Page 3 of Seek & Destroy

He couldn’t capture my heart at first sight, but he definitely captured my vagina at first words. I didn’t want to seem thirsty because I certainly wasn’t, but I wouldn’t lie and say that I wasn’t intrigued. I smiled politely and nodded.

“I think I can help you with that. Follow me,” I told him as I led the way to the back. “You can have a seat here, and I’ll be right with you.”

He nodded and took off his shoes. I walked further to the back to get the solution and other products I needed for his pedicure from the supply closet, as Tania trailed in behind me.

“E, let me do his pedicure. I’m trying to find me a new boyfriend, and he looks like the one.”

I looked at her like she was crazy.

“Since when do your ass do pedicures?”

“I mean, it ain’t that hard to wash some feet and clip some toenails.”

“It’s a lot more to it than that, Nia.” I laughed.

“Come on. I already see you scoping. You need to learn how to share.”

I laughed again. “Chile, please! I’m not scoping anything. I’m not even attracted to him like that, but go off, sis. All I know is if you fuck his feet up and give my business a bad name, you’re fired,” I told her, handing her the things she’ll need.

She smiled a mischievous grin then walked out of the closet. My phone rang, grabbing my attention, so I reached in my fanny pack to see who it was. Seeing my mom’s name and photo on the screen, I answered with a smile on my face.

“Hey, Mommy. How’s Jamaica?” I asked her.

“Beautiful, but I’m trying to figure out why you haven’t called me in three days?”

“You know the Fourth of July is coming up, so I’ve been busy at the shop. Besides, I figured you were out there living your best life and didn’t want to be bothered.”

“Whatever, little girl. I could have been dead, and you wouldn’t have known it until a week later.”

“Ma, stop,” I said as I laughed.

“Anyway, did you get your new car from Chris?”

“Not yet, and his ass is about three seconds from being blocked.”

“Girl, you playing. His ass would have been kicked to the curb for the garbage man to pick up. I know I taught you better than that.”

I sighed as I shook my head. Shania Simms had gotten her heart broken by my father, who I never got the chance to know because he had moved on soon after I was born. Ever since then, her ass went straight rogue. She had no feelings and no filter when it came to the opposite sex. She made it known when she hooked up with her male counterparts that she was not interested in happily ever after. I could count on both hands how many proposals she’d gotten or the endless amount of gifts and trips from men that knew they would never have a future with her. As much as I loved my mom, I felt her ho phase should have been over by now. Hell, was there even a time frame for it?

I was just starting to live out my young ho dreams. I was twenty-eight years old with a different man for every day of the week. Two of them I wasn’t even having sex with. The other two were only allowed to give me cunnilingus, and the other three were the ones who were lucky enough to get what was between my sweet thighs. Christopher, Solomon, and Marcus were at the top of my list because these men were entrepreneurs. Chris owned his own airline company, Solo owned one of the largest and hottest clothing stores in the metro area called Two-Fourteen, and Marc played for the Lions as a cornerback. I rarely got to see him because of his traveling, but he stayed sending me gifts and FaceTiming me whenever he could. The others were just niggas that I kept time with when I was bored and that could buy me a Chanel bag or two.

“Well, he gets a pass for now because I know how demanding his job is. However, he only gets a twenty-four-hour grace period before I cut him off.”

“Mm. I wouldn’t even give him that, but go ’head. Anyway, I was just checking in and letting you know that I’ll be home in the next three days. I want to host a barbecue at the house on the Fourth, so make sure you make time for your mama.”

“You know I always have time for you.”

“Um, Esa. Mr. Perfect is requesting you,” Tania said, poking her head inside the closet.

“I’ll be out in a second.”

“Mr. Perfect? You got a man in your shop?”

“It’s not foreign, Ma.” I laughed. “Men come into the shop all the time…just a few and far in between.”

“Mm hmm. Sounds like Mr. Potential Sponsor to me,” she said, laughing.

“Hm. Maybe, but I gotta go. I love you, Toots.”

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