Honey Brown II

Chapter 6

KENDRA

Cherri hadn't said a word to me, but I could tell that she was watching me. Closely.

She was rarely ever this quiet, and her silence spoke volumes. I thought about how I was going to talk to her while avoiding a possible scene. That would more than likely be difficult, Cherri lived for unnecessary drama. I decided the best way to handle the situation was to be straightforward. So, around 5:00 p.m., I approached her desk.

"Cherri, you busy after work?" I asked. She looked at me, wary of my intentions. Good. She should be.

"Not really. Did you need something?" she answered. Any other time, she would jump at the smallest sign of my interest.

Red flag number one.

"I'm going to White Ice, and was wondering if you wanted to join me," I told her. Her face was a mixture of confusion and curiosity. I maintained my cool.

"Did you invite anyone else?" she inquired.

"Nope, just you and me," I replied, offering a small smile.

She thought for a moment, before responding to my offer, "Okay, sure."

We walked to the bar, making small talk to fill the silence. I could tell she was uncomfortable, which was entertaining, considering she was usually all over me.

Red flag number two.

The bar was relatively empty, so finding an available table was no problem. Once we were seated, the waitress took our drink orders, and an awkward silence fell between us. When we had our drinks in hand, I broke the tension.

"I brought you here to ask you a question. And I want you to be honest with me," I started, "Does this belong to you?" I placed the earring on the table. She stared at it in silence, recognition quickly flickered in her eyes.

Red flag number three.

I watched her, waiting for a response. After a few moments, she finally looked at me.

"I've never seen it before," Cherri answered as she picked up her drink to take a sip. She was trying her damnedest to maintain a serious expression. But she was failing. Miserably.

I narrowed my eyes, "I'm really trying to give you an opportunity to explain yourself. Please, just be honest." She shifted in her chair, a slow smile crept across her face. I could feel my temper begin to flare. I took a deep breath.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe your girlfriend's cheating on you," she cocked her head to the side. "I would never cheat on you," she finished, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger.

I had had enough. "Look, I've tolerated your bullshit for too long, and I'm over it," I drained my beer and placed the bottle on the table. "So, I'm only going to say this once. Stop trying to fuck up my relationship." I got up and left before she had the chance to respond. I needed to calm down, and only one person had the ability to help me do that.

I sent Liv a text as I walked to my car, letting her know that I needed her. After she told me she was at her house, I let her know that I was on my way. I was all set to tell Liv about Cherri's refusal to be honest, but none of that mattered the moment I saw her face.

"What happened?" I asked. She was sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. A half empty glass of wine and an open bottle sat on her coffee table. She looked as though she had been crying.

She stared off into the distance, "The Health Department temporarily shut us down today. They received an anonymous tip that the cake shop has rats." I sat down next to her, pulling her into my chest. "I don't understand. It's like we can't catch a break," she whispered as I held her close.