Page 12 of For the Lover in You
She nodded. "Yep, them niggas got money. They always tip like that when they come in. You probably would've gotten more if your attitude wasn't shitty in the beginning." She laughed. "Look and see how much was left on the receipt?"
I scoffed. "He definitely didn't leave me shit. He didn't even look at me for the rest of the service." I pulled out the booklet and almost fell out of my seat when I saw how much was on the tip line. One hundred and fifty dollars.
"Chas, th-this has to be a mistake."
She looked over. "Nah, no mistake at all. He must not have been as pissed off."
I was stunned. I couldn't believe I made two hundred and fifty dollars in tips from three men. I was even more surprised that the one who barely wanted to be bothered with me anymore left the most.
"Appreciate it. You could've walked out of her with five dollars," Chas said. "Get out of here and get some rest. I'll call you later."
I closed my eyes, thanking God that I had enough money to cover my Uber for the night and to cover my week at the extended stay hotel that KJ and I were staying in.
My Uber finally arrived, and I was on my way to the extended stay. Chasity's mom was keeping KJ for the night since I had to work tomorrow morning. On the ride to the hotel, my mind kept going back to Tremaine Houston. A part of me wanted to know more about him. I was intrigued by his ability to show kindness after everything.
Once I arrived at the hotel, I immediately got ready for bed. I scrolled through my phone, looking at job listings. My resume was horrible. I received several rejections via email, but I needed a job that would help me get on my feet. It wasn't fair that KJ and I had to live in a hotel. Chas crucified me for not asking for alimony, but I didn't want any contact with Kyle. KJ could speak to Kyle through his iPhone using Wi-Fi, but I made sure to stay out of the room whenever the two spoke. I wanted nothing to do with Kyle, and if that meant starting from scratch, then so be it.
A position for an administrative assistant popped up, so I clicked on it to apply. The skill sets were simple: answering the phone, scheduling appointments, and managing the office. It was worth a shot. I sent in my application and went scrolling for more opportunities. After applying for five more jobs, I closed my phone and shut my eyes. I said a silent prayer for KJ and me, praying that my head would eventually come from underwater.
Five
Tremaine
"Mila's trying to find her footing, so not too much on her," Chasity warned.
I sat at the bar of Justine's, eating one of their weekly brunch specials while chatting it up with Chasity. Susanne had kicked me out of the office because she was holding interviews to backfill her position. She was on a mission to find a hardworking, dedicated person, not someone lusting after me.
I laughed. "Your cousin's attitude is shitty. I'm racking my brain to make sure she isn't somebody from my past."
"Damn, you're a playboy like that? "You ain't just out here selling homes. You're selling ass too?" she asked, while laughing at her own joke.
"You got jokes! Is Justin here so I can tell him to demote your ass?"
"You know Justin ain't doing that. I'm one of his favorites, hence the promotion."
She rubbed her hand along the bar countertop and smirked.
"So, he thought it was smart to put your mean ass cousin in your spot." I shook my head. "Damn, why he ain't put her unfriendly ass in the kitchen?"
Chasity placed her hands on her hips and scowled at me. I raised my hands in defense.
"I'm just saying. Her attitude is stink as fuck."
"Mila's been through some shit lately," she defended. "She's really a sweetheart and will give the shirt off her back to anyone. She's just broken right now."
A flash of hurt crossed Chasity's face. A part of me wanted Chasity to go into more details about her cousin. It made little sense that someone as beautiful as her cousin would have anything to worry about. Mila could have the world at her feet. Still, it wasn't my business to probe, so all I could do was offer my empathy to Chasity.
"Sorry to hear that."
Chasity nodded and switched the subject, plastering a smile on her face. "Thank you, even with all your complaining. She must not have been too bad. You still tipped her well," she noted, winking. "You must've thought she was cute, huh?"
"What are you talking about? I always tip well, and you know that."
Chasity twisted her lips. "Yeah right. I know my cousin is a baddie. Even though she's cranky right now, she already has regulars. Men just come in just to see her. She hates it, though."
I would not give Chasity the satisfaction of letting her know I agreed. Mila was more than a baddie. She was beautiful. Her beauty was soft and elegant. It was all natural, which made it stand out. It made sense why all the men came in shooting their shot at her. She was a rare gem.
Chasity went to speak, but her attention went to the front door. I turned around and saw Mila walking in a hurry. The scrunched-up look on her face showed something had irritatedher. She wore a black pencil skirt with small, kitten heels. She had on a black blazer and a white button-up shirt. Regardless of how irritated she looked, she was still stunning.
