“I know, girl, a lot was going on,” La’Nova stated carefully. “I had to shut down from the world.” She chuckled.
Serenity studied La’Nova’s face then smiled. She knew how private La’Nova was about her personal life and wouldn’t press her. She was just happy to see who she considered her friend and protector looking good. There was something changed about La’Nova. Serenity didn’t see sadness or bags under La’Nova’s eyes like she used to see at House of Angels.
Her girl looked well rested, those hazel eyes had a twinkle in them. La’Nova was even dressed differently. Serenity’s eyes bucked out at La’Nova’s short acrylic nails and painted toes.
“Why you staring at me like that?” La’Nova frowned, tossing her thick pressed hair over her shoulders.
“Oh hell nah!” Serenity’s eyes widened.
“Bitch!!!” She exclaimed.
“I wish you would lower your damn tone,” La’Nova snapped. “In this nice ass restaurant acting ghetto as fuck.” Her nose wrinkled.
“Well the meanness is still there.” Serenity smirked. “You done got you some dick.” Serenity failed at whispering those words to La’Nova.
“Come the fuck on,” she said, pulling La’Nova toward their table by the window.
The table was nestled right beside the glass wall overlooking the water. Sunlight spilled across the white tabletop and reflected off the ocean.
“You look beautiful, Serenity.” La’Nova offered her a warm smile.
Serenity looked like a model, she was drop dead gorgeous to La’Nova. Her warm vanilla tone glowed against the fitted coral bodycon dress she wore. The dress hugged her waist tight before flaring slightly at her hips. Her blonde lace wig fell in soft curls down her back. Long lashes framed her sharp cat eyes and her lips were glossed in pink glitter.
“Not as beautiful as you.” Serenity shot back, taking in La’Nova.
She noted that La’Nova still had her signature perfume on which was Baccarat. Her lavender sundress hugged her curvaceous frame. She slicked her hair into a high bun and adorned her forehead with small baby hairs. Per usual, La’Nova didn’t have on makeup; just gloss but the natural look really fit her.
“You glowing like a mutha fucka too, so spill the beans cause I know that’s a man’s glow,” Serenity said.
“I’m sitting in the sunlight.” La’Nova shrugged, squinting her eyes for emphasis.
"Girl please, sunlight my ass. It's something very different about you. Different in a good way." Serenity's smirk grew.
The waiter came by before La’Nova could respond. They ordered quickly. Serenity picked shrimp and waffles with a mango mimosa. La’Nova ordered salmon toast and ginger and lemontea without even thinking about it. Unbeknownst to her, Luca really rubbed off on her in ways she appreciated. She loved his signature tea and constantly made it when the two were apart from one another.
“Me and Luca are friends,” La’Nova said carefully.
She stared at Serenity to gauge her reaction. When Serenity smiled, she relaxed against her seat and waited for her to say something.
“Lucille told me the same day you gave me that mean ass speech.” Serenity shrugged.
“It wasn’t mean, I just wanted what was best for you.” La’Nova frowned.
“I know,” Serenity paused as the waiter returned with their drinks.
Once the lady walked away, she lifted her drink in a toasting manner then took a sip.
“Luca is what’s best for you…It shows. Plus, I feel no way about it because he was never mine; I was offered to him. Your mean ass needed a man all along.”
La’Nova stared at her.
“I don’t need a man, and I don’t have one. I simply said Luca and I are close. What we got going is new for me, so I’m nowhere near close to putting a title on shit,” La’Nova stated firmly.
“So what kind of close we talking?” Serenity asked with her eyebrow cocked up. “Close close? Or y’all doing that weird emotional eye contact thing you be doing before people start falling in love?”
La’Nova reached for her tea just to give herself something to do.
“We friends,” she said carefully.
