Page 120 of Surrogate For My Best Friend’s Man 2

He nodded slowly. “I respect that.”

I looked at him. “I moved too.”

“You did?”

“Got a condo.”

He smiled. “Okay then.”

“My bedroom furniture is actually being delivered today. That’s why I look like I slept in a shopping cart.”

Malik looked at me over. “You don’t look like that.”

“Trust me I feel like it, I slept in Brittany’s twin bed last night.”

He laughed. “Your ass knew better.”

“I definitely know now.”

He shook his head. “That’s what you get.”

“Shut up.” I laughed.

He took another sip of coffee. “What about Shante?”

There was no weirdness when he asked. “I haven’t talked to her.”

“At all?”

“Not really.”

I looked down at my cup.

“I can’t.”

Malik nodded. “I don’t blame you.”

“She was my best friend.”

“I know and that was some fucked up ass shit.”

“That shit hurt worse than Deuce in a different way.”

He didn’t rush to fill the silence, I liked that. Most people wanted to explain the pain away. Malik nodded his approval. “You ain’t wrong for walking away, that's some real grown woman shit.”

“What is?” I asked.

“Choosing yourself instead of staying somewhere just because you’ve been there a long time. Some people will keep letting somebody fuck over them because they scared to start over.” He shrugged. “You handled your shit and moved.”

“Had to.” I let him know.

“Nah.” He shook his head. “You chose to.”

There was a difference and I knew exactly what he meant. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.”

“There goes that ego.”