Fortunately they were at her apartment within minutes, though it was time that dragged by painfully. She had her door open even before the car was stopped. Duke handed out her backpack as Aaron chattered into his phone at top volume.

“Thanks for the ride.” She moved awkwardly from foot to foot. “Good luck with everything. I really do hope you get to play.”

He was distracted by his agent’s conversation but managed to say, “Tell Jose hi. I’ll come by a practice if I can.”

“Alright.”

“Wait. Can I get your number? I owe you a drink at least, after everything.”

She froze, surprised. “I don’t think so, Duke.”

He half-smiled. “Seriously? You don’t want to get a drink with me?”

I’m probably the first woman to say no to him in a long while, if ever. “You don’t owe me anything. Besides, my state boards are in a week. And my finals. I’m on my own homestretch. No time for anything else.” She stepped back and gave a little wave. “Thanks again for being nice to Jose. Good luck with everything.”

Angel turned to find the entire staff of the salon pressed against the window, ogling them. She pushed open House of Beauty’s door, wanting to glance back but forcing herself to move forward instead. She heard the car drive away.

“Get out! Was that the baseball player?”

“Are you dating a Bronx Bolt? That’s the craziest shit evah!”

She sighed. “We are not dating. Come on. We … run in different circles.”

“Latisha showed us—you’re all over Instagram and Twitter!”

“The kiss? Already?” She kept her face blank. “That was for show.”

“Damn, bitch. Good show.”

“You have no idea what kind of a whack show that is,” Angel said, rolling her eyes.

“A millionaire whack show. Fancy parties and Kanye whack show.”

“He’s a mess, girls. I think he might be nice, but he’s a mess. Jose and I don’t need that. We’re doing okay.” She held out her arms to Jose, who’d yet to say a word, his face pressed to the glass. Praying his baseball hero was coming back, she guessed. “Right, baby?”

“I don’t know. I like him.” He ran up to her and hugged her midriff.

“And he liked you. He said to tell you he’d try to come back and help with practice.”

“Okay.” Then, his attention span reached, he said, “Hey, Mama, can I stay at Nelson’s tonight?”

“On a Monday night? No. Go do your homework, chiquito. Actually, we’ll go up and do homework together. Maybe you can help your mamita finish a report.” Angel was behind with her class work. It was time to settle back into real life and get stuff done.

As they drove away from the student nurse’s building, Aaron put his call on speaker.