“Oh, just catching up with a friend.” She flicked her hand. “Who are you here with?”
Shay turned a bit and pointed toward the bar. “With that dude over there.”
There were several men at the bar so Irish quizzed, “Which one?”
“The one with…”
Shay’s words trailed off as Noble approached the table. Her darkened brows wrinkled immediately as her nostrils slightly flared.
“This is the friend you were catching up with?” she snarled then cut her eyes at Irish.
Noble angled his head. “What you doing here, Daysha?”
Irish’s head swiveled, peering back and forth between the two. “How do you two know each other?”
Daysha kissed her teeth. “This is my son’s father but what I’m trying to figure out is why you two are together?”
“This is the baby daddy that you’ve been doggin’ all this time?”
Shay snorted, grilling Irish. “Yeah, and you need to answer my question. Why you here with him?”
Irish’s lips parted, shock consumed her at an alarming rate. She looked at Noble then back at Shay, hoping someone would explain or at least deny their relationship between the two.
“It ain't none of your business,” Noble checked her. “Fuck you thought.”
“None of my business?” Shay snorted. “The nerve of your ass to say that shit to me.” Shay then turned her fiery gaze on Irish. “This is what you do? Sit around listening to women talk about their exes just so your ass can go on dates with them and shit?”
Irish cocked her head, not appreciating the tone Shay used with her. Out of all the women in St. Parklynn, she had no inkling that Noble was the man that Shay couldn’t get over. For years, they listened to her rant and rave about how he had broken her heart or how she attempted to make him jealous with another man. The shop even named her Resentment Shay because no matter how much time had passed, she couldn’t get over the man she claimed to hate.
“Excuse me? I don't have to sit around nobody and try to get with an ex. I told you I was catching up with a friend. What the fuck is your problem?”
“Irish, you don't owe her no explanation,” Noble chimed in. “Daysha, stay outta my business and move around.”
“Yeah, and watch your mouth, sitting up here trying to assassinate my character like I betrayed you or some shit. I didn’t know this man was your baby daddy.” Irish was offended at Shay’s aggression toward her. “And if you claim this is your ex, why are you worried about what he’s doing?”
Without warning, Shay invaded Irish’s personal space. “Bitch, I’ll fuck you up!”
“Aye, chill out.” Noble slid between the two and turned to Irish. “Sit down. I’ll handle this.”
“Handle what?” Shay exploded. “You can’t handle shit. You need to tell me why you sitting up here on a date with this married-ass bitch.”
“Noble, you better get her ass in check,” Irish warned. “I’m not about to be called out my name too many more times.”
“Sit down like I told you,” Noble ordered.
Reluctantly, Irish took a seat, waiting for her to disrespect her so she could give Shay her first underwater ass whooping.
Shay shook her head, disgust written all over her features. “Noble, you ain't shit just like I thought. You really out here fucking with a married female. Like how could you downgrade like this? So, you leave our marriage to play side nigga for this hoe?”
“Marriage?” Irish repeated, appalled by the news. “You were married?”
Shay snaked her body around Noble to look at Irish. “Yes, marriage. I was married to his ass for three years before he broke my fucking heart. I still got his last name, too. Do you really know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”
Irish attempted to swallow but Shay’s revelation was too bitter to consume. Marriage? Divorce? There was too much information being given that Irish could barely process it. Did she miss the red flags? Was she so engrossed in this commanding but gentle man that she had ignored the signs of him being just like the rest of ‘em?
Noble pulled Shay back. “Stop playing with me, Daysha, before I ruin you.”
“You already did!” she bellowed in his face. “You ruined me the day you requested a fucking divorce. The way you dragged me and all for nothing. You’ve always been a piece of shit and now you're an even bigger piece of shit because you're messing with her ass!”
