My latest venture was a sneaker shop for rare and unusual kicks. It was thriving due to the location and connections I made through Dyce. She may party her ass off and participate in activities some would consider shady, but the woman was smart when money was concerned. She knew how to grab a coin. Being kicked out of college the second semester of our freshman year taught her some tough life lessons. She knew how to survive.
Dyce was the life of the party, always going and going like there was no tomorrow. I was right there by her side, but I knew better than to flunk my courses. My father would have killed me. She never could find the balance between partying and studying. With all the trips we took, she burned through her trust that her grandparents left her within three years. At that point, Dyce started living off her rich, so-called sponsors she was always talking about. They were nothing more than glorified sugar daddies that she met on the N2U dating site. That site was not for those purposes and she would more than likely be kicked off if they found out, but she gave zero fucks. Leave it up to Dyce to find an older man willing to pay her way. She could sniff them out like a hound dog.
Though I liked to party like any woman in her twenties, I knew my limitations. Instead of falling victim to the same lifestyle and allowing it to take over my life in a negative way, I focused on business. Since I still loved the party scene, I came up with a way to make money at the same time. I started a party promotion business called Quench. I asked Dyce to help me run it. If there was one thing she knew and loved, it was how to throw a party. Dyce was an enormous help with all the contacts she had in the industry. Most of them came from her ventures as a sugar baby, but I didn’t judge her. It wasn’t like she slept with all her dates.
Those men were smart, successful and generous with their time, knowledge and money. Quench soon became one of the most sought-after promotion companies in Miami thanks to their expertise. We called our company that because we sold a high energy atmosphere that attracted the best crowds. People were always so thirsty for status in Miami. Our events were a sure-fire way to gain popularity and status in the 305, thus quenching their thirst.
The loud knocking on my door dragged me out of my ruminations. I couldn’t believe Dyce was able to pull this Caribbean trip for our birthdays. We were going on a luxury yacht that one of her many sugar daddies charted for the weekend. I loved my friend more than anyone who didn’t share my DNA. This boat trip was going to be lit, and her man was paying the bill. I don’t even want to know what she had to do to get him to agree to this.
My only caution was her sugar daddy had friends. I just hope she didn’t give the expectation that I would be giving up the goods to any of her man’s friends that were sure to tag along. Older men were nicer to hang out with on a boat, but they tended to have mean streaks when they felt disrespected or rejected.
I had seen his friends and they were not very pleasing to the eye. His best friend, Fletch had grabby hands and loved to call black women his little chocolate drops. I was a pretty easy-going chick, but that burned my ass every time I heard it. I opened my front door to find Dyce all dolled up and ready for our outing. Was she really wearing four-inch heels and a ton of makeup this early in the morning?
“Hey, you little succubus, it’s about time you got here. Why did you text me so early? You know I need my beauty rest.”
I rolled my eyes pretending to be annoyed. In truth, I wasn’t that bothered by her text. I was always happy to see Dyce, no matter how sleepy I was. I just needed my coffee, which she handed to me and smiled.
“Listen you little wendigo, don’t fuck with me today. I need to go shopping like you need to get laid.”
Well that was rude. True, but rude.
“Touché, hoe and thanks for my bean juice. Now, please tell me that just because your sponsor is paying, he does not expect me to play with any of his friends.”
Dyce stopped laughing and gave me that sad look she always had whenever one of her men was brought into the conversation. I continued sipping on my sweet concoction, while listening to her pitch.
“Harley, I know his friends are big flirts and a bit handsy, but they are Tito’s friends. They are good men. Plus, with the money he is shelling out for this trip, he has a right to tag along and bring a friend or two.”
“You know I am not sleeping with any of them, Dyce. I need you to tell them before we get on that boat. Besides, if you wanted to charter a boat, I could have just asked to borrow my dad’s.”
“And have him spying on us? No way. Besides, your father’s boat isn’t near as nice as this one and we wouldn’t get to be on TV.”
“TV? What scheme have you cooked up now?”
“We are going on the TV show Down Below!”
I side-eyed this girl as if she was mentally insane.
“Dyce, I know you’re lying? Are you serious? You know I live for Captain G! He is my fantasy man. A damn dreamboat. Now him, I will fuck six ways to Sunday.”
“Down Below is one of the most popular shows on KUDOS! Network. We are going to be famous! Yaaaaas! I am going to help you get a piece of your Captain Bae. He is yummy!”
“I have a good feeling about this trip.”
She pulled out her phone and showed me a few pictures of the most luxurious yacht I had ever laid my eyes on. Simply gorgeous. It really was a high-rise apartment floating on the water. It was easy to get caught up in the hype. I could see why Dyce would say yes and worry about the consequences later. It was just her style.
“As long as this friend keeps his hands and all other body parts away from me, I’ll be good. The only gray hair I want to see on that boat is Captain G’s head between my legs.”
“Harley, we are going to have so much fun. Trust me, I spoke to the booking agent and requested the hottest crew of deck hands they have. We will have eye candy for days.”
I am here for the eye candy.
“Who all’s coming on this thing anyway?”
“Why do you always do that, as if you would stay home if you didn’t like the group?”
“Never that. I just like to know who is coming so I know if there will be any mess. You know how some of your friends can be, spreading lies on that Messy Mandy website. Your friends can’t be trusted to keep their mouths shut and you know it. Knowing them, by the end of the trip I will be pregnant and living with that old bald friend of Tito’s.”
Dyce looked at me sheepishly and then went on to explain how Cinta and Melissa, a couple of her friends would be joining us on the trip because it was her birthday and they wanted to help celebrate. She added that Tito was bringing fellow sugar daddies, Martin and Will along for the ride.
“Did you even consider I may want to bring a friend or two to hang out with me? I mean it is my birthday celebration also.”
“Well, no. I mean Tito is paying for the trip, so I just assumed the invites for extras were for me. Besides, you don’t hang out with anyone other than me.”
“Narcissistic much? Oh, and for the record, I do have other friends. You should have at least offered. Now I am going to be on the party boat where I have to avoid a creepy old man on my birthday.”
“Whatevs Harley. You are going to be so far up your Captain Bae’s ass you won’t even notice.”
“Yeah, you’re right! If that man gives me even a hint that he is interested, I’m going down. I mean it’s going down.”