Chapter 10 - Kyleigh
I really had to stop telling God what I wasn’t gon’ do, because every time I said never, I ended up in town.
Darnita’s was packed. It always was. Christmas lights framed the windows, a tree dominated one corner, and the giant chalkboard read Special: Shrimp we’re not friends now. You don’t get to come to my table and try to shame the one person who’s had my back since before I could drive, because you mad you can’t take selfies in front of my pine trees.”
Somebody at the next table choked back laughter. Taniyah covered her mouth, eyes bright with amusement.
Shayla sucked her teeth. “I know—”
I held up a hand, stopping her. “If you have an issue with me, bring it to me. Don’t stand over her like she broke Christmas. Out here moving like a coward.”
“Coward?” she repeated, eyes flashing.
“I’m using the polite word,” I told her sweetly.
We stared at each other. The whole room leaned in.
“Y’all remember this energy when she drags the town to court. Don’t say nobody warned you,” Shayla snapped, finally breaking eye contact.
Taniyah snorted. “Girl, if I end up in court, it’ll be ’cause I finally snatched that wig. Now move. You blocking my food.”
Darnita spoke up from the table where she was taking an order. “Shayla, get your plate and go. You messing up my service.”
“Just ’cause they playing nice don’t mean I will,” she hissed.
I laughed softly. “Don’t think I will, either.”
She stomped off. I sagged back against the booth.
“You good?” Taniyah asked.
“I’m… something,” I said. The humiliation burned, but having someone stand on my side out loud helped more than I wanted to admit.
She reached across the table and squeezed my hands. “She got you fucked up if she thinks I’m about to pick the town over you. I remember who held my hair when I was throwing up off that cheap tequila. Loyalty been paid for.”
“You threw up on my favorite slippers,” I reminded her.
“And you still let me stay. Soft ass,” she said, smirking.
I shook my head. We chatted our way through lunch, falling back into our old, easy rhythm as if no time had passed. I had missed Taniyah and she, apparently, had missed me.
“Kyleigh?”
My gaze shifted outside the booth and landed on the woman who had called my name.
Emory Miller stood there, a chunky, gorgeous baby boy strapped to her chest and a tall, slightly scary man hovering protectively over her.
Damn, she was as beautiful as ever. I had liked her in school—she’d been a year ahead of me.
The Miller girls had been some of the few who were sweet to me.
I gave her a genuine, if hesitant, smile.
I never knew how people felt about me around here.
“Hey,” I greeted.
“Hey. It’s so good to see you, down off that hill, girl. I know people give you a hard time, but if you handle them like you did that bitch, you’ll be all right,” she said.
“Baby,” her husband scolded.
She pursed her lips at him. “What? C’mon, Prime. You know it’s the truth.”
I couldn’t help the grin that split my face. Yep, same ol’ Emory. Had to love her.
“Anyway, we gotta go, but it was good seeing you. Don’t let these people have you shut up in that big ol’ house. You better start showing that pretty face.”
“I hear you,” was all I said.
“Don’t just hear me. Listen,” she demanded, before kissing me, then Taniyah, on the cheek and disappearing in a cloud of expensive perfume and baby powder.
I was still smiling when the bell over the door rang again. Glancing up, I felt my stomach drop like a free-falling elevator. I turned around fast as hell.
“Afternoon, Ms. D,” he said. “Order for Christopher.”
Taniyah’s eyes went wide. “Lord! Speak of the devil,” she whispered.
So, okay, I looked. And… damn! He stood at the counter in a black hoodie and jeans, beard neat, dark skin looking like velvet.
He took the bag from Darnita, said something that made her grin, then turned and caught sight of us.
His gaze locked on mine. Everything else in the room faded for a second.
“Okay, why he still fine like that is beyond me. Just rude,” Taniyah muttered.
“Shut up,” I said, heat creeping up my neck.