Page 35 of The Millionaire Mortician
“Maverick,” she started, all sweet, “you didn’t see me?”
He flicked his glance up just enough to catch her reflection, then let it drop without a care in the world. I just stood there, eyeing her.
“Yo,” he stated. “What do you want? Why are you here?”
Ashley’s smile shrank and turned into an attitude. “I work here.”
“And I’m workin’ here,” I chimed in, hoping she caught the energy. “Go back to your station, Ash.”
She crossed her arms. “I just asked a question?—”
“You heard your boss,” Mav cut in. “Go back where you came from and don’t walk up on me again.”
“Wow,” she voiced with a sarcastic laugh. “So, you really ain’t gon’ speak?”
Maverick turned his head just enough for me to pause the blade. He gave her the kind of look that made grown men double-check their tone.
“Is you stupid or dumb?” he asked with irritation in his voice. “Pick one.”
The salon went still around us, the way salons did when some shit was popping off. I felt Talina watching from the dryer row with her mouth in a straight line.
“Ashley,” I called out again, “go back to your station.”
At that moment, Ashley had already smelled her own feelings and wouldn’t let down. “You ain’t see me is crazy though,” she pushed. “Especially after how you?—”
“How I what?” Mav’s eyebrow tilted. “Did we even exchange numbers that night we fucked?”
Silence instantly snatched the music out of the air.
Ashley opened and closed her mouth, looking dumb. The gloss on her bottom lip trembled. “No, but?—”
I was finally finished with him, brushing off the excess hair.
“Aight then.” Maverick stood up while the cape was still on, shook his shoulders, and let the hair fall like he was shedding all of it. “So what made you think it was anything more than just a fuck? Like, be for real, shorty. Don’t be weird.”
He tapped his pocket for a roll and peeled off bills for me without counting. He didn’t look at Ashley again. He didn’t look at anyone, as a matter of fact.
“I’ll call before I swing for bro,” he mentioned. “We’re leaving out tonight.”
“Okay, cool,” I stated, keeping my face clean of judgment.
He walked straight out of the door with his head held high, like he hadn’t just embarrassed that poor girl. The salon exhaled in whispers and little gasps. Ashley stood like a statue, with confusion and hurt written all over her face.
“Nah, see? Nah,” she started with her voice shaking. “Who does he think he is? He gon’ play me like I’m?—”
“Ashley,” Talina was already moving toward her with her hands up. “Come on, sis. Let’s go to the back.”
“Play with his mama, not me,” Ashley hissed, jerking away but going with us anyway. “I’m not one of them. I swear to God, I’ma get him f?—”
“Hey,” I snapped, and it cut through the air. I didn’t raise my voice often, so when I did, people listened. “Watch your mouth.”
We slipped into the back break room, closing the door behind us.
“One, his mom is dead. Two, don’t make threats about my family,” I warned.
I nudged Ashley into a chair by the little kitchenette, and Talina leaned on the counter with her arms folded.
“Breathe,” Talina told her.
