IX | Guilty Conscience

"Good morning, Ro!" Halle stirred the eggs as they solidified in the frying pan.

Did I sound too excited?

She quietly counted to five before turning around and plastering a more natural smile on her face. "Everything'll be done in a second."

"Morning, Hal." Rowan threw his arms over his head to stretch. "Smells good in here."

"Thank you." She plated the food as nicely as possible before setting the butter, syrup, and other condiments in the middle of the table. "Breakfast is served."

"Wow. You really went all out. What's going on?" He kissed the side of her head, and her heart dropped.

Oh, nothing, just guilt eating me alive.

"I just realized that I hadn't cooked in a while. That's all." She shrugged, and plopped down.

Rowan took the seat across from her and dug in, impressed every time he took a bite of something for the first time. A hard knock at the door, startled them both, and Halle jumped up, tightening her robe as she dashed down the hall.

"I got it!"

She stupidly flung the door open before even checking the peephole, and Karter's wide smile meet her on the other side. This was the first time that she's ever been relieved to see him.

Geez, did I think Chiko was gonna bust in here and cause a scene?

He looked past her at his best friend, and she stepped aside for him to enter, leaning her back against the door once it was shut.

Get a grip.

"Looks like you're eating well this morning, Ro. I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous."

"Oh please, Violet spoils you too." Rowan stood to dap Karter up. "You're welcome to have some."

"Thank you." Karter grabbed a slice of turkey bacon. "You don't mind do you, Halle?"

"Of course not." She didn't bother to sweeten her tone, and made her way to the kitchen sink. She filled it with hot water and poured a bit of dish detergent into the stream, creating bubbles.

Karter took her spot at the table and ripped into the thin-cut bacon. "I've been struggling with gift ideas. I mean, what do you get someone who has it all?"

Rowan's eyebrows knitted together as he sipped his hot coffee. "Who are you talking about?"

"Nikita. She's having a party in celebration of her making junior partner. You didn't get an invite?"

Again about this bitch.

Halle scrubbed the buttered pan harder, and Karter basked in her annoyance, pushing harder.

"She's more gorgeous than ever. So of course, I will be in attendance. For support, I mean. She asked about you too."

Rowan picked up his phone, and clicked the email icon at the top of his screen. He typed in a few key words, and his features relaxed. "I don't know how I missed this. It's in a couple of days. I've got to go to the store."

"I was just going to browse after I left here."

"Give me a second to get dressed and I'll go with you."

Rowan scooted his chair back and padded into the master bedroom. Much to Halle's surprise, Karter didn't say anything in her boyfriend's brief absence, but his eyes followed her enough to wish that he did. Rowan returned to the kitchen, adjusting his watch before patting his pocket for his car keys.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours, Hal. You want anything while I'm out?"

"No, I'm good." Another phony grin was performed before she walked over to hug his torso. "Have fun."

Karter took another strip of bacon before he trailed behind Rowan, and Halle exhaled as soon as she was alone in the penthouse. She ripped off a sheet from the paper towel roll and began to dry the dishes. The sharp buzzes against the counter prompted her to pick up her phone.

"I'm starting to think that you have a sixth sense." She trapped the device between her ear and shoulder to continue with the chore.

"Maybe we're just more connected than you think." Chiko's left hand rested high on the steering wheel, while his right gripped his phone. The light had been red for quite some time so he figured, why not preoccupy himself.

"Or you've got this place tapped."

"Damn, you figured it out. There's cameras everywhere in that bitch," he joked.

"Shut up." Halle giggled. "What are you up to?"

"I'm on my way to the crib. What about you?"

"I'm cleaning."

They talked aimlessly about their day and a new movie that had recently hit the theaters, making her household tasks go by quickly. Since the karaoke bar, he called her pretty often and she enjoyed his company. He always had time, and so did she. Halle dumped her dirty laundry into the washing machine and checked the time. They had been on the phone for over an hour at this point, and neither was ready to let the other go.

"I don't know." She pressed the start button and sat the basket on the floor. "I haven't picked a dress yet."

"I can help you. Answer my FaceTime."

Suddenly, an influx of stress infiltrated her senses and she silently screamed. Halle raked her almond shaped nails through her hair, and steadily exhaled when Chiko's face appeared.

His almond-toned skin was moisturized, and his temples flexed as he chewed. He was leaning over the counter, a glass bowl of cherries in frame.

"Damn, you ain't gon' get in the camera?"

She slowly panned to half of her face, and he huffed, deciding to settle for now.

"Okay then. Show me what you got."

Without any protest, Halle swiftly entered her walk-in closet and flicked on the light. It was purses, clothing, and shoes galore. She had similar things in multiple colors and textures, some from her own shopping sprees, but most were gifts from Rowan. Propping her phone on the middle shelf pushed against the wall, she grabbed three dresses by the hangers and held them up for inspection.

"Option A is a blush, silk, cocktail dress with a high slit on the right thigh. It has a little bit of ruching near the waist. Option B is —"

"Try them on, Halle," Chiko spit a cherry pit onto a napkin. "Otherwise, I can't really tell."

Her lips formed a tight line and she rolled her eyes in an attempt to hide her amusement. "You aren't slick, but fine!"

She turned off her camera and removed her robe. Her bleach-stained pajamas were next. The material of the first gown was soft, the fit rather loose. It was elegant and plain enough to be something that Rowan liked.

"So with this one, I think my hair would look best slicked down."

"I can't see."

"Oh, yeah." She clicked a button for the second time, and backed up. When she released the fabric, it pooled at her feet.

"That one is beautiful on your skin." Chiko nodded. "Six out of ten."

"Thank you." She grinned and spun around. "Okay, let me put on the next one."

Option B was black with lace trimming along the bottom, but it was still pretty modest. Like the first one, the focal point was the open back.

Halle remembered to turn her camera back on when she was ready. "This one is a little tighter than the last and less princessy."

"I like this one better. Eight out of ten."

"Me too. Getting into the last one is gonna take some elbow grease." She shook her head, and obscured Chiko's view for the third time.

Halle grunted as she centered the nude bodice along her upper half, and fixed her breasts to sit properly in each of the cups. "Honestly, it may be a little too risqué for someone else's event."

If the dress was any tighter, Halle's circulation would've been cut off, and unlike the previous two, it was short, stopping more than a few inches above the knee.

She adjusted one of the thin straps up, and hesitantly presented the fit to Chiko.

He brung his face so close to the phone that the only thing she could see was his widened eyes and his forehead. For a minute, he didn't make a sound, and she began to second guess it.

"Turn around." Chiko scrunched his face up, and Halle did a 360. "Damn! Ten out of ten."

"Really? Thank you!" She cheesed. "So option C it is! Maybe I could pair it with a clear heel, or maybe something sparkly, or does that place too much attention on me? So many things would look good with this neutral shade, you know?"

"Yeah, I do know." He straightened his posture, and absentmindedly dipped his wrists in his waistband for warmth. "I know something that'll really look good on you."

"Ooo, what?" Halle perked up, and teetered over to the screen with two mismatched shoes on.

"My tongue in your ass."

"Chiko!" Once again his directness caught her off guard, but she didn't recoil. Halle's mouth opened and closed, unsure of what else to say.

He refused to break eye contact, doubling down on every word that left his mouth. "I'm dead serious. You need to be fu—"

"Hal, I'm home!" Rowan announced, juggling a few paper bags. "Hal, where are you?"

"I gotta go." She frowned, reaching for the device.

"Bye... oh." Before she could hang up, the line disconnected on his end.

Great, fun's over.

~

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