Free Hip Hop Heat by Tricia Tucker Page B

desperate to hang on to any sliver of hope.
    Walking through her house, glass of wine in hand, she wondered what she could've done differently. Lalana felt herself choking up. No , she admonished herself, no crying over some man . A small but growing part of her suspected MC ROC was no different from the other men in her life.
    When Lalana's cell phone rang, she considered ignoring it. She couldn't bear to speak with Lisa or Tina yet. But when she glanced at the phone, Lalana realized the number flashing back at her didn't belong to either of her friends.
    "Hello?"
    "Hey, you're home." Logan.
    "Ah, yeah, I am," she answered, caught off-guard.
    "I was just giving you a call," he stammered, "just thinking about you." His soft and sweet tone made Lalana decidedly uncomfortable.
    She didn't know how to respond. She'd promised to call after their evening out, but never got around to it. Was this his way of saying he was tired of waiting?
    "Oh?"
    "So, how was your day?" he asked.
    An image flashed though her mind. If you counted carpet burns on her knees as any indication, one could say her day was interesting. But she was sure Logan didn't want to hear about her giving MC ROC a blow job in the back of his Bentley. Again.
    "Um, my day, it was good, I guess, you could say that. Oh, yeah, I went to MC ROC's release at the Grove."
    "You did?" Logan chuckled under his breath.
    "Yeah, I happen to like his music," she defended. "Remember?"
    "Oh yeah, I figured as much. I just figured you'd had enough of him by now."
    "What's that supposed to mean?" Lalana countered.
    "Oh, no worries," he said. "It's nothing."
    Lalana was hot. She didn't like Logan throwing out little comments about MC ROC, then acting as though his words meant nothing.
    "Anyway," she said, changing the subject, "besides that, my day was pretty ordinary."
    "You got any plans for next Saturday?" Logan asked.
    "Um, I'd have to check. Why'd you ask?"
    "Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me to see your favorite rapper," he said easily.
    Lalana nearly lost her mind. Was this man playing with her emotions, too?
    "He's in concert? I haven't heard anything about a concert on any of the stations."
    "It's kinda like a private show. Nothing too big. He's doing a few of his new cuts, real informal, and well, like I said, I was wondering if you wanted to roll. But no biggie."
    "No! Of course I'd like to go, I was just curious about why I hadn't heard about a show, that's all."
    "Okay, well, should I call and remind you next week?"
    "Why you trynta' be funny?"
    "I'm just saying, who knows, maybe you might forget," he laughed.
    "Yeah, okay, whatever!"
    She and Logan talked for a little longer before Lalana came up with an excuse to get off the phone. It took some time, but after a hot shower and another glass of wine, something occurred to her.
    What would MC ROC say once he realized she came to see him with a date ?
    "Damn, what am I gonna do?" she questioned aloud. This, she finally decided, would be one to take to the girls. She was sure Lisa and Tina would be able to help her figure out the right thing to do.
    Would it be wrong for her to go to the show with Logan, but leave with MC ROC? She and Logan were nothing but friends, she knew that, and she hoped he understood her position. Lalana also decided the next time she saw Logan she would iterate to him that she was not romantically interested in him.
    She had already told Logan she wasn't looking for a man. Now her mind was thinking of ways to stress friendship without jeopardizing her ticket to the private show. She was sick with herself, and wondering how she always managed to get herself into such complicated situations.
    For a brief moment, Lalana wondered why ROC hadn't invited her himself. She quickly chalked it up to him having so much on his mind.

Chapter Nineteen
    Lalana returend to the Grove several days later with Lisa and Tina to hit up a few stores.
    "You said you were in Coach last week," Tina said