Hot Girlz: Hot Boyz Sequel (15 page)

This day, a busy Monday, three of the
patrons were very familiar to the other patrons. Actually, the three of them
were family. All Wilsons. And all turning heads.

Sequoia strolled into the coffee
house, looking sexy in curve contouring leggings and with a polka-dot
sleeveless blouse and lace ankle boots.

A few minutes later, she walked out
after getting her brew. She put back on her tortoise shades and walked up to
one of the tables that had been unoccupied when she had gone in. Her figure was
the focus of attention. Even to her own husband, who stood as he said, “Hey,
you. I thought you had a meeting with a client?”

Sequoia replied, “I did.”

Mason also stood, as Torino hugged and
kissed his wife.

She continued, “We had it at The
Custom Hotel on Lincoln and it only lasted about an hour. I was on my way back
home when I realized I was having a sugar-free soy vanilla latte craving.” She
giggled as they broke from their embrace.

“They use extra addiction juice. They
know what they’re doing,” Torino said in agreement.

Still standing, Mason added, “They
bank on it.”

She stepped over to hug him, as well.
“I know that’s right.” She went back over next to Torino. “Don’t mean to
interrupt.”

“No, you just come on and sit down,”
Torino said emphatically. “We just got here. We haven’t even gone inside yet. I
didn’t see your truck.”

She looked a few rows over and said,
“Right there.”

He watched where her eyes pointed.
“Oh, okay. Well, have a seat.”

She did, adjusting herself to get
comfortable, placing her leopard purse along her lap and her cup on the table.
Large umbrellas shielded them from the peek-a-boo afternoon sun.

“How’ve you been Sequoia?” Mason
asked, sitting down only after she sat.

“Good. Just trying to keep these
catering jobs in order, drumming up as much business as I can.”

“That’s the way. Get that word of
mouth going. You got any business cards? I can pass them out to some of my golf
buddies.”

“Okay, cool. I think I have some.” She
reached into the side pocket of her purse. “Here. That’s nice of you.”

He took the cards, placing them in his
dress-shirt pocket. “No problem. I got you.”

“I see that,” she said.

A group of men walked by looking at
Mason. One of them pointed. “What up, Chief?” the guy said, nodding and looking
like he saw Michael Jordan.

“Not much.” Mason just smiled. He then
asked, Sequoia, “I know Cedes told you I moved out, right?”

“She did. I’m sorry. I hope you guys
work things out.”

“Well, it’s funny you should be here,
because actually I don’t want to get you in the middle but I just have to ask,
I mean, when you were in Vegas. What was up with Ryan Germany coming into the
picture? I thought you two went there to work.” He looked at his brother.
“Torino, I’m not saying anything happened on Sequoia’s part.”

“Oh, I know that.” Torino looked
certain.

Mason said, “Yeah, I know that’s
right. You went to your room, right?”

Sequoia took hold of her cup with both
hands. “Actually, I did, and then I went back down and lost about five hundred
dollars in ten minutes, so I went back up.”

Torino just listened.

Mason said, “Torino, don’t act like
you don’t know what happened.”

“Man, my wife and I talk about
everything. I knew how much she lost, and I know what she did, and didn’t do.”

“Okay, then.” Mason looked serious.

Out of the blue, a couple came up and
stood before Mason. A petite woman said, “Excuse us. My husband won’t ask you,
but he plays golf and absolutely idolizes you. Do you mind if we have your
autograph, please?” She placed a napkin and ink pen on the table. “I’m so sorry
to bother you,” she said to Torino and Sequoia.

“It’s okay,” Torino said.

Sequoia drank her latte and looked on.

“Okay, sure.” Mason looked at the
lady’s husband, taking the pen in hand. “Hey brotha, what’s up? What’s your
name?”

The man was heavyset, and older than
his wife. “My name is Jesse.”

“Oh, okay. That’s my dad’s name.”
Mason wrote him a note and signed it. He handed the napkin and pen to the man.
“Here you go.”

The man took it and grinned. “Thanks
so much. Bye.”

“Take care.”

They walked away fast, reading what
Mason wrote. The man looked back and gave Mason a high-five with his eyes.

Mason gave one back, and said loud
enough for the man to hear, “All right now, Jesse.”

“That was nice of you,” Sequoia said.

“It just goes with the territory.”
Mason shrugged it off. “You’ve been around long enough to know that.”

“True.” She then said, “So, Mason.
Back to what you were asking me.”

“What I’m asking is if you and Cedes
talked about what she was doing like, you know, before it came to him coming to
her room. Did you ask her what was up?”

Torino interjected, “Man, don’t you
think that’s putting my wife in one hell of a position?”

Sequoia placed her hand on his thigh.
“Honey, it’s okay. I mean, as far as I know, nothing happened.”

“For real?” Mason looked skeptical.

She continued, “We talked about it,
but all I know is what she told me, and nothing was up. I know nothing seemed
inappropriate when we were out. And as far as I know, once we got back to our
rooms she went to sleep.”

“Well, then you don’t know, because
that’s not how it happened.”

“What’d she tell you?” Sequoia asked,
placing her cup back down.

He sighed. “She told me she let him
in. She told me they kissed.”

Torino said, “Man, I don’t believe
that.”

“I’m sure you don’t, hell, it’s not
your wife we’re talking about. But not only do I believe it, I believe there
was more to it than that. But hey, you know, I’m not getting you two involved
anymore. But I’m just saying, Sequoia, you’re my brother’s wife. I know you and
Cedes have been close since forever, so even if you did know something, with
all due respect, I wouldn’t think you’d tell me anyway. But, I’m gonna leave it
at that.”

Sequoia picked up her cup again and
nodded.

Torino said, “You two need to work
that out. Bottom line, you guys have been through a whole lot in all this time,
raising kids and getting to this point in life. I mean to live under two
separate roofs is crazy. Work it out at home, man.”

“All I know is, I can’t even look her
in the face. Actually, I want Mattie with me. I was gonna talk to you and
Claude about this. I just think it’s messed up for me to leave Mom there.”

Torino asked, “Have you moved out and
taken all of your stuff?”

“No. Not yet.” Mason crossed his legs.

“Are you going to?” Sequoia asked.

“I don’t know.” He took his phone from
the table and scrolled through it. “But anyway, that’s my little corner of the
world drama.” He put his phone back on the table and had a look on his face
like he had regrouped. “I know you two have enough to deal with, having Colette
all up your butts again. I wish you the best with that madness. That’s enough
trouble right there. Torino was telling me about Kyle saying Colette is
punching him out. That doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Sequoia replied, “Yeah, that’s what he
said.”

“If it is true, getting that boy from
her should be just a matter of proving her to be an unfit mother. Kyle stepping
up like that is all right with me, especially after all that happened.” Mason
eyed a top-heavy woman who walked up. He then looked away. The woman opened the
door to go inside and kept looking back at him.

“You say so,” said Sequoia. She
noticed him notice.

Mason asked Sequoia, “So, how are you
dealing with all that baby-momma drama?”

“Not good. A little anxious. But,
we’ve just gotta get through it.” She scooted her chair back and took a long
sip. “Listen, I’m gonna get going. By the way, I know you have a book signing
later tonight. I heard you on the radio this morning. I’ll be home with TJ.
Torino, you’re still going, right?”

“No, I can’t. I thought I could go in
later but we’ve got a security meeting tonight. I need to be there.”

“It’s cool. Handle your business.”

Sequoia said to Mason, “Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

She stood and Torino stood. They
hugged and had a prolonged kiss. He popped her on the backside, looking like he
had it like that.

She blushed. “By the way, you two need
to get in there and order something before they charge you rent for these front
row seats.”

Torino asked Mason, “Yeah, man you
want the Macchiato, right?”

Mason stood as well. “Yeah. That’ll
work.”

Sequoia walked over and hugged him
goodbye.

He said, “You be careful. Don’t be
causin’ no accidents walkin’ up outta here.”

“Yeah, right.”

Torino said, heading to the door to go
inside, “Yeah, you. I’ll see you at home.”

“Okay. And since this is Club
Starbucks, I’m gonna tell you both,” she looked at one and then the other,
“don’t let the eye candy up in here blind your asses.”

 Mason said, “I don’t know what
you’re talking about. What’s she talking about, man?” he yelled toward Torino.

“Bye,” was all Torino said as he went
inside.

Sequoia told Mason as she walked away,
“Oh, and good luck with your plans to run for city council.”

“If I can’t clean up this mess, you
best believe that won’t be happening.”

“Oh, you’ll be fine. I can just see
it. See you later.”

“Bye, family.”

Sequoia smiled and walked to her car,
looking back for a second to see the top-heavy woman who went in before, now
headed for Mason’s table. Sequoia took her phone out of her purse and dialed.
After four rings, she heard Mercedes’s voice and then a beep. “Hey, girl.
Wanted you to know I just left Starbucks. Mason and Torino are here. We talked
for a minute. Mason brought up Vegas. Sounds like there’s something he knows
that I don’t know. Call me when you can.”

As soon as she hung up, a text sounded
that read,
Babe, now please don’t go telling Mercedes what Mason said. C u
later.

Sequoia got in her car and then
replied,
Ok
.

16

Mercedes

“. . . sneaking a kiss upon Mattie’s nose.”

The place was abuzz at seven o’clock
in the evening. It was standing room only for Mason’s signing at the corner
book store in Inglewood. As Mason and the owner walked in, readers had their
cameras and cell phones in hand and snapped picture after picture of the
superstar. There was a signing table with stacks and stacks of books and a huge
poster of Mason.

Mason sat at the table while the owner
spoke to the excited crowd. “Thanks for coming out tonight. As you all know,
our own local resident, former golf pro, Mason Wilson is now an author. He’s
written
Shadow on the Green
, and his second title,
Grip it and Rip It
,
comes out next summer. We had him here before but there were so many people, we
couldn’t accommodate everyone, so we scheduled this as a part-two a while ago.
So, he’s here with us now.” People clapped again.

“He basically needs no introduction,
though you all know he’s been ranked as one of the most successful golfers of
all time. A former number one, he’s won ten majors, fifty PGA tour titles, and
was honored seven times as player of the year. In 2007, he was listed as one of
Forbes’s
highest paid sports figure in the world. And now his son
Rashaad Wilson is making his way as a pro, following in his dad’s footsteps,
being sponsored by Nike. He has won national tours and had six top ten finishes
this year already. He’s the youngest person to win a PGA sanctioned event.
Surely because of this man who introduced Rashaad to golf at a very early age.
So, without further adieu, please welcome Mason Jeremiah Wilson.”

The audience stood and applauded, and
a couple even screamed. Mason stood, shook hands with the owner, and then took
the microphone.

His charm and politician-like presence
were on high. “Oh, I’m telling you now, whoever told you my middle name is in
trouble.” The audience laughed.

The owner joked, “Actually, your son
Rashaad called earlier today and asked us to throw that in.”

“I’m gonna get him. I’m telling you,
talk about grip it and rip it, he’s in big trouble. Though I will say I’ve
gotta have some respect for him. I mean as of last week, already in his young
career, he has more birdies in one round than me. He has seven. So, I might
need to let him slide on this one. He’s just better than me, and I guess I just
have to live with it.” The ladies in the front row smiled and he smiled back.