Page 94 of Surrogate For My Best Friend’s Man 2

That made her cry harder. I didn’t know why. I thought she was heartbroken because the man she loved had cheated and left her. I had no idea the real reason she was falling apart in my arms was because I was standing there loving her while she was lying straight in my face. When we finally pulled apart, I grabbed my purse. Shante immediately asked where I was going.

“Home.”

She stared at me. Neither one of us believed that shit. “Alisha, leave Malik alone.”

I slipped my purse over my shoulder. “I’m not about to do nothing.”

That was technically true, I wasn’t planning on putting my hands on him. I just wanted to talk. Well…cuss his ass out first then talk. Shante followed me toward the door, still trying to convince me to stay out of it. I kissed her cheek. “Eat your food before it gets cold.”

“Alisha.”

“I’ll call you later.”

I walked out before she could stop me. By the time I reached my car, my mind was already working. I didn’t know where Malik was staying now. His old spots were the only places I knew to look. But one thing about Detroit somebody always knew somebody. And I wasn’t going home until I found his ass. Because if Malik thought he was going to cheat on my best friend while she was carrying his twins, leave her a month before she gave birth, and clean out their apartment like he was repossessing some Rent-A-Center furniture. He had the wrong fucking best friend.

MALIK

Detroit acted differently when the weather broke. One good day after too much cold and everybody came outside like they’d been released from prison. Cars were clean, music playing loud with the windows down. Niggas had grills smoking before five. Women had already pulled the shorts and sundresses out like it was ninety degrees instead of barely seventy five.

I was at one of my car washes on the west side with Troy and my boy Dre, posted near the front while my employees handled the steady line of cars coming through. I owned three locations around the city, but this one had always been my favorite. It stayed busy, especially on days like this. Troy leaned against his truck eating sunflower seeds while Dre sat on the hood of mine talking shit about everybody who pulled in.

I was halfway listening. My attention was on the Charger that had just pulled up. Well…the woman getting out of it. She was brown skin and thick with a pretty smile. She wore a little two piece outfit hugging everything it was supposed to hug. She caught me looking and I didn’t look away. I was single and hopefully she was too.

Apparently the whole damn west side knew I was single. Word traveled fast as hell in Detroit. Since me and Shante split, women who hadn’t said two words to me in years suddenly remembered my number. Old situations started liking pictures. Women I didn’t even know were sending messages.

And the ones who came through the car wash had gotten bold as hell.

“Malik!” The woman by the Charger smiled. “You ain’t gonna make sure they get my rims right?”

I pushed away from my truck. “I got people for that.”

“So you don’t do nothing?”

“I own the shit that’s the point.”

She laughed. Troy made some stupid noise behind me and I ignored his ass.

She walked closer. “I heard you single now.”

I smiled. “Who told you that?”

“Detroit.” She smirked.

“Detroit need to mind its business.” I smirked.

“That mean it’s true.”

I looked her up and down. “It mean Detroit talk too much.”

She smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Well, since Detroit already talking…”

I knew exactly where that sentence was headed. And for once, I wasn’t against hearing the rest. She was cute with no baggage that I knew about. No secret bullshit, just a pretty woman flirting with me on a nice day. Maybe I needed that. Then tires came screeching into the parking lot. Everybody turned and looked. A truck swung into an open space so fast Troy stood up straight.

“What the fuck?”

I knew that truck. “Oh, hell.” I said.

Alisha jumped out and slammed the door. She didn’t walk toward me, she marched. Big purse on her shoulder. Sunglasses pushed on top of her head and face twisted. And from halfway across the lot, I could already hear her.