“Mm-hmm, bye.”
I chuckled as she hung up. Sheena’s ass stayed in my business and acted just like the big sister I never had. She swore my reasoning for not dating or going out was because of my cheating-ass ex, Nyami, but that wasn’t the case. After the breakup, I needed to reset. That relationship took a lot out of me because Nyami was spoiled and selfish as fuck. Any time I spent with my nieces and nephews, she would get jealous, and that shit pissed me off. When she aborted my baby, that was when shit went left. She knew how much I loved and wanted kids, but because she was selfish as hell, she went to the chop shop and killed my seed.
That shit murdered me.
I gave her everything.
But no matter what I did for her, it was never enough, and I couldn’t fuck with it anymore. When I called it quits a year before, she stalked me for weeks, vandalizing my property and trying to break into my condo. It took her spending a night in jail for her to leave me alone after she tried to steal my whip. I promised myself that I would tread lightly on relationships for a while after that shit. I still entertained a few women, but they weren’t getting any more than some dick and a meal from me.
“Excuse me.”
I turned to find a beautiful, brown-skinned woman standing behind me in the line. Her lips were the first thing to grab my attention. They were full and pretty as fuck. It was weird, but that feature alone had me licking my lips to make sure my shit wasn’t ashy or chapped. My eyes then cased the rest of her face, and to say a nigga’s chest didn’t expand was an understatement. Her body was shaped like a Coke bottle in the royal-blue pantsuit she rocked, and those childbearing hips had me mesmerized.
Fucking perfection.
I had never been speechless before, but this woman standing before me had me tongue-tied.
“I’m in a bit of a hurry. Could I pay you to jump the line? I’ll buy whatever you’re going to order.”
A light smile lifted on my face. “How about we order together, andI’llpay for whatever you’re going to order.”
She thought about it for a few seconds, then shrugged. “That’s fair. I’ll give you the money for my items. Your payment won’t be necessary.”
“Chivalry isn’t dead, love, and paying it forward guarantees big blessings.”
A soft smile curved on those luscious-ass lips. I moved up in line, placed my order, and waited for her to do the same. Once that was complete, I paid for our items and stepped aside. Before I could ask her name, her phone rang as she answered.
“Hi, Ms. Shelly . . . Oh, no, I’m so sorry . . . No, it’s fine. I know, but your health is more important. Leo and I will figure it out . . . It’s okay. I hope you get well soon, Ms. Shelly. Okay, talk to you later. Bye.” She hung up and cursed under her breath.
“Basil.” I decided to give her my name instead of staring at her profile like a creep.
“Pardon?”
“That’s my name. Or you can call me Baye for short.”
“Baye?”
“Yes. I only let the pretty women call me that—my moms, my nieces, and my nephews. Can’t have no nigga around here calling me Baye.”
That pulled a laugh from her, and what a sexy laugh it was. “Understood.”
I smiled at her. “Are you going to tell me your name, or should I take a guess?” The cashier handed us our bags as I waited for her to speak.
“Married. That’s my name.”
“Ahh, got it.”
Damn. Just my luck.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Married.” I held out my hand for her to shake. She slid her dainty palm into mine, and I felt something in my hand.
“Thanks for the offer, but again, it wasn’t necessary. Nice to meet you, . . .Baye.” She winked, removed her hand, and walked away as I stared at the twenty-dollar bill in my palm. I couldn’t hide the smirk on my face as I watched her round ass switch out of the shop.
So much for adding another dime for my rainy day.
I slipped thetwenty inside the cashier’s tip jar, then turned to walk away. Before I could take a step, I noticed a business card on the floor. Subconsciously, I picked it up and read it.
Alicia D. Hill
