Page 7 of Another Constant

“But anyways, dinner tonight at Willows? I’ve been craving some of Mama Ruth’s smothered pork chops.” Caya’s voice interrupted my brief trip down memory lane.

“Uh yeah. Seven?” Caya was a health freak ninety-two percent of the time, but that other eight percent had her requesting I bring her plates from my mama’s house and eat at Willow’s with her at least once a week.

“And you know it. Now let me get these heffas out of my salon.”

Once we hung up, my attention went back to the puppy in my arms. His price was ten-thousand. If nobody bought him I’d keep him as a pet, no breeding.

I stared aimlessly at my inventory when I heard a knock on my door.

“Come in.” I figured it was Emile. She was my only full-time employee while the others were part-time. When I looked up and saw the face entering my office, annoyance filled my body.Why the fuck was he here?

“Hey, babe. I haven’t heard from you, I just figured I’d check in and come see about you.” Though I borderline hated his ass, he was still fine. So fine that I just looked at him. He had skin the color of the moistest dirt, early spring. Simply beautiful without a blemish in sight and he knew it. Zax stood about six feet even, with a head full of curly hair. He was a pretty boy, and damn sure not my type, but shit, when I met him I didn’t have a type. Well maybe I did, but probably not a physical type. Truth was, my type was any man who could make me laugh. Most of all a man who could make me feel protected and loved. Zax had the first part and maybe even the second but feeling loved disappeared when he asked for a break. Even after the break ended, before I found out about the baby, the love had yet to come back. I guess I just swept it under the rug and told myself at some point I’d trust him with my heart again. Some point never came.

“I kind of wish you would have called. I’m getting ready to leave for the night.”

He nodded, sitting at the corner of the tall table a few feet from my desk. “Let me guess, standing dinner with Caya?”

“Yup.” I began to gather my things with one hand while the other gripped the puppy. I still had to load him, his siblings, and his mother up and take them home before leaving to meet Cay.

“I miss you.”

I had no response for that. I actually felt sick to my stomach hearing him utter that shit like he really meant it. Maybe he did, but that didn’t matter to me. It couldn’t.

“I know you’re not gonna say it back. I just needed to get it off my chest.” He was also a smooth talking lawyer, good at getting his point across.

I nodded. “Is that al?—”

“I know you need time, and I swear I’m tryna be patient, but baby can you just let me show you?”

“Show me what?” I asked, confused.

“That I’ve changed. That I learned from my mistakes.”

I didn’t respond. I was on my feet getting everything ready to leave.

“Say something, Harlem. Shit… curse me out.”

I held up the little dog I had become fond of. “Hold him, will you?”

He sucked his teeth, but ultimately grabbed the dog. He hated breeding and most of the time called it a hobby.

“I think I’m gonna keep him,” I said, moving around to finish loading everything else.

“Why? You don’t keep boys.”

I shrugged. “He was the only boy of a seven pup litter. He's cute and very charming.”

“Oh.”

“Do you know why I gravitate toward animals, Zax?” I asked with my back still turned to him.

“You’ve always loved them.”

“No, because you can look an animal in its eyes and see how much it loves you. A dog in particular cannot lie or deceive you. It’s just a dog, loyalty on four legs.” Once I had the puppies in the carrying crate and their mother on leash, I turned to look at him.

He just looked at me. He was pitiful… so fucking pitiful. “I am loyal to you, Harlem.”

“So you say, but in order for you to need a break that means you thought about fucking her and whoever else, right?”

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