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* * *
The Next Afternoon
I stared at the dots onDenim’s text thread, waiting for her to respond to my last text messages.
Denim: Ain’t nobody talking about you, Dymon. If you text me again, I’m going to block you. You need to get over yourself.
To my surprise, this morning,I hadn’t received a picture of my nephew, Declan’s son,from Denim, so I texted her and asked her what she was doing. When she told me that she was out shopping with Quinci, I started to panic a little bit. I wanted to know where they were and what they were talking about every second they were together, but they both were ignoring me. After reading Denim’s text message, I went into the thread ofQuinci’swork phone.
Me: Subj: Job Security: If you want your job, tell me what my sister is saying about me? Or better yet, what are you asking her about me that Google didn’t tell you?
Immediately, the dots appeared on the screen. I added the subject to the text message because I knew she hated it.
Q Work Phone: Mr. Dymon, stop texting me on my work phone about stuff that’s notaboutwork. Those are YOUR WORDS!And if you must know, I’m asking Denim where to find some cool men to hang out with until I go back home. And some more cool places to hang out with folks our age.The older crowd’s lounge wasn’t bad, though. Real chill. But I do want to hear “Ayyyeeee” every now and then.
Me: lol.
The dots popped up on the screen and then disappeared. That happened a few more times until I saw the redmagnifying glass pop up. She’d sent a gif of a shocked face.
Q Work Phone: I… I didn’t know you laughed.So, you’re not a robot. Got it.
She’d caught me slipping, so I closed our threadand went back to Denim’s thread.
Me: Where are you telling her to hang out at?And who you telling her to date? I hope not none of Roy’s old ass friends.
Denim: Would you prefer me telling her to date your lackluster ass friends?Especially Ryan, who’s already followed her on Instagram and liking her pictures.@SoftwareRyan?? I thinkidk, though. Stop texting me. I’m trying to take pictures of her and get her fitted for some suits. She said she wants to fit in a little.Wants to represent you better. Yuck.
I ignored that.I’d already told Ryan to chill, so there was nothing to it.
Me: She can date whoever. I was just asking. Making conversation.
Denim: Bye.
There was really no reason for me to be this goofy for a chick I’ve only known for a week. Her family down in that country town must be practicing witchcraft in the back of those B&B’s because I was truly disgusted at myself.
* * *
That Night
Diesel,Ryan, Price, Fiona and I were sitting in a sectionat a popular nightclub in the city.Several bottles of liquor and weed were spread out over the table.I needed to blow off some steam from earlier and to forget how I was acting yesterday. I still couldn’t believe myself. I ain’t even want to talk to my boys about it, but I needed to hear some other opinions.
Fiona looked at her phone, shaking her head.
“Something wrong, Fi?” Price asked her.
“Not really. Trying to get Quinn to bring her ass here, but she still acting stank with me because of my cousin.”
The weed was on me tough, but I did start paying attention when her name came up.
Price cut his eyes to me and then looked back at Fi.
“I didn’t tell her he was here. She just flat out ignoring me or giving me one-word answers. I don’t think I should apologize for not telling my cousin’s business, but I will. I’m about to go to the bathroom and call her.”
As soon as Fi was out of sight, Price looked at me and grinned.
“Don’t even start with me, bro.I ain’t even tell y’all how I was cockblocking hard yesterday.”
“You didn’t have to tell me. She said that her cousin told her that he thinks you hit Quinn up because you knew they’d have lunch together.”
