Page 47 of Unexpected Pass

“How do you know where I work?”

“The same way I know where you stay.”

“Stalker,” she said with a smile.

“I’m not the nigga to run from, baby,” I said before she let up her windows and drove away. I hopped into the back of the SUV.

“I’m guessing it went good.”

“Yep.” I nodded.

“Where to?”

“Chanel.”

“Oh, yeah. You a simping ass nigga.”

“Just drive,” I told him as he took off down the street.

“Same time in two weeks, right?”I wiped the nape of one of my loyal client’s neck with a warm towel and smiled as I spun the chair toward the mirror for a final look.

“You know it.” He winked at me as he checked himself out in the mirror.

I glanced over at the waiting area, happy to see it nearly empty. The only client that remained was waiting on Lolo. I’d been backed up with clients since I’d arrived four hours ago, and I was tired.

“Looking good, Marques! My girl hooked you up,” she said playfully.

“She always get a nigga right. You want to get the after for your page before I get out of here?” he reminded me, and I took out my camera and recorded my work.

I’d been slacking on my content lately, but after all the footage I’d gotten today, I had enough to make at least three weeks’ worth of videos for my page. At first, my business page was a way for me advertise, but now, it was actually starting to make me money.

“Thanks, Phileigh. I’ll see you next time,” he replied, sliding off the chair and putting on his coat. “Unless you finally going to let me take you out.”

He hit me with his usual pick-up line. I rolled my eyes at Marques. He knew he didn’t stand a chance with me. As fine as he was, he had four baby mamas that didn’t play about him, and I didn’t need the drama.

“I like all my windows intact on my car, Marques.” I swatted him out the door just as his payment chimed on my Cash App.

“Fertile Myrtle know don’t nobody in here want his ass,” Lolo joked, and a few other stylists burst out laughing.

“Nobody!” I cosigned as I glided back over to my station and began cleaning up the area.

“So, you gonna tell me why you were late this morning?” Lolo questioned. She was in the middle of curling a client’s wig, but that didn’t stop her from being nosy.

“I may or may not have had a surprise visitor when I got home last night. We may or may not have fallen asleep watching a movie, and he may or may not have made breakfast for me this morning after kicking my parents out my house.” I grinned, giving her the rundown on my morning.

“Shut up! Star Player came to see you?” She put down her curling iron and focused entirely on me as I nodded confirmation. “That’s what I’m talking about. He a big stepper. You thought you was getting away, and he pulled up on that ass!Okay, Star Player.” She snapped her fingers, calling Kellon by the nickname we’d given him. There weren’t a lot of people in the shop right now, but still, we had to be careful.

“He wants to be friends. I think we could?—”

The door to the salon swung open, and the wind chimes rang, interrupting me mid-sentence. My heart dropped as I registered who had just walked their lying ass in here.

“Reggie?” Lolo and I said at the same time.

“Oh, hell no,” I whispered, feeling disgust rise in my throat.

Suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach all over again. I glared at him as he strutted in like he hadn’t ghosted me and popped up engaged. One of the clients and new stylists flocked to him, and he soaked it all in like the flashy and arrogant bastard he was, signing autographs and taking pictures.

“What is his ass doing here?” Lolo hissed.

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