Free If I'd Only Known (Milan Women Series Book 1) by C.A. Johnson Page B

Jern. Like I really care what he does or whom he does it with.”  Lord,
please forgive me for lie number one. “As long as he passes me right on by
he can do whatever he wants.” Lord, please forgive me for lie number two. Perri absolutely refused to acknowledge the gnawing pain of jealousy currently
stabbing at her heart concerning her first and only true love.
    “Perri
Tania Milan,” Journey demanded, “who you trying to fool? You forget I know you;
and I’m telling you right now, girl, it does bother you that the only love of
your life is within walking distance of you and you can’t even parade your
perfectly size three hour-glass shape by him with that eat-your-heart-out
attitude.”
    “Whatever,
Jern,” Perri said, irritated with her best friend’s misplaced loyalty.
    “Um-hmm,
that’s exactly what I know,” Journey smirked.
    Unable
to help it, Perri laughed out loud. “Just stay on your job and let me know when
he leaves, Dr. Ruth.”
    “Not
to worry, Perri, your girl Journey is on it.” She glanced over her shoulder,
her eyes widening as she moaned, “Oh, no.”
    “What?”
Perri’s heart started hammering overtime in her chest. “What is it, Jern?” Even
as she asked, “What’s going on?” her blood pressure shot through the roof.
    “Don’t
get mad, honey,” Journey hesitated before saying, “but I don’t see him now.”
    “Girl,
don’t play with me.” Perri anxiously watched her friend continue to look in
each direction. Unable to wait another minute, she snapped, “Well, where is
he?”
    “Don’t
know. I don’t see him anywhere. I guess the coast is clear, so let’s make a run
for it.”
    Perri
seemed to be stuck like glue to that one spot, her legs wanting to run but her
heart silently whispering to her to face her problem head-on. “Or maybe he’s
lurking around the same vicinity, and that’s all I need is to run into him as
I’m trying to make a clean escape,” she complained as Imani fidgeted in her
arms, gnawing on her finger.
    “Well,
standing here thinking of all the negatives won’t get you out of here any
faster. I say we make a move while we can,” Journey insisted.
    “Easy
for you to say; you’re not the one hiding out with a hungry baby.”
    “You’re
right. But I do know my goddaughter, and if you don’t soon pop that tit in her
mouth, she’s going to blow the cover on us all.” Journey chuckled.
    Perri
strapped Imani back into her stroller. “Okay, Jern, here’s what we’re going to
do.” She stood up to her full five-six inch frame like she was commander in
chief of the CIA. “You take Imani with you and go out the side door in JC
Penny; I’ll meet you at the car.” Giving Journey the keys, she said, “Make sure
the car is running and ready to flee once I get in.”
    “And
just what will you be doing while I’m busy stowing away your love child?”
    “I’m
going to walk down in the direction you saw Barrington in.”
    “What
if you see him or he sees you?”
    Perri
shook her head and said, “Guess I’ll have to swallow my pride and acknowledge
him.” Seeing the doubt in Journey’s eyes, Perri tossed her hands in the air.
“What else can I do?” She patiently rocked her daughter’s stroller as she
started to whine. “It doesn’t matter if Barrington sees me so long as he
doesn’t see my baby.”
    “You
mean y’all’s baby, don’t you?”
    “Jern,
please,” Perri pleaded with her friend’s disapproving eyes. “I need you to help
us. Just go ahead of me; I’ll be a few minutes behind you. We’re less likely to
be noticed that way.”
    Journey
quickly pushed Imani’s stroller toward JC Penny. Unfortunately, before she made
it past Footlocker, at a snail’s pace, Perri watched horrified as her worst
fear came true. Barrington came barreling out of Footlocker and ran slap-dab
into Journey’s shoulder. Perri froze as the seams from her carefully
orchestrated indirect lie unfolded right before her eyes.
    “Pardon
me,”