Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
I remembered what X would always say. “That was when he became a preacher on a horn.”
Max chuckled. “X would be proud.”
I walked by his bed and sniffed the air. The room smelled of spice, marijuana, and. . .lemonade.
Does he have a new weed strain or something?
I inhaled, loving this scent.
Then, I saw the lemon tree near the opened balcony doors.
Barely three feet tall, it stood regal. It’s brown curving branches held big yellow lemons with green stripes.
“Hell yes.” I walked toward it, never seeing lemons look like that before. “Where did you get these?”
“When we went to kill the Italians.” Max headed over to me. “It’s my souvenir from Italy.”
“That’s right. Blue did say you had a tree when you left the helicopter.”
“Yeah. I’m still trying to think of a good name.” He held his chin as if pondering the great mysteries of life. “I’m considering Lemonisha.”
I chuckled.
“It also could be Meadowlark Lemon. You remember him?”
“The Harlem Globetrotter.”
“Exactly.” He went back to bobbing his head to the music. “But the problem is that I’m getting very feminine vibes from the tree, so it will probably be Lemonisha.”
“I like Lemonisha.” I reached out to touch one of the lemons.
“Oh hell no.” Max swatted my hand.
“Ow.” I opened my mouth in shock. “What is wrong with you?”
“You think you could just touch my baby like that? No dinner and a movie?” Max shook his head and picked up a small water bottle. “Fuck that. This is my little princess. She requires jazz and poetry, moonlit walks and an emotional connection.”
He squirted a watery mist onto the leaves. “Yeah. Lemonisha.”
I rolled my eyes.
“She’s a choosy lover, Em. Not just anyone can touch her.”
“So. . .this is your daughter or girlfriend?”
He stopped spraying the water and glared at me.
“I’m just saying, Max. You’re being real extra right now by not letting me just grab—”
“Don’t touch her.”
“But. . .” I pointed at one of the lemons.
“Hell no is the answer to that question.”
“But, you didn’t even know what I was going to ask.”
“You want to take a lemon off my baby and cut it open. Don’t you? Admit it.”
“Well. . .yes.” I smiled. “Because they are all striped like a zebra. I want to see what’s inside—”
“Hell no.”
“But—”
“Pink.”
I quirked my brows. “What?”
“It’s pink on the inside of the lemons.”
“Really?!” I rubbed my hands together. “Now I have to see what’s inside and eat some of it too.”
“You touch Lemonisha and we are fighting.” His glare deepened. “In fact. . .I feel like you’re too close to her. Back it on up, Em.”
“Just wow.” I raised my hands in the air and took two steps back. “A brother get a tree and start acting brand new?”
“Facts.” Max misted the leaves some more. “This is my new baby. That means that Lemonisha and you are going to have to learn how to share the awesomeness that is me.”
“I’m not sharing shit.” I sat on his bed. “I’ve been around you longer, so this chick better know her position and play it.”
Max paused from spraying the tree. “Is that how you would be with a human woman?”
“What do you mean?” I leaned against his headboard.
“I’m going to be meeting the woman of my dreams very soon.”
“What?” I frowned.
“I see my future wife in my dreams all the time.” Max placed the bottle near the tree. “Baba said my lady and I will plant this tree in our yard. Plus, my kids and even grandkids will pick lemons from it.”
I looked at the tree. “That’s a beautiful future.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course, Max.” I swallowed. “I just hope Baba sees me picking lemons from the tree too, with your nephew.”
“Of course Max Jr. and you can pick lemons, but the Lion better keep his ass away from her. Dude is spoiled and stingy. He might uproot the tree and take it back to Moscow.”
“But. . .”
“What, Em?”
“You would be in Moscow too. Right?”
He shrugged.
My heart ached.
Better be in Moscow.
Max crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me.
I might as well get to it. He’s no fool.
“So. . .” I placed my hands in my lap and twisted some of the nightgown’s fabric. “I have some questions.”
“I’m not answering anything in regard to you going full-Lunita last night. Kazimir and I agreed that he would be the one to tell you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Plus, you know my stance.”
“Which is what?”
“The less you know the better.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s not helping me heal.”
“If you knew what I saw and heard last night, you wouldn’t think that way.”
Goosebumps pricked my skin.
Don’t think about it. I’ll know sooner or later. . .Just focus on what you wanted to know.
“So. . .” I twisted more of the gown. “I happen to have questions about something else.”
Max leaned his head to the side. “What?”