Page 82 of Kentrell

“In my office.” I reached forward to grab my wine. “He just... sprung it on me while we were eating lunch.”

“Oh, so this a routine thing now, huh?” Stacia accused.

I exhaled deeply.

“Uh—‘nothing,’” she mocked my sigh, making Mars laugh. “You out here talking ‘he just my client,’ meanwhile y’all playing touch and tease and ain’t saidNathan!”

“Not a mumblin’ word!” Mars co-signed just as my phone beeped again.

“Mars, now you know—” I started, pulling the phone from my ear, hoping... praying it was Kentrell.

Nope. Cousin’s name lit up my screen.

Disappointment hit faster than I could hide it.

“Now I knowwhat?” Mars asked as I merged the call.

“Who know what?” Ayesha jumped in without missing a beat.

“Hey, Bae—we was just running yo cousin over the coals for keeping secrets,” Stacia said sweetly.

“Keepingwhatsecrets?” I could hear the offense building in Ayesha’s tone already.

“I didn’t keep anything from y’all—and I told Mars!” I blurted, unable to bear the hot seat alone.

The moment I threw her under the bus, Stacia and Ayesha turned on her like clockwork.

“You bogus as hell!” Mars cackled.

“Nowhow I’m bogus,” I protested between laughs, “and you was making your little shady comments knowing damn well I told you the day it happened!”

I cracked up with them, the guilt slipping right off me.

“Bitch, you was there?” Stacia squeaked, clutching her pearls like Mars had committed treason.

“You know damn well if I’dwalked inon that shit, I woulda recorded it.” Mars always knew how to take it there.

“Iwishyou would,” I said, rolling my eyes to the side—knowing full well that was a dare Mars would take seriously.

“Say less?—”

“Shut up, Marniece!” I set my wine glass down as they all burst out laughing at my expense.

“So where did y’all go that had you out all hours of the night?” Ayesha asked once the giggles died down.

“Ijustasked the same shit!” Stacia added.

“That man had you out past curfew?” Mars gasped dramatically.

“No,shut up!” I giggled. “I don’t have a curfew. And we just went to dinner.”

“Ithoughty’all had lunch?” Mars narrowed her tone suspiciously.

“Twice,” Stacia threw in without missing a beat.

“What?!” Ayesha gasped.

“No, we had lunch the day Mars came into my office, then again Monday. And since we spent the day walking around downtown, we just... went to dinner.”

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