“He’ll get served soon.”
“Good, because that man has been calling people trying to figure out why you won’t do what you’ve done in the past and forgive him.”
“Who has he called?”
“Hell, he’s called me twice.”
I shook my head in pure disgust. “What did you tell him?”
She frowned like she smelled some shit. “That I manage portfolios, not grown ass women.”
Lulu slapped the counter and laughed so hard she had to hold her side causing Monica to laugh too, pleased with herself, then she reached for the saucepan. “Is there enough left for me?”
“There was before you walked in.”
Monica ignored her and began fixing a bowl. The three of us stayed in the kitchen for another half hour, talking over one another the way family did when nobody felt the need to wait for their turn. Monica complained about a client who wanted a multimillion-dollar loan without providing proper paperwork and Lulu said banks had become too nosy and asked why people needed to prove they had money before somebody would lend them more. Monica attempted to explain risk assessment, but Lulu told her Jesus fed five thousand people without checking anybody’s credit.
I laughed until my damn stomach hurt. For a little while, I forgot about how complicated my life had become. Then Grandma Lulu opened a cabinet and cursed.
“What now?” Monica asked.
“I’m out of cornstarch.”
“You don’t need cornstarch for souse.”
“I’m making guava duff later on, mind your business.”
I slid off the stool and reached for my purse. “I’ll go get it.”
Lulu pointed the wooden spoon at me. “Get the yellow box, don’t bring me that store-brand foolishness. It don’t thicken right.”
“It’s all starch Lulu.” I said.
“It ain’t all mine.”
With that, I left. The corner store was less than five minutes away, between a laundromat and a small beauty supply store where the mannequin heads in the window had been wearing the same wigs since I was in high school. The parking lot was crowded despite the time of day, with cars angled wherever theirdrivers found space and two dudes standing near the entrance scratching lottery tickets against the wall.
I parked near the side and hurried inside grateful I had changed into denim shorts and a loose T-shirt before visiting Lulu. The air conditioner blasted hard enough to give me goosebumps across my arms as I walked past the shelves packed with canned goods, cleaning supplies, and every snack invented since 1985.
I found the cornstarch near the flour, checked twice to make sure it was the yellow box, then headed toward the register. That was when I saw Marv’s ass standing by the drink coolers wearing gray sweats and a plain white T-shirt, with one hand wrapped around a bottle of water. He was still fine, there was no denying that, but something about him looked off. His beard was trimmed, his clothes were clean, and the gold Cuban chain around his neck still stole the show, yet exhaustion sat heavily around his eyes. He looked like he had not slept in days.
His gaze landed on me, and some of the strain disappeared through a smile. “Well, look who decided to come outside.”
I stopped beside the register. “Hey, Marv.”
“Damn, that’s all I get?”
He placed the bottle on the counter and crossed toward me before I could decide how much distance to keep between us. His arm slid around my waist, pulling me against his chest with the easy familiarity he had always used. Normally, I would have relaxed into it. This time, my body got stiff before I could hide it.
Lev’s face flashed through my mind, and guilt followed so quickly it irritated me. Marv and I weren’t together. We had never promised each other anything. Still, after what happened at the waterfront property, letting Marv hold me felt dishonest in a way it had not twenty-four hours earlier.
He looked down at me. “What, you acting scary now?”
“I’m not.” I gave him a small smile and stepped back, pretending I needed to adjust the cornstarch in my hand. “I’ve just been tired.”
“So tired you forgot about me?”
“I didn’t forget Marv, how can I forget you?”
