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His fingers brushed the back of it before he leaned down near my ear.

“I miss you, Avery.”

That wiped some of the smile off my face.

He came back around but didn’t sit immediately.

“I’m serious. Come on.”

“Keith…”

“What?”

I sighed.

Three years of on-and-off bullshit with this nigga wasn’t something a necklace erased.

But I couldn’t lie like I didn’t miss certain shit too.

This.

Sitting across from somebody in public.

Getting dressed and actually going somewhere.

Having a man make reservations because he knew I liked steak instead of texting me when he wanted to fuck.

I opened my mouth.

My phone vibrated against the table.

I glanced down.

Xay: Where you at?

I sucked my teeth and flipped it over.

Keith sat back down.

“Who got you making faces?”

“Nobody.”

My phone vibrated again.

Then again.

I ignored it until Keith’s eyes dropped toward it.

“Popular tonight.”

“Apparently.”

I finally picked it up.

Xay: You out?

Then another.