LOVELESS

Chapter 29

THE NEXT MORNING

Approaching a red light, Jamie stomps hard on his car's brake. He hits the steering wheel, feeling defeated. He pulls out his phone and sees that Veronica hasn't messaged him back, after asking her if he could come by before she flies out. With time not on his side, he decides to call her. "Please pick up," he whispers desperately. The call rings a couple of times before going to voicemail. He exhales forcefully, regretting not attending the going-away party last night.

___

Veronica tosses her cell phone into her purse before slouching into her seat, wearing sunglasses and a hoodie over her head. She has the whole row to herself with passengers still boarding the plane. "For the amount of money we pay for First Class, they should at least be able to give us hangover kits."

"No one told your ass to take shots all night. You knew you had a flight this morning," Sam scolds her, sitting next to Yemi in the next row.

"Yo, just let me live, son."

"Your New York accent just magically re-appears, huh?"

Veronica and Yemi laugh.

"Jealous?"

Sam chuckles. "I'm so glad you're not coming back out here."

Yemi smacks his arm, playfully. "Don't say that."

He smirks. "I say much worse when you're not around."

Yemi gasps dramatically. Veronica laughs at her, throwing her hand on her forehead at the sudden sharp pain. "Don't make me laugh, Yemi. My head hurts."

"I'm going to sit up there with you." Yemi starts to get up, and Sam quickly grabs her hips, sitting her back down gently.

In a sexy firm tone, Sam says to Yemi, "You going where?" Yemi rolls her eyes playfully, trying to hide how turned on she is by him.

Veronica turns around, observing the couple. "Y'all make me sick," she says laughing. "I don't know why you like him that much."

Yemi giggles.

"Hater," Sam teases Veronica before leaning down and kissing Yemi. Veronica pretends to vomit before turning forward in her seat.

"You know you love us," Yemi adds.

___

A beautiful woman, waiting outside of the church, does a double take when Tevin walks past her. She's 30-something, and her face is a mix between Ryan Destiny and Teyana Taylor. She squints, trying to get a better look at Tevin as he greets a couple of church members.

She jogs up to him. "Excuse me..."

Tevin turns to her, her beauty catching him off guard.

"You're Tevin, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Have we met?"

"No. But I've seen you in Jamie's IG stories a few times."

"Oh, did Jamie invite you?"

"Well... he told me he's a member here. So, I wanted to surprise him."

Tevin squints, trying to figure her out. "... What's your name?"

"You can just call me J." She studies his stare briefly. "Please tell Jamie I said hello. It was nice meeting you, Tevin." She gives him a roguish smile before sashaying away.

"J?" He ponders aloud. Then it clicks... "Oh shit. That's her."

___

The trio arrives in New York.