Bitch, every other week someone else is taking his spot. I keep my mouth shut.

“I’m with you on that,” Bianca says, shaking her head. “It’d drive me crazy.”

The door opens and in comes this very attractive, brown-skinned female I’ve never seen before. Behind her is this deliciously, tall, dark nigga with a neatly trimmed beard and dreads. He takes a seat while the chick is at the receptionist desk talking to Felecia. I cut my eye back over at the dude.

For a brief moment, he looks vaguely familiar to me. Damn, I know I’ve seen him somewhere, I think, taking another section of Bianca’s hair and running it through my fingers. I snip the ends; then, again, maybe not. I erase the thought from my head as she walks over to him, then kisses him lightly on the lips. Clearly marking her territory and letting the rest of the bitches in the room know—he’s taken. Shuwanda waves her over.

“New customer?” I ask her, knowingly.

She nods. “Yeah, we met a few weeks back. Her daughter goes to my son’s school.”

Very good, I think, smiling. Keep them dollars coming in. She smiles and says hello to everyone. Shuwanda introduces her as Robyn. I give her a warm welcome; introduce myself as the owner, then bring my attention back to Bianca. She quickly changes the subject, asking if we’ve set a wedding date, yet. I tell her no.

Robyn asks, “How long have you been engaged?”

“Almost four years,” I tell her. I can almost see her thinking how crazy that is. “I know. It’s been an extra long engagement.”

“Oh, I totally understand. James and I have been engaged for almost three years. But we finally set a date.”

“Good for you,” I say. “Is that him sitting over there?”

She nods, beaming.