Page 25 of Pretty and Loco

I tried not to leave my things at Rocko’s house because, at the beginning, he was very clear that he didn’t want to live with anyone just yet, and he’s still adamant about that. Yet, every day we talk, he says he wants to see me later, and it ends with me spending the night at his house. I think he’s opening up to it on his own. But I didn’t want my things lying around his house to be the reminder that he’s slowly starting to give me everything that he claimed he didn’t want.

For now, I’d play by his rules and take my things to and from his house instead of just leaving them there or creating my own space for them.

It took me about thirty minutes to gather more clothes, take a quick shower, and then head to the nail salon with Daya.

When I walked in, she turned towards me and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

I went over to the chair that she was in and hugged her. We didn’t hug often, but I could tell that she was worried about me.

“You look like you’re glowing.” She noted.

“I am,” I said as I searched the less-than-crowded salon for my favorite nail tech.

She came from the back, fresh towels in hand, ready to give me the best pedicure of my life.

I sat in the chair next to Daya and put my feet in the bowl.

We talked the entire time, laughing in sync at random jokes, and I knew everyone in the salon was tired of us. I missed her bad; this was the type of thing that we normally did at home, when I lay across her bed.

After her pedicure, she still sat in the seat until Sarah finished mine. I paid for our visit, and then we headed outside.

“You want to grab lunch really quick?” she asked.

“Do I? I could take a seafood boil. I need some sodium in my life. I’ve had enough bland food to last a lifetime.” I scoffed.

She turned to me.

“So now we’re keeping secrets. You’re really not going to tell me who this mystery man is?” she asked.

“I told you his name is Ricardo.”

“And I’ve felt like that was a lie. A black man named Ricardo?”

She made me laugh so hard that I snorted.

“Girl. Yes. You have my location, so you have his address if anything goes wrong. But I feel like it’s just something I want to protect right now. I don’t need the negative thoughts surrounding it before it grows.”

She watched the smile on my face with a skeptical look.

“I don’t have any. But I guess I understand.” She nodded and opened the door to the seafood restaurant two doors down from the nail salon.

Once we finished eating, I checked my phone. No messages or calls from Rocko, which was a little unlike him, but I knew he was likely busy. It was almost six, which meant that I wouldn’t make it back until 9 p.m.

When Daya and I parted ways, I got back on the interstate and headed toward his house. I tried calling him to no avail. I didn’t think anything of it, though. I would see him when he made it home and welcome him with the warmest greeting.

***

I waved to the guard in the tower, and he opened the gate to let me inside the community. I'd been here so much that I had become familiar with everyone on each shift. They could spot my car a mile away and knew me by name.

I drove down the road until I reached Rocko’s house. The driveway was littered with every vehicle except one. So, I knew that he still wasn’t home.

When I entered the code he had given me and walked inside, the house smelled immaculate. The floors were cleaned and buffed, and a subtle yet masculine scent they had sprayed throughout the house made me moan in approval. They had done an amazing job at resetting his space.

After putting this week’s wardrobe away, I walked into the kitchen and decided to take out one of the meals I'd prepared for him to eat tonight.

No sooner had I set the bowl in the microwave than I heard his truck outside. I smiled, because he was right on time. I started it, then grabbed utensils for him to eat with and a bottle of water.

The front door opened, and I went to the kitchen entrance to meet him. When he came in, I could tell that something was bothering him. His natural look of disdain was heightened tonight, and I noticed it immediately.