Page 33 of A Little Kissing Between Friends

Tasha called out to me as her sister Toy placed the two large frozen concoctions and bag of pastries the boys ordered down and went back to the coffee bar. They grabbed their wares, thanked me, and practically skipped out of the cafe. Chuckling, Tasha handed me my drink, waggling her eyebrows as she waited for me to taste it.

Dutifully, I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip. My eyes widened when I realized what the flavor reminded me of.

“It tastes like a cherry cordial!”

Her red-brown face lit up as a pleased grin spread across her face.

“Good job!”

The warmth of the cup in my hands and the drink making its way through my body helped to brighten me up a bit more, and I felt a surge of gratitude for my favorite barista.

“Thank you for this, Tasha. You don’t know how much I needed it.”

Her grin didn’t falter, but her eyes softened. “Anytime, friend, and I mean that.”

Heart warmed and tastebuds dancing, I left the cafe and headed straight for Rhythm & Rainbows. I needed answers, and I needed them immediately. Poppa and I were supposed to be able to talk about any and everything, and to have her disappear on me like this—after what we shared—was something I couldn’t let slide. We were friends above everything else, and right now, I didn’t like how my friend was handling me.

Lonnie let me inside the building, and I followed him back to Missy, my shoulders tight in anticipation of seeing Poppa after last night. I knew a confrontation was unlikely to happen inside the studio, since Lonnie’s presence meant that Xeno was there, but at least setting eyes on her would give me some semblance of an answer. I was disappointed to find Xeno sitting alone at the soundboard. She looked up when I entered the room and stood, spreading her arms for a hug when I moved further into the room.

“Aye, what’s up, Jucee?” she asked as she returned to her chair.

For a split second, I debated on how to answer that. There was no way for me to know if Poppa had told Xeno about us sleeping together, and I didn’t want to accidentally disclose that if she hadn’t, but I also wanted it known that I was looking for her.

“I’m just making my rounds as I search for one Cyndi Thomas.”

Xeno double blinked and then canted her head to the side.

“Come again?”

Laughing at her antics, I shook my head.

“I stopped by in hopes of catching Poppa, but it looks like I missed her again. Has she been in today at all?”

Shaking her head, Xeno leaned back in her chair. “Nah. I actually thought she was with you today.”

Sighing, I took another sip of my drink and shook my head.

“Alright, let me go find this girl.”

“Uh oh,” Xeno drawled, leaning back against the counter and crossing her arms over her chest. “She in trouble?”

I swiped my tongue over my bottom lip. That was something I could answer honestly. “She will be if I don’t see her today.”

Xeno whistled. “Do I need to warn her?”

Brows furrowed, I headed for the door. “Warn her for what? I’m not about to do nothing to that girl!”

Chuckling, Xeno pursed her lips. “Sure, Jan.”

That made me laugh. Waving goodbye, I left the studio. Once inside my car, I headed to the only other place I was likely to find Poppa. If she wasn’t at her parents’ house, then we would really have a problem.

There wasn’t a soul to be found once I made the thirty-minute drive to Mission Bend. The driveway was empty when I pulled up along the curb, but I still gave it a shot and rang the doorbell anyway, just in case someone was inside. No luck.

Walking back to my car, I was hit with a wave of emotion that made me want to cry. Why the hell was I driving all over the southside trying to find this woman? Why was I fighting so hard to accept the obvious? The moment that I woke up in an empty house, things were clear, yet I was on a hunt, looking for an explanation for something that could be understood without confusion if I would just stop and think.

Poppa didn’t want to talk to me.

She hadn’t called me. She hadn’t texted me. She hadn’t even emailed me or sent me any memes on social media. All of the things that made up our daily interactions, and all of it outlined how different things were now. One night changed everything for us.