Read Hot Boyz for Free Online Page A

connections but I shook my ass all right. And that bartender makes a mean apple martini. When did your man get home?”
    “This afternoon.”
    “Is Cicely back?”
    Mercedes placed her electronic calendar on the nightstand and leaned back on the pillow to talk. “Back from where?”
    “I heard she was out of town.”
    “So.”
    “So, I heard she was in Hawaii.”
    “Oh, she was … yes, she’s back. We saw her tonight. Now I know why you’re calling so late.”
    “I am not trying to start any mess, so you didn’t hear it from me. But wasn’t Mason in Hawaii?” Sequoia asked as if she already knew.
    “Yes, he was in Honolulu.”
    “Well, you need to find out where she was. That’s all I have to say. Fill in the blanks for yourself.”
    Mason yelled from the bathroom. “What about Honolulu?”
    “Oh, Sequoia just asked about which part of Hawaii you went to. She’s going on a cruise later this year—a cruise to Hawaii. Aren’t you Sequoia?”
    “Yes I am. You know that’s a shame that you never lie to that man. Or maybe that’s good just as long as all of that honesty is mutual.”
    Mercedes stood up, resting her feet on the off-white carpet, speaking close to the receiver. “You know something. Why is it always the ones with no man trying to ruin the good thing of the ones who have one?”
    “If it were ever to be ruined it would not be my fault. I was not the one in Hawaii with my business partner, ex, okay? Ooh, girl. This is the new Whitney cut.” Sequoia increased the radio volume.
    “Good night, girl. I’ve got to go and hop in the shower with my husband. A born again virgin I am not,” she said, removing her dress.
    Sequoia sounded worried. “Don’t you dare say that too loud. I’ll bet you tell him all of my business.”
    “Why not? You’re all up in his. Besides, husbands don’t count anyway. He’s my other half so I can tell him anything.”
    “You didn’t tell him I’m holding out, did you?”
    “No, I didn’t.” Mercedes removed her brassiere and thong underwear.
    “Oh yeah, right. You’ve been lying to me since middle school. You can’t keep anything from that man. Especially the bit of news I just broke about him and
her”
    “I call it a bit of non-verifiable gossip. I’m standing here naked, girl. Gotta go. Bye.”
    “Poof, be gone.” Sequoia hung up singing.
    Early the next morning, Mercedes stepped out onto the dew-misted lawn to get the morning paper. Kailua, their chocolate lab of five years, ran toward the door but dared not run outside as he barked at his master, waiting for a command. Mercedes hushed him so he would not wake Mattie. She turned back toward the door and noticed a black, convertible Ford Mustang parked in the driveway of the second garage. Once again someone spent the night at Torino’s place. Torino had lived in the back house ever since he lost money from an investment gone bad. He lost his home, new Yukon Denali and had to sell most of his belongings. But Mason had mercy on him, allowing him time to downsize. Mason gave him two years to get himself together. It had been three. Usually, it was Colette’s mint green Nissan Altima in the driveway. Mercedes walked back toward the door and noticed that Kailua looked at her like she was doing his job. Mercedes had forgotten that Star taught Kailua how to fetch the paper. “I’m sorry Kay-Kay. You can get it next time.”
    Mason pulled up into the cul-de-sac to his brother Claude’s house on Senford Avenue just as Claude closed the front door to his Spanish-style home behind him.
    “Hey, Claude,” Mason said as he stepped out of his Mercedes SUV. The license plate simply read, CEDES.
    Claude opened the door to his Ferrari, tossing his briefcase intothe passenger seat. “Yo, brother. Why did you copy me and get your wife’s name on your license plate?” he asked Mason, pointing to the vanity plate of his own Lexus parked in the driveway that still read TIMA.
    Mason walked up and gave