“I’m always nice, boo.”
“Mommy, is it ready yet? I’m starving.” Nick’s little voice and balled up face had Nyelle smiling. She loved her son more than anything in the world and nothing could challenge her love for him.
“Small Fry, you’re not going to starve. I bet you had ten snacks already,” Joi teased at the sound of Nick's voice.
“Nun uhh, Auntie Joi. Mommy only let me have one.”
“She’s so mean. But don’t tell her I said that.”
Nick grinned and looked up at his mother. “She can hear you, Auntie Joi.”
“Oh, dang, that’s right.”
“Go wash your hands. I should be done in a minute, then we can eat.”
Nick was already moving before she finished, so Nyelle focused on her girl.
“Let me feed this child. Have fun and no new friends, Joi. I’m not playing.” Nyelle slightly pouted but Joi only laughed.
“No new friends, boo, but she’s not new. I’ma come see you tomorrow. We need to talk.”
“Talk or talk talk?”
“Both.” Joi groaned thinking about her night with East. She hadn’t talked to Nyelle because she was all over the place with how she felt. She kept trying to write it off like it was just sex, but she knew better. Joi didn’t want to be another Nae or Malaysia. She wanted tobewith East. Joi needed her girl to help her figure out what she needed to do, but she had to be ready to talk about it first, and she wasn’t.
“Ohh, that sounds juicy. Tell me now.”
“No, I have to get ready, and you have to feed my baby.”
“Don’t you tell Ria before you tell me or I’m disowning your ass, Joi. I mean it. No new friends,” she threatened, causing Joi to laugh.
“I’m not, dang. Stop sweating me, hoe. We’re not fucking.”
“Close enough. Bye.”
Nyelle hung up the phone and Joi laughed. She would have called back to reassure her friend there was room in her life for both Nyelle and Ria, but she would have the conversation face to face instead. Right now Joi had to shower and dress to be ready when Ria arrived to pick her up since she refused to drive.
Two hours later Joi was on the South Side, a place she didn’t frequent much, parked in Ria’s car in front of an old, rundown, brick building that looked as if it should be condemned and not occupied.Okay, maybe that’s a bit extra, but still.“Where the hell do you have me, Ria?”
“It’s where Dix asked me to meet him. I’ve never been here.”
“Uh boo, we might need to rethink this. You’re about to leave this nice ass car out here for someone to steal while we go in there and get murdered by a man named Dick.”
The look on Joi’s face caused Ria to burst out laughing. “Shut your dumb ass up. His name is Dix, not Dicks.”
“That’s not any better. Why do they call him Dicks, Ria? He on the DL? You might need to have a little chat with your man, boo.”
“You’re so damn extra. Dix with an X. His name is Dixon, now come on. If I’m going to get murdered, you are too.”
Joi whipped her head around to her girl quickly and Ria sucked her teeth. “I’m just playing. He’s cool and wouldn’t have me anywhere I didn’t need to be. Come on. I just texted him and he said come on inside. He’ll be waiting.”
“Yeah with a machete, duck tape, and a cleanup crew,” Joi mumbled but still got out of the car nonetheless.
As soon as they stepped inside, Joi relaxed a little. The place was actually nice on the inside, in contrast to the rundown exterior. She also noticed a handful of people—some playing pool, a few at the bar, and some cozy in the booths, but one person in particular stood out. Joi grinned the second she laid eyes on him. He was at the pool table about to make a shot, so he hadn’t noticed her. However, Joi’s expression quickly changed when she noticed a woman walk up to him and thrust her body into his. She waited to see what he would do and when Vega pushed her away and delivered a few words with a scowl on his face, ol’ girl sucked her teeth and walked away.
“Joi, this is Dix. Dix, this is my girl Joi.” She pulled her attention away from Vega to greet whoever Dix was and instantly saw the reason Ria had the two of them in the middle of the hood risking a murder.Damn, I see you Ria.
Dix was nice looking. His Dove chocolate skin was littered with tattoos everywhere but his face. He had small, thin eyes, full lips, and thick bushy brows. His face was clean, no beard or facial hair, which exposed his square jaw and smooth skin. Nice. He was definitely a cutie and the man had a nice body too, toned, cut arms, lean frame, and solid chest. He was dressed down in retro threes, black sweats, and a red Jordan T-shirt.
