My gaze shifted outside the booth and landed on the woman who had called my name. Emory Miller stood there, a chunky,gorgeous baby boy strapped to her chest and a tall, slightly scary man hovering protectively over her. Damn, she was as beautiful as ever. I had liked her in school—she’d been a year ahead of me. The Miller girls had been some of the few who were sweet to me. I gave her a genuine, if hesitant, smile. I never knew how people felt about me around here.
“Hey,” I greeted.
“Hey. It’s so good to see you, down off that hill, girl. I know people give you a hard time, but if you handle them like you did that bitch, you’ll be all right,” she said.
“Baby,” her husband scolded.
She pursed her lips at him. “What? C’mon, Prime. You know it’s the truth.”
I couldn’t help the grin that split my face. Yep, same ol’ Emory. Had to love her.
“Anyway, we gotta go, but it was good seeing you. Don’t let these people have you shut up in that big ol’ house. You better start showing that pretty face.”
“I hear you,” was all I said.
“Don’t just hear me. Listen,” she demanded, before kissing me, then Taniyah, on the cheek and disappearing in a cloud of expensive perfume and baby powder.
I was still smiling when the bell over the door rang again. Glancing up, I felt my stomach drop like a free-falling elevator. I turned around fast as hell.
“Afternoon, Ms. D,” he said. “Order for Christopher.”
Taniyah’s eyes went wide. “Lord! Speak of the devil,” she whispered.
So, okay, I looked. And… damn! He stood at the counter in a black hoodie and jeans, beard neat, dark skin looking like velvet. He took the bag from Darnita, said something that made her grin, then turned and caught sight of us. His gaze locked on mine. Everything else in the room faded for a second.
“Okay, why he still fine like that is beyond me. Just rude,” Taniyah muttered.
“Shut up,” I said, heat creeping up my neck.
She hadn’t told one lie. Neither had I. Jabali Christopher made me hungry, made me crave things I could never have again. He walked over and each step felt louder than it should.
“Look at my hill princess outside. I’m proud,” he greeted.
I decided not to address his use of that possessive pronoun. I was not “his” anything, so why debate it.
“Niyah kidnapped me,” I said lightly.
He chuckled, before giving me a once-over with those liquid brown eyes. “You good?” he asked, voice dropping for just me.
I hated that part of me softened at the question. “I was. Now you here,” I surprised myself by teasing.
He smirked. “That answer got a lot going on.”
“We were just talking about you,” Taniyah cut in, way too cheerful. “In a very respectful, mostly holy way.”
“I doubt that.”
His laugh was louder this time, brightened his handsome face in a way that…ooh, Lord Jesus!
“Anyway, I would love to stay and referee, but I just remembered I told my cousin I’d pick up her kids so our littles could have a play date. If I don’t get them, she gon’ post about me on Facebook.”
“You told me you were washing clothes,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, and now I’m washing kids, too. My life is full.” she said with no shame. “Ooh, and look! I’m running late!” She slid out of the booth and kissed my cheek. “I brought you here, so you ride back with him. I know you scared, but you need some practice being around him without combusting,” she said in my ear.
“Taniyah—”
“Text me when you get home,” she said, ignoring me. “Or if he says some dumb shit so I can cuss him out later.”
