Hook an Angel✔️

Chapter 42

He was letting his pride get to him. Asking for help was not in his nature. Instead of going to Angel about his business problems, he called up Jared under the guise of hanging out with him. They met up for drinks at his place and were going to watch the Cardinals game.

"I must be a lucky guy my bestie's man wants to hang with me."

"I'd like to think we're friends, or we can be friends."

"Mm-hmm. It doesn't bother you that I'm gay? That I used to date your girl?"

"Man, obviously you couldn't handle her crazy ass like I can," he said with a chuckle.

"Got that right!"

"And who you fuck ain't got shit to do with me. My lil cousin gay. She left for college in DC and stayed out there. Her ma ain't like it but she deals with it."

"Then you cool with me." They tapped their beer bottles. "But you ain't come over here to watch no damn game."

"Huh? Man, Cardinals that's my team!"

"I ain't from the Lou, so I don't get all that, but they alright. Just some baseball."

"Just some baseball? Man! You're right, you're not from St. Louis talking like that. Eleven-time World Series champions baby!"

"I like how you deflect."

They watched some of the game. He was not here for the game, but he was hesitant to get into what he wanted to talk about.

"Whenever you ready to tell me what's on your mind Hook-" Jared started.

"Okay, it's like this..."

Jared cut off the game and gave him his full attention.

"I need to make more money."

"O-kay...why are  you telling me-"

"Because...I have my own shop man, but I need to pull in more money. I have a lot going on and...did Angel tell you about-"

"Of course she told me about you getting a baby momma pregnant again."

Hook took a long sip of beer. He did not like how it sounded when he said it. It made him sound like a deadbeat.

"I have another baby coming and I was barely making ends meet now. How can I...what am I supposed to do? Sometimes I feel like slanging is the only way to make real money. I made bank back then when I was only sixteen, seventeen..."

"And didn't that end you up in jail?"

"Look, I ain't saying I would go back to that, but I need to figure out something. And dating a girl like Angel? How long you think she will put up with a broke ass dude?"

"She ain't with you because of what you have or don't have."

"I know...but I still want to be able to afford things simple things, and not have to worry if I can pay all my bills, put gas in my car, feed and clothe my kids...and take care of my woman."

"Angel doesn't need you to-"

"I know she doesn't need me to take care of her, but I'm still the man, and maybe I'm old-fashioned, but how I look having her pay for everything? I can't take her out to a nice dinner, I can't buy her anything nice, I can't even buy the damn wine she likes to drink. That shit fucks up your manhood, having your woman pay all the damn time."

"I get it."

"Do you?"

"I'm gay, but I'm still a man. And I believe in fifty-fifty. I would never pay all the time and I wouldn't want my man to pay all the time."