Chapter 3
I shook my head at the sight of that fucking picture I’d taken of Novi popping up on my timeline.
Another small blog site I followed had shared it.
I liked the post and kept shit pushing. My socials and phone had been blowing up ever since I’d posted and honestly, it was annoying.
I hadn’t even been trying to get the attention.
I’d just shared her to piss her ex off and hopefully get her mind off him and prove she could get better if she really wanted it.
Seeing her ex in person had reassured that.
I’d laid that man on his back with one hit.
There was nothing he could ever tell me and if he wanted to take shit further than the ring we could do that too.
There was something about men that acted aggressive toward women that triggered something in me whether I knew them or not.
I was always down to throw punches and send off bullets if it came to that.
I liked to play like I was the calm son, but I was my daddy’s child just the same as my brother and the shit we didn’t play about, we meant.
I flipped my phone face down on my work station and went back to making sure my area was cleaned properly and ready for clients.
“What’s up?” I said as soon as I heard the bell on top of the door. “What can I-”
I paused when I looked over and saw that it was Novi. My eyebrows knitted together.
“Hey.” She gave me a small wave and cleared her throat.
I ignored the way two of the barbers in the shop looked straight at me. I wiped my hands on my pants and walked over to her. I leaned into her and lowered my voice.
“What’s wrong? You good?”
“No. Everything is fine. I uhm, I just brought you some breakfast as a thank you.”
Novi held up a small bag. She shifted on her feet. It was funny to me how nervous she looked in front of me especially after the two of us sat together and talked for hours not even twenty four hours ago.
“A thank you for what, shawty?”
“For bringing me home, encouraging me and defending my honor. I appreciate all of it.”
“I didn’t do it to get anything in return, but I’m real thankful for the food.” I accepted the bag from her.
“Well, uhm, have a great day. Thanks again. Bye.”
Novi pivoted around and headed back out the barbershop. I looked down at the bag in my hand then shook my head as I trekked back to my stand.
“She seems nice,” one of the other barbers said.
“She does, huh?” I looked into the bag. “She’s Allur’s cousin so she’ll be around a lot until she goes back home.”
“What about Novi?” JV asked as he came from the back.
“She just brought Kaleo some breakfast.”
JV lifted an eyebrow. “Y’all cool like that after one night?”
“We a’ight.” I started to pull containers out the bag. “Why?”
“Just asking.” He shrugged, tossed a towel on his chair and walked over.
He leaned against my work station and crossed his arms. He lowered his voice.
“Allur has you on camera slamming Novi’s ex.
” He chuckled but didn’t give me a chance to respond.
“Look, Novi is cool people and I know you have a savior complex and love to run into flames to help women and shit, but don’t play with that woman.
Tell her what it is and what it ain’t and don’t leave room for confusion. ”
“You’re making a lot of demands about someone I just met for the first time last night.”
“Nigga, because you’re intense and she’s vulnerable. That’s a bad combo.”
“I’m intense?” I asked.
“Kaleo, you fall in love in two business days. If a woman breathes on you the right way, you’re in love.”
“I think Novi is beautiful and sweet, but I knocked that nigga upside the head because he was acting aggressive, not because I’m in love with her.”
“Yeah, alright.”
“Yeah, alright,” I echoed.
JV exhaled. “You’re my boy and I care about you. I just wanted to put it on your radar that you have attachment issues.”
“Cool. Anything else Dr.?”
“Nope.” JV pushed off of my station. “That’s it.”
“Thanks.” I nodded once and watched him walk to his spot before I looked down at the breakfast Novi had made.
It was some chocolate waffles, eggs, sausage and grits. I licked my lips just looking at it. I popped the top off and immediately took a bite of a waffle.
“Aye, JV!” I grabbed his attention. “Text Allur and ask her if I can have Novi’s number.” I smirked. “So I could thank her for the food, you know?”
“You’re full of shit,” JV waved me off.
It was only a few seconds before he grabbed his phone and sent the text. I got a fork and collapsed in my own chair to eat. I was shocked at how good it was. I knocked the food in no time, drank a bottle of water and locked in just in time for my first two customers.
It was a busier day than I’d expected and I didn’t get a chance to check my phone until damn near lunch time. I tapped on JV’s text immediately.
JV: Here. Thirty ass nigga.
He’d attached Novi’s contact. I saved it immediately.
“What’s up?” Rob announced himself as he walked into the shop, holding a few different bags.
“What’s up?” I dapped Rob up.
“I got some sandwiches and shit from that lil shop down the street.”
“Good looking out.” I took the bag he offered me. “What are you doing on this end anyway?”
“I met up with pops earlier and this is what he wanted so I figured I’d get y’all something to since when I drove by it looked like y’all were packed in here.”
“Yeah. We’ve been pretty busy,” I acknowledged.
Rob leaned over and offered JV a bag then turned around and walked the other two bags to the men on the opposite side.
“Thank you, Rob.”
“Y’all good.” He turned around and collapsed in my chair.
“What do you need?” I asked.
“Nothing. I’m just sitting here. Why? You think my shit need to get lined up again?” Rob spun around in his chair and looked at his hair, tilting his head one way then the other.
“Nah but I would have looked closer if you were in my chair to complain.”
“Oh, nah. You good, and uh, speaking of complaining, I’m sorry about that shit last night. You know I wouldn't put nothing on you or the shop on purpose. I can handle my own shit and I’d never expect you to handle it for me.”
I exhaled. “I know.”
“I’ll do better, alright?”
I chuckled and shook my head because I knew for a fact that nigga was lying. I also knew whether he brought his issues to my front door or not, his issues were still mine and I would jump in whether he needed me to or not. That was just how we got down.
I appreciated that he was trying to take care of his issues on his own though.
“Alright.” I dapped him up. “I’m taking a twenty.”
I looked over my work station, grabbed my phone and lunch and headed to my little office in the back. I sent Novi a quick text while I started eating.
Me:
Hey. It’s Kaleo.
I ate my lunch and checked a few emails and messages.
A few people were offering me money to promo and make social media posts with their products.
I never accepted them but I sent well thought out rejections anyway.
I wasn’t in the business of doing that social media shit.
I barely posted but it didn’t cause me to lose too many followers and people were still consistently booking.
It was nice though. I got to pick whatever clients I wanted to work with and could afford to turn away those I didn’t want to deal with. It was cool.
I dialed Novi’s number when I finished up and saw that she hadn’t responded to my text. Shit. She didn’t have a job. What was she doing?
The thought of JV telling me that I was intense played in my head, but I ignored it and waited patiently for her to answer anyway.
“Hello?” She answered on the third ring. “Who’s this?”
“Kaleo.”
“Oh?” She sounded genuinely shocked. “Hi. Hey.” She stuttered a little.
“Hey,” I repeated. “I was thinking I could pick you up tonight around seven.”
“For?”
“Bowling.”
“You’re taking me bowling?”
“If you agree.”
“Okay. I’ll see you at seven then?”
“That’s right.” A knock sounded at my door and I exhaled. “Well I’ve got to get back to work but I’ll see you then.”
“Wait!” Novi screamed and I paused.
“What’s up?”
The door opened and JV peaked his head in.
“How was the breakfast?”
“The breakfast was amazing.”
“And you’re not just saying that?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you.”
JV screwed his face up.
“Okay. Good. I’ll let you go now.”
“Alright. Enjoy the rest of your day, Novi.”
“You too.”
I hung up and tossed my phone on my desk. “What’s up?”
“Your next appointment came in early.”
“Alright. Thanks, man.” I hopped up.”I’ve got it.”
“Was that Novi?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I brushed past him and hit him on the back.
I ignored the sound of him chuckling behind me as we headed back to the front.
“Aye, I’ve got somebody waiting for me.” I hit my chair and Rob looked back at me. “Get up.”
“A please would be nice.”
“I could have said get the fuck up before I flip you out my fucking chair, but I didn’t.”
“Yeah, okay.” He chuckled. “You know who big brother is.”
“And you know you still can’t lil boy me.” I hit the back of the chair again. “And I need a favor.”
“What’s up?”
Rob hopped up while I adjusted my workspace to take my appointment.
“I’m going to put in an order for some flowers. Can you scoop them up for me and bring them back?”
“I look like a delivery person?”
“Yeah, actually.”
Rob chuckled. “Yeah, man. I’ll scoop it for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Let me know the time and what should be in the order.”
“Alright and send my appointment here on your way out.”
“I’m actually going to be hanging out for a lil minute to make a play in the back, but I’ll tell dude you’re ready for him.”
“Thanks.”
I dapped my brother up. I was booked for the rest of the day so time flew by.