"Mom! You made it!"

She grabbed her mother in a hug after she opened the door for her. Today was the day of their barbecue. Tristan was already on the grill, cooking up half a cow, nearly a whole pig, and enough chickens to fill a farm.

She had her small grill set up with her Impossible Burgers, veggie skewers, and corn.

"Child, I don't think I have been in this house for years, and now look, my baby girl owns it."

She walked her mother through the house to show her that pretty much things were the same.

"We kept GiGi's furniture and dining room table. New kitchen appliances and new washer and dryer."

"Something smells good!" her mother cackled when they made it into the kitchen. "Please tell me you're not cooking anything."

"No. Um...that's the roommate on the grill. He wanted to do all this actually." It was really her idea, but Tristan agreed to it. He was supposed to invite his mother, but for some reason, he had an excuse as to why she could not show up.

"He? You didn't tell me you're living with a guy."

Actually, she did tell her mother but of course, she would act as if she did not remember. Her mother was one of those strict parents who would not let her do much outside of school and come home. Even if a boy ever looked her way, she probably would not have been able to date him.

"Tristan goes to Ranken with Zee. A friend of hers. Aunt Rita suggested we have someone here to help out with things falling apart."

"Mph!" her mother grunted. It was the mention of her Aunt that set her mother off. She did not care for Aunt Rita, and the feelings were mutual. "I know her siddity ass ain't here, right."

"Who, my siddity ass?" Her Aunt Rita walked in from the back porch. "Well hello, Joyce."

"Rita."

The two glared at each other. She never knew what the beef was between the two. She was not brave enough to ask her mother. Her Aunt Rita was always nice to her, but they were not close. She was not going to ask her either.

"Sorry about your mother," was all her mother said to Rita.

"Thank you."

"But isn't this house an old mess and couldn't you have sold it and given them the money?"

She rolled her eyes at her mother. No way would they sell GiGi's house that she bought with her grandfather. She loved that house, problems and all.

"Well, seems your girls are taking good care of the place. It looks great. Except for Ma's garden." Aunt Rita hugged Johanna. "You need me to come by and help with that? I'm not your GiGi with a garden, but she taught me some things over the years."

She wished her grandmother would have taught her those things. Like cooking and gardening. The only thing she naturally got from her was her love for reading and writing.

"No Aunt Rita, I might plant some flowers."

"Now that boy out there looks like he knows what he's doing on a grill, so he doesn't need me hovering around. I'll relax in the living room in some cool air until the food is ready."

As soon as Rita was gone, her mother shuddered. "I never liked her. Thinks she's better than me because she went to college. Has a degree. She's a lawyer. So what!"

"Ma, just chill out. Come on, meet Tristan."

Outside, Tristan was in his favorite black gym shorts and a red St. Louis Cardinals tee-shirt. His braids were pulled back in a ponytail and he wore a fitted Cardinals hat as well. He wore Nike flip-flops with crisp white socks. Standing over the grill with tongs in his hand and an aluminum pan filled with meat, he looked so hot to her.

She bit her bottom lip to prevent drool from dripping down.

"Is this him?" Her mother bombarded her lustful thoughts.

"Huh? What?"

"Excuse me, young man," her mother said, making Tristan turn to them. "Ooh! You're cute!"

Johanna smacked her forehead. Her mother did not just embarrass her like that.

"You must be Johanna and Zee's mom."

"Zevieva, I named that child that and no one calls her that. Yes, their mother. You're the roommate." Her mother looked him up and down. "And can cook. Mph! I can't wait to chow down on some of your meat."

Just kill her now.

Tristan smiled big, showing all his bright white teeth. "I aim to please."

Was Tristan flirting back with her mother? She was going to be sick.

"Ma, maybe you can wait inside, looks like the food is almost done. I need to get my food off the grill."

"Ain't no way I'm going back in there with that woman." She grinned at Tristan. "I like the view out here."

There were two long tables set up in the yard and her little cousins were all there, Uncle Billy, Uncle Richard, Montez, and Zee were playing Spades. Rocky and two of Richard's kids were sitting at the other table, heads glued down to their phones or tablets. Uncle Richard's oldest daughter nor his wife were there. They always felt like they were too good to come down into the city. They lived in Ladue, one of the wealthiest suburbs in the St. Louis area.

Her mother made her way down to the others, and at least she was cordial to Billy and Richard.

She opened her grill and checked her burgers, which looked done to her.

"I cannot believe you are going to eat that mess!" Tristan said.

"Aw, you know you want a taste." They were standing side by side as they manned their grills. Her smaller grill sat on a tabletop so it was nearly eye level to her. Tristan used her grandmother's old, barrel-style grill that worked just fine.

"Hell no I don't."

"I'll let you taste it."

"Was that a flirt like your mom, because she's better at it."

She elbowed him in his ribs.

Once the food was all prepared, everyone made their plates. Her aunt brought over a few sides, mac n cheese, and potato salad. Zee made spaghetti with meat sauce, a small amount to the side for her with no meat. Tristan made all the meats.

She made her plate of an Impossible burger on a bun with vegan cheese, grilled corn, and spaghetti then sat at the table with the kids.

"Hey, Rocky."

"I can't believe you gave my room away to a stranger. I mean, Tristan's cool, but that's supposed to be my room."

"There's always the other room if you want to move in. I'm going through all the things, it may be clear soon."

"I'd rather stay with my parents forever if that's my only option. What about the basement? Tristan has all his weights down there but clear that out..."

"Eew! It's like a dungeon down there."

"No, it's not. It's pretty dope. And it has its own door, I can go in and out with all my girlies."

"Your what?" She shook her head at him. Only seventeen and already pretending to be a player.

Tristan walked over with his plate of food and sat across from her. His plate was loaded with nothing but meat. No bread, no sides, nothing else.

"What's up Rock."

"Food looks banging! Let me make my plate before these greedy folks eat it all." Rocky jumped up.

"There's plenty. Help yourself," Tristan said, biting into a big piece of meat. A steak maybe, she was not sure. He saw her watching him. "You want some?"

He pushed the meat towards her face. "No, ew! You want some of my burger?"

She held out her burger for him.

"Girl if you don't stop calling that travesty a burger."

"Here! Take a bite and tell me what you think."

He reached over and took a big bite of her burger. He made a face as he slowly chewed it.

"Well?"

"It's a'ight." He went back to eating his meat. "I may have the flavor of this pork steak still in my mouth though. It mixed with that shit and made it taste better. I may have gotten meat juice on your burger."

She took a bite of her burger where he'd just taken his. "I don't mind a little meat juice in my mouth." She leaned closer to him. "Was that better than my mom?"

He cheesed so hard then grabbed his plate and stood up. "Girl, I'm done with you, let me go over to the grown people's table before you get me in trouble."

Watching him walk away in those shorts, his nice hard backside was so sexy to her. Okay, she was done playing around, she wanted him.

Now all she had to do was whatever it took to get him.