Page 127 of Buy Back My Love

“I don’t need to.”

He stood up and grabbed his jacket, but before leaving, he stopped with his hand on the door.

“What time your appointment Monday?”

I wasn’t ready for him sitting beside me at no doctor’s appointment yet. “I’ll let you know what the doctor says.”

“That’s my baby too, Lee.”

“I know. And I’ll keep you informed.”

JB sucked his teeth and walked out, leaving every gift right where he had put it.

I stood there looking at the closed door for a second before going back to cleaning my station. The crazy part was I still had over two hours blocked off before my next client because this fool had booked the longest service on my site just to make sure I couldn’t rush him out.

I shook my head, thinking about the fake name he had used. “Gina Burrell.”

I couldn’t even stay mad without wanting to laugh. At least I had time to order some food before my next client.

Lee

Ifinished my makeup after changing my earrings twice, then leaned closer to the mirror to check the little wing I had spent entirely too long trying to copy from some girl on YouTube. It wasn’t perfect, but it was staying right where it was.

My hair was freshly done, long waves falling over my shoulders, and I had on the outfit I bought specifically for tonight. My white sweater was covered in little Santa faces and tucked into a red sequin skirt that hugged everything it was supposed to hug. The slit came high up one thigh, and I paired it with clear heels and a big red bow headband. I looked like Christmas, but I was cute.

I held my hands up under the light and checked my nails one more time. I had stayed up the night before doing a full Christmas set on myself, long square tips with red glitter candy-cane stripes, white snowflakes, red French tips outlined in silver, and a couple sugar-glitter nails.

A few days earlier, I had been halfway through a client’s set when my phone buzzed beside my lamp. I glanced over and saw Van’s name on the screen.

You busy Saturday?

I finished shaping the nail in front of me before picking up my phone.

Why?

A picture came through of his work Christmas party invitation with the date, time, and location.

Need a plus one.

I looked at the invitation again.

You asking me?

A little while later, my phone buzzed.

Who else I send it to?

I smiled.

What I gotta wear?

Something nice.

That don’t help.

You gon make it complicated regardless 😂

I rolled my eyes.