“That’s right, boo,” I co-signed. “Talk your shit. We have Apple Locs. It’s our moisturizing loc mist with rose hip, argan oil, and coconut water. Ooh, and?—”
“Damn, is the whole conversation gonna be about hair care? There has to be something more interesting we can talk about.”
Mari eyed her friend. “Friend, as many times as I’ve sat patiently and listened to you give me blow by literal blow detailsabout your rendezvous with random cowboys, I know you can let Church and me shop talk for five minutes.”
Jenna stuck out her tongue and pretended to twerk in her chair. “My rendezvous be interesting. This shit about shampoo and serum is the boringest.”
“Uh, after listening to you tell me about the ten thousandth time you let a dude bust in your mouth, then spit it back on his dick, only to lap it up—that shit ain’t interesting. Your sexual escapades be very damn predictable and routine, Jenna,” Mari deadpanned. “Sometimes I wonder if that’s why you’re always with somebody new. Do the old ones get bored with you throwing it in a circle exactly five times?”
“Damn, all this before breakfast?” Lex asked. “Back to your fucking corners. Mari, you hittin’ below the fuckin’ belt.”
“Hittin’ below the belt? Mari’s ass gotta TKO.”
“Fuck you, Mari.” Jenna gave her the middle finger.
“Nah, I’m too adventurous in bed for you, doll.”
Chapter 8
Church
Production went well into the evening. “Oh my goodness,” Mari said, once the last bottle of conditioner had been placed in the box. “That took forever.”
“Well, Coco & Coils is our biggest customer, outside of the lodge.”
She was hardly paying any attention to me because, apparently, a more interesting text had come through. “Um.”
“Um, what?”
“I just got invited on a date.”
“For real? By who?”
She sucked her teeth. “Guess.”
I rolled my eyes. “Absolutely not. Just tell me.”
“Lex. He asked me if I wanted to go see that new movie with Jordan B. Michaels over at the Red Leaf drive-in.”
I didn’t bother trying to contain my smile. “Do you?”
“Do you? He’s saying that Jones is probably rolling too.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I’m good. There’s no way I’m about to be seen with Jones. Do you not remember how Jenna showed her ass in Butterscotch Café earlier today because she heard I was in his truck? What would she do if she found out he was at the drive-in with me? I would definitely have to whup her ass.”
She sucked her teeth a second time. “If you wanna go, you should go. Jones isn’t with Jenna. Men are neverwithJenna. They have sex with her. They do not claim her.”
“Irregardless,” I joked, and we both laughed. “No seriously. Regardless of what he’s doing with Jenna, I don’t wanna be seen with him.” I paused. “But you should go with Lex. He’s so cute.”
“He is,” she admitted. “But he’s like family.”
“Uh, you’re a Strong. He’s a Sumners. Your uncle married his auntie. There is no blood relation. You are free to date him.” I lowered my voice to a stage whisper. “And have his babies.”
“Shut up!” she screeched. “I do want to see that movie, though.”
“You should go. And tell him to leave Jones at home so y’all can have a real date without a third wheel. Or maybe Jones can invite Jenna.”
She eyed me. “You really won’t mind if I go? You won’t feel like I ditched you for a man?”
