Free You Don't Know Me Like That by Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page B

not.”
    â€œI was personally invited by J. Love.”
    He narrowed his eyes at me and looked at me like I was lying. “Your name isn’t on the list. Get to the back of the line.”
    Oh, he was trippin’ for real. Sheridan and Kennedi were no longer laughing and had moved in closer to me to see what was going on.
    â€œUmm, I’m sorry, do you know who I am?” I said.
    â€œUmm, I’m sorry, do you know I don’t care who you are? You’re not on the list, so get to the back of the line.”
    The girls who Kennedi and Sheridan had gotten into it with were eating this up. One of them had actually pulled out her phone and started recording us.
    Kennedi leaned over to me. “What’s going on, Maya?” she whispered.
    â€œJust chill,” I said. “I’m sorry.” I flashed a smile at the bouncer. He was about seven-feet tall, so my getting an attitude would get us nowhere. I needed to pull out the charm. “I’m Maya Morgan, the host of Rumor Central .”
    â€œWell, I’m Tank, the bouncer, and your name still isn’t on the list,” he said in a gruff voice.
    â€œYou don’t understand,” I said, slowly losing confidence, “J. Love and I are . . . special friends.”
    â€œOh, I understand. You’re just like every other chicken head out here claiming to know J. Love so you can skip to the front of the line.”
    Did this fool just call me a chicken head??? Oh, I was so going to have his job.
    â€œThis is ridiculous,” I said, pulling out my phone. I called J. Love, and it went straight to his voice mail. I hung up and scrolled through until I found his assistant’s number.
    â€œHey, Kimmie, this is Maya Morgan,” I said when she answered. I could hear lots of noise and music, which meant she was inside the club. “I’m at the front door. Can you come tell them to let me in? The bouncer is saying my name isn’t on the VIP list, and I can’t get in.”
    Kimmie was quiet for a minute. “Hello, Kimmie?”
    â€œYeah, Maya,” she finally said. “Ummm, your name isn’t on the list.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    She paused, then continued. “It’s not on the list. I’m sorry.”
    â€œKimmie, what in the world is going on?”
    Just then, the crowd screamed as J. Love rolled up in his limo.
    â€œUn-unh, J. Love is here. I’m going to talk to him and find out what is going on.” I hung up before she could say anything else.
    Kennedi and Sheridan followed me over to the limo.
    I could tell Kennedi and Sheridan were embarrassed. Shoot, so was I. I’d never been more embarrassed in my life.
    I pushed my way to the front. Darrell, J. Love’s bodyguard, immediately stepped in front of me to stop me.
    â€œWha . . . ?” I asked, stunned as I flinched at his hand blocking me.
    He didn’t say anything as he stood staring at me.
    â€œSeriously, Darrell?”
    Darrell looked back at J. Love, who nodded, so the burly bodyguard stepped aside and let me pass.
    I cut my eyes at him as I walked over to J. “Hey, what’s up? You invite me to this party, and my name isn’t even on the list to get in.”
    J. Love actually turned his nose up at me. “Yo, shawty, if it ain’t on the list, it ain’t on the list.” He was so cold to me; it was crazy. This couldn’t be the same guy who just a few days ago had been vowing to make me his girl.
    â€œExcuse me?” I said in shock. “J, what’s going on?”
    â€œLook here, shawty,” he said stepping toward me. So now I was “shawty”???? “You cool and all, and I was looking forward to kickin’ it with you, but I don’t do backstabbers. And I especially can’t stand chicks who try to run game.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    He looked at me, and I couldn’t be sure, but it almost looked like I saw hurt on