Page 75 of A Little Kissing Between Friends

“What is it?” I asked, confused by his sudden silence.

“What’s up with you and Cyn?”

Ah, hell. I should’ve known he was going to go there but because Samir didn’t usually have anything to say about the people I dated, I thought I was in the clear. Blowing out a breath, I spun on my heel and stalked over to the couch, shoving my face in a cushion.

I heard the turn of the lock on the door before Samir plopped down next to me and pulled the cushion out of my hands.

“Cute, but that’s not an answer.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I whined.

He shrugged. “Tough.”

Pouting, I folded my arms across my chest. “I forgot how mean you could be.”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “And I forgot how big of a baby you could be when dealing with something you would rather avoid.” He let off a low whistle. “I just know Cyn has her hands full with your spoiled ass.”

Well, that was a jolt to my spine, making me sit ramrod straight as I glared at him. “I am not spoiled, but even if I was, it wouldn’t have anything to do with her!”

“Hmm,” he murmured. “That’s a significantly different tone than the one you were singing the last time we talking about her. What changed? Relax that tension in your shoulders and catch me up to speed.”

I deflated, blowing out the indignant breath I’d sucked in. Samir was right—I hadn’t told him the bad of me and Poppa, only the good, which was clearly a mistake on my part. So, I gave him the rundown of everything that had transpired. When I finished, his lips were pursed and he stared at me through narrowed eyes.

“But y’all talked, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, a couple of days ago. We went to lunch.”

“Hmm.”

Frowning, I cocked my head. “What?”

“What what?”

“You said ‘hmm.’ What was that about?”

He raised his hands up. “I’m just processing what you told me. That’s it.”

When he didn’t elaborate, my frown deepened. “Samir.”

One of his eyebrows rose. “You sure you want to hear my thoughts? ’Cause you know I won’t hold back.”

I paused, considering his warning. It didn’t take me long.

“Lay it on me.”

Nodding, he grabbed both of my hands in his and leveled me with knowing look.

“Cyn isn’t your parents, JuJu. She’s not gonna abandon you because you’re not who she wants you to be.”

My throat tightened. He didn’t pull any punches, going straight for the jugular and hitting his mark with one swing.

“But she did!” I insisted. At least...that’s what it felt like.

He squeezed my hand. “No, she didn’t. Is what she said and how she was moving fucked up? Absolutely. But I don’t think her dragging her feet to define what the two of you were doing, or flippantly calling you straight instead of bisexual, is on the same level as your dad putting you on the street when you were twelve because your mama caught you kissing a girl after soccer practice. And I don’t think it warranted you excommunicating yourself from everyone she’s related to.”

I shook my head. He was wrong there.

“No, I had to. As soon as she told them what was going on with us, they were gonna pick a side. Why the hell would I wait for them to pick her and kick me to the curb when I could just leave before any of that happens?”