“Don’t tell me you haven’t wondered the same thing before. Ooohh, look! He’s coming over here.” She squealed and waved at Christian.
I wanted to disappear or run, but it was too late for that. Because he made it to us within seconds with those long legs of his. Christian was six-four of fineness.
“Hey, ladies. You’re getting your Christmas shopping in?”
“Yeah, buying things for our family and friends,” Sawyer supplied eagerly.
Scowling, I replied, “Funny running into you again.”
“I told you that I relocated to this side of town.”
“Yeah, but we haven’t run into each other before. Now, after Belle’s incident, I’m seeing you all over the place,” I remarked, crossing my arms and twisting my lips in suspicion.
“To be fair, you showed up at my job. This is the first time I’ve actually run into you.”
“Mm-hmm. Awfully convenient.”
He chuckled. “Well, yeah, you’ll probably see more of me on this side of town.”
“Mm. Isn’t that sweet?” Sawyer quipped, reminding me that she was there.
I elbowed her. “Do you like it over here?” Sawyer asked.
“Yeah, I’m loving it. The longer I stay, the more it feels like this was the perfect decision for me.”
“Mm. Did you hear that, Angel? The perfect decision.”
I turned and glared at my best friend. “Are you good, girl?” I asked her.
“Uhm, yeah. I’m just about to run into this store and check something out for my daddy real quick,” she stated, pointing at a sporting goods store.
“Yeah, you do that.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head before I turned back to Christian.
“Are you pissed at me about what happened between you and Jay?”
“No. Why would I be mad at you?”
“You know how girls get sometimes. Y’all be mad at everyone associated with the nigga who did you wrong: his mama, daddy, brother, sister, grandma, elementary principal, and even the damn dog.”
I snickered. I couldn’t help myself because Christian had always been silly. “I’m sorry. I have been coming with a bit of an attitude. Let me take it down a notch.” I pinched my index finger and thumb together.
“Think I can get a few of them notches?” he asked, taking it from a pinch to spreading his arms wide.
“Mm, yeah. Maybe you can.”
“Good,” he replied, wrapping those arms around me in a big hug. It caught me so off guard that all I did was stand and stare at his chest. But when I inhaled, the scent of his cologne made me relax into his embrace. Just as quickly as he snatched me up, Christian released me. Laughing, he replied, “I’m teasing you, girl. But I honestly missed you. We used to kick it all the time. You were my little homie.” The warmth in his eyes and tone touched my heart.
“I know, Chris. It was so depressing back then, and you all were reminders of him that I couldn’t deal with.”
“I wasn’t just his friend, Angel. I was yours too. He was dead ass wrong for that shit he pulled, and I told him every chance I got. He didn’t understand why I rode so hard for you. I had to remind him of the same thing that I’m telling you today. I was your friend too. Still would like to be.”
I smiled as my heart warmed and thawed out some more. “I would like that, too, Chris.”
“Cool.”
“So, how have you been doing?”
