I should’ve taken the day off.

Aspen only had one more full day in town before she’d be leaving tomorrow night to head to Atlanta for the filming of her next feature, and I was stuck in the shop cutting hair instead of spending more time with her; many of my clients squeezing in emergency appointments for a quick line-up after getting word of the Black Friday party she was hosting down at The Max tonight.

It was sure to be a hit, which was the exact reason I wasn’t trying to be in the building. Me and big crowds just didn’t get along. But I imagined telling Aspen I wasn’t coming being similar to telling a child Santa Claus wasn’t real, and honestly, I didn’t even have it in me to break her heart like that.

I’d just have to take one for the team.

As if I had thought her up, the chime of the bell over the barbershop door cued me in on her surprise arrival, the entire shop quietly staring at her in awe the second she walked in and gushed, “Oh, wow. This place looks nothing like I remembered it.”

Abandoning my booth along with the customer in my chair, I approached her and asked, “Aspen, what you doin’ here?”

She was all smiles, bouncing on the toes of her Balenciaga sock shoes when she started, “Well… after I snuck in some cuddle time with Titan and some diva time with Elliana at aunt Marie’s and uncle Roger’s house, I went down to the lounge to run through plans for tonight with Maxwell and Kelvin. But that got boring once they started talking numbers I didn’t care about, so I thought I’d drop by here and say hey.”

“Well hey to you too,” I told her, scrubbing a hand down the back of my neck and taking a quick glance around the shop. Since I’d been working here, I swear I’d never heard the floor so quiet which meant every ear must’ve been tuned in to our conversation.

The last thing I needed was a bunch of big mouth niggas in my business, and especially not in hers. So without letting things go any further, I suggested, “Uh… how about we take this conversation to the back.”

Aspen was happy to do so, waving to a few of her admirers on the way as I told my client I’d be right back. And once we were there, she asked, “Where’s Tiana?”

With a shrug, I locked the door behind us. “I think she’s out taking advantage of the Black Friday sales with her mom and sister. She didn’t even come in today.”

Now that we were alone, Aspen wasted no time snuggling up to me, giving my beard a tug as she said, “You should’ve taken a page out of her book. I need some company.”

Wrapping her in a low hug, I agreed, “Was legit thinking the same shit before your pretty ass showed up. But now I got a day full of heads thanks to that little party y’all having tonight.”

With a giggle, she pressed her hands into my chest and asked, “Oh, niggas are actually gettin’ fresh for this? It’s about to be a movie.”

“Yeah, I bet,” I groaned, already feeling antsy about the prospect. And apparently, I hadn’t done a very good job of masking that anxiety since Aspen immediately frowned once she picked up on it.

“What’s the matter, Orlando?”

Shaking my head, I sighed, “Nothin’. It’s just… the butterfly Bat signal. It happened in the club, at an event just like this. Thought shit was real sweet and then… bam. Got snuck from behind.”

I couldn’t forget that night if I wanted to; when what was supposed to be a fun time out with my niggas to celebrate one of their birthdays turned into the worst night of my life thanks to my dad’s dealings. Of course his old ass wasn’t in the club, but I guess I was something like collateral since the people after him came for me the second they saw I was out. And from there, it was nothing but shattered bottles, screaming women, and so, so much blood.

A damn nightmare.

As if she could see me slipping back into that dark moment, Aspen put a gentle hand against my cheek and said, “Hey. You created a better memory of Jackie Robinson Park for me. Now let me create a better memory of the club for you. You’re safe here, Orlando. I promise you.”

While I wanted to believe her, the truth was, “Little mama, you been back in the city for all of two days and will be skipping back out just as quick. You don’t know that for sure.”

“These are still my people!” she defended, her enthusiasm making me smirk as she continued, “This area is… it just isn’t like that. It’s never been like that. But I understand if you’re still a little paranoid about it. And I completely understand if you don’t wanna come tonight because of that.”

As crazy as it sounded, her being so understanding only made me want to show up for her even more, scraping my bottom lip with my teeth before I assured her, “Nah, I’ma come. Can’t have some lame ass niggas tryna come at you crazy; security guards, be damned.”

With a smirk, she groaned, “Mmmhmm. Sounds like you’re concerned about a little more than just my safety, Orlando.”

“Shit, what you expect? You ain’t no ordinary woman, Aspen Watson. Walked in here and turned heads in a damn... oversized sweatshirt and biker shorts. And I already know you about to be on another level tonight.”

Honestly, that part of it was probably what excited me most. Seeing Aspen dressed down in her own special way like she was today was a vibe in itself. But seeing Aspen all dressed up already had me anxious to get her back to her hotel room for the night, especially when she gnawed into her lip to add, “With you on my side only making me look even better.”

“Eh. I’ll see what I can do,” I told her with a shrug that made her give a playful roll of her eyes as she pulled herself out of my hold.

“Anyway! Let me get out of here before your clients start a riot. You’re still picking me up tonight, right?”

“As long as Kelvin still has me on the payroll. Otherwise, you gotta call a jitney,” I teased, her sharp inhale in response making me laugh as I moved towards the door and admitted, “I’m playin’. I’ll be there. I’d be there regardless; for you.”

“How cute,” she sang, giving me an adorable look to match that had a nigga feelin’ goofy when I told her, “Aight, aight. Enough of that sweet sucka shit. I’ll see you later, little mama.”

She waited until we were back on the shop floor to reply, “You better.” And while I thought that was end of her visit, I was completely caught off-guard when she turned back around and lifted to her tippy-toes for a kiss in front of everybody, sealing it with a little pat to my cheek when she finally said, “Bye, Orlando.”

My, “Bye, Aspen,” came out as more of a whisper as I watched her every step out of the shop, then continued watching until she safely disappeared into the car she must’ve used to get here since I wasn’t driving her today. And the second I finally shook out of the trance she’d left me in to get back to my booth, I heard Mr. Clyde shout, “Gotdamn, boy! She’s got you buttercream frosting whipped!”

The whole shop roared with a laugh that had me shaking my head as I told him, “Man, go back to sleep.”

“I already slept through one fine woman walking in here. Now I gotta stay up just in case Thelma from Good Times shows up. You know she’s still just as fine now as she was back on the show,” Mr. Clyde said, on some old school shit that had most of the youngins in the shop confused and all the oldheads agreeing since they were the ones who knew who he was talking about.

Meanwhile, I was solely focused on getting back to my client, peeping to see where I had left off in his cut until Danny said, “I ain’t gon’ lie. I ain’t think you had that in you, chief. Good shit, bruh. For real.”

While my first instinct was to be offended and respond as such, I only offered him a nod, hoping that would dead all the conversation surrounding me and Aspen. And though it did from Danny, it didn’t from the client in his chair who chimed in, “Gotta be tough, though. Knowing you don’t really stand a chance with her long-term, but still playing it like you do.”

My clippers were already in my hand when I told him, “I don’t really think it’s your business either way.”

From my peripheral, I caught the shrug of his protective cape as he continued, “I’m just sayin’. Your regular ass is competing with actors, ball players, niggas who just got long money in general. Why would she want you when she’s got access to all that?”

Considering this nigga was a nobody to me, I wasn’t sweating his commentary enough to even respond. But for some reason, it bugged me to hear Mr. Clyde agree, “You know, he’s got a point in there somewhere. Better protect yourself, youngblood. Don’t get too attached.”

The thought of him being right was already manifesting in my head, even when Danny advised, “Man, don’t listen to these dudes, Orlando. They don’t know what it’s like to have a shorty really rock with you for who you are.”

“Who you are might get you the panties once or twice, but it damn sure ain’t enough to keep a girl like that interested. She’s the type who wants to be treated to the finer things. Shit that’s way outta your pay grade,” his client added with a laugh that really got my blood boiling since his ass obviously didn’t know when to shut the fuck up.

Dropping my clippers onto the booth, I snapped, “First of all, nigga you don’t know my pockets. Second of all, you don’t know Aspen like I do, so don’t even speak on her like that.”

Instead of taking me seriously, he only laughed some more. “Nigga been Driving Miss. Daisy for two days and now he think he knows somebody. Aight, bruh. You got it.”

I honestly don’t even know how it happened. But one second, I was standing at my booth and the next I had my hands around the dude’s neck as Danny and my client both tried - and failed - to pull me off of him. It wasn’t until I heard Tiana squeal, “What the hell is going on in here?!” that I actually let go, already feeling guilty about disrespecting her spot over his bum ass.

With my hands up, I told her, “I’m sorry, Tiana. I…”

She cut me off with a look of concern. “Orlando, are you okay?”

The dude must not have gotten enough since he still found it in himself to ask, “Is he okay?! This nigga just tried to kill me with his bare hands, and you’re asking about him?!”

“Yes! Because I know you must’ve said something ignorant like you always do,” Tiana replied with a scowl before turning back to me with that same concerned expression. “Orlando?”

To cool off, I started pacing back and forth as I told her, “I’m good, I’m good. My bad. I’m better than that. That’s my fault.”

It might’ve sounded like enough to me, but Tiana wasn’t impressed, grabbing my arm to drag me to the back room where she snapped, “Don’t scare me like that, man! I… I’ve never seen you get like that before; never seen that dark look in your eyes before. And I wasn’t even planning on coming in today, but I’m glad I showed up when I did, or his ass might’ve really been dead.”

Shaking my head, I assured her, “Nah, I wasn’t gonna kill him. I know just when to stop.”

That only made her sigh. “Look, I know it’s in your blood or whatever, but you gotta leave all that hood shit outside of the shop, Orlando. This is my business, my livelihood, which means I have to protect it. I can’t have it turning into a damn crime scene over some petty nonsense between you and a customer.”

Though I knew she was right, I was still quick to remind her, “I told you I wasn’t gonna kill him, Tiana. And that wasn’t even on no hood shit. He came for me as a man, so he had to deal with the consequences.”

“Well you still have too much to lose now to be dishing out consequences that could ultimately land you in jail; especially over him.”

Nodding, I agreed, “You right. I was buggin’. It won’t happen again, Boss Lady.”

“It better not. Now stay in here until Danny sends him on his way. I’m not taking any chances of him saying something else slick to set you off.”

Since I really didn’t have time to be waiting for Danny if I wanted to get out of here on time, I, once again, insisted, “I’m good, Tiana. For real. And my client has been here since before Aspen even showed up, so I need to finish him up before I get too behind schedule.”

Stopping in her tracks, she turned back to ask, “Wait. Aspen was here?”

“Yeah, she just stopped by to say what’s up,” I explained, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible so Tiana wouldn’t even think to put two and two together.

Of course she did anyway, a knowing smirk on her face when she crossed her arms and questioned, “Did that little... situation have anything to do with her?”

Brushing a hand against the back of my neck, I told her, “Nah. I mean, not really. It kinda started off about her, but then he made it personal.”

It sounded good in my head until Tiana responded with an unconvinced groan. “Mmmhmm. Sounds like somebody’s been bitten by the lovebug. First she’s inviting you to Thanksgiving dinner, sitting in your lap eating dessert and shit. And now she’s surprising you here at the shop? That girl is in-to you, dude.”

When she mentioned someone being bitten by the lovebug, I assumed she was talking about me. But the fact that she’d noticed the ways in which Aspen had reciprocated that feeling had me questioning why I had let ol’ boy and Mr. Clyde get to me in the first place; something she left me to think about as she went back out to the shop floor and I got myself together to finish out the day.