making me and my financial advisor proud"
"Oh so you listened to a nigga huh?" he chuckled making her roll her eyes "Yeah yeah, you and my daddy...told you people can change" she laughed.
"Mr Barron?! Ahh shit, how he been? That's my nigga man. I gotta call him"
Fatima smiles thinking of her father "His number hasn't changed..he'd love to hear from you" her voice grew into a whisper.
It was silence between them for a few moments, the theme music to Ghost playing in the background.
"They say this is a big rich town..yeaaah" they sung together, smiling and staring at each other.
"How long are we gonna keep up this charade, Tima?" He asked lowly as the theme music faded. Fatima just sighed and shrugged. "I mean you really acted like you didn't know a nigga the other day"
"Cap. I said your name. You acted like you didn't know me too so" she shrugged again, forwarding her eyes to his. "Cap. You didn't let me say shit before running out the damn door and I was following the energy you were giving"
Fatima didn't speak. For Atlanta to be so small, seeing Zac in the coffee shop the other morning was the first time she had seen him in a year. Before that, they were working on building something..so they thought. Her paranoia made her keep her mouth shut to her friend, especially after finding out he was best friends with her fiancé.
Sadly, she figured they just weren't a match.
"When is Preston coming back? Are you staying in the suite with him?" she asked, deflecting from the previous conversation. Zac stared at her for a minute. He didnt speak. "Zac. Don't start that weird shit bro..do not"
Zac smirked and stood up from the table. She swallowed hard seeing that print she remembered all too well.
"Do you want me to stay in the suite with Preston?" She rolled her eyes, looking at the tv. "Mhm, exactly. Same Tima" He said, closing the lid on his plate.
"What? What does that even mean?" She asked, still looking at the tv and eating her food. By this time, Zac was going through her bag for the bottle of Hennessy he knew she had. "Bingo"!
"Nigga, don't go through my shit and you didn't put in on that bottle"
Zac smacked his lips "Girl stop! This shit used to be at my house and you promised me this bottle a year ago. This shit mine. I'll buy you a room full a henny..don't play"
"Well shit from that long ago might not hold weight in 2023, I'm just saying" she said hearing him open the bottle. He poured one cup. "Mmm excuse the fuck outta me?"
He laughed and grabbed another cup. "Thank you kindly" she smiled, turning her attention back to the tv.
"No problem," he said walking over to the table with both cups in his hand. "You ever think about acting? That little show you put on at bro's crib was cute" he said referring to her reaction to him in Danni's guest room.
"Nah..you know Danni's nosey ass was close..I had to keep my
cover clear" she laughed, sipping her drink. She coughed. "Ew! You didn't see the pineapple juice?! This shit all always be disgusting straight.." she said screwing her face up and getting up from the table. Zac licked his lips watching her oversize t shirt ride up above her thick thighs, a little bit of her ass showing from the bottom. "Damn" he snipped her drink "It's still like that huh"?
"What? Henny? Yes..still tastes like tar" she said pouring some cold pineapple juice into her cup. Zac shook his head and smacked his lips. "No Fatima" he stood up, walking over to her.
"This" he gently placed his hand on her lower back, slowly moving down to cup her ass. She smiled at the wall. "This? It's still like that, ain't it?" He asked, as she turned around drinking from her cup.
"I don't know. What you think?" she asked, looking at him over the rim. Zac looked at her and shrugged. "I don't know..it's been such a long time Fatima...and I've missed you" he took a step closer.
"It has been a long time...you probably got some bitch thinking she hot shit cause you blowing her back out, huh"?
"Nah. Nothing like that" he whispered
"Mhm. I bet not" she said, rolling her eyes before drinking some more from her cup before he took it from her hands. He stepped closer into her space, making her back into the counter.
"You never answered my question"
"What question?" neither of their voice's over a whisper. They studied each others faces and eyes before Zac raised his hand to touch her. "So you want me to stay in that suite tonight? or do you want me to stay here with you?"
Fatima just shrugged "You're a grown man. You're gonna do whatever you want at the end of the day"
"Yeah, you right but what if I wanna do what you want me to?" Fatima just looked at him "Oh so now you care what I wanna do?"
"Fatima" his hands dropped as he smacked his lips. "What"? She shrugged and laughed before keeping her cup up and walking over to the bed. She threw it back and climbed in.
He was still staring at her when she turned to face him. "Get the fuck over here Zachary" A smirk grew across his face as she slowly walked to her.
"Even if it's just for the night"? He as he began to undress himself.
"Yes. Even if it's just for the night"she responded.