We made eye contact for a second before she bit her lip and then looked away. Taking the packs of Jolly Ranchers and placing them alongside the other snacks that she had, then doing the same with the Sour Trolli and the Peach Rings.
“You gone have diabetes, ma. Excuse me,” I said as I chuckled and reached around her to grab the pack of mints.
She fell into laughter, “These are for frozen drinks,” she said as she held up a case of Cut Water that I had been too distracted to notice. “But don’t act like you’ve never wanted anything sweet in the middle of the night.”
“All the time,” I admitted. She blushed.
She looked up at me with those eyes, “Then you understand. Excuse me.” She was about to walk to the back of the store.
“You live here?” I asked, stopping her.
“I’m from here. I just moved back from California. They always say it’s no place like home,” She smiled.
“I’m not going to hold you up. You single? Can I have your number?” I asked without much more conversation. I had to get going; I could hear Quiana cursing me out now, thinking I turned around and went back home.
“Sure,” she said as I unlocked my phone and extended it to her. She dialed her number and hung up when her phone rang.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Mercedes, I prefer Cedes, though. Mr.…?” she smiled and waited for me to tell her mine.
“Quentin, or Q,” I said as I extended my hand, and she took it.
“When you’re done getting the things you need, come to the register and let me pay for your stuff,” I said, turning around and walking back toward the register, then waiting. After I paid for our things, I held the door open for her.
“Thank you, Quentin. Goodnight,” She said over her shoulder.
“No problem,” I said as I walked over to the pump and filled the truck before I got on the road.
As soon as I got back on the road. I saw a text from Quiana coming across the screen of my truck. I clicked on her message.
Baby Sis: I know you fucking lying, Quentin.
I laughed but didn’t respond and drove toward the club. I was ready to get this shit over with.
***
“Here, Q!” Quiana screamed over the music as she extended the shot toward me. We had been in the club for less than an hour, and I was already four shots and a cup of 1942 and Red Bull in. I hadn’t even been this drunk in Turks when Sha was handing out tequila like it was water. I was always told never to party with athletes and rappers, and now I know why. They were doing their best to get me to their level.
The club was packed from wall to wall. I scanned the floor, and just as I did, I caught a set of eyes watching me. I blinked a couple of times, thinking that the liquor may have been playing tricks on me. But it wasn’t.
“Get up right quick,” I tapped the thigh of Quiana’s friend, who had been sitting on my lap and dancing on me all night. We never had any dealings, but after I got asked to come into the back room one too many times, I let her sit there.
She rose, and I stood from the sofa, and it felt like my head was spinning. I shook it in an effort to get myself together before making my way through the crowd, trying to find that bright red dress that I knew I had just seen. I saw it hurrying into the women’s bathroom.
Not giving a fuck, I walked right in behind her.
Just as she was going into the stall, I caught her waist and nuzzled my face into her neck. She jumped in surprise, but then her body relaxed against mine. I knew that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. I knew this body, this woman, from anywhere.
“Why are you running from me, B?” I questioned her as I guided her into a stall and locked it behind us.
She turned toward me in a panic, “Q! This is the women’s bathroom!” she protested in a harsh whisper.
“Answer me,” I disregarded her tone and reached out to touch her chin.
It had been a few months since I had spoken to Breeze. I texted her to tell her I had a pair of diamond earrings she had given me before we went snorkeling in the ocean, and I saw that she had blocked my number. Despite how good the sex was, or how many times I had made her cum on my dick, I understood that Breeze and I would never be more than what we were. But it fucked me up when she blocked me because it made me wonderif I had done something to her. I kept replaying every moment of the trip, but I came up with nothing each time.
Her eyes roamed mine before they fell to the floor, and I could tell she was battling with herself over whether she wanted to give me an answer or not.
