“Yup, that I do.” They would all kill me if they knew the thoughts I’d had about Olivia. Maybe that was why I’d always kept it a secret that I’d had a thing for her since high school. A small crush wasn’t worth losing my best friend to. “I’d kill any guy that messed with her as well.”
“Yeah, I know. You’re her de facto big bro too.” Derrick grinned. “That’s why she can’t say no, when we tell her you have nowhere else to go.”
“Let’s see. I think Olivia will have no difficulty in saying no. I’ll just have to see if I can change her mind.” Maybe I could change her mind about many things. I grinned to myself as I unbuckled my seatbelt to stand up and get my laptop from my suitcase in the overhead department.
Chapter 3
Olivia
“Only my brother and Tyler could come to San Francisco, the city by the bay and want to get burgers for dinner.” I muttered to myself as I hurried down Market Street to the Bart station on Powell Street. Derrick had made a reservation for a place in the Mission and I had about twenty minutes to get there. “I don’t even know any burger places in the mission.”
“Hey there pretty lady, you got a twenty?” A man standing on the corner grinned at me as I passed him by. I made eye contact and immediately cursed myself internally. Never make eye contact.
“Sorry no.” Shit, why did I speak to him.
“Where are you going?” The man approached me now and I could smell the stench of urine filling my nostrils.
I kept my head down. I couldn’t answer any more. I didn’t want the man following me all the way to Mission. I felt slightly guilty about ignoring him and I knew the homeless situation in San Francisco was out of control, but I knew that a lot of drug addicts also hung out in the Tenderloin and around Union Square and they could get nasty if they felt you were dissing them in any way. I increased my pace and hurried to catch the train. I was already in a bad mood and I didn’t need it to get worse. I touched my hair lightly as I walked down the stairs. It was a frizzy hot mess due to the light rain that had fallen as I’d been walking.
“What a waste of money.” A hundred and fifty dollars for a blowout and my hair was now curlier and frizzier than when I’d gone to the hairdressers. I only hoped that Derrick and Tyler were on their best behavior because if they said anything that got on my nerves, it was going to go down.
“Sis, there you are, looking as Mad Max esque as ever.” Derrick gave me a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. “How have you been?”
“I got caught in the rain.” I laughed as I hugged him back. I was used to insults and didn’t mind them. “I’m glad you made it. I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” He rubbed the top of my head. “Come and say hello to Tyler and my friend.”
“What friend?” I frowned. How had he made a new friend already? I knew people liked him, but this was ridiculous. He’d only been in town for about an hour.
“Hey Olivia.” Tyler, and all six foot three of his well-built muscular frame stepped forward. “Good to see you.” His eyes swept over my body and a smirk crossed his face. “Looking as good as ever.”
“Hello, wanna be Ken Doll.” I said giving him a small hug and watching as his blue eyes danced in merriment at my childhood diss.
“Good to see you as well, chocolate Barbie,”
“I’m not chocolate Barbie.” I rolled my eyes. “That’s offensive.”
“Why because I called you Barbie?”
“No, yes, no. Ugh, I don’t know.” I stepped back from him. “I am not going to let you rile me up on this trip.”
“Can I rile you down instead?”
“You can’t rile me anywhere.”
“Want to bet?” He winked and I groaned and looked over at Derrick who was grinning at us both.
“Just like old times. I’ve missed this.”
“I haven’t.” I walked away from Tyler, and ignored my erratically beating heart. “Who is this new friend you want me to meet?”
“I’m not new.” A high squeaky voice sounded and popped out from behind my brother’s big muscular body. He’d been a tight end in college for FSU and still had his husky solid build.
“Who are you?” My jaw dropped as I took in the woman standing in front of me. She was wearing a crop top that bared her midriff, a flowery red skirt and high heels. Did she not know we were in San Francisco in December? Her long bleach blonde hair was ratty and I had a feeling she had in really cheap extensions.
“I’m Tiffany. You must be Derrick’s sister, Olive Oil.”
“Olivia.” I stared at my brother and he just gave me his usual goofy grin.
“Derrick and I met in Miami Beach when he was down there with his football team. I was there with my cheerleader friends from Alabama.” She giggled and looked over at Derrick. “I guess we hit it off like a house on fire because here we are over ten years later and still bursting with sexual chemistry.”
It took everything I had in me to not roll my eyes. Was I being pranked? Had Derrick and Tyler plotted this on the plane to make me think I was losing my mind?
“Close your mouth, Olivia. You’re attracting flies and you don’t want to swallow one.” Tyler came up behind me and whispered in my ear.
“I might like that.” I glanced up at him.
“True, you do fit the narrative of that one rhyme.”
“What rhyme?”
“You know the one…I know an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don’t know why she swallowed the fly, perhaps she’ll die.”
“Hmm okay, not flattered.”
“Maybe when you hear the rest. I know an old lady that swallowed a spider that wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I don’t know why she swallowed the fly, perhaps she’ll die.”
“Very funny.” I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “You and Derrick still haven’t grown up.”
“I can’t say the same about you.” He looked me up and down again. “You’re all woman.” I could feel the heat in my cheeks as he stared at me, admiringly.
“Derrick is right there.” I said in a low voice.
“I’m so happy to meet you, Olivia. You kinda remind me of Olivia Pope, from that TV show Scandal.” Tiffany spoke up again. “You look just like her.”
“No, I don’t, but thanks. I love that show, so I won’t be offended.” I wanted to ask her if every black woman looked the same to her, but I kept my mouth shut. I knew Derrick would kill me if I said anything like that.
“True,” She said with a sweet smile. “You don’t really look like her. You’re much prettier. I suppose I just said that because you have the same name.” Tiffany seemed a bit flustered and I realized that maybe I had judged her a bit too harshly.
“So you’re from California? Or Florida as well.”
“I’m an Alabama girl. Country through and through.”
“Yet you live in San Francisco?” I raised an eyebrow. “Hated the country?”