Pillow Talk

By Casandra Charles

There are three sides to every story, her side, his side and the truth, as the men of the Jamie Reynolds Chronicles tell all. Jamie Reynolds, aka JR, takes center stage of her own reality as she becomes the focal point of David, her on-again, off again lover who was everything JR wanted in a man, yet their relationship was like oil and water—they just didn’t mix. Blue, JR’s first and only friend with benefits, thought he was okay with his role of friend and convenient lover, but ultimately the friendship always outshone his need for something more. Robert, aka Rob, who didn’t see anything wrong with having his cake and eating it too as he tried to juggle Maria (his fiancée), JR (his girlfriend) and multiple other women.

Terry, JR’s play brother, wanted to do more than just play. Toni, JR’s blue-collar and now petty and bitter ex, vowed to make JR life miserable at any cost. Wes, JR’s first high school love, had to take a backseat as JR grew up and moved on with a successful life as he still ran the streets, wishing he had JR back again. And Mike, a younger man who stole JR’s heart, struggled with growing up as he battled the thoughts in his head and the passion in his heart.

Pillow Talk is a unique twist to the backstory from the point of view of the men in the Jamie Reynolds Chronicles as they also uncover their true lust, lies and secrets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Casandra Charles
• Release date: Jul 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463585825

Casandra Charles

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, with parents from Trinidad and Tobago, Casandra graduated college with a BA degree in Mass Media Arts at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA, where she resided for many years and now has her master’s degree in Adult Education.Casandra is an avid reader and always wanted to write a book but hesitated for many years, as she suffers from adult dyslexia. She never allowed her disability to hold her back on anything, and she finally completed her first book, Jamie Reynolds Chronicles: Lust and Lies, in 2015, Secrets Revealed in 2016, Pillow Talk and Too Good To Be True in 2018, Tinder, Love and Care in 2020, Thank You, Next in 2021 and Joy Ride in 2022.​Casandra loves to travel and explore and has a bucket list of places to visit a mile long as she slowly begins to check off a new destination every few months. She lives by many mottos, but her favorite one is “Live Laugh Love,” which is also tattooed on her left arm to remind her every day to Live today, Laugh often and Love always.

Book preview

Contents

Dedication

Jamie and I had Something Special…

I Just Felt the Energy Shift…

I Hate It When She’s Right…

I Was Still Clueless…

JR Invited Me to Spend Christmas Eve…

Christmas Eve…

Blue

J Is Like Family…

David is David…

I Was Thinking of Coming Back to Atlanta…

Our Kiss Was Crazy…

Move on With Our New Life…

Robert Rob

Speak of the Devil…

I’m Not Down for Drunk Sex…

THE PARTY

Part 1

Rob and Terry

Don’t Act Like We Don’t Have History…

Best Sex I Ever Had…

Terry TRUE

Jamie, I Have to Talk to You…

Wait, Wait, No…

I Was Officially Invited to the Party…

THE PARTY

Part 2

Terry and Rob

You Already Lost Me, T…

What’s Up with Jamie?

Toni

Jamie Hall Chronicles…

So You Think You’re Better Than Me?

I Was Done Playing Nice…

Her Dumb Ass Left Them in Her Name…

I Felt Like I Was Losing Control…

Wes

Jamie Was My First Real Love…

Jamie Was Still the Same Cool Chick…

Jamie Was Worth the Wait…

Jamie and I Kind of Grow Apart…

Michael Mike Fuller

I Hated to Hear and See Her Cry…

I Miss My Brother, Man…

Trust Your Gut…

I Believe in Us and I Love You…

Who Am I to Judge?

I’m Good, Just a Little Nervous…

Home Sweet Home…

Just Go, Have Fun with Your Friends…

It Feels Good to Finally Start a New Full-Time Job…

She’s in God’s Hand Now…

Yeah, She Cooks…

Alright Now, You Ballin’ Now…

No Time Like the Present…

Well, A Destination Wedding Would be Nice…

No Time for Any Personal Fun…

She Hated my Fiancée Already…

I Prefer Longer Hair…

My Daughter Seems Very Happy…

Hangover Three…

Yo, You Still Alive…

Vegas Ain’t Ready for the Hangover Three…

Raise Your Glasses…

Eric, Did You Record Us?

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Dedication

This book has challenged me as a writer to an unknown depth within myself, and I am grateful to share it. I dedicate this book to so many women who have been in unsuitable relationships that have left them confused, insecure and lost on what the opposite sex was really thinking. I hope I was able to capture it all. It’s been an amazing journey. Happy reading.

David

Jamie and I had Something Special…

Ring, ring.

Hey, man, what up?

Yo, guess who I seen at the club last night?

Adam knew I hated playing these guess-who games. Man, who? I said, sounding fed up.

So I was at Vision and, man, you missed it. T and I bagged so many numbers that night because it was ladies’ night and, man, was it ladies’ night.

Man, who did you see? I interrupted Adam, just wanting him to get to the point.

Oh, my bad, I seen your girl JR. She was in the club with a bunch of her girls, I guess. She didn’t see me, but she was chilling and, of course, looking good.

Really? She must be in town working, I said with confidence but really had no clue, as I hadn’t spoken to her in a minute, and I missed the days she used to hit me up when she was in town.

Well, I guess, but she was in town, and I don’t know what that means, Adam said, sounding like he was fishing for a response.

Man, I said, laughing at Adam for overthinking things, it means she’s visiting or working, bro.

Well, if you came out with us last night, you could have found out yourself.

Adam was my best friend, and he knew I still had feelings for JR. We always talked about how we all met each other every time we hit up Havana Nights.

***

Yo, Adam, have you been at this spot before?

No, but I hear it’s pretty cool. Metro Players stay be throwing good parties.

It better be good; you have me out on a Monday. Nig, who goes out on a Monday? I said just as we walked towards the line wrapped around the block to get into Havana Nights.

I guess everyone does, Adams said, making a joke of my comment about the line, which proved a lot of people went out on a Monday.

The line was wrapped around the corner, but it was moving fast, so Adam and I took it upon ourselves to socialize and mingle with everyone near us in line. As soon as we got to the front of the line, I couldn’t help but stare at a girl and her friend trying to get in without waiting in line.

Excuse me, ladies, the bouncer said as one of the girls tried to walk right past him.

Excuse me, sir, she said with an attitude.

May I help you?

I’m sorry, I’m a guest of Johnny or Mitchell or Michael, any member of the Metro Players, she said with confidence as Adam and I watched.

I’m sorry, miss, none of those people are here right now.

Okay, they’re inside. I can go inside and get them.

I’m sorry, miss, but that won’t work.

No, we both won’t go in. I’ll just go in and leave my friend out here as collateral, she said with such confidence even though everyone knew she was kidding.

I’m sorry, ma’am, that’s not going to work. Are you on the list?

Check Jamie or Jamie Reynolds, she said again with confidence, but I could clearly tell she was lying and she knew damn well her name wasn’t on the guest list.

I’m sorry, miss, it’s not on here.

Try JR. That’s what everyone calls me, JR, Jamie Reynolds, she said but pulled out her phone, I guessed to call one of the promoters.

And just like that, within a few minutes she was inside the club. I was impressed yet intrigued to meet Miss JR, mainly to give her a hard time about trying to leave her girl as collateral.

And just like that, she was walking to the bathroom, and we made eye contact. My guess was she didn’t even realize we had stood behind her and her friend in line.

It took me a minute to see her again, but as the DJ played a hit from the ’80s, I found her on the dance floor, dancing with her girl. Then I noticed the DJ wave to her to come up on stage, which made me nervous, as I saw two other ladies dancing on stage, so needless to say, I extended my hand to help her up. She said thanks and I was happy to say she just greeted the DJ and went right back off the stage.

For a second, I thought you were going up on stage to dance, I finally said, breaking the ice as she made her way down.

We both turned around and looked at the two girls looking a hot mess trying to dance up on stage next to the DJ booth. We both just started laughing.

Hey, I’m David.

Hi, I’m JR.

JR, that’s a cute name.

Thank you.

I’m glad to see you got in the club. For a minute I thought you were going to turn around and leave.

What? she said with a dumb look on her face, not knowing what I was talking about.

I was next in line when you tried to leave your girl at the door for collateral, trying to get in.

It wasn’t like that, and I am so embarrassed.

No need to be embarrassed. We both started to laugh.

You’re too pretty to be embarrassed. So where’s your collateral?

Who? Oh, Angela, she’s probably still on the dance floor.

Well, maybe when she’s finished, she can meet my collateral, Adam.

Well, you can get your collateral, and I can get my collateral, and we can chat. We have a table in the back.

We both went our separate ways to get our collateral. I was happy to meet her yet was over it already, as it seemed she knew everyone in this club, and now she said she had access to the back.

Yo, I met that girl who was tripping outside trying to get in. She has a section in the back. Let’s go.

Yo, free drinks? I’m down.

She ain’t say all that, but let’s go and see what’s up.

As we made our way to the back, JR signalled to the bouncer to let us through to an almost private VIP section. Who is this girl? I said to myself.

Hey, JR, this is my collateral, Adam.

This is my collateral, Angela.

Collateral? both Adam and Angela said, looking puzzled as both JR and I busted out laughing.

The rest of the night was cool. JR told me a little about herself, and since she worked in the production industry, it explained why she knew so many people, yet she seemed pretty down to earth. So we exchanged numbers, and the rest was history.

Adam and Angela exchanged numbers, but I could tell from the jump that it wasn’t a good fit. Adam was only just trying to smash, and Angela didn’t look like she was about that life, so that was short lived.

So when I heard Havana Nights was having its final party before the doors closed a few months ago, I was so hoping Jamie would be there, as it would have been cool to see her before the doors closed, but I knew she was married and all now.

***

Well, next time you roll through, let me know. I may come out.

You hoping she’s there again?

Adam could read me like a book, and as much as I try to play it off, Jamie and I did have something special, so why front? It was a connection like no other, and I did miss our friendship, let alone her companionship.

Here you go, nig. Man, just let me know next time you and the guys head out. If I don’t have D, I’ll swing through, I said to Adam, trying to maintain my true feelings about seeing JR.

Bet.

As I hung up with Adam, my mind was all over the place. The last time JR and I spoke was maybe two years ago when she sounded awkward on the phone then sent me a bullshit text saying, "Toni asked me to marry him before he left. I just thought you should know."

I sent her a bunch of texts after, but she never replied. At first I was pissed. At least she could text a brotha back and tell me what’s up. Then I realized she really didn’t have to do this. We weren’t together, and JR had her own life to live, but the next morning she called me.

Hey, JR said, sounding down on the phone.

Hello, I replied, as I’d hesitated to even pick up the call.

Hey, I wanted to call because I felt like I owed you that.

Look, sweetie, you’re a great woman with a lot to offer. You got a good man who cares about you, and you, him. Move forward with him and let our memories be just that. Start your own traditions and take that chance on building what everybody wants with a person who wants you. I care about you enough to step aside, leave you alone and let it go.

I didn’t even allow her to answer as I kept on speaking. I guessed I had a lot on my mind. Yeah, it sucks, but you deserve to be happy with Mr. Antonio. I will miss our time together, but I respect you enough to allow you to be happy with or without me.

This was all I had to say, and I guessed all she needed to hear because after a few moments she said, Thanks, and then the phone went dead, and we never spoke again.

After I said my piece, I felt like crap because I wished I had just kept it real with JR. We had been friends too long. Yes, I wanted to see her happy but not with another man. So hearing she was back in town had me feeling a certain way. She used to at least holla at me when she rolled through the A for work and stuff. I did miss our friendship, but maybe I would run into her one of these days.

For a month straight my mind kept thinking about JR. I even went out to Vision with the guys a few times, hoping to see her. Even Adam knew what was up, as he ended most nights saying, Maybe next weekend.

Man, what you talking ’bout? I was trying to play it cool, but Adam knew what was up, and he just laughed me off. But I wasn’t trying to be out in Vision every weekend, so I decided to just give JR a call, hoping the number was still the same.

To my surprise, the number was the same, and she picked up.

Yo, nig, what’s up?

Hey, David. How is everything? she said, sounding a little funny, probably because of the way we ended our friendship, or maybe she was surprised I even called.

Hey, man, I’m good. Where you at? There was an awkward moment of silence, as my question was a little direct for not speaking to someone for, like, two years. Man, I seen you last month at Vision with a few ladies. I didn’t want to bother you and say hello, but you’ve been on my mind, so I figured why not, I said, lying through my teeth. I didn’t want her to know I’d really found out from Adam, who had really seen her in Vision and not me.

Oh, hey, it would have been no bother. You should have said hi.

I wondered if JR had seen Adam and realized I was lying? But it was too late, so I just rolled with the lie.

So where are you? I restated my original question.

I’m driving back to Atlanta from Norfolk.

Oh, okay. My conversation with JR was really off, as we usually connected better than this even if time had passed. Anyway, how have you been?

I’m good, I’m good. Maybe JR recognized the awkwardness because she finally said, Man, look, you know me, so I won’t beat around the bush. I’m back in Atlanta, actually back in my townhome in Stone Mountain.

Oh, so how long have you been here? Adam said he seen you over a month ago at Vision himself.

So you’ve been stalking me ever since? JR said, laughing, but I thought it was because she caught my lie.

Man, as a matter of fact, I was stalking your fine ass, I said as a joke, but truth be told, I had to laugh because I did feel like I was stalking her.

Oh, you got jokes?

How far are you from Atlanta? Do you need help on your drive?

So what you going to do? Drive to follow me or something? Man, I missed her smart-ass mouth as I just laughed. Man, look, I was trying to see if you needed company via phone while you drive.

My bad, I’m good, but if you want to chat, then it’s cool as well. I have nothing but time. I actually have nothing but about four hours left on the road.

JR and I spoke like old times, and it was good to catch up. I was happy yet sad to hear her and that wack-ass husband were kind of split up. I felt bad for feeling happy, but hell, maybe this was a sign. JR was a great person, so it was his loss because I was still single and she was moving back to Atlanta, I hoped. So I wasn’t gonna mess this one up again.

Those hours talking to her felt like old times. We were able to really catch up about everything. She told me more about her deadbeat husband, and I entertained her about all she’d missed in the A. I really did miss JR. I guessed it was true, you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. So I took the opportunity and ran with it, including asking her to meet for dinner over the weekend, but to my surprise, she agreed to meet me tonight for dinner instead. JR was a good girl, so I knew we wouldn’t have sex, but I’d be down if she wanted to. I figured it didn’t hurt to think positively.

I Just Felt the Energy Shift…

It had been a few months, and JR and I started off slow, but now we were kind of right back where we left off, minus the sex, of course. She was still married, and she was waiting for her husband to get back in town to ask for the divorce, so we had just been chilling. Not gonna lie, it was hard as hell to be around JR and not sleep with her, and sometimes she even stayed the night. I must have been crazy to put myself in that kind of situation, but sex with J was great, so I’d be patient, especially since I’d had it already. It was weird the patience I had with old sex, yet I’d feel a certain way if a new chick I was feeling made me wait this long for sex. I’d been a listening ear to JR throughout this journey, but she knew I wanted more, but I did respect her and her wishes.

I knew she was doing her research, and it was supposed to be an easy exit since she wasn’t asking for anything, which was crazy because she was walking away with nothing but her last name. I had to push her into asking for a little financial support since she said he was getting military money just being married to her and she was still getting settled in the A. JR was stubborn, so I really shouldn’t have been surprised. I really wondered if she had rushed into this marriage thing for that reason. JR was smart and really calculated in her decisions, so to get married so fast was a shock to me and maybe even her. I mean, she was successful and made smart money moves, so maybe this was just a business move gone south?

Either way, her ex was supposed to come into town next month, so we would see what was up. I’d been on my best behavior so JR didn’t give up on us once her ex came back in the picture, but all the venting she’d been doing and the way he’d been treating her, I doubted she’d go backwards. That cat was super unstable. I had no idea what she had seen in him. Either way, his own actions were making me look good, so thanks, Toni.

Toni was a piece of work. He would often show his true ass and had JR in tears. She called me from the car after they met at Starbucks, and it broke my heart to hear her cry, yet I was happy ’cause I knew it was truly over between them. I invited her over to comfort her.

I was not gonna push it, but I felt I had a better chance at getting some ass tonight after the way her ex had treated her today.

Hey, come here. I leaned in to give JR a hug as I opened the front door of my apartment. You okay? I asked, trying to sound concerned.

I’m good. Just can’t believe he treated me like that.

Why are you surprised? The way he has been talking to you from a distance, did you really think he was gonna be a nice guy face-to-face? I hated being the bearer of bad news, but I was hitting JR with the facts, and the truth hurts.

You’re right, but I was hoping… She paused.

You good? I asked because she stopped midsentence.

You know what? It doesn’t even matter. I’m sorry to keep dumping my crazy life on you. I know this isn’t what you want or need to be hearing right now. How was your day today?

She was right. Over the last few months, I’d listened to JR vent about her crazy ex, and I was indeed getting tired of it, yet I was still listening.

Man, it’s all good, JR. You like family, and I got your back in your time of need, I said to her as I leaned over and pulled her closer to me. This was a moment for the record book because I just felt the energy shift.

It took all of sixty seconds for JR and me to make out like high schoolers, and I slowly undressed her as if it were the first time. I’d waited months for this, so I wanted that shit to last, but I was kind of surprised at how small she had gotten. I mean, her ass was still fat but not as fat as it usually was. I guessed the stress was getting to her, but it