07

CHAPTER SEVENclover's pov

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"MISS FOX, YOU HAVE A VISITOR," says my assistant, Victor, as he walks into my office pushing up his bifocals up his nose and tries his hardest not to drop all his files. Pushing up my reading glasses, I look at him above my glasses.

"Thank you Vic, send them in for me will you please, thank you. Also what days do you want off this month," I take off my glasses before folding my hands.

"Miss Fox you know I can't leave you here by yourself, to do everything," Victor sniffles. I know the pollen is killing him because it's killing me. I scoff at his response though and tell him to go. I built my own magazine from the ground up. Her Cosmos, is inspired to give a source of inspiration and empowerment to young black girls, teens, and women. My magazine became more popular than I expected and I couldn't ask for anything else. Sometimes it's a lot of work, trying to find new designs, new people to feature, etc etc. but I'm not made about it whatsoever.

"Hey boo, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," Brooklyn comes in baring gifts. A picnic basket was in her hand and I immediately got excited cause she slams zown in the kitchen. I place all my papers in my top drawer along with my reading glasses. "I see Victor's fine ass is still around," Brook bites her bottom lip and raises her left eyebrow slightly.

I roll my eyes playfully and shake my head, "girl just go ask him out at this point. You always throwin my lil Victor through a ringer. You know he has a crush on you," I grab my hand sanitizer and take some before handing her some.

She sits the picnic basket down on the desk before sitting down herself and grabbing the hand sanitizer, applying some on her perfectly manicured hands. "I don't think I'm good enough for him. He seems to have his life together and I'm just... me, i doubt he wants someone that's all over the place," she shrugs opening up the picnic basket. She pulls out chicken Alfredo, her famous cornbread, mixed vegetables, two pints of ice cream (one Oreo which is my fav and hers mint chocolate chip).

"Thank you for the meal sexy," i wink at her which lightens the mood a little bit at least, "let's pray." She grabs my hand and we bow our heads. "Dear Lord God, right now I pray over this food, i pray that it nourishes our bodies some way shape or form. I thank you for the safe travels that you have given Brook to come to me and I pray you continuously protect the entire friend group during the day and throughout the night. I also pray that Brook will grow some balls and ask that nigga Victor out because the way he looks at Lord—whewww Lord you know how he looks at her. It's like—"

"Okay now you finna run out— Amen. How you say nigga while prayin? That is not good girl. You need some help for real," she snatched her hands away from me and chuckled. I started laughing with her and said Amen before shrugging.

"The Lord knows my heart is pure sooo."

"Please. But nah for real I'll think about Victor's ass for real. Ion know if I want to ask him first though, I feel like relationships don't last when the woman pursues them first," she looked down at her food.

"I guess but you never know until you see."

"Okay I see you therapist. Where did this all this beautiful advice come from?," Brooklyn's eyebrow raised slightly.

I smirk, picking up my fork and twirling it in the Alfredo. "Girl, I don't know. Recently I've been feelin wise beyond my years. Which explains a lot because you stay comin to me with your messy ass problems." I take a bite, letting the creamy sauce melt in my mouth. "Besides, I just call it like I see it. Victor has been on you since day one, and you're out here being shy like you ain't notice."

Brook rolls her eyes, stabbing her fork into her cornbread. "I notice, I just— I dunno. What if it doesn't work out? What if I mess it up? I'm just overthinking."

I shake my head. "That's the problem, Brook. You tryna write the whole story before you even let chapter one play out. Life don't work like that, baby."

She exhales, sipping on her water bottle like it's finna wash away her doubts. "I hate when you're right."

I grin. "I know. It's a blessing and a curse."

Victor pops his head back in the office. He's really nerdy fine shit now that I look at him. He's a white man with a sharp jawline, pretty moss colored eyes, a slightly mustache and beard that's lined up real nice, a short shaggy modd haircut— yeah thar nigga is nerdy fine shit for real. Victor adjusted his bifocals again along with his black tie. "Miss Fox, you—" He pauses as I watch him look at Brook, and I swear I see his ears turn red. "Oh... you're still here."

Brook bites her lip, suddenly acting brand new like she wasn't just contemplating this man's entire existence two minutes ago. "Yeah, I, brought lunch for me and Clov."

Victor nods his head like he's in a day dream, clutching his files like they his emotional support papers. "That's nice. Uh, Miss Fox, I just wanted to remind you about the interview with that artist at three."

I wave him off. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. But more importantly—" I turn to Brook, eyeing her widely and slyly titling my head in Victor's direction. "Brooklyn didn't you have something you wanted to say to Vic?"

Brook's eyes widen, and she nearly chokes on her cornbread. "Uh— um—"

Victor looks between us, clearly confused but intrigued. "Ask me what?"

Brook glares at me before sighing dramatically. "I was just gonna say... maybe, if you're not busy sometime, we could grab coffee or I could bring you lunch or somethin?"

Victor blinks, stunned silent for a second before he clears his throat. "Oh! Uh— yeah, yeah, I'd really like that." His voice cracks a little, and he pushes his glasses up higher on his nose. At this point them shits about to be fused onto his face.

I watch Brook try to play it cool, but the slow smile that's creeping onto her face is saying otherwise. "Cool. Well, um, just let me know when."

Victor nods, backing out the room so fast he almost trips. I shake my head, laughing. "Girl, you got that man about to malfunction."

Brook exhales, fanning herself. "I cannot believe you did that."

I shrug. "Somebody had to. Y'all would've kept dancing around it forever."

She throws a napkin at me. "I hate you."

I cackle, grabbing my ice cream. "No you don't. Now eat your damn food and enjoy the moment. You just bagged nerdy fine shit."

"Well shit since you're helping me, I mines well help you," she grabbed her Alfredo and a fork. I look at her in confusion. "Whatchu on about?"

"I mean I haven't seen you with anybody since Tyreek, I think it would be good for you to go out and meet somebody new. And I know exactly the person," Brook stuck her tongue out slightly while doing a lil dancey dance.

I really don't wanna be bothered with anyone else and it sucks that the person I could really kick it with is off limits but then again.. that ain't stop me before.

"Who?"

"My friend, Linda's brother Grant. He's a fioneeee piece of chocolate and it fits all your boxes in whatchu you want," Brook seemed too geeked about setting me up with someone. I think she's extra happy though because she's eating her ice cream.

"I don't know about that Brook," I throw my empty plaster container of ice cream into the trash along with the plastic spoon. I grab my reading glasses from my drawer, about to distract myself from Brooklyn's match maker shit.

"Oh don't be like that Clover for real. Just go on one date with him. One and if youn like it I promise I won't stress you about it no more," she raises her hands up in surrender as I peek over my glasses and watch her.

"Promise?"

"I promise," she cheeses. I roll my eyes in response.

"Fine I'll do it Brook. But if that nigga does any sneaky shit, he's gonna get cut."