Read Miss Independent for Free Online

stopped her again.
    “Wait, wait, wait, hole up, hole up, now.” He leaned down and opened his hands. “Don’t let the age and grey hairs fool ya.”
    “I’m not, which is why I’m trying to walk away.” She moved aside but he stepped in front of her once more. “Listen, my man. I’m not interested in someone who probably went to high school with my dad or knows the exact route of the Underground Railroad, alright? So step off.”
    “Hole on,” he said, becoming frustrated with her instant refusals. “Now listen” -- he looked her up and down -- “I’one know you, okay? We neva met.”
    “Right--”
    “But I saw you standin’ over here lookin’ mighty pretty in that tight red dress and thought maybe I could do a quick holla.”
    “Holla this.” She raised her hand toward his face, palm out, fingers high.
    He leaned back and widened his arms in feigned disappointment. “Aww, it’s like that?”
    She stiffened. “Like what? I told you I’m not interested, more than once. What more do you want, a handwritten note?”
    “You ain’t gotta be rude.”
    “Men like you don’t know it any other way, so excuse the bitch inside but she’s been put on full display.”
    “I’m just trying to talk to you, dag ,” he said. “Maybe see whatchu about?”
    “What I’m about is not being bothered and more importantly, feeling as if I’m wasting my time which you are doing too damn much of. So keep talking to my hand, because my ears aren’t interested in hearing it.”
    He stepped back and opened his eyes so wide, they looked as if they were coming out of his face. “Dayum. I see you, shawty.”
    “Yeah?” She tossed her hand toward his face again and walked back to her chair.
    “Damn! You spicy as HELL ! I like that.”
    She sank back and covered her face. “Oh for the love--”
    “Of a good man, cause this what I am, baby! A damn good man who can offer you the world.” He walked up to the table and pressed himself against the cornered edge. “And this on a platter, atcha every disposal.”
    He directed his hand down toward the front of his pants and grinned wide, showing teeth and nodding his head so hard, Vanessa feared it would pop from his neck any second and land directly in her lap.
    “Listen,” she started, “because you are clearly not hearing me, GrandDaddyFreakLikeMe97. Unless you want me to take this clean fork and stab you in the pants until you bleed all over this pristine floor, holding yourself and that garden snake in your sure to be filthy draws you’re trying to showcase for those with only a microscope handy, you’re gonna need to step the hell away from me and leave this place. Now am I making myself clear or do I need to actively demonstrate what I’m saying to you?”
    He looked down at himself and slowly stepped back. Vanessa rested her chin in her hand and arched a brow, unrelenting. He nodded his head and looked up, closing his fist and smashing it into the palm of his other hand.
    “Ok, so you married, that’s cool. I didn’t see tha ring. But I don’t wanna step on anotha man’s toes. So, uh, I’mma get up outta here cause a nigga got shit to do.”
    “Yeah--”
    “I’ll see you around, Lil Mama. Holla atcha nigga if that man don’t know what he’s got!”
    “ Unreal ,” Vanessa muttered as he exited the shop in a hurry.
    Just as she was sitting back to finally take a full sip of tea, Nikki emerged from the back office. She fixed the bun sitting atop her head and tugged at her tank. Vanessa crinkled her brows and searched behind her for Oscar.
    “That must have been some paycheck if it took that long to process. You must have made thousands in tips to be gone for what seemed like forever and a day.”
    “It wasn’t that long,” she said, her naturally tanned skin flushing from panic and excitement. She looked down at the table, puzzled. “What’s that?”
    “Tea. It’s apparently the only thing worth drinking in this place.”
    “Oh.” She