Hello Brunch Ladies!
During his debut talk show on
BET, T.D. Jakes stated
that finance was the number one reason couples divorce. Everyone
comes to the relationship table with their own financial baggage or
blessings but things can change! I was inspired by various articles and dialog about dating, love and marriage during challenging economic times. Romance and finance has many dynamics, but what if:
- You met a gorgeous, educated guy and living at home with mama because he's launching a business.
- You were both financially stable when you jumped the broom, but after a few years multiple lay offs drained your savings?
- Your mate came into a large sum of money (think NeNe from the RHOA) and money has become a source of power and control
- You helped your mate build his business but now that it is your turn he's not returning the favor
- You listened to your friends and married a "baller" now you are miserable because money was all he had
Love on a Budget is a fun, romance read with a dash of faith! Enters Jake Jiles,
Prairie View A & M grad, thirty-something frat member that just broke up with his corporate job
and girlfriend of 3 years. He left his job to start his dream business - Honey-Do-4-Hire. However, his girlfriend wasn't happy because a) she thought it was a dumb idea and told him so and b) she was afraid it would delay their future engagement. So the newly single Jake wasn't expecting to meet a potential Mrs. Right! Enter witty, down to earth and gorgeous Skylar Ross that seemed too good to pass up. She was the right girl at the wrong time!
Love on a Budget will make you consider the role that money, timing and friendships play in our relationships. So here it is...and excerpt from
Love on a Budget (Available now on Amazon.com!)
Chapter 13 – Distressed Damsels
Jake said a mental thank you for the truck’s navigation
system and pulled over on the side of the road. So much
for relaxation, duty calls. He walked up to the door and heard a few women
laughing loud. He had on his work pants,
Honey-Do-4-Hire logo shirt, cap and boots and carried a small tool box. The door opened before he could knock.
uck’s navigation system and pulled over on
the side of the road.
“Um,
you must be Mr. Honey-Do.” Yasmine was
standing there with a drink, in heels, a mini skirt, crop top and a feather boa
around her neck.
“Yes,
I guess that would be me. May I come in?”
“Girl,
get out the way and let the man in.”
Jake heard a voice from the back.
Yasmine
turned around, “Meeka, hush. I was the one who called. I’m the damsel in
distress.” She extended her hand. “Yasmine Nash.”
He reached out his
free hand and shook hers. “Jake… Jiles.”
She smiled then sucked
her teeth and rolled her eyes at Meeka.
“Please come in. The kitchen’s this
way.” She walked slow and put her heels
to work as her black mini swung from side to side. Jake kept his eyes forward and did a mental
eye roll.
“Um,
um. That thang right there.” Meeka said
aloud, not caring that Jake heard. “Dang,
let me go break something.” She crunched on a carrot stick then licked her pink
lips.
By
this time Bree, Yasmine’s other friend had arrived and was sitting in the
living room with her legs crossed, unfazed.
“It’s
the garbage disposal.” Yasmine said as she pushed Meeka out the way.
“You
mind?” Jake made sure the switch was off,
then knelt down with his flashlight.
“Just a minute…I need to slide under here.” He pushed the reset button
and nothing happened. “Seems like
something fell in and jammed it.” He slid back out and stood up. “Let me see…” He put on some rubber gloves
and grabbed a few tools from his box. He
slid back under the sink. He unscrewed a few parts and knocked around. Finally he was able to dislodge the culprit—
a chewed up dish cloth.
“Ugh,
that’s disgusting.” Meeka frowned.
“Uh,
I know you ain’t talking with your non-housekeeping self. This is the thanks I get for planning this
fabulous soiree for your lonely-no-man-having—”
“Ladies,
ladies, um don’t mean to interrupt, but I have another job after this.”
He walked over and placed the
dishrag in the trash. “Do you mind if I
go wash my hands? We can wrap it up when I come back.”
“No,
not at all.” Yasmine said.
When
he left to go to the restroom he heard loud whispers.
“Gurl,
I’mma ask him. What woman would let a
man that fine work on Valentine’s Day? If that were my Boo, huh, I’d serve him
breakfast and spend all day with him.” Meeka dipped the ladle in the punch bowl
and poured some in her cup.
When
he opened the door to come out he started to write up the bill.
“Yoo-hoo,
Mr. Honey-Do? I know you gots to have a woman. A man Boris-Kodjoe, Idris-Elba fine?” Meeka’s ponytail whipped in animation as her
neck moved with her words.
He
smiled. “I’m flattered. Don’t mean to be rude, but I really do have to go.” Jake flashed
his smile again, hoping they’d be satisfied with that.
“Yeah,
we know the real reason you rushing off.
You got a woman.” Yasmine said, batting her extra long lashes. She
signed off on the bill and paid him.
“Appreciate
it,” he said, ignoring their inquiries. “Okay, ladies, enjoy the rest of your
evening. If you need anything else, you
have my information.”
“Anything?”
Meeka said, fanning herself. She watched him until he left out the door.
~~~~~
As Jake stepped
outside and rushed out to the driveway, he noticed a woman that was seated
inside her car fumbling with the door. She was visibly frustrated and talking
to herself. “I can’t believe I just did this. Ugh!” She opened the door wide and jiggled a latch.
Jake walked toward
her. “Excuse me, miss, you okay? Need
some help?”
She sucked her
teeth. “I did the most stupid thing. So like me,” she said, focused on her
lock.
“What happened? Can I take
a look at it?” he asked, concerned.
She finally
stopped to focus on Jake. Her eyes moved
from his work boots, to his jeans, to his arms bulging from his work shirt,
then to his handsome face. Then she saw
the logo. “Honey-Do-4-Hire?” She chuckled.
“Look, I’m not the
one needing help.” He wasn’t laughing.
She raised her
finger. “I guess you’re right.” For a
few seconds their eyes connected. She
couldn’t help but notice his milk brown skin and iridescent eyes. She was
caught off guard by how handsome he was, but she didn’t let on.
“C’mon, let me check it out. What happened?” He knelt down to look at the side of the
door.
“Well, I was rushing trying to get over here.
Yasmine always nags about being on time. I wasn’t even gonna come. I was all set for my movie marathon. But nooo,
she started whining. Anyway, I stopped
at the grocery store and slammed my seat belt in the car door. I had to hold the door closed on the way here.
Thank God it was less than a mile. This
is gonna cost me some money. The
electronic door lock isn’t working.”
As she sat there
explaining, he took in her face. He loved the way her short layered cut
highlighted her high cheekbones. As she
spoke, her long eyelashes bounced every few seconds. Her
skin is so smooth. Jake quickly
focused, “Okay, stay calm. If you step
out I can get in to get a better look.”
She turned her
body so she could step out. Jake tried not focus too hard on her athletic body.
She was casually chic in jeans, a white
top and high heel boots with a scarf wrapped loosely around her neck.
He placed his tool
box next to the door. He eased in the driver’s seat and immediately went into
damage control. He reached down in the
box to grab a small metal tool and jiggled the area where the door closed. He jumped back out. “Okay, there’s good news and bad news.”
“I figured,” she
said, folding her arms. She bit the side of her baby pink glossed lip.
Jake watched her
eyes widen. “The good news? I fixed it
so you can at least close and lock your door manually. The bad news…you’re gonna
need some electrical work on the lock. Off to the dealer you go. ”
She took a deep
breath. “Ugh. Between maintenance and
super unleaded gas, this car has cost me some money.”
He
grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry I couldn’t do more.”
She
smiled warmly, her teeth sparkling like the diamond studs in her ears. “No
worries, at least you tried. So what’s
this gonna cost me?”
“You’re
joking, right? I barely did anything.”
“Well,
chivalry isn’t dead after all.” She raised her neatly arched eyebrows. “There’s still a few of us out here.”
Jake grabbed his box.
She
stuck out her hand, “Thanks, um…”
He
pulled the side of his shirt where his name was embroidered.
“Jake,”
He
grabbed her hand, “You’re quite welcome…”
“Skylar,
Skylar Ross.”
Don't forget to check out the Love on the Budget Playlist on Spotify!
©2013 Norma L. Jarrett
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