Page 6 of Unexpected Pass

We hadn’t gotten to talk much during the game. He’d mostly hung out with his friends while I hung out with the wives.

“Yes. I’m a licensed barber,” I replied with a smile.

“You own a barbershop?” he asked with his eyebrows raised.

“No. My best friend owns the beauty salon. She braids, and I cut hair.” I was proud of my career. There was a time when I had no clue what I wanted to do, but the moment I picked up the clippers, I knew that was my path.

“Oh,” he said dryly. His tone was giving unimpressed. “You got any celebrity clients?”

“I have a few athletes and rappers, but most of my clients are regular people.”

“And you make a good living off of that? Aren’t haircuts like twenty dollars?”

“Excuse you?—”

“Carson Thomas!” A tall man in a team jacket approached our table, stopping me from leaving. I dare him try to comment on my career path and count my pockets.

“Anthony Day!” Carson yelled back, standing to greet the man.

“Do you have a minute?” he asked. Carson looked back at me and then back at his friend.

“Do you mind, Phileigh?”

I stared at him. I was still pissed at his statement. It was probably best that he got out of my face.

“Go ahead.” I waved him off. “I have to go the bathroom anyway.”

I stood from the table.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a minute,” Carson said before walking off with the gentleman.

I watched them until they disappeared into the back of the building and then headed to search for the restrooms. I made my way through the crowd as game highlights were broadcasted on every TV screen. The crowd was erupting in screams and cheers. I could tell the party was about to turn up. As exciting as this was after Carson’s comment, I was ready to go home. There was no need to continue this date. I wasn’t about to let anyone downplay the career path that had changed my life.

Finally finding the restrooms in the back of the building, I walked inside and made a beeline for an empty stall. This baby was already on my bladder. I could barely go a whole hour without peeing. Hiking up my dress, I wiggled my panties down my thighs and relieved my bladder before fixing my clothes and exiting the stall. How was I going to get through nine months of this? I made my way to the sink to wash my hands and check my appearance. I decided to take a ride share home if Carson wasn’t ready to go. Drying my hands, I walked out of the bathroom. The party must have been really revving up because the noise had gone from a three to ten.

I peeked through the open double doors. There was no sign of Carson yet, and I wasn’t in a hurry to go back into the crowd. Looking around for a quiet place to wait, I noticed an empty staircase. This would have to do. Quickly, I ducked off and sat on the bottom of the stairs. I wanted to text Lo, but I’d bothered her enough today. Instead, I pulled up my calendar app and tried to pinpoint a possible due date for the baby growing inside of me. It had been over a month since I’d last slept with Reggie, but my period had been missing for months. I was just in denial of the truth. I sighed as the weight of being pregnant began to sink in. Sometime before the end of the year, I would be a mom. Thatwas crazy. I stared at the calendar for I didn’t know how long, deep in thought of my and my baby’s future.

Suddenly, a tall, dark figure sat on the stairs next to me, pulling my attention from my phone. I didn’t even hear anyone walking down the stairs.

“Uh, excuse you,” I said, turning my head to stare at the stranger.

He didn’t say anything. He just made himself comfortable on the stairs next to me. His eyes stared at me with an intense gaze and presence that rendered me speechless. Out of the corner of my eye, I gazed over him. He was probably the most beautiful man I’d seen.

He was the definition of “low-cut Caesars with deep waves.” His dark skin complemented his tight jawline and chiseled features. The neck tattoos peeking through his shirt gave him the right amount of roughness. I peeped that his championship Warhawks t-shirt was slightly different from everyone else’s I’d seen tonight. He must have been a super fan or something.

“May I help you?” I finally managed to speak.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and the sexiest smirk coated his face. I didn’t know whether to be attracted to this man or annoyed. Why was he sitting here? It was weird.

“You actually can,” he replied, and his deep, raspy voice had me ready to jump out of my skin. “I think we can help each other.”

“Um…Help each other?” I asked with confusion plastered on my face. “I’m not here alone... my?—”

I glanced around, preparing to get up and leave. So much for getting a little quiet time.

“I know a fellow introvert whose social battery is running out when I see one,” he said, easing the tension a little and making me chuckle. My social battery was definitely running out.

“All the yelling was getting to me,” I replied, taking a deep breath and relaxing. He seemed cool enough that I didn’t need to take off running.

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