woman Margo has been, my life wouldn’t have turned out this way.”
“I appreciate hearing that, Angelica. You are beautiful.”
Surprise registered on Angelica’s face. “Thank you. Where did that come from?”
“Just stating what is.”
“I’m a little confused. All the times I’ve tried to get you to notice me, you’ve never given me a moment’s glance.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m stating what is.”
“Let’s say I thought about taking you on a road test.”
“A road test? You say that as if I was a piece of meat that you take out of the freezer if you get a little hungry.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Angelica. I apologize if it sounded harsh.”
Angelica got up from her seat and stood directly in front of Malik. “What is it that you don’t like about me? I know you think that Jefferson and I were together when he had the accident. We weren’t together the way you think; I had gone to warn him about the hit on his life.”
“So you’ve never been with Jefferson?”
“No,” Angelica said too quickly.
“Well, Ms. Angelica Barnes the Beautiful, my frat and best friend Jefferson must be a liar.”
“What are you talking about, Malik?”
“Why don’t you tell me? You’re turning over a new leaf. The truth might set your soul free.”
“Okay, Malik, this is over. I’m going to get some lunch, finish out my day, and decide whether I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Malik gently grabbed Angelica by both wrists. “Look into my eyes and tell me you and Jefferson haven’t been together.”
“Let go of me. Now. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jefferson and I have not been together.”
Malik released her arms. “You haven’t learned your lesson yet, and you’ll never be the woman Margo is.”
“Funny, Jefferson said the same words to me.” Tears formed in Angelica’s eyes.
“See, I know all about how you seduced Jefferson while you were married to Hamilton. I know all the sordid details. Jefferson didn’t leave a seedy detail to chance. That’s what frats do. They share everything-their joys, their toys, and their conquests. Yes, it even got me to thinking about hitting on you, but I’m not the dog Jefferson is. He’s my boy, but I didn’t agree with half the things he did, especially where it concerned Margo. Margo has been his whole life, and I hate that I hold the kind of secrets that would hurt her to the core.”
“I believe my day here is done.”
“I will never tell Margo, you know. She never needs to know that her best friend is a pole-dancing ho who laid with her husband.”
“I hate you, Malik.” Angelica pointed her finger at herself. “You will never get to road test this because you’re not good enough. It takes a real man to handle Angelica Barnes. Ask Jefferson.”
Angelica turned on her heels and started out the door. She turned around and looked back at Malik with tears in her eyes. “Thank you for nothing. I expected you to be more of a man than Jefferson. I guess I was wrong.”
Malik watched her walk out, stop, and then run back into the shop.
“What is it?” Malik asked with concern written on his face.
Angelica’s chest heaved in and out. “Oh my God!”
“What is it, Angelica? What happened out there?”
“I saw the guy who was on the bus with me when I left prison.”
“It’s probably a coincidence. Anyway, why would he be after you?”
“No, Malik. It was the way he stared at me. He was in jail for armed robbery and attempted murder. He told me things about Hamilton-some terrible crap that these guys are doing to him in prison, things only someone on the inside would know. But the frightening thing is he doesn’t even know me. And then he mentioned Ms. Macy.”
“Who’s Ms. Macy?”
“One of the corrections officers at the women’s prison. I have a weird feeling about that man. I can’t put my finger on it, but I don’t feel good about it. If you don’t mind, I’d like to sit here a minute, and if you’re still offering half of your sandwich, I’ll accept.”
“Sure. You can have the whole sandwich; I’m not that hungry.”
“Malik, whatever you think of me, I’m not the same person you once knew. Yes, I am guilty of the things you accuse me of, but that was then and this is now.”
“What things?” said the familiar voice. “You need to get a bell in this place, Malik, so nobody walks in on you.”
“Margo, what are you doing here?” Malik blurted.
7
“Why are you both looking at me like that? Angelica? Malik? What are you guilty of, Angelica?”
“Margo, Malik and I were talking about how I let you down as a friend.”
“We’ve talked about it, but I thought we’ve agreed to move ahead with our lives.”
“I plan to do just that, and the only way to do that is to get a real job that pays.”
“Malik, can’t you pay Angelica? I was wondering why she would opt to do it for free.”
“I’m not sure that Angelica wants to be hemmed up around computers all day,” Malik said.
“Right. I don’t think anyone’s going to let me be a buyer for their store, but maybe doing a little retail, which is my love, would better suit me,” Angelica said.
“You can cut the charade. I don’t know what happened between you being excited about working for Malik and this very minute, Angelica, but whatever it is, it’s on you. I was going to ask you both out to lunch-I just sold a four-hundred-thousand-dollar house-but since you’re being so secretive, I’ll take myself to lunch.”
“But…” Angelica tried to say. Margo held her hand up, palm side to Angelica.
“No, no. You and Malik continue your little conversation. You know that everything hidden eventually comes to the light.”
Silence. Margo swung around and looked from Angelica to Malik. “It will come to the light.” Margo turned and left, swinging her purse over her shoulder.
Malik moved to within an inch of Angelica. “You have opened old wounds. Margo is not going to rest until she finds out what we were talking about.”
“If I’m not going to tell her and you’re not going to tell her, how is she going to find out?”
Malik pondered the question for the moment. “You have to leave Fayetteville. You are a constant reminder of the past and, as long as you remain, Margo is going to want to know what we don’t want her to know.”
“So, Mister I’ve Already Got This Figured Out, you’re going to tell me that I have to pack up my belongings and get out of Dodge so you and your girlfriend can live a peaceful life without having to dance around me and worry about me being up in your face? You know you want this, Malik.”
Angelica removed the top button, then the second button on her jacket. “Mighty tempting, don’t you think?” She teased Malik while he stood staring at her breasts, which were encased in a lime-green plunging, push-up bra.
“You’re not going to trap me in your web, Angelica. I kill spiders, especially black widow spiders with the venomous spot on their heart. You can take your spindly legs and try to wrap them around me, but you don’t want to mess with me.”
Angelica looked up into Malik’s eyes. Her movements were sensual and slow as she lifted her mouth to his and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. She removed her lips and saw that Malik’s eyes were closed, his lips poised for another round. She tasted his lips again while slowly pawing her way down the front of his plush knit shirt. Angelica waited for him to open his eyes while she stared, daring him to resist her.
Ashamed, Malik threw his hands out and moved back suddenly. Angelica continued to stare at him with eyes that were like magnets, drawing Malik closer the more he resisted.
