Too Close for Comfort by La Jill Hunt Page B

things, I hope.” Yaya smiled. She checked Paige out. He hasn’t said anything about you. And a daughter?—Quincy doesn’t do baby mamas—he says they have too much bag-gage—What is up with this?
    â€œYou know I never have anything bad to say about you, sis. I’m gonna show Paige and Myla around the place.”
    â€œYour salon is beautiful,” Paige said. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. I know it’s going to be a big success.”
    Something in the way she said it made Yaya feel warm inside. It was as if Paige believed in her without even knowing her.
    She still remained hesitant about liking her. She had been used plenty of times before by females trying to get in good with Quincy — they thought that if they could win her over, it was a surefire way to become the future Mrs. Quincy Westbrooke. And having a child already probably gave Paige even stronger ulterior motives for dating Quincy.
    If Paige thought for one moment that she was going to get her hooks in her brother and poof, instant family, she was mistaken. She made a mental note to have a heart-to-heart with her brother and see what was up with that.
    A few hours later, Yaya checked her watch and saw that it was after four and Jason hadn’t made it. The salon was crowded, and people were still coming in. She called his cell phone and didn’t get an answer.
    â€œWhat’s going on, people?” Lincoln gave a hearty greeting as he walked in the door.
    â€œYo, Linc, my man, you hooked this place up!” Quincy walked over and gave him a hug.
    â€œWhat’s up, Lincoln?” Taryn, hard at work on Paige’s nails, paused long enough to check herself in the mirror to make sure she was looking tight as ever.
    Lincoln walked over, leaned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
    She looked over at Yaya and winked.
    â€œCongratulations.”
    Yaya looked up and stared right into the eyes of Fitzgerald.
    He was smiling at her.
    She couldn’t help smiling back. “Thank you. Where’s Carter? He better not be out there in my parking lot unattended.”
    â€œHa! It’s Carver , and no, he’s not here to terrorize you today. I left him home, seeing that it was the grand opening and all; I didn’t want to scare off any potential new customers.”
    â€œThanks. You’re so considerate,” she told him.
    â€œI see your gala is a success. Linc told me you were worried people wouldn’t wanna come to the hood when you opened.”
    Yaya wondered what else Lincoln felt the need to share with Fitz. “That’s not true. Well, not exactly true.”
    â€œYeah, right.” He laughed.
    She tried not to notice how attractive he was in his jeans and long white T-shirt. His dreads were hanging today, and he had on a pair of what looked to be brand-new white Nike’s.
    â€œWell, I just wanted to say congratulations.”
    â€œThank you, Fitz. Listen, hang out for a while, grab a plate, get a manicure. I can even hook those brows up if you want.”
    â€œMy brows?—I don’t think so.” He touched them.
    She stared into his strong grey eyes.
    â€œBut I will get a plate.”
    â€œEnjoy. Here’s a coupon in case you want that manicure, though.”
    She passed him the small slip of paper, which entitled him to three dollars off.
    He walked over to the buffet table and began talking with Quincy and Lincoln.
    She felt someone staring at her and checked to see where it was coming from. Taryn and Monya both were smiling as if they had discovered some deep, dark secret she was hiding from them and there was nothing she could do about it.
    â€œWhat? Get back to work,” she snapped at them, and they giggled.
    For the hundredth time that day, Yaya looked around to see if Jason had slipped by her and she missed his coming through the door. She was again disappointed to see he wasn’t there.
    â€œAre you all