“Excuse me, miss. I was sent to tell you your ride awaits you outside,” she said.

I rolled my eyes. I was irritated that Carson hadn’t summoned me himself.

“He could have come inside to get me.”

“If you’ll follow me, miss.”

Reluctantly, I followed the woman through the venue, out into a hallway, and through a series of doors leading to the parking lot.

“Just this way.” She led me to a sleek black car. My eyes immediately bulged. This wasn’t right. Carson had driven us here in a red Mustang.

“This isn’t his car.” I halted my feet just as the back door of the car flew open, and a familiar figure came into view.

“Kellon Barnes?” My jaw dropped in shock.

“Oh, so you do know who a nigga is,” he said. “Come on. Get in.”

“What?” I was still taken aback. What was going on?

“We made a promise that we would look out for each other, remember? You need a ride home, so here I am.” Kellon grinned.

“But… but... that was just small talk. I didn’t think you meant it!”

“Get in the car, Phileigh. We have more to talk about.” Confidence dripped from his words as he held his hand out for me to join him in the back seat.

My heart was racing. Kellon Barnes was offering to take me home. This was crazy. I should have declined, called a ride share, or continued looking for my date, but something inside me told me to get in the car.

“My date…”

“He left a while ago with his boyfriend.” Kellon cut me off.

My eyebrows narrowed because I knew Carson hadn’t left me alone, and what did he mean by boyfriend?

“Boyfriend?”

“Yeah, that nigga Carson on the DL. Everybody know… That nigga still in denial though.”

My mouth dropped open. My mother had set me up with a down low man, who had left me at a party alone. I couldn’t wait to call and go off on her when I got home.

“It’s just a fully secured ride home,” Kellon said, shaking me from my thoughts.

I narrowed my eyes at him, and he nodded to the big, beige, black man who had just gotten into the front seat of the SUV. I shook my head. Star quarterback or not, I didn’t know this man.

“Um, no thank you. I’ll call an Uber.”

I attempted to back away, but Kellon caught my hand. His touch wasn’t creepy but soft, gentle, and protective.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself not knowing if you got home safely.” He was staring at me with nothing but sincerity in his eyes. “Let me give you a ride home. You’re safe with me.”