Free Smoke by Toye Lawson Brown Page A

Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve and get it broken.”
    “I get what you’re saying. So, um, how was your evening with Sandra?”
    “I don’t know where it’s going. She is looking for a relationship and I don’t know if I’m the one to handle it.”
    “Is it because of Amira? Be glad she only has the one kid and she is a good kid.”
    “Nah, it’s not because of her kid.”
    “Then what’s holding you back, playa?”
    Anthony shook his head. “That stinking ass perfume she wears. The shit is killing me, man!”
    Jonathan laughed. “Ask Gwen to buy a bottle of good stuff and give it to her as a gift. If she wears what you like at least you can be near her.”
    “I’m gonna have to wait a month to even do that.”
    Getting in his truck Jonathan asked. “Should I even ask why?”

    “You can but you already know the answer. I can’t smell anything but that stinking shit! Hell, it will take a month for my damn nose to be able to smell anything different!”
    “Anthony, would you give her a shot if she changed her smelly ways?”
    He nodded. “I might. Lord knows she has the assets to keep me interested.” He banged his hand on the hood of the truck. “Get home, bro. Are you playing basketball tomorrow with Nick and me?”
    “I don’t know if I’ll be able to play but I’ll be there.”
    “Good, cuz you know I’m gonna bust his chops about his honey again.”
    “She is different. She had the nerve to think I was gay.”
    “Get the hell outta here! Serious, Jon, where does he find them? Is there a store that sells women short of a full stack?”
    “In her defense, to date Nick, she would have to be short of a full stack. I’m outta here,” he said as his cellphone rang.

Chapter Seven
    Jonathan hung his gym bag in the locker after changing. He decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to play basketball with his ribs still aching, but would walk the treadmill to get in a light workout and try to run a few laps around the track to see if he would get winded or stir up any coughing.
    Nick popped from behind the locker door handing him an envelope. “Here and keep it on the down low.”
    “What is it?” He asked putting it on the shelf in the locker.
    “I’m throwing a poker party and it’s going to be off the hook!”
    “Nick, since when is playing poker hot?”
    “I got strippers coming to entertain, baby! So bring extra dollars.”
    “Strippers at a poker game—you are getting odder by the day. Why are you whispering about it? “
    “I didn’t give Anthony an invite to the party.”
    “We’re supposed to be boys, Nick. Why are you excluding him from stuff?”
    “I’m evolving and moving in different directions; Anthony is still on the silly shit.”
    “Do you hear yourself? You’re having strippers at a poker game—how much sillier can you get than that? And, I’m not coming if you don’t invite Anthony.”
    “See, I knew you were closer to him than me! That’s why you’re doing the shit you’re doing now.”

    “We are closer because I’ve known him longer. Damn, man, grow up, and quit acting like this is high school!”
    “Grow up! That’s your answer for everything. I bet if you didn’t hang out with his family so much you wouldn’t be switching races.”
    Jonathan’s eyes blazed as he grabbed Nick around the neck. “I told you not to say that shit to me! Nobody influences what I do!”
    Nick grabbed Jonathan’s wrist. “Let go of me!”
    He removed his hand from around his throat. “You need to stop hanging out with whatever racist ass people are influencing you! Open your eyes to what’s happening to you!”
    “They are wide open. You didn’t start your dark escapades until you got tight with Anthony. I would hook us up with women all the time and now my women ain’t good enough for you.”
    “What the fuck are you talking about? This ain’t new for me. It took me a while to go after what I wanted because of the fear of rejection.”
    “Fear of