Page 122 of Buy Back My Love

“Just take them.”

“No.”

His mouth tightened, but he pushed the bouquet closer. “Lee.”

“JB, I said no.”

He finally gave up and set the flowers on the counter before lifting one of the shopping bags.

“At least look at what I got you.”

“I don’t want it.”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

“Don’t matter.”

I pulled my chair out and sat down. “You came for a manicure, right? Sit.”

JB stared at me another second before setting everything beside the flowers and taking the client chair.

“You stubborn as hell.”

“Give me your hand.”

He put his hand on the table and let out a long breath. “I been trying to talk to you.”

“And I been trying not to talk to you.”

“Lee, just hear me out. I been trying to tell you what happened.”

I picked up my file and started working on his nails. “Then talk.”

JB watched me for a second before finally saying, “Me and Hannah wasn’t supposed to turn into all that.”

I looked up. “A house and two kids just happened?”

“That ain’t what I’m saying.”

“Sound like it.”

“JJ wasn’t planned.”

“Neither was this new baby, I guess.” He didn’t answer, and I gave a little laugh before going back to his hand. “That’s what I figured.”

“Lee, when you came home, I ain’t know how to tell you.”

“You open your mouth and tell the truth. That’s usually how it works.”

“I knew you was gon’ leave.”

My hand stopped, and I looked at him. “So instead, you let me walk around looking stupid.”

“I was trying to figure everything out.”

“For who? Because it damn sure wasn’t for me.”

JB looked away. I went back to filing because if I kept staring at him, I was gonna get mad all over again, but the one thing I still couldn’t make sense of came right back to me.