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“Oh gawd,” I said, rolling my eyes. “He’s a hoe, ain’t he?”

“I don’t know him personally, but everyone goes to District 12 and knows how sweet Quincey is. My sister had her thirtieth there and he came out to make sure everything was good.”

“Okay, that’s typical for him. He takes District 12 serious.”

“Maybe you should get to know him better so you can get to know who he is.”

“My standards are too high.”

“They should be, but you can at least find out if the man had anything else going for him.”

“I’m not interested,” I told her.

“Your smile earlier said otherwise.”

“Okay, bye. I’m sure there is someone that needs some help out there.”

After she left, I looked down at the picture of my kids beside my computer. Kaiden stood behind Khari with both hands on her shoulders while I grinned like somebody had just handed me a million dollars. My kids were my world. Seeing how young they were in that picture just let me know that life still goes on whether you’re prepared or not. I wasn’t Kyenna. I wasn’t married to Rah or had been in bed with him for years. Still, there was a part of me that had never completely released him. I dated a few guys after him, but it never got past the first date because I always compared them to him. Then he died and somehow, he became even harder to compete with. A dead man couldn’t disappoint me anymore. My phone vibrated.

Kaiden: Practice moved to 6

I checked the time and noticed I had a few more hours.

Me: Did you eat before practice

Kaiden: yes

Me: What?

Kaiden: food

Me: Keep playing with me and you’ll walk home from practice

Kaiden:

I was about to respond when the overhead speaker called for a rapid response on the third floor. Because I was a part of the trauma team, I threw my phone in my pocket and headed to the elevator. A patient had crashed after surgery, and it took us a while to get them back stable. Just moments ago, I was having a conversation with one of the nurses about Q, and the next I was gloved up with blood everywhere, trying to save someone’s life. It was the reason I picked nursing. It kept me focused on what mattered at the moment. I could have things going on, but the patient needed me for however long they needed me. I had just washed my hands when one of the receptionists called me over my walkie-talkie.

“Averie, somebody is asking for you down in the ER.”

“If it’s another delivery, send it back.”

She laughed. “It ain’t flowers.”

“Okay, who is it?”

“It’s a man.”

I stopped walking.

“A man?”

“Tall, dark, dressed nice and smells good,” she whispered.

I closed my eyes. I just knew this nigga didn’t bring his ass to my job. When I made it to the lobby, Q was standing near the windows with his hands in his pockets. He smiled when he saw me.

“Are you stalking me? I thought I made things clear.”

“Bad timing?”