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“Granny is fine. Thanks for asking.”

“That’s good. That’s a blessing,” he said, nodding smoothly. “And Willow? She still hanging around?”

“Willow lives here with us.”

“Still loud as hell, I bet.”

“Still can’t stand you either.”

Chalis barked out a laugh. “She never did like me. Always had something slick to say.”

“She had excellent judgment,” I countered.

“Come on, Lakelyn. We were young back then. People make mistakes.”

I rolled my eyes so hard it gave me a headache. “Please do not stand on my porch and try to rewrite history.”

“I ain’t rewriting nothing,” he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He folded his hands in front of his jacket, trying to adopt a more serious tone. “How old is your son now? He should be what? Four or five?”

My entire demeanor cooled, the defensive walls locking instantly into place. “Why?”

“Damn, a man can’t ask a simple question?”

“You can ask whatever you want,” I said evenly. “Doesn’t mean I owe you an answer.”

Chalis let out a dry chuckle, but his eyes narrowed as he studied my face, calculating, trying to piece together timelines and details he had no right to know.

“He’s five, right? Yeah.”

I held his gaze without flinching. “Whoever is feeding you information needs a brand-new hobby.”

“You always were quick with the mouth,” he muttered, shaking his head. He cleared his throat and looked around the landscaped courtyard before bringing his eyes back to mine. “So... you seeing anybody right now? You got a man?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “That is completely none of your business.”

“I’m just asking where you at in life. Look, Lakelyn, I know I handled things wrong between us back in the day. I was young, dumb, and moving reckless.”

I exhaled a sharp breath. “Here we go.”

“No, I’m being serious right now,” Chalis insisted, stepping closer until he was speaking directly through the entryway. “I’m not the same nigga I was back when we were together. I grew up. I got my own logistics contract now, got a couple legit businesses rolling, making real money. I’m doing good for myself.”

“Congratulations, Chalis. Go tell your mama.”

He looked genuinely annoyed by my complete lack of interest. “I’m trying to say maybe we could get up sometime. Go get some dinner at that steakhouse downtown, catch up… talk like adults.”

I stared at him for three solid seconds before a sudden, genuine laugh broke out of my chest. It wasn’t a polite chuckle; it was full-blown mockery.

“Chalis, what on God’s green earth makes you think I would ever go on a date with you?”

He shrugged, puffing out his chest. “People change. Second chances happen every day.”

“Good for people. But you are still the exact same man who cheated on me so many times I stopped counting,” I told him, each word deliberate and sharp. “You had me when I was young and naive enough to believe every hollow apology that fell out of your mouth. You don’t get to show up years later expecting a reward just because you finally learned how to keep your pants zipped in public.”

His jaw clenched, the easy charm beginning to fray at the edges. “You ain’t got to take it there.”

“I’m taking it exactly where it belongs. I am not interested in dating anybody. I have a sick grandmother, a son who needs me, and a whole nursing career to rebuild. And even if I were looking for a man, you are at the absolute bottom of the list.”

Chalis let out a bitter, defensive scoff. “Damn. You really ain’t got no mercy in you.”