Suspicions by Sasha Campbell Page A

mind.
    I nodded and briefly gave her my attention. “Yep, he’s picking me up at seven.”
    â€œMake sure you call me afterwards with all the details.” Tiffany sounded more excited about my date than I was.
    â€œYou know I will.” She and I had been best friends since eighth grade. Tiffany and her mom, Ruby Dee, had been members of my father’s church for years. Her mother never allowed Tiffany to have many friends. The only reason why I was allowed to hang with her was because I was the preacher’s daughter and her mother thought I was a good influence on Tiffany. I used to laugh about that. I guess she didn’t know that preacher’s kids were some of the biggest freaks.
    I glanced down at my watch, then over at Chauncey. He washed his hands and moved back onto the floor. Damn, I loved me a bowlegged man. He smiled, and all I could do was stare at him with my mouth open. He was gorgeous. No more thugs. No more thugs. The sooner I got my toes done and got the hell outta Dodge, the better. “Where’s Julie?”
    Tiffany didn’t even bother to look up. “Quit.”
    â€œQuit?” I asked as if I had heard her wrong. When she confirmed with a nod, I leaned in and whispered, “Then who’s doing my feet?”
    She pointed across the room. “That fine-ass specimen standing in the back. Tif, guuurrrl, he’s good, too! Why you think the lobby is full? All those chicks are waiting for him to put his hands on their feet.”
    I looked over at Chauncey again. For a second, I thought he was moving to the barber chair in back. Instead, he had taken a seat on a stool in front of the foot spa and was playing with that fat girl’s feet. My mouth went dry. A man doing pedicures? What the hell? And not just any man, but that sexy creature standing a few feet away. “Oh, hell no! There’s no way I’m letting a man do my pedicure.” Not the way my toes were looking. You would think I’ve been running around barefoot in the jungle, carrying a spear.
    Tiffany chuckled and shook her head like she was trying to figure out how I could pass up letting a man that fine play with my toes. “Suit yourself. Cheryl will be in on Thursday if you want to reschedule.”
    Damn! I was tired of slicing my leg in my sleep. I needed my feet done today. Tiffany and I were planning to go out Saturday night, and I was dying to wear a new pair of Baby Phat sandals I bought at River Oaks Mall last month. For a quick second, I thought about going to the nail salon down the street and decided against it. Unlike other salons, Situations had a satisfaction guarantee policy. If cutie-pie jacked up my feet, Noelle would refund my money. I guess I don’t have much of a choice.
    â€œHe’s good.” I guess Tiffany could tell I was skeptical. “Trust me. All them chicks ain’t here to see me,” she reminded me, just in case I didn’t hear her the first time. I looked at the women eagerly waiting, and the two already sitting in the massage chairs.
    â€œI guess,” I mumbled under my breath, then took a seat in the reception area. One female’s mouth was watering as she stared at Chauncey’s ass.
    â€œGuuurrrl, I heard that feet ain’t the only thing he’s good at,” she mumbled to the chick sitting beside her.
    I rolled my eyes. Some females don’t have nothing better to do than spread rumors. The last thing I wanted was a man everybody was trying to get with. I bet you money Chauncey’s been seen at least once at the clinic. You better believe tomorrow morning I planned on running his name through our computer. Speak of the devil . . . he was walking toward me. Lord have mercy! He had the prettiest caramel skin and the most beautiful set of eyes. I couldn’t decide if they were gray or light brown.
    â€œWhich one of you sexy ladies is next?” Chauncey licked a juicy top lip that was covered with a