Page 36 of Body Language
He started, “This is my niece and my sister-in-law—”
“Khloe,” I blurted out before he could even finish.
The woman’s eyes went wide.
I grinned, stepping forward. “I know not!”
Khloe’s chair flew back, and before I knew it we were wrapped up in each other’s arms.
“Girl!” she squealed, squeezing me tight. “I thought I’d never see your crazy ass again!”
Kendrix just stood there, brows raised, looking between us like he’d walked in on a plot twist he didn’t see coming.
“You two… know each other?” he asked.
Me and Khloe pulled back, grinning like fools.
“Know each other?” Khloe said, laughing. “Boy, please. We been knew each other. Crown and Covered, remember that, girl?”
I laughed. “Girl, yes! Senae used to hook us up every time.”
Khloe threw her head back. “Man, I need to take that drive again. No one has touched my hair like her since. I miss those Saturdays. Just sitting in there with the girls, sipping drinks and talking shit.”
I smirked. “Well, you know she remodeled the shop, right?”
Khloe’s eyes lit up. “For real?!”
“Yeah. They say it’s top tier. I heard you damn near gotta book a month out just to get a spot.”
Khloe fanned herself dramatically. “Oh, we gotta make a trip then.”
Kendrix stood there watching us like we were speaking a whole different language. His mouth curved into the faintest smile, like he was both amused and curious as hell.
I smirked, brushing my hair out my face. “Told you, I don’t need no introductions.”
Kendrix blinked, then looked at me, then back at Khloe, then back at me again.
“Oh… this just got interesting,” he said under his breath.
10
Kendrix
Man… I ain’t gon’ lie. I was shocked as hell watching them two damn near knock the kitchen table over hugging like long-lost sisters. Her knowing Khloe was a good thing. Real good. Khloe was solid. Always been a good girl, straight shooter, and could see right through people’s bullshit like she had X-ray vision. If she fucked with you, you was good people. If she didn’t… well, lets just say you didn’t last long.
The fact she lit up had me feeling like maybe I wasn’t crazy for thinking what I was thinking about that woman.
I leaned against the counter, watching them go on about some salon called Crown and Covered like they was back in high school. I ain’t even realize I was smiling till Khloe looked over at me and smirked like she knew something.
“Alright,” my niece piped up, grabbing her phone off the table. “Ima let the old folks do their thing. I’m going to the pool.”
I blinked, straightening up. “Old folks?”
She shrugged, unfazed, already halfway down the hall. “If you over twenty-five, you old. Sorry, Uncle Ken. Rules are rules.”
I shook my head, smirking. “Keep talking slick. Imma show you old when you need a new phone and your parents say no.”
“Whatever!” she yelled back.
