Chapter 5
I spun my chair around and tapped dude on the shoulder.
“Have a good one, man.”
“Thank you.”
He stood, handed me my money and dapped me up before heading out. I checked my watch and sat down when I saw that I had a good ten minutes before my next appointment. I checked my phone and responded to the text Novi had sent me.
We had a good time over the weekend. I honestly hadn’t been excited with the idea of a petting zoo. I’d felt like I was too grown for that kind of shit but it had been cool and Novi had seemed like she was having a good time.
We’d fallen into bed together that night… and again that morning before we’d parted ways. I’d spent Sunday with my pops and Novi had spent it with Allur and some of her friends. We’d texted and spoken on the phone though and I was already brain storming about what our next get together should be.
I was flipping through some online recommendations when Laine reached over and spun my chair halfway around.
“Aye, bitch. You cool?” I looked up at him.
“Why the fuck you didn’t answer my call last night?”
“Since when do I answer to you, Laine? Let’s be for real.”
“Man, you know Kaleo was too busy stalking ole girl,” one of the other barbers said.
I smirked but didn’t confirm or deny that statement.
“What girl?” Laine asked.
“You go act like you haven’t been seeing him posting a woman all over his social media?”
“There were three posts in damn near two weeks and y’all niggas acting like I’m putting our pictures on a fucking billboard.” I chuckled.
“You see how he ain’t deny it though?” JV asked.
I cut my eyes at him. “Shut up.”
“Kaleo’s in love?” Laine teased.
“Yeah and none of y’all motha’fuckas better show up to the wedding. Bitches.”
“Nigga, Allur gon’ secure the plus one for me regardless.” JV shrugged and looked back down at the hair he was cutting. “Good luck to the rest of y’all niggas though.”
A few of us chuckled and I shook my head.
“All jokes aside, I do like Novi,” I said seriously.
“And I can see us being together for the foreseeable future so if she comes by and y’all play with her or play with me in front of her thinking shit sweet, it’s up.
For real. I’m gon’ smack fire from y’all motha’fuckin throats, and y’all gon’ have to find a new shop to cut out of. ”
“Y’all heard that?” JV asked with his messy ass. Then, he tilted his head one way then the other and nodded. “You good, man. Have a good one.”
His client hopped out his chair, paid him and headed out.
“Well congratulations on finding love,” Laine said.
“Thanks.”
I didn’t bother denying it. I just looked back down at my phone. I finished texting Novi and started getting ready for my next client.
I was booked for the rest of the day. It was only twenty minutes from closing when my last appointment called and told me that he was running late. I told him I’d wait around for him but did all the rest of my closing checklist.
Afterwards, I collapsed in my chair and called Novi.
“Hello?”
“What’s up, shawty?”
“Doing a face mask. How was work?”
“I’m still in this motha’fucka,” I said. “I had someone call late for their appointment so I’m just waiting for them to come through.”
“How much longer are you going to be out there?”
“Shouldn’t be too much longer. Why?What’s up? I can shut all of this down right now if you need me to.”
“I don’t need anything, Kaleo.” Novi giggled. “I just want to make sure I stay awake late enough to know you got home safely.” She yawned.
“Shawty, I’m good. If you’re tired, get some sleep. That’s why I called you anyway. I just wanted to make sure you heard from me before you crashed.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.”
“Okay…” We sat in silence for a beat. “Is it weird if I tell you that I miss you?”
“Hell nah. You’re supposed to miss your man.”
“Oh! You’re my man now?”
“What? You didn’t know?” I looked toward the door when it rang and my eyebrows knitted together when I saw that it was three dudes all wearing all black. I reached back for my gun automatically. “Aye, baby, I’ve got to go. My appointment just walked in.”
“Okay. Well, call me on your way home.”
“Yeah. I’ve got you.” I hung up and climbed to my feet. “What can I do for y’all?”
“What’s up Kaleo?” I watched his eyes drop down to my gun and back up to my face. He grinned. “What’s going on? We making you feel uncomfortable?”
“Nah. I’m good. This my shit.”
“For how much longer?”
“What?” I walked closer to them.
“Word on the street is that you may be wanting to sell.”
“Well the street lied to you. I’m not selling shit.”
“Alright.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m just saying.” He dug in his pocket and I had my gun aimed at him before he could even pull his hand out. He lifted a business card. “You a lil jumpy, huh, Kaleo?”
“Nah. I just stay ready so I ain’t got to get ready.”
“Alright.” He held the card out to me.
“Nigga, didn’t I just tell you I wasn’t fucking selling?”
“That’s a lot of mouth when I’m offering you a fucking olive branch.”
“That I didn’t ask for,” I countered.
The man walked to the nearest work station and looked at his reflection briefly.
I watched as he walked across to a different one and slowly walked from one booth to the next.
He made it to the last one then crossed.
I stayed where I was while he slowly closed the space between us.
I was well aware that he’d had me pivot.
His two friends were behind me now. I shifted slightly to the left, just enough for me to feel confident I could get behind some equipment if it came down to it.
He closed the space between us.
“I’m willing to buy this place from you for more than double what it’s worth.”
“I’m not selling.”
“That’ll probably change.” He reached over and set his card on my work station.
“This street isn’t what it used to be when your dad and uncle brought it, Kaleo.
With the rise in crime around here, it would probably be better to just sell and get out before you ended up getting dragged into some of the unfortunate events. ”
“Nigga, is that a threat?”
“Just a warning from a concerned neighbor.” He shrugged.
“Yeah, okay. Well I’m willing to take my chances. I know I do good business and I know if somebody is dumb enough to send shots my way, I can handle it with or without Rob.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Take it there and find out.”
The man smiled. “Yeah, alright. Have a good night, Kaleo.”
He reached over. He grabbed my barbacide and slid it, knocking it down. The blue liquid and all the combs that had been inside of it crashed to the floor. The glass shattered. I shifted on my feet.
“Get the fuck out before them niggas be carrying you out.”
“You believe that?”
“I know it and I’m not gon’ repeat myself again. Whether you want to fight or take it to pistol play, I bet I take you down.”
The dude smirked. “Alright, Kaleo.” He brushed past me, shoulder checking me on the way. “If you change your mind, let me know.” He knocked the jar off the next work station on his trek to the door.
His friends opened it for him and the three of the filed out.
I grabbed my phone immediately and started to jot their descriptions down while I walked to the door and locked it in place. I peered out of the glass one way then the other but only saw the car driving off.
I pulled the bars down for the windows and went to work cleaning up the mess that had been left.
I was halfway done when knocking sounded at the door.
It ended up being my scheduled appointment so I let them inside.
I finished cleaning. Then, I cut my clients hair and when I walked them out, I left with them.
I called Rob almost as soon as I was on the road.
“Yo. Yo. Yo. What's up, lil nigga?"
"I just got pressed."
"The fuck you mean you just got pressed?" Rob's voice got serious. "By who?"
"I'm assuming your lil friends."
"You had the cameras on in the shop?"
"Yeah. I never turn them off."
"Good. I'll take care of it. Don't even worry."
"How you gon' take care of it, Rob?"
"What part of don't worry about it didn't you understand?" He didn't wait for a response. "Are you good?"
"Yeah."
"I'm serious, Kaleo. You straight?"
"I'm straight."
"Alright." He paused. "I'm heading to the shop right now so if you get a call about the alarm, it's me."
"Be careful."
"I always am. Nigga, you be careful. For real."
"I will."
"Alright, cool."
"And Rob."
"Yeah?"
"Keep me updated."
"Will do."
He hung up the call and I dialed Novi immediately.
“Hey!” she said quietly. “Are you done now?”
“Yeah. I’m done. I’m on my way home now.”
“Good.”
“Yeah.” I exhaled.
“You okay?”
“I’m straight. I uh, I was wondering if I could see you tonight.”
“Sure?” Novi sounded genuinely confused. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. I’m sure. Pack a bag and I’ll be over in about fifteen minutes.”
“Okay.”
I drove out to Allur’s spot in silence and cut the lights as soon as I was on the street.
I texted her when I was outside and even though I’d had a bullshit ass night a huge smile took over my face as I watched Novi trek her way out the front door with a tote and backpack.
She paused at the edge of the walkway and waved at me, a level of excitement I didn’t think I’d ever seen from her before.
I hopped out to meet her and didn’t even give her a chance to get to me. I walked straight to her, grabbed her face in both hands and kissed her three slow times. She grinned against my mouth.
“You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” I admitted.
“Good.” She dropped her bags and threw her arms around my chest.
My hands slid from her waist to her ass and I jerked her in and kissed her again. She deepened our kiss and groaned into my mouth.
“Come on.” I smacked both sides of her ass at the same time. “Let’s get home before JV and Allur give us a hard time about kissing on camera.”
Novi giggled but nodded.
“Okay.”
I grabbed her bags and walked her to the passenger’s side.