“Wait, so you’re still together? I thought…”
Shaking her head back and forth, Ria then answered, “No, we’re not. He thinks I’ll come back after I’ve lived. I told him I wouldn’t, and I needed to be with a man my age. I mean, a year or two is definitely cool, but not ten. It was too much. We’re at two different places in our lives.”
“I told your hot ass, but all you were looking at was…”
“A fine ass older man who showered me with attention, gifts, and good dick, but really, it was just about my daddy issues. I missed not having my dad around and it took being with Lue to really see that. After a while, that man became like my daddy, always telling me what I could and couldn’t do. It was annoying as hell.”
“Eww, so you was getting it on with your dad? That’s nasty, Ri.”
Ria shoved Joi in the shoulder and laughed. “Shut your dumb ass up. No, that’s not what it was like. I didn’t see him like my dad, especially not with sex. Lue was just older and assertive. He cared about me but in more of a protective way. After a while, Ifelt closer to him as a friend than anything, but that’s not what he wanted. I just… I don’t know. I needed something different.”
“You need a good thug ass man like you used to rock with. Lue is cool, but he’s too soft, Ri. I don’t know how you survived that long.”
“Lue was cool. It wasn’t all bad, but you’re right. I need that in my life. I kinda did meet someone, though. We only hung out a few times.” Ria blushed at the mention of him.
“Well, damn, you work fast.”
“Shut up. I haven’t been with Lue in almost four months.”
“But you just now coming around.”
“Yeah, I know. I needed time to figure out my life. I’m still doing that, but I miss you.” Ria paused. “And Ny. She was cool the few times we did hang out. I need some friends and I’m not trying to let new hoes in my circle.”
“Oh, so now you want to hang.”
“Joi, don’t do that. I’m serious. I know I was wrong for staying away, but I learned my lesson. I need you. I miss you.” Ria tossed her arm around her friend, pulling Joi into her side.
“Aight, fine, hoe. But you pull that disappearing shit again, man inspired or not, and don’t bring your ass crawling back again. I mean it.”
“You got that.”
“I mean it,” Joi warned.
She was hurt when Ria pulled away. She understood her reasons, but it didn’t make it hurt any less that her girl had just cut her off.
“I know, and me too. I apologize, and it will never happen again.”
Joi accepted her apology and left the topic alone. When she heard her door chime again, she knew it had to be Reg.
“Your number is still the same, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll call you later. I need to handle something really quick.”
Ria and Joi looked up at the same time when Reg entered her office. He leaned against the door frame, looking every bit of sexy. So much so that Joi had a brief lapse and thought she might reconsider.
“Okaaaaayy,boo.” Ria grinned at Reg,. He spent a little too much time checking her out and Joi noticed because she was studying him.
“I know you?”
Reg was intrigued by the woman sitting next to his girl.Damn, shorty is sexy. I wonder if I can get with her or if she’s the loyal type.Being that Reg had been known to hit up a few of Joi’s clients in the past, he could see himself getting personally acquainted with the golden beauty in his presence.
“No.” Ria frowned, catching something in his tone and his eyes that she didn’t like. She quickly snapped her head around to Joi.
“This you?”
“Something like that,” Joi mumbled. “Let me walk you out. I’ll be right back,” she then shot at Reg, who had a hard look because of her response to her girl.
