“Aww man, that looks like it hurts,” Ikher said, leaning over the bar, staring at the three-inch crimson scar running down Billie’s shin.

She placed the bandage back over it and rolled her jeans back down before standing. “It’s what I get for trying to work on my car at night,” Billie said, then threw her hands up. “No vehicle maintenance on the property,” she mocked in a heavy voice. “Stupid slumlord.”

“Why don’t you take it to a shop?” Katrina asked.

Billie shrugged. “Can’t afford to. Besides, I know how to fix it. I shouldn’t have to pay someone else, too.”

“Bring it to my house,” Ikher said. “I don’t have a driveway, but we can work on it in the street.”

Billie squinted as she looked him over. “We? You do auto work?”

“I took auto shop in high school and helped my dad change the brakes a couple times.”

Billie put her hand over her mouth, finger tapping her cheek as she examined him. “Hmmm, I suppose an assistant wouldn’t hurt.”

The bell above the door rang, and they all turned to see a short Asian woman, with a chin-length bob, take off her large sunglasses. She had a bottle of wine tucked under her arm, and the barest hint of a smile crept up the side of her thin lips.

“Uh oh! Someone’s slumming it today,” Billie said.

“Oh, shut up, Billie,” the woman replied, tossing her satchel onto the bar.

She strolled behind the bar and hugged Billie before turning to and offering the bottle to Katrina with both hands. “Thank you in advance.”

“Ooh, I will always accept bribery of this sort,” Katrina said with a smile as she took the bottle and leaned over the bar for a hug.

“Where is he?” the woman asked after releasing Katrina.

“Vendor call in the back,” Billie said, jerking her thumb toward the kitchen door.

The woman waved. “Eh, I won’t bother him then.”

“He probably wants to be rescued by now,” Billie said. “But before that,” she added, wrapping her arm around the woman’s waist and holding her hand out to Ikher. “Sun, this is Ikher. Ikher this is Sun, Eric’s better half.”

“Oh! You’re Ikher! I’ve heard about you,” Sun said, her eyes lighting up. “It’s good to put a face to the name.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and extended her hand. “Nice grip,” she said after shaking his hand. “So, how did you find this place?”

“Eric recruited me at the gym.”

“Wait,” Sun said, her eyes narrowing as she straightened. “You aren’t a footballer, are you?”

Ikher laughed. “I am.”

“Ugh! Silly game.”

“Hush your mouth, woman,” Billie scolded.

“I guess you’re okay despite that,” she said to Ikher with a wink. “All right, I’ll go rescue Eric.”

She turned and smacked Billie hard on the butt as she strode past her.

“Hey!” Billie yelled. “You break it, you buy it!”

“I rent it. It was... okay,” Sun said.

Billie sucked in an offended breath and placed her hand on her chest. Sun laughed, backing into the kitchen.

“She’s so stank,” Billie said as she refilled Ikher’s tea.

“So, what’s the wine for?” Ikher asked, turning to Katrina.

“It’s a ‘please don’t kill my husband since it’s tax season’ gift,” Katrina smiled before squinting at Ikher. “Speaking of who does your taxes?”

Ikher swallowed. “I… uhhh… didn’t do them.”

Katrina’s warm brown eyes got huge, and she smacked his leg. “Ikher! You’re bringing them to me this year.” She sighed and turned to Billie. “What is it about men?”

“They’re so horrible, aren’t they?” Billie asked, leaning on the bar with a wink. Katrina chuckled and shook her head as she stood. Billie shrugged, “Eh, can’t blame me for trying.”

“I need to pick up my daughter.” Katrina handed Ikher a business card. “Call me and we’ll get you sorted.” She put a hand on his shoulder before turning to Billie with a smile. “Adios, Abigail.”

“So cruel... “Billie sighed, as she watched Katrina sashay out.

Ikher watched as well, then turned to Billie. “So, umm, I have a question,” he said.

Billie was still staring at the door. Ikher waited a moment before throwing a balled up napkin at her.

“Huh? Wha?” She jumped, looking around.

“Dude...”

“Sorry! My horniness is so distracting. What d’you say?” she said, rubbing her hand over her face.

“I had a question,” Ikher said.

“Shoot.”

“Did you and Sun... do stuff?”

“Mmmhmmm,” Billie nodded, taking a stack of glasses off the back wall.

Ikher’s eyes got huge, and he looked around before leaning over the bar. In a whisper, he asked, “Does Eric know?”

Billie’s head snapped to him as her jaw fell. “Dude! Of course!,” she said, before catching herself. “I’m not trying to break up someone’s marriage.”

“Oh, wow, okay,” Ikher said, sitting back.

The door to the back swung open and Eric walked out with Sun. She went behind the bar to give Billie a hug and grab her satchel while Eric walked around.

Eric punched Ikher in the shoulder. “Kat head out already?”

“You just missed her,” Ikher said, motioning to the door.

“Damn it. She’s super busy from now till summer.”

“Yeah, she gave me her card, said she’s doing my taxes this year,” Ikher said, holding it up.

Eric looked around before leaning in. “Uhh, how’s that gonna work with your... occupation?”

Ikher shrugged. “I dunno. I was just gonna say I lost her card and forgot to call.”

Eric shook his head and laid his hand on Ikher’s shoulder. “Do not do that. She will hunt you down. You’re in her sights now. She will hunt you down.”

“Awww man,” Ikher sighed as Sun came over and latched onto Eric’s arm.

“I’m going back to work,” she said to Eric, then turned to Ikher. “Ikher, it was good to finally meet you. You must come by the house some time.”

Sun tapped Eric’s bicep with one finger which made him straighten, blink, then looked down at his wife, who made a point of ignoring him.

Ikher smiled and nodded. “Thanks! It was good to meet you, too.”

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Sun nodded, gave Eric a big grin, patting his chest, and started walking out. When she reached the door, she spun and screeched, “Billie!”

Billie’s head popped up from under the bar. “Jesus, woman. What?”

“Get bent,” Sun said with a huge grin, then blew her a kiss.

Billie howled with laughter as she ducked back under. Eric watched his wife leave and walk around the corner.

“She’s cool,” Ikher said, looking up at Eric.

“Yeeeaaah,” he said, his eyes narrowed at the door. “I’ve got calls to make. You gonna be here for a bit?” Eric asked, walking backward, pointing at Ikher.

“Yep!”

“Awesome, we’ll chat in a bit then,” he nodded, backing into the door to the back.

----------------------------------------

In his office, Eric closed the door and called his wife.

“Wow. That was quick,” she said with a giggle as she picked up.

“I didn’t do anything yet,” he said, dropping into his chair and propping his legs up on the desk. “Are you serious?”

“About what?”

“About Ikher.”

“Yeah.”

He laughed. “Okay. I’m sorry. What happened to my wife, who’s never given an Asian guy half a glance?”

She cackled. “I know! Not my normal type, but he’s cute. And he has nice hands.”

“Must be a full moon tonight,” Eric said.

“Oh, shut up,” Sun said. “So, what’s his deal?”

“He’s a good guy. I know he had a girlfriend that broke his heart, so he’s into women.”

“But not men?”

“Ya know, I’m not certain. He has this… ambivalence about him that’s messing with my radar.

“Are you holding out?”

“Nah. Even if he’s not straight, he’s not returned any of my signals.

“So...”

“Yes, you can have this one,” Eric said.

“Yay! Make it my day after Valentine’s gift.”

“All right,” Eric said. “I’ll see if I can get him over one weekend.”

“Okay! Hey, I’m hanging up before I get pulled over. Love you!”

“Love you, too!” Eric said and hung up the phone.

He went back out to the bar, but there was no Ikher.

“Hey, where’d Ikher run off to?”

Billie pointed to the door as she rang someone out. “Got a call and said he had to meet someone.”

“Shit, guess I’ll get him next time.”

----------------------------------------

“Sup mane,” Chuck yelled, pushing off the car as Ikher rolled up to his house. He and Vernard still had the long coats on, meaning this was likely a work trip. “We coulda picked you up,” Chuck said, giving Ikher a pound.

“For real,” Vernard said.

Ikher shrugged. “It’s all good. I don’t mind riding over. Yall ready?”

“Yup,” Chuck replied, opening the driver’s door.

They left the Grove and drove deep into Newfield. Passing through one neighborhood, a group of small children with backpacks flagged them down. Chuck pulled over and Vernard rolled down his window as the kids crowded around.

“Mister V! Mister V! We got our report cards!” they squealed.

“Aight, let’s see em,” Vernard said, pulling an envelope out of his jacket.

He gave the kids cash depending on their grades and gave one boy a stern talk about doing better.

When they pulled off, Ikher asked, “Do yall do that for all the kids?”

“Nah, we just have certain neighborhoods,” Chuck said.

“Their parents don’t care?”

“Most of em know Momma and appreciate the help,” Vernard said, looking over his shoulder. “Plus, it makes the kids work harder in school.”

Ikher nodded. “That’s pretty cool.”

They drove almost to the city, then pulled into an abandoned industrial park. Driving to the end, Chuck pulled them into a fenced-in lot with a warehouse.

“Ah, shit,” Chuck said when they saw two large SUVs parked in the center of the warehouse. Armed men leaned on each of the vehicles.

“What’s wrong?” Ikher asked, sitting forward.

“Big boss is here. Be cool,” Vernard said.

Chuck drove forward and parked where one of them directed. He came up to the window as Chuck rolled it down.

“Sup, Chico,” Chuck said, giving him a pound.

“Chuck, V, whatch’all doing here?” Chico asked, looking in the car.

“Bringing E for a meeting with Momma,” Vernard said, jerking his thumb to Ikher.

“Aight, come on over,” Chico said, letting the rifle hang from its strap off his shoulder.

Exiting the car, they all walked over to the parked SUVs. Chuck and Vernard chatted with Chico while Ikher got a fist bump from one guy he recognized. Several minutes later, the office door opened and Janine walked out.

Ikher hadn’t seen her for several months, since the night and day after his arrest. Any communication from her came through Vernard and Chuck. He figured she was distancing herself since she was his boss now. If he caught her outside her house, she only gave him a polite wave before going about her way.

She stopped, doing a double take at seeing Ikher, Verard, and Chuck. Her thick box braids swung as she he glanced from them to the ashen, muscular monster who followed her out.

Almost a head and shoulders taller than Janine, he belonged on a fitness magazine cover with a short-sleeve shirt that hugged a chiseled torso and strained at his biceps. His only adornments were a pair of wide frame sunglasses and a heavy silver chain that hung from his large neck. His arms and face were so pale, Ikher thought he might be albino if it weren’t for the close cropped black hair and trimmed mustache and beard.

The pale giant followed Janine’s gaze to the newcomers. His shoulders dropped, and he slid into a wider guarded stance, almost like he was going to run. One guard swung his gun up in their direction.

“Shit!” Chuck cursed as he dove, grabbing Ikher’s shirt to pull him to the dirt as well. Vernard was already on the ground. No one moved except the guard aiming in their direction, searching for what the boss had seen.

After a moment, the large pale man relaxed and put his hand on the guard’s gun to lower it. When he started toward them, Janine followed. Her clenched jaw and pinched eyes said they were in trouble. The boss stepped out into the sun and stopped in front of them as they stood and brushed the dust off.

He crossed his arms and the weight of his tenor voice settled in Ikher’s chest. “Who’s this?”

“Ikher,” Janine said, stepping next to the boss, her gaze at them still angry. “One of my dealers out of Oak Grove.”

“Hmmm,” the boss rumbled as he examined Ikher. He leaned forward and lowered the sunglasses. His iris was so dark Ikher couldn’t tell where it ended and his pupils began. Or maybe he was really high, and they were super dialated. “Where are you from, Ikher?”

Ikher felt queasy, like he had eaten something that didn’t agree with him as he stared into the endless dark pits of the man’s eyes. “Umm...here,” he said with a shiver.

“Here as in?”

“San Ranola,” Ikher said, glancing at Janine, who was watching the exchange.

“Hmmm,” the boss grunted, one eyebrow going up. He pushed the sunglasses back up and asked, “Your parents from here?”

Ikher shook his head. “No. Thailand and Spain.”

The giant examined him for a moment before turning and walking toward the vehicles. “Let’s get some Thai food, boys.”

They all watched the behemoth and his security team load into the vehicles. When the SUVs pulled away, Chuck was the first to speak. “That dude is so creepy.”

Vernard turned to Ikher. “What did you do to get his atten-“

“What the fuck are yall doing here?” Janine interrupted. “No, wait. Better question, what the fuck is he doing here?” she asked, pointing to Ikher.

Venard and Chuck straightened and looked at each other for a second. “We, uh… needed a bidness meeting.” When Janine squinted, Vernard said, “It’s a... performance thing.”

Janine looked at both of them, then to Ikher. She shook her head and sighed, crossing her arms under her chest. “Alright, give it to me.”

“We gonna wanna do this in the office,” Chuck said, inclining his head to the room she had come out of earlier.

Janine huffed and waved them to follow. Vernard put his hand on Ikher’s back and pushed him to the front of the train, following Janine.

“Hey Momma, is Hank here today?” Vernard asked as she entered the office.

“Not today,” she said, leaning on the desk.

“Oh, that’s good,” Chuck replied, pushing Ikher into the office and slamming the door behind him.

He and Janine heard metal squealing along the floor, then a thunk against the door.

“What are you idiots doing?!” Janine yelled.

“Yall gotta talk shit out,” Chuck said, peeking through a hole in the blinds.

“What?” Janine said, walking over to the window, which made Chuck duck away. “Open this fucking door!” she demanded, trying the handle.

“Can’t do it, boss,” Vernard said from a different window. “This is for yall’s own good.”

Janine whirled, boring into him. “What are they talking about?”

Ikher shrugged and took a step back.

“E’s been saying how he misses hanging out with you,” Chuck said, peeking back in the window. “Yall was cool before you brought him in and now you won’t even talk to him. That’s fucked up.”

“Yall gon stay in there til you work it out,” Vernard said.

Vernard disappeared when Janine walked over to his window.

She put her hands on her hips and let out a heavy sigh, her head dropping. “These assholes.” She turned to Ikher after a moment. “Do you know why I’ve been giving you space?”

“Cause... you’re my boss now and you’re not supposed to hang out with your employees?” Ikher shrugged.

Janine squinted at him and pinched her nose before laughing.

“No, well, not exactly.” She said before exhaling. “No one in the neighborhood or my family knows what I do. I work hard at keeping my work life and my personal life very separate. I don’t want any of this illegal shit to spill over onto people I care about. Then you come along and mix up my worlds.”

Ikher sighed. “Sorry.”

“Stop,” Janine said with a laugh. “I’m not mad at you. I guess I’ve been avoiding you cause I’ve been trying to figure out how to keep the two separate.” She sighed. “And cause I fucked your house up. You were so upset, and that was my fault.”

Ikher shook his head. “I wasn’t mad at you.”

“You should be! I’m mad at me!” Janine said, walking up to him, but Ikher just laughed.

“No, I mean, I was sad cause that I thought that stuff was my dad’s- “ Ikher started.

“Yeah, exactly.”

“Yeah, but,” Ikher continued, “Mom said it was stuff they had left over from renting the house. It wasn’t even my dads,” he said, throwing his hands up. “So, I was sad for nothing.”

“It’s still the principal of it all.”

Ikher chuckled. “Dude! Stop, I’m not mad at you. And... they’re right.” Ikher smiled, pointing out the window at Vernard and Chuck peeking in the same window. “It’s not the same without you scaring the hell out of me every other day or making fun of me.”

Janine grinned. “Ainsley’s been asking when we’d see you and grama.” Grama was what she had taken to calling his mom.

Ikher nodded. “Mom asks about both of you.”

Janine nodded and leaned back on the desk. “For real, I’m sorry about your house,” she said, looking at him with a sigh. “And… I missed you too.”

Ikher smiled and opened his arms. Janine walked over and hugged him.

“Are we cool?” she asked, letting him go.

“Yeah, we’re cool.”

They heard cheers from outside the office, prompting Janine to squint at the window before walking to try the door. “We’re good. Now, let me out of this damn office.”

“Just one second, boss. Working on it,” Chuck said as they heard the old Hunter engine start up and the wheels sequel.

“Chuck! I swear to god!” Janine said, looking out the window at Vernard, stopping the car near the office.

There was a scrape of metal again and when Janine went over and tried the door, it opened. She flung it open and stepped out in time to see Chuck dive into the car as Vernard floored it and drove away.

“Those assholes,” Janine sighed and turned to Ikher. “Guess I’m taking you home.”