Page 31 of The Sweetest Devotion

“Anyway,” he moved on. “What happened the other night? You never texted me back.”

“It’s a crazy story, man.” I shook my head and grabbed my beer. Normally, I wasn’t one to talk—not that I intended to tell it all, but the whole thing was still unbelievable to me.

Crazy Legs was buzzing with conversation, laughter, and music from the speakers. No one was paying us any mind as we hung at the bar.

I ran a hand down my face and stared ahead at the wall of liquor behind the bar. “Me and her…kinda got into it at the garage.”

“Excuse me?” I could hear Savon’s shock in his tone.

I nodded and kept going. “One thing sorta led to another and we had a good time.”

He gripped my shoulder, demanding I look him in the eye as I told him. “Thatgirl? Letyoutouch her?”

I couldn’t be offended, because I got his meaning through and through. Baby girl was a bougie little bih with an attitude that could grate on anyone’s nerves.

“It just…happened.” I shrugged. “One minute she’s actin’ stuck-up, and the next…she’s asking for it.” I winced at the phrasing. “I mean, she gave me the green light. She was feelin’ me. Wouldn’t let me kiss her, though.”

“Oh,” Savon said as he took a swig of his beer. “She one ofthose.”

I chuckled. I needed to ask her about that. Kennedy had a face that demanded attention. “Who knows?”

“So she ain’t got a man? Shit, with that big ass rock on her finger, I was willin’ to bet she was marrying some tech guy,” Savon went on.

My face scrunched up at the reality that Kennedy was very much engaged. “No, she’s getting married, but…it’s complicated.”

“Sure.” Savon’s sarcasm bit at me, making me feel a need to defend Kennedy. I didn’t know her. Didn’t know if she had fed me bullshit to keep seeing me, but I didn’t want to set her out like that.

“Nah, she got rich people problems. Some business deal between her pops and this dude has her being married off to finalize it.”

Savon looked at me, squinting his eyes, not understanding the scenario either. “What is she? The princess of Zamunda?”

My shoulders shook as I relaxed and laughed. “I don’t know, man. Shit is twisted.”

“Jesus.” Savon took another sip of his beer. “You don’t need that mess.”

I stroked at my chin, thinking over the stupidity in getting involved with Kennedy knowing her situation. “I gave her my card when she came to pick up her ride Monday.”

I could feel Savon’s gaze on me. “So, youfinallyover Leila then?”

Lately, I hadn’t been thinking about her. Still, there was an old grocery list stuck to my fridge at home I’d kept to have a reminder of her. Her feminine handwriting was all I had left.

I needed to throw it out.

“Guess so,” I stated in the end.

Savon whistled and raised his glass in the air, signifying a toast. “Must’ve been somethin’ mean.”

That I couldn’t deny.

I liked it a little more than I should’ve.

“All right, coming to the stage is a lady that needs no introduction. Get all your money out right now. I need big bills for this lady, fellas. Let’s give it up for Sabrina!” the DJ announced enthusiastically. His words were met with a riotous cheer from the men bordering the stage and those at the tables and booths beyond.

Whoever this girl was, she was a highly admired dancer.

The lights in the club dimmed as a spotlight centered on the stage, awaiting the arrival of the next dancer to come out.

Music began playing, a smooth R&B song I soon recognized as Ciara’s “Body Party” just as the dancer emerged from behind the velvet curtains.

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