He's Just A Friend Read Free Page B

paid, and then calculated which guy was wealthy and worthy enough to pay her bills. If she didn’t insist that her men take care of her, they certainly wouldn’t volunteer. And if they did volunteer, Fancy knew they’d assume a movie and a meal every once in a while was fair exchange for tasting her pussy.
    Fancy also had disposable sponsors. Those were the ones she’d date only once knowing she’d never have sex with them, but she could usually persuade them to pay a bill or two before she blocked their numbers on her home phone. Taking care of herself had become such a full-time job, Fancy seriously considered quitting her nine-to-five. She was willing to trade in all of her sponsors but not until after she was married.
    Easing her hand from Desmond’s constant massage, Fancy asked, “Made any resolutions yet?”
    â€œYeah.” Desmond nodded as he exited the freeway at Embarcadero. “To go to law school. A brotha don’t mind gettin’ his hands dirty working on cars, but that’s not my destiny. Johnnie Cochran, watch out! Desmond Brown, Esquire, is coming to your town!”
    Every town was Johnnie’s town. It might help if Desmond at least took the LSAT and submitted a few applications. “That’s nice,” Fancy said, trying not to encourage his illusion. “At least you have a resolution. I haven’t thought much about mine yet.”
    Desmond drove up to the hotel entrance and valet parked. Fancy’s neck whipped side-to-side as she scanned the men getting out of the nearby limousines. Several prospects stood out. Especially the tall, stunning clean-shaven gentleman. The top button of his wingtip shirt was unfastened. A black bow tie dangled about his neck. That was a good sign. A nonconformist with class, and judging from his Rolex watch, lots of cash.
    â€œIsn’t this wonderful!” Fancy sang, strolling inside the grand ballroom.
    â€œYeah, this is cool,” Desmond replied, bobbing his head while accepting two half-full champagne flutes. He handed one to Fancy and chugged a gulp from his.
    Fancy slapped his hand. “Don’t drink it all at once.”
    â€œAre you kidding? As much money as I spent on these tickets I might take a bottle home.”
    â€œLet’s check out the silent auction,” Fancy said, maneuvering to get closer to the guy she’d seen outside and to see how much he had bid for the golfer’s package.
    â€œDesmond, look at all these arrangements.” Fancy pointed at each display. Football. Travel packages to different countries. Basketball. “Oh, my gosh! Can you believe this golfer’s package is donated by Tiger Woods?” Gliding her finger underneath the last bid, Fancy looked at Desmond and thought, Twenty-seven thousand dollars! No way. He must need to get a last minute tax write-off.
    â€œDamn! I don’t care how much money I make, I’d never throw it away like that. Some company, probably Nike, donated all this stuff in Tiger’s name. Yeah, that’s how the rich get richer. They don’t pay for jack. That’s exactly how I’mma be, watch. And you gon’ be my lady. I’mma spoil you, girl. Buying you that six-hundred-dollar gown was nothing.”
    That’s true, Fancy thought as Desmond reminded her for the fourth time. She rolled her eyes, then scanned the room. The man she wanted was standing on the opposite side of the ballroom with someone else.
    â€œLet’s see what’s over there,” Fancy said, taking the shortcut across the hardwood dance floor.
    The emcee announced, “Ten minutes to countdown! Make sure you’ve got your spirit, spirits, and credit cards.”
    â€œHa! That’s a good one,” Fancy said, shaking her ass to wedge a deeper arch into her lower back. The woman hanging on to her future man was cute, but up close Fancy assessed the woman was clearly no competition.
    Sounding like Lou Rawls,