Page 41 of Nothing Like Your Ex

Chuckling, Melo lowered his briefs, and Kwinn lowered her head. Lifting her up, Melo positioned her over his face and directly on his tongue. It was going to be a good morning, indeed.

CHAPTER 10

If she could’ve stayed in California, Kwinn would have. She’d been back in town for less than a week, and there was already some bullshit going on. First, an order of custom fabric from one of her suppliers was delayed, and now she and Jabari’s relationship, or lack thereof, was all over social media.

Granted, Kwinn knew word would spread about their breakup, but she didn’t think it would be this messy, especially since she found out that he’d been cheating on her for who knows how long.

“Tell Melo we need the jet so we can fly to New York and beat Jabari’s lying ass,” Saiko spat through the phone.

She was madder than Kwinn was. A lowdown, no-good, inattentive, light-bright ass nigga could never play in her friend’s face, and she was pissed Jabari had even been given the chance to.

Kwinn smirked. She wasn’t as upset but disappointed more than anything. “If it were for any other reason, he probably would.”

“But this is definitely jet-worthy,” Saiko insisted. “I don’t give a damn what nobody says. He’s been out here creeping while you were defending his weak leg, lollipop head ass.”

Snickering, Kwinn turned down another aisle in Home Goods. Some days were hit or miss with the items she was searching for, and based on how full her car was, it was a hit. At least something was going right today.

“It’s fine, Saiko. For real. I’m just grateful I went with my gut and didn’t move with him. Do you know how even more embarrassing that would be?”

“Yeah, but it’s truly his loss. I just don’t understand why he couldn’t keep it real with you. He really had the nerve to be cheating and be mad about you not wanting to uproot your entire life. Niggas are delusional.”

“Very,” Kwinn agreed.

Jabari had the nerve to act like he was upset about getting traded to New York, when it was clear that’s where his ass wanted to be. Between social media, her phone blowing up, and clients checking in about projects, Kwinn hadn’t had much time to process anything. Once the news of their breakup started circulating, people had opinions about everything from when they’d actually called it quits to who was at fault. Then the cheating rumors started, followed by women suddenly feeling comfortable enough to confirm what Kwinn had already learned the hard way.

Her man had been cheating. For how long, she didn't know. At this point, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. The truth was, Kwinn didn’t care. If this had been weeks ago, when she was trying to make things work, it would’ve been different. His absence hadn’t made her heart grow fonder; it made her pussy wetter for the next nigga.

“Have any of them tried coming to you as a woman?” Saiko asked.

Kwinn laughed. “No, and I wish one of them bitches would. They gon’ get ignored just how he is.”

“The fact that it’s multiple is sick. I’m sorry, sis, for real. You’re too good of a person to have been blindsided by his mediocre ass.”

Saiko’s words made her chest tighten, and her eyes prick with wetness. The women who claimed to have dealt with Jabari were messing around with him far before the trade. They were goofily sharing receipts as if anyone had asked for them. At this point, another woman could claim she’d been involved with Jabari, and it wouldn’t shock her. It was the sheer number of them that had started to piss her off.

“Everything happens for a reason. We just weren’t meant to be.”

“True. But where does his snaggily-tooth mama stay? I know she’s been knowing. Her son got all this money, and she can’t get her mouth fixed. Ugh. The whole family is a bunch of goof troops.”

Kwinn burst out laughing. “Saiko!”

“What? I’m mad! You better keep laughing ‘cause if I sit here and think about it for too long, I’m liable to track that address down. You know I can.”

Kwinn shook her head, placing a throw pillow inside her basket. She wasn’t happy about any of it, but there was something oddly freeing about knowing she hadn’t been crazy all those months. The distance she’d felt hadn’t been something she’d imagined. The attitude, the lack of interest, the way he’d started making her feel like she and her business were somehow an inconvenience…it had all been for a reason. Unfortunately, that reason included a bunch of women who weren’t her.

“I know you can. I guess I’m just disappointed and a lil’ upset with myself,” Kwinn quietly admitted. “I really thought we were better than that.”

“And it’s okay to be disappointed but don’t be upset about something God was protecting you from. You couldn’t see the foul stuff he was on, but He did. That’s Jabari’s loss, not yours.”

Those were just the words Kwinn needed to hear. She could’ve handled him not being the man she needed anymore, realizing they’d grown apart. She could’ve even handled him being upset about the trade and acting like an asshole for a while. But for the nigga to cheat and obsessively at that? Kwinn was utterly disgusted.

“You’re right. I just hate that I wasted so much time,” Kwinn admitted.

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Don’t look at it as wasted time. You learned something from the relationship, gained a few associates, and realized that not even your cheating-ass boyfriend can stop you from having a blast with the next man.”