Real As It Gets by Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page A

my boy, Sammy Martin.”
    I hesitated before finally shaking his hand. Sammy was fine and all, but I still wasn’t feeling a blind date. I didn’t need him thinking I was some kind of desperate chick who couldn’t get her own date.
    â€œWell, I’m gonna let you two handle your business,” I said, turning to leave.
    Sammy kinda looked sideways at Travis.
    â€œMaya, what you doin’?” Travis said. “I told you I had someone coming over.”
    â€œI hope you didn’t invite him over here for me,” I said. “I told you, I don’t do blind dates.”
    Sammy held up his hands. “Whoa. Hey, it isn’t even like that. No hard feelings,” he said with a warm smile. “I don’t believe in having any chick kick it with me that doesn’t want to be there.” He side-eyed Travis. “I thought this was all cool. My apologies,” he said, before turning around and heading to the door.
    Travis gave me a look, and I felt frozen for a minute. Had Sammy just dismissed me? No, I said to myself as I shook that thought off. I’d told him that I wasn’t interested, and obviously, Sammy wasn’t the type to play around.
    â€œWait,” I said, just as he reached the door. I walked over to him. “Sorry, didn’t mean to be such a jerk, but my cousin here could’ve given me a little warning.”
    â€œI did,” Travis protested.
    â€œYeah, but you could’ve told me before two minutes ago.” I faced Sammy. “But it’s all good. Come on in. Would you like something to drink?”
    â€œNah, I was actually hoping to take you somewhere nice,” he said. “I even made reservations at that new seafood restaurant down on South Beach.”
    I couldn’t help but smile. That place was the new hot spot, but it cost a grip for a meal. So, if Sammy had taken it upon himself to make reservations there, that meant he couldn’t be half bad. Images of my failed relationships with Bryce and J. Love, and even Alvin and Marisol, flashed through my head.
    No, maybe Sammy Martin might be exactly what I needed.

Chapter 10
    I had dated my share of guys who could hold their own—Bryce (the son of an NFLer), J. Love (the singer), my first boyfriend (a model)—and Sammy was ranking right up there with them. It didn’t take but a couple of minutes for me to realize that Sammy truly had it going on. Last night, it had been dinner at the exclusive South Beach restaurant. Tonight, we were going to a VIP reception that even I hadn’t been invited to. Don’t ask me how he’d gotten the tickets. When I asked him, he just smiled and told me, “Don’t worry about it.”
    I was in my bedroom getting dressed like some kind of giddy chick who had never been anywhere. Sammy had told me to just look my usual gorgeous self and not worry about what time he was coming or any other details of the night. Usually, I didn’t take too kindly to guys trying to boss me around, but I was feeling him, so I let him make it.
    I saw Sammy pull up outside. I quickly punched in the security code to the gate. I raced toward the door. “I’m gone,” I yelled out to my parents, who were sitting in the kitchen, talking.
    â€œWhere are you going?” my mom shouted back.
    â€œOn a date!”
    â€œWith whom? Where?” she yelled, but I pretended I didn’t hear her.
    I had just reached the car when Sammy got out. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Let’s go.”
    â€œSlow your roll,” he replied. “Are your parents home?”
    I stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “My parents? Yeah, why?”
    He shut his door and began walking up the sidewalk. “I’m not about to just swing through here and grab you without saying something to them. That’s disrespectful.”
    My mouth was open. Was he for real? “Boy, if you don’t quit playing and