Page 15 of Nothing Like Your Ex

“I’m already knowing. I’ll hit yo’ line in the morning,” East said as they gave each other dap and a quick hug.

Melo smirked. “Who crib you headed to?”

“You already know, nigga.” East grinned, pulling his phone out. “This her right here.”

“Tell sis-in-law I said what’s up.”

Melo didn’t have any in-laws yet, but if anyone was close to settling down, it’d be East. At least that’s what everyone assumed.

“I got you. Love you,” East said, climbing in his whip.

“Love you too.”

Melo didn’t rest his head or his eyes until they were on the highway. It’d been a long week, and he wouldn’t be getting any really good sleep for a few days if that. On a generational run, having just dropped his seventh album six months ago, Melo was running it up until he couldn’t.

“Early night,” Sarge commented, glancing into the rearview.

“Yeah.” Melo chuckled. “I’m getting old, man.”

“Sounds like it’s time to settle down to me.”

Melo kept his eyes closed, knowing Sarge was staring straight at him. Sarge had been Melo’s driver for the past seven years and was considered family, a second father to Melo’s biological father. At thirty-seven, Melo had considered settling down more than a few times. He’d been in three highly publicized relationships, with Shanelle being the last.

Crazily, at the beginning of their relationship, Melo could see her as a wife. Shanelle had put on a good act, too. She was the good girlfriend who supported his career, understood the demands that came with it, and never seemed too impressed by the lifestyle he led. Melo felt like they had something good going on, but eventually, Shanelle showed her true colors.

She got too comfortable, which Melo didn’t mind. He wanted his woman to be as relaxed with him as possible. The issue was Shanelle’s sense of entitlement when it came to him. Melo started to notice that she cared more about being his woman than about herself or their relationship. The first red flag was Shanelle randomly quitting her good-paying job.

As a man raised by a gang of real niggas, Melo never had an issue being the sole provider for their household. There wasn’t a bill, bag, or baecation he didn’t willingly cash out on. What pissed him off was Shanelle expecting him to fund her lifestyle while she sat on her ass, yet wanted to be up his every waking moment.

It would’ve been different if she had a little hobby she enjoyed or if he came home to a cooked meal every once in a while. She stopped doing the things that initially attracted Melo to her and didn’t contribute to their lifestyle or home at all. He would’ve been all for whatever she wanted to do. Shanelle didn’t have no hustle about her, and Melo couldn’t fuck with that. The final straw came when he caught wind of her sharing private details about their relationship with people around her, outside of his circle.

Talking to her homegirl was one thing, but gossiping to mothafuckas who were ultimately chasing clout off his name was some opp shit in Melo’s eyes. That shit hurt more than the breakup itself. He’d thought he was building a future with someone who knew him, only to realize she’d been playing a part.

Shanelle hadn’t broken his heart enough to swear off love. He could still see himself getting married one day and building a family like the one he came from. Melo knew there was a woman out there he could build something real with, but he wasn’t willing to force it with someone who loved the life that came with him more than she loved him. It was that simple.

Sarge pulled into the private gated community and drove a few more minutes before pulling into Melo’s large driveway. The mansion was absolutely breathtaking and ducked off just as Melo preferred. His family complained about the drive, but his spot was the one they visited most.

“Swing by my parents’ house tomorrow afternoon, if you and the missus don’t have anything going on,” Melo told Sarge.

“We shouldn’t, but I’ll check with her and see.”

Melo nodded. “A’ight. ‘Preciate ya, like always. Get home safely.”

Sarge let him know he would, feeling like a proud father. Melo grabbed his things, stepped out of the SUV, shut the door behind him, and walked toward the garage. The neighborhood was quiet this time of night, and that was exactly how he liked it. After spending hours surrounded by music, liquor, women, and niggas who wanted to shake his hand every five minutes, coming home to silence felt damn near therapeutic.

Once inside, he slipped off his shoes and headed upstairs. His body was tired, but his mind was still moving. He had an extensive to-do list and a packed schedule for the upcoming week, but something else had stayed on his mind since he’d left the arena. Honestly, since he’d left the stage.

Laying eyes on Kwinn had been the highlight of his night. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her, but baby girl was still fine as ever. He’d known of her for years, never getting too close but close enough.

Everybody from the East knew everybody, especially when they were younger and always running into the same people at the same functions, house parties, clubs, and neighborhood kickbacks. She’d been cute back then, but Kwinn had grown into a whole woman.

The type of woman Melo wanted.

Melo fucked with the confidence Kwinn carried, and the way she spoke without seeming impressed by who he was. She hadn’t been throwing herself at him backstage or acting starstruck. She’d looked him in the eyes, complimented his performance, and talked to him like he was simply a man she’d known and was catching up with.

After a hot shower, he brushed his teeth, washed his face, and climbed into bed. Exhaling, he laid in the quietness, thanking God for yet another great night. He had a lot to be grateful for. His career was still moving exactly as he’d prayed it would, his family was good, his money was straight, and he had another week ahead of him full of opportunities that people would kill for. Still, his mind kept circling back to Kwinn.

Instead of putting his phone down and going to sleep like he knew he should’ve, Melo opened Instagram. He didn’t even bother scrolling; he went straight to the search bar and typed in Kwinn’s name. Her page was the first to pop up, and Melo smiled. He’d come across her business page for The Taylor Collective a while back but hadn’t gotten around to following her personal page.