Page 55 of Kissed By the Trillest Thug 2

“You thought she was cute.”

I laughed.

“I did not.”

He finally looked over at me.

“Boy, quit lying.”

“I ain’t lying.”

“You watched that girl the whole time she was helping you.”

“I was paying attention to the process,” I tried to admit.

“Mhm.”

He nodded like he believed me, which somehow made it worse.

“I know what paying attention looks like.”

I shook my head.

“She ain’t even my type.”

Honestly, she wasn’t, and that’s why my interest in her was so mind-boggling to me. Pops chuckled to himself.

“If you say so.”

A few more seconds passed before he spoke again.

“You know…”

He smiled as he looked back at the road.

“Your mom had a little gap in between her front teeth too.”

The joke died in the truck. My eyes drifted toward the passenger window. Outside, Miami kept moving. Inside… My mind had already gone somewhere else. My eyes stayed on the passing traffic outside the passenger window.“Your mom had a little gap in between her front teeth too.”Just like that… I was seven years old again.

Mama stood in front of the hallway mirror fastening the buttons on a navy-blue blazer. Her heels clicked softly against the hardwood floor as she moved between the bathroom and her bedroom, gathering everything she needed for work. Even dressed in a suit, she somehow still looked like my mama. Beautiful. Important. And most importantly, busy.

“You ready, MJ?” she called.

I came running around the corner with my Spiderman backpack bouncing against my shoulders.

“I’ve been ready.”

She laughed.

“No, you’ve been rushing me.”

She crouched in front of me and straightened the collar of my uniform shirt before smoothing my hair with the palm of her hand.

“There. Now you look handsome.”

I grinned.

“Mama?”