AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No. She shook her head. Why should she be concerned about what her neighbors did?
She wasn’t trackingallthe neighbors, she admitted to herself. Just Phate.
Tall, incredibly sexy and handsome Phate.
To be honest, her neighbors were unlike any of the men in Point Breeze. And even if worddidspread about them being players, she doubted that would slow the influx of dates. The six-four, two hundred and fifty pounds, blond men with accents was all everyone seemed to talk about.
Heat flushed her skin with the mere thought of Phate and his beautiful eyes. She fanned herself. She couldn’t stop thinking of them...himeither.
She let out a deep breath. Who was she kidding? Even with their reputations growing, Phate and Kien still probably had dates lined up every night for the next month. Besides, Phate wasn’t her type anyway. She preferred her men medium ugly because they were humble and knew how to treat a lady.
One look at Phate and she could tell he was out of her league. It wasn’t that she didn’t think she could pull a hottie. What concerned her the most was the number of women she would have to compete with. The very thought made her skin prickle.
Her other concern? He didn’t belong in Point Breeze. Phate seemed bigger than her and her small town.
So why in the heck was he here? And why were they crammed into a one-bedroom apartment when judging by the amounts of times they’d gone out this week, they could easily afford a larger apartment and in a better building? And why in the heck was there a Walmart Cart parked in front of their apartment door?
“Why am I even thinking about any of this?” Tasha muttered to herself.
Her next-door neighbors’ door slammed again. “Not my circus. Not my monkeys,” she muttered.
But what harm could one peak do? She put down her knife and tiptoed to the window. She peeked through the blinds and sure enough there was Phate, stuffing his large body into the passenger side of a car she didn’t recognize.
Her heart dropped.
* * *
WHILE THE OVERHEADlights were still on, Tasha had closed the store over an hour ago. Jazz music played softly in the background. People walked along Main Street other side her window. Their coats pulled tightly around their bodies as they fought against the howling wind outside.
She loved these types of nights where summer had given way to fall. She also loved working in her boutique after hours. That was when she really got to appreciate and be grateful that she was blessed in being able to do something she enjoyed and loved.
She hummed as she worked, content and happy with the day’s profit. Nisha had come in just after closing to keep her company. She kept her company across the aisle. She’d come in just after closing. She sat in one of the boutique chairs.
Tasha had artfully arranged a few deep cushioned high backs near the dressing rooms where people could rest or take pictures in comfort and style while waiting for a friend or lover to try on clothes. Her main hope had been for those pictures to end up on a social media site with her boutique tagged in them.
It had worked.
Throughout most days there wereohh’sandahh’scoming from that area of the boutique. And hearing those sounds was Tasha’s cue to slide the picture taker her business card, so they had her social media handles and hashtags.
It was a favorite spot for customers and one of Nisha’s as well. Her legs were draped across one side while studying the cellphone in her hand. “Which dating app do you think they’re on?”
Tasha was going through a rack of clothes, inspecting the shirts for any damages or deodorant markings. It’d been busier in the boutique this week. She wasn’t stupid. The influx of customers came thinking they would catch a glimpse of the three hunks.
That’s all the women talked about when they browsed her clothes. She didn’t mind. Especially since this week had been profitable.
Tasha pulled out a red shirt with obvious deodorant stains on the sides and set it aside to take to the cleaners in the morning. “I’ve no clue if they’re even on a dating app.”
Nishahumphed. “Like hell they aren’t. You said yourself they’re going out every day.”
Tasha had tried to push the thoughts of Phate dating far from her mind, but it was hard to do with Nisha grilling her about it. “I can only attest to what happens at night. I’m here during the day.”
Nishahumphedagain. “There’s no way they aren’t on any apps. How else are they lining up all these dates?”
Tasha lifted a shoulder, trying her best to hide her discomfort with the subject. “They could be meeting women on the streets. You saw the melee they caused in here last week. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d walked home that day with ten dates lined up.”
A scowl now creased Nisha’s face.
“If you want to go out with one, why don’t you just ask him out?”
