Free An Inconvenient Friend by Rhonda McKnight Page B

brother had always been fine.
    â€œHow’s ya’ moms?” he asked, his face taking on a more serious expression.
    â€œYou might know better than me. Y’all neighbors.”
    Mekhi turned his lips up and nodded his head a few times like he was deciphering scientific data. “If I know better than you, that means one thing, Sam. You ain’t coming round here enough, and that shouldn’t be.”
    â€œ That , isn’t any of your business, but I appreciate your concern for my family matters. I rolled my eyes and walked past him. Mekhi grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. The sudden movement snatched the protest from my lips. Our eyes met and danced for a few seconds. He didn’t let go. His skin on mine felt like my hand had been wrapped in a warm glove. The heat of his touch was gentle, but felt firey at the same time.
    â€œEverything about you is my business,” he whispered, lowering his lips closer to mine. I could smell his breath. It was a mix of mouthwash and some other fruity smell. His scent was potent, and urbane. Where was the funk? He couldn’t have been running long, because he smelled too good.
    â€œYou got that twisted, Mekhi.” I pulled my hand out of his grasp. “I haven’t been your business since you showed me what a coward you were.”
    Mekhi’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. No doubt he was swallowing his pride. I had inflicted pain, which was what I always wanted to do when I saw him. I was satisfied, and this conversation was over. I walked to my car.
    â€œSam, you really need to learn how to be a more forward looking sister. I mean, how long you gonna hold that over a brother’s head?”
    â€œThere are things in life that you never forgive,” I snapped.
    Mekhi closed the distance between us. Probably didn’t want the neighbors, who were no doubt peeking out through their blinds at this point, to hear him. “It’s been eight years, girl. We forgive what we want to forgive. Remember, what comes around goes around. You may need somebody to let you off the hook for something messed up you do.”
    Some of the messed up things I’d done skittered through my mind. I’d been sorry things hadn’t worked out the way I wanted, but I can’t say I wanted forgiveness. I also could definitely say I hadn’t hurt anyone who’d really trusted me, like Mekhi had done to me. But that was a moot point, one I didn’t want to keep rehashing with him. As much as the little digs into the past put chinks in his armour, they also reopened scabs on my own heart.
    I clicked the key fob for the car lock. “I’ll keep that in mind.” I opened my door and climbed in. I took one last look at him. His sexy eyes held sorrow, a sorrow that beckoned me to reconsider. His stance, still strong, still hood, was a little less chest out than it had been. I turned away from him, swallowed the sympathy that had risen from my foolish heart, started the engine, and sped away from the curb.

Chapter 10
    I pulled into an empty parking space and turned off my car. I could tell Greater Christian had a full house tonight. Mercedes Benzes, Range Rovers, Escalades, Jaguars, and BMWs littered the parking lot. I reached across the seat for the Bible I’d purchased earlier in the day and removed the plastic casing. I’d been coming to these meetings a few weeks and figured it was time for me to look the Bible Study part. I fanned the pages a few times so the book didn’t appear brand new.
    Many of the women carried well worn versions that looked like they spent their days having their pages turned while their owners absorbed the captivating words in the messages. And while I could tell most of the women were into the Bible Study stuff, I doubted that some of them, the ones like Carol, even opened the book when they weren’t in church. Something about them said, “I’m here for the gossip and