// those "You clearly don't belong here, but your money's as good as anyone's" looks, the "What the hell are you doin' buyin' a forty //

// dollar pair of panties?" looks, the "Lesbian, much?" looks that always came from uppity white people. Didn't bother me none. Hell, by //

// the time I walked out, I'd made that judgy saleslady question her sexuality. I made a show of dropping the super sheer black lace //

// thong that would look ridic on Bironi Ygloriane into the padded envelope I'd gotten off the guy and scanned the wall of standard cards //

// for one to tuck inside. I started to choose something totally random, like a "Thanks for being a great grandpa!" card or a thank you //

// card - which just seemed awful in the best of ways, considered one of those raunchy meme cards that said, "If I were one of your //

// coworkers, I'd sexually harass you," but in the end, it was the bereavement cards that caught my eye. A sly smile formed on my lips //

// as I scribbled a quick note beneath the "Sorry for your loss!" "Keep the shirt. I like it better on you anyway. I want my jeans back //

// though -- or else." I googled the address of the precinct where Bironi Ygloriane worked and penned it on the front of the envelope to //

// her attention and got an even stranger look as I stepped back up to the counter to pay for everything and send it off, which just made //

// me want to laugh. I just gave the dude an affronted look, indignation in my tone to address his rudeness.= What? It's for my grandma. //

// =Totally worth it for the speechless look on his face that said he had no clue whether or not I was serious. I got another persistent //

// call as I walked out of the store and nearly ignored it, but a glance at my phone showed it was from Talya Robard.= /Shit/. //

// ="Dude, where the hell are you? Is everything okay? Looks like somebody busted in your shop." A small smile lifted the corner of my //

// lips at the obvious concern in Talya Robard's voice, and I quickly rounded the corner to meet her down the block.= Sorry, man. //

// I completely forgot. And no, it's all good, mami. Just had kind of a crazy night. Had to run an errand on my way in. I'm headed your //

// way. See your fine ass right now. Nice cutoffs. ="Shut the hell up. Leave my ass out of it." Talya Robard laughed, an almost //

// childlike sound that made me smile wider, and I disconnected the call as I walked up, quickly moving to unlock the shop and open the //

// door for her. "That kinda night, huh? Jealous." My smile turned just a shade bitter as I moved inside to turn on the lights and //

// disable the alarm so I could get to work.= Yeah, you know me. Livin' the dream...