Page 141 of Buy Back My Love

“I did not bring up the pumpkin patch.”

“You brought up me coming to your mama's neighborhood.”

“That is not the same thing.”

“Close enough.”

I groaned and pulled the blanket higher over myself. “I try to forget that whole day happened.”

“Nah, don’t forget it.”

“Why not?”

“You might need to sell your life story to Tyler Perry one day.”

I laughed. “Shut up.”

“I’m serious. You got enough material.”

“You get on my nerves.”

I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “Anyway, I’ll be there in about thirty.”

“You really got me something?”

“Yes, Lee.”

“I still feel bad.”

“Stop. I’m not worried about it.” He paused. “Go brush your teeth.”

I sat straight up. “Excuse me?”

“You just woke up.”

“My breath is fine.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Goodbye, Van.”

He laughed again. “See you in a minute.”

I hung up and immediately covered my mouth with my hand. Okay. Maybe brushing my teeth wasn’t a terrible idea.

I dragged myself out of bed and went into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, fixed the parts of my hair I had slept on, then reached for my lip gloss without even thinking about it. After I put some on, I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror.

Why the hell was I putting on lip gloss?

I wiped a little of it off with my finger before leaving the bathroom.

When I walked back into the kitchen, Mama was sitting at the table scrolling through her phone.

“Van coming over,” I told her.

Her eyes came up immediately. “The Dog River boy?”

I laughed. “Yes, Mama. The Dog River boy.”