“You know, I’ll just shower here, throw something on of yours, then change at my house.”
When she finally glanced up, she looked confused by my stance. “What’s wrong?”
“What you tell this Trill nigga?”
“What you mean what I tell him?”
“I mean, he texted ya phone on some I miss you shit, and I’m just about as confused as you look.”
She sighed. “I haven’t said anything to him yet.”
“There’s no time like the present,” I replied, handing her the phone and purse. “I won’t be long.”
I wasn’t about to stand over there and monitor her. This wasn’t about no jealousy shit. This was about boundaries. And I would put a hole in a nigga if he crossed mine.
The rideto Dai’s house was quiet, and the ride to the diner was even quieter. I knew she was holding back what she really wanted to say about the Trill situation, and it was burning her up not to. That was the thing with Dai. She never wanted to leave anything unsettled. Hell, she barely wanted to give a nigga a chance to process. She liked to address situations head on. Sometimes, that worked for me. Most of the time, it didn’t.
I kept one hand on the wheel and the other on her belly like I was an extra seatbelt. Normally when we rode together, we’d be multiple conversations in. It didn’t matter if it was about something she’d dreamt about or something she saw outside. Dai was gon’ talk. She didn’t have much to say now. I was sure it was because she knew what was going through my head.
As soon as I pulled into a spot outside the diner and killed the engine, she spoke before I could step out.
“I just want you to know that I didn’t have a problem cutting Trill off.”
I leaned back in my seat slightly and let her continue.
“I just didn’t see it as a priority,” she added. “Especially since we weren’t serious.”
“When it comes to you having dealings with other men,” I spoke firmly, “everything is serious.”
She let out a deep sigh. “But I’m telling you it wasn’t like that.”
I met her eyes and spoke again. “And I’m telling you it is.”
She folded her arms over her stomach and shook her head. “If you’re about to sit in there with an attitude, I can just grab my food and go. I’m not tryna explain to nobody why you in therewith the screw face, scaring Amil’s customers off. The people already think you mean as hell.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t aspire to be no other nigga but me. If people think I’m mean, I don’t give a fuck. If you think I’m mean, I give a fuck… kinda.”
That pulled a smile from her. “Well, I think you’re being a jerk to me right now.”
“You want a kiss?”
She nodded.
I turned and leaned over the center console, stopping just before our lips touched. “Keep thinkin’ shit ain’t that serious with you and other niggas, and I’ma break ya fuckin’ neck, okay?”
She stuck her tongue out and licked from my lips up to the tip of my nose then back to my lips to kiss me. “Okay, baby. Can we go eat now?”
“Yes.”
Stepping out of the car, I walked around to her side and opened her door. I put my hand on the small of her back, leading from behind, as we walked up the steps and inside the diner. It was a little after ten, so we made it just before the lunch rush. I could smell maple syrup, waffles, and pastries in the air. Scanning the floor automatically for Amil, I didn’t see her, but what Idid seewas Alexis’ happy ass straighten her posture and saunter over to the front.
“Well, look who decided to drop in and grace us with his presence,” she said with a smile that told everything without anyone asking.
Adai glanced back at me, picking up on it immediately. “Excuse me.” She side stepped Alexis like she wasn’t standing there. “I’ll go find us a table.”
She tried to walk off on me, but I knew it was a test to see if I would stay behind to talk to Alexis. And I was everything butcrazy. I side stepped her silly ass too and followed behind Dai. She found a booth and sat with her back to the door, while I sat across from her with direct vision of it. We didn’t get a chance to pick up the menu before she came over.
“Good morning. My name is Alexis, and I’ll be serving you today.” She leaned slightly toward me like she was talking to me personally instead of the both of us.
