Page 4 of Stand on That

That comment made me groan. “Sounds like the woman you choose to deal with has to endure a lot of competition, and that sounds draining.”

“I’m not worth it?” he smiled, and I almost choked trying to keep the words hell yes at bay. No way would I ever admit that and honestly, my answer came from a superficial place.

“No man is worth all that,” I frowned making him chuckle louder.

“Ouch that hurts. But when I choose to settle down, or even if I’m kicking it with a female, she’s going to have to learn not to let the outside noise bother her. I don’t like people in my business, and I don’t like women that run their mouths. Our business is ours. So, if I’m not talking, and she’s not talking, unless someone sees me with a person like I’m here with you now, then most of that shit is speculation and rumors.”

I nodded my understanding as the waiter came over to take our drink orders. Of course, I couldn’t legally order a drink, so I got strawberry-lemonade, and Darius got water and Hennessy.

“I forgot your young ass can’t even drink,” he jested, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

“That’s okay because my birthday is in four months.”

“What we doing?” he asked with a dead serious expression on his face.

Angling my head to the left, I studied him a bit. A man like Darius was dangerous. It was easy to say I’d keep things light and not fall for him, but he wouldn’t make it easy to stick to that. Hands down, he was the most charming man that I’d ever encountered. He didn’t spend time talking about why he was the prize, and every other word out his mouth wasn’t bitch this or hoe that.

“Who said you’re still going to be around in four months?”

The boisterous laugh that left his mouth had me smiling no matter how hard I tried to fight it. “If you don’t have a passport, get one. We’re going to Antigua.” He told me. Didn’t ask me shit, and that turned me on so much that I shifted in my seat.

This was going to be hard as hell.

Darius was the perfect gentleman on our date. When it was over, he took me back home, and I fell asleep thinking about his sexy ass. It was the next day, and I was braiding hair. My first appointment was at ten. I finished her a little after three and took a two-hour break. My next client came at 5:30, and I was almost done with her. It was 8:00.

“You going to that comedy show this weekend?” she asked.

“I didn’t even hear about it until a few days ago. I didn’t even bother looking because I’m sure all the good seats are gone,” I mumbled absentmindedly while my fingers moved super fast. I was tired of standing on my feet and ready to be done. I had a stool that I sat on when I really wanted to sit but to me, it seemed that I braided faster when I was standing.

“Hell yeah, ‘cus I got my tickets the same day they went on sale and a lot of the floor seats were already gone.”

“And I’ll stay home before I sit in the nose bleeds,” I scoffed.

“I heard that.”

E came in the house palming a basketball in one hand and his best friend, Tre following him. Tre was older than E, so he was seventeen. The fact that he really had a crush on me was comical. I’d told him more than once he needed to have at least five more birthdays before I even saw him as a grown man and by then, I’ d be twenty-five, and more than likely the thought of dating my little brother’s friend, would gross me the hell out even if there was only a three-year age difference.

“What’s up, Vani?” Tre always tried to make his voice extra deep when he spoke to me. E had called him out on it a few times, but he still did it. Every time I heard it, I had to stop myself from snickering.

“Hey, Tre. You can’t speak when you enter a room big head?” I asked my brother.

Pushing his glasses up on his face, he peered over at my client. “Hey, how you doing?” he tipped his head at her then looked at me. “What’s up donkey face?”

When I turned my body to grab a brush, he already knew what it was and bolted from the room laughing. I was about to throw that brush right at his head.

“I wish I had siblings,” my client laughed. “Being an only child is boring.”

“I have three, and you can have them all.”

Usually, I ignored calls when I was braiding but whenever my phone vibrated, I glanced down at it. When I saw that Darius was calling, my stomach quaked, and I snatched the phone up so quick it was embarrassing. The calm way I answered the phone was a direct contrast to the way my heart was racing.

“What’s up? How are you doing today?” I could tell that Darius was riding in the car.

“I’m good. How are you?”

“Can’t complain. You busy?”

“I’m doing hair.”