I'm Grown

Maya’s POV

My best friend in the whole entire world pulls me away from that fine specimen of a man like she’s saving me from myself.

Shane.

Lord.

I sigh as Sienna drags me a few steps to the side, her grip firm but familiar. “What’s going on, girl?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

She gives me that look, the one that says I love you, but you stress me out.

“You know his situation.”

I blink at her. “Sienna, of course I know his situation. You told me his situation when we were at your baby shower. When I was already interested in him.”

She exhales through her nose. “Right. Which is why I’m asking, are you still planning to pursue that?”

I smile, slow and sweet. “You know what you need to do?”

She squints. “What?”

“Mind your business.”

She groans. “Maya... ”

“And there it is,” I say, laughing. “That’s the sound of you remembering I’m grown.”

We go back and forth for another minute, all sister style, until she finally throws her hands up. “Fine. I’ll stay out of it. You’re ass grown woman, I know.”

“Thank you,” I say, leaning in to hug her. “And I love you.”

She hugs me back just as tight. “I love you too. I just want you to be careful.”

“I will,” I promise, and I mean it.

She pulls back, eyes lighting up mischievously. “Don’t forget to get your ass up there when I throw the bouquet so you can catch it and get your ass married.”

I laugh. “Absolutely not. I am not in the mood to get married. I survived a really bad situation, and right now I’m just… doing me.”

Her eyebrow arches. “So if that man over there helps you do you…?”

“Then so be it.”

She rolls her eyes. “So you’re just going to use him for sex.”

“Perhaps,” I say thoughtfully. “Here and there. And if he’s good in bed, maybe a little more.”

We both laugh.

Then my smile fades, just a little.

“Whatever happened with Gabby’s father, I can’t do anything like that again. I’m not built for secrets and heartbreak anymore. I’m looking for just a friend with benefits, with no strings attached. That’s it.”

Sienna nods, understanding heavy in her eyes.

Sienna, her godmother, still doesn’t know who Gabby’s father is, and the sad thing is my daughter is four almost five years old and that secret has been sitting on my chest for years.

Because her father is the mayor of Evanston.

Mayor Rogers.

Fourteen years older than me. He's married, and he has no kids with his wife. And when he first pursued me, it felt… weird. A powerful handsome man wanted me. He gave me promises and showed me flattery. I was young and stupid enough to believe the attention meant something.

Then one thing led to another.

And then oops, I was pregnant.

When I told him, he wanted me to “handle it.” That was the moment I knew exactly who he was. I told him I’d never get rid of my child. Never.

That’s when he disappeared emotionally and showed his true face. He actually accused me of lying to him about being on birth control. Of trapping him. Meanwhile, I later realized he’d taken the condom off without my consent when we switched positions. He was basically playing Russian roulette with my body because he “wanted to feel me raw with out a condom”

I chewed him out. He paid me to be quiet.

Now, checks show up every month. I guess its hush money, because God forbid anyone finds out the mayor has a daughter out of wedlock.

So yeah my life is muddy, and I’m already knee-deep in it.

I shake myself out of my thoughts and smile at Sienna. “I’ll be there for the bouquet toss. I promise.”

She laughs. “You better be.”

I head toward the bar, and that’s when I see Shane again.

He’s talking animatedly with Knox, hands moving, posture relaxed. Accountant, my ass. That man carries himself like he knows his worth. Senior accountant, from what I’ve heard. Very good at what he does too.

But still, it would be just a fling. He he has three kids and an estranged wife. He has complicated written all over him.

I reach the bar. “Can I have one of the signature drinks, please?”

The bartender smiles. “You can. And you can have my number.”

I smile back. “No, thank you.”

He squints. “Why not?”

“I’m good.”

He scoffs. “You think you too good for me?”

I blink. Here we go.

“So what because you got a fat ass, thinking you too good for a brother?”

I don’t even flinch. “No thank you,” I repeat. “I have a man at home.”

He laughs. “What your man got to do with me?”

I shake my head. “I’m faithful.”

He rolls his eyes, slides me a card anyway. “When you ready to be unfaithful, call me.”

I leave the card right on the bar and walk away. A few steps later, another man grabs my hand. “Where you going, shorty?”

I sigh internally. Lord.

I smile sweetly. “Over there, with my boyfriend.”

“Oh,” he says. “Well, when you get tired of him. .”

“Aren’t you married?” I ask. “Didn’t I just see your wife head to the bathroom?”

He freezes. “You saw that?”

“Yep.”

I keep walking.

When I reach Shane and Knox, I exhale. “Hey, married man.”

Knox laughs. “What’s up, Maya?”

“I was wondering if I could borrow him for a minute.”

“Please do,” Knox says. “I need to find my wife before she murders someone.”

I laugh. “She’s not killing anyone.”

“You don’t know my wife.”

“I actually do,” I say. “You might want to check on her anyway. Make sure she’s not pregnant again.”

He laughs loudly. “She’s not. We check. Regularly just incase.”

I take Shane’s hand. “So… can we continue our conversation?”

He smiles. “Of course. Where to?”

“There’s a table over there, away from the DJ. We might actually be able to hear each other think.”

“Lead the way.”

People look at us as we walk. I feel it. I glance up at him. “So are you enjoying yourself?”

“Yeah,” he says honestly. “My old friends are here, with my colleagues, and no wife.”

I smirk. “You’ve mentioned her a few times already.”

He sighs. “Habits die hard. We’ve been together since we were sixteen. That’s… a long time.”

We reach the table. He pulls my chair out like a gentleman and he pulls out his chair and sits close to me.

“What do you enjoy doing?” he asks.

I take a sip of my drink. “I’m an artist. I paint. I own my own art gallery. I have a beautiful daughter and she’s my world. I love spontaneity. The cliché long walks on the beach, random trips to New York or Florida or Hawaii. I can’t live the same day on repeat.”

I trace my fingers over his hand. “I like to have fun. Raw adult protective fun if you get my drift.”

He smiles. “I’d love that, with someone I trust. And honestly? I haven’t flirted like this in years.”

“How many years?”

“Three. Maybe four.” He points across the room. “Last time was with her sister. My first love. She shut me down quick. Maybe because she's happily married and I'm not.”

I nod. Makes sense.

“So you never retaliated?” I ask softly. “Never cheated back?”

He shakes his head. “No. I took my vows seriously, and I still do. But the silence in my marriage is loud. I stayed because I wanted what my parents have. It’s just… not working.”

I believe him.

“So,” I say, heart steady. “What do you want to do when we leave?”

His eyebrow lifts. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

I laugh. “I’ll make it easy. Let’s leave together. Get a hotel room. Have some grown-up fun, right after the bouquet toss by my best friend.”

He gulps, then takes a long drink. With in an instant, all his confidence? Gone.

I smile. I know men like him. Good men. Careful men.

“So,” I ask again with a delicious smirk on my lips. “What do you think?”

He sets his glass down, and takes a deep breath.

“Okay.”