He spent more than his fair share of nights awake worried about his relationship. He couldn’t shake the undeniable thoughts that nagged at him. Constant feelings that the woman that he was in bed with only wanted him for his money. He thought over their relationship and when he looked at Nycole he couldn’t help but wonder if the feelings he really felt for her was love.

Jordan Coleman met Nycole Gray nine months ago while he was visiting another law firm on business. She was a temporary receptionist that fumbled over papers and the ringing phone while he told her that he was there to meet one of the partners. He waited as she constantly apologized and dropped files that were in the crook of her arm while she tried to juggle the receiver. Her then black, curly hair bounced and her blue and white corporate skirt stretched over her thighs as she bent down to pick up the papers and folders that she’d dropped. With his stone face, he couldn’t help but realize that she was gorgeous.

In between the conversations on the phone, he was able to get the information that he needed from her and they both gave each other a courteous smile before he got on the elevator and headed to his meeting. After spending two hours on business, he walked back into the lobby, noticing that she had gotten herself together and was addressing envelopes for the mail. He stopped at her desk and after exchanging pleasantries, he passed her his business card. He couldn’t say that he was shocked when he gt a call from her the next night. They had spent every night for a week talking and getting to know each other before they went out on their first date. To him, the rest was history.

Eight months later, things had seemed to change. In all that time, she had somehow convinced him to take her on weekly shopping trips. He could count on every Friday picking her up from her apartment complex and the two of them would head from one store to another and leaving with plenty of bags. At first he did it with small things because he wanted nothing but the best for her, but now she seemed to take advantage of it. He felt like now she though that the gifts and shopping were mandatory.

Joshua sighed as he ran a hand over his face. This wasn’t the type of relationship that he wanted to be in. He was almost thirty, an attorney at one of the most successful and well known firms in Birmingham and from what he was told, Pooch Hall could have been his big brother; the only thing separating them was he was a little darker. Women would practically throw themselves at him if he let them. Thankfully, his mother had taught him how to treat a woman. If she hadn’t, this wouldn’t be a problem. He’d love them and leave them with no questions asked and no hard feelings.

He looked over at Nycole and put his arm behind his head.He hated to be up at night thinking about this and her in the way he did. He rationalized that she did treat him well. She cooked him dinner every night they stayed in but he could also count on the fact that most of the time they would end up at one of the more upscale restaurants in the city. She would clean his condo whenever she started over ad at the end of the night, she could make his knees buckle at the drop of a hat.

Joshua eased out of bed and headed down the stairs to the living room. He parked himself on the modest black and creme couch before taking the phone from its cradle. The number he had memorized moved quickly beneath his finger and the line began to ring. He propped his feet up and got comfortable while he continued to wait for her to answer.

“Do you know what time it is?” She answered groggily, no even saying hello.

“I’m sorry, Cyn. I know it’s late but I needed to talk to you.”

“What could you possibly need to talk about at,” she paused he guessed to look at the clock,”3:45 in the morning?”

If he knew her like he thought he did, her head was still on the pillow and her eyes were closed and he couldn’t help smiling to himself.

“I’ve been thinking. I got a lot on my mind,” Joshua said as he switched the phone from one ear to the other.

“Really? ‘Cause at four in the morning all I’ve been doing is sleeping. Like normal people. I’d like to go back to that.”

“You’re supposed to be my best friend. You gotta help me,” he laughed.

“All right, all right,” he heard her shuffle to get up. “What’s wrong now?”

“It’s Nycki.”

“What about her? What happened?”

“Nothing happened. I’ve just been thinking about some things. We’ve been together for a while and I’m starting to think that she’s only in this relationship for the things that I can do for her. I help her pay bills here and there and take her shopping.”

“You got a golddigger, huh? Well if you stop buying her shit and let her know that you’re not her safety net, things might be different. If she working?”

“From time to time. The temp agency hasn’t called her with a job in about three months. It just feels to me that she only wants to be in a relationship when a bill needs to be paid or a new Michael Kors bag is in the window.

“Why don’t you just dump her? You can find another chick that wasn’t so hood that can take care of herself.”

Joshua looked at the hallway. “Cyn, I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Cynthia asked. “If you’re not happy there’s no need to stay in the relationship.

“That’s true but she isn’t cheating on me or anything like that. I mean, she’s constantly at my house. We’re having sex on the regular.”

“Ugh, TMI,” Cynthia said as he laughed. “But?”

“But,” he sighed, “I’m at the point in my life where I’m looking for the one and...I just don’t think that this is one of those relationships that will last.”

“Josh, I can’t tell you want to do in a situation like this. I do know that you seem to care about her,” she muttered, “for whatever reasons you have.”

“I do care about her. I got love for her.”

“Is that a man’s way of saying that he loves a woman?”

“No. I like her. I’ve started to get the feelings and my emotions are invested but I’m not sure I’m in love with her.”

“Then you need to talk to her. You aren’t going to fix anything talking to me. The person you need to talk to is in bed with you.” He heard her groan a little as the covers his across the phone. She was getting comfortable again. “Now let me go back to bed. If I don’t get back to sleep, I’ll lose this case in the morning. I promise we can talk at lunch, okay?”

“All right. Where are we meeting?”

“I don’t know. I’ll text you. Just be there at twelve,” she yawned. “Night, Josh.”

“Night, Cyn.”

He turned the phone off with a beep and put it back on the cradle. His hands found the nape of his neck and he gazed out at the glowing orb that shone through the French doors. Cynthia Chambers has been his best friend since the fourth grade. She was the closet thing he had to a sister since he was an only child. Both of them had gone to the same schools and ended up at the same law school where they were both in the top of their class. Now she was on her way to being one of the first African American female partners at her firm. At twenty-eight, she was on the fast track to going places.

He thought back to all they had been through. She’d talked him through some of the worst relationships he’d been in while she had given him advice on the things that women love and always had the right advice when he needed it. He always returned the favor so whenever one of her male friends said something to her that got her all riled up, he was there to smooth it over and give her the male’s point of view. He listened to her horror stories of how Gabrielle or Whitney, friends of theirs from high school, would try to fix her up on blind dates but she felt like she couldn’t tell them no because she knew they meant well. They just couldn’t find a man that wasn’t intimidated by the fact that she was a successful lawyer.

His lids drooped and he realized that he needed to get back to bed. As he sat up, ,he noticed the LED screen on the clock as he read twenty minutes to five. He had a client that was coming to his office to discuss an important case and he didn’t want to yawn the whole time he was there. He stood and stretched his six foot five frame before sneaking back to bed and into the covers. Nycole turned over and wrapped her arm over his stomach and nestled her head into his shoulder. He looked at her and pulled her closed, hoping Cynthia said something that would help.