Game recognize game . . . ain't 'chu eva heard that one before? Games seem to be the main agenda in this novel about two characters living in the backdrop of Atlanta who feel the need to "one up" each other until they can no longer play those cards. Mia Smith is a woman on a mission . . . she's independent and making her own way, taking no nonsense. However when she comes across Khalid's path, her "way" is now shaken, especially when true feelings begin to evolve. Her life is slowly coming together with her "new" man in a way she didn't believe possible. But when her hidden past comes back around to wreck havoc on her new found happiness, she follows her instincts and tries to protect Khalid at all costs. Khalid Alexander is an educated, corporate "brutha" who has women at his fingertips. He's a single guy who "enjoys" being the type of bachelor most men wish they could be. However once he meets Mia, she changes his world. The "love 'em and leave 'em" attitude can't withstand what he is now feeling . . . which is love. Now that his heart is clouded with the sensation of love, he hesitantly lets his guard down. When Mia makes a drastic move, he's suddenly back where he was before. In the "love games" that they play, will these two stay "lost" or will they finally be "found" The choice is up to them . . .

Once Lost ... ... Now Found

By Charlan M. Johnson

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Charlan M. Johnson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-0532-0

Chapter One

July, 2000

Mia Smith

It was twelve o'clock noon and Atlanta's R&B/old school radio station KISS 104.7 was playin' loud through the tall stereo speakers in the small soul food diner. The song "I Try" by Angela Bofil finished playin' and "Skin Tight" by The Ohio Players started while the lunch crowd rolled in. Al, the owner and manager of the diner, came ova then.

"What 'chu standin' 'round for ... gon' and get them orders." Now why he gotta come up on me like that ... I cut my eyes and frowned while chewin' my Wrigley's Doublemint gum. Then I looked out at the growin' crowd and sighed.

"I ain't even in the mood ta deal wit' this ..."

"Well you betta get in the mood 'cause you got orders ta take ..." Then he frowned at me.

"You lucky you still got this damn job." He pushed me in my back and I almost swallowed my gum as I coughed and stared 'im down. This some bullshit ... I should quit on this mu'fucka but I need the extra cash ... Then I shook my head. He wouldn't even be actin' like this if I hadn't of cut 'im off from gettin' this pussy ...

Al and I ain't cool now but we was once. We joked and flirted wit' each otha but I was doin' the shit for fun and figured he was too but then Al took it ta the next level. It was right afta the breakfast rush and ... hold up ... lemme 'splain somethin' ta ya first.

Ta waitress at Al's you gotta wear old school uniforms like what Alice used ta wear at Mel's diner on the 70's show Alice 'cept our shit is darker pink. It's a polyester dress that zips up the front and stops above the knee, wit'a stiff collar. It clings ta a mu'fucka like glue so if you ain't got the body you gon' look straight crazy ... but if you do then it'll show off e'erything you got and since I got a 5'6 body shape like LisaRaye's was in The Player's Club but thicker ...

Anyway, Al took action by sayin' he could work on it wit'out gettin' tired. Now I ain't fina lie ... that had me interested and since I wasn't kickin' it wit' nobody, I took the bait. Shit ... Al may be 51 but he got a sexy, fit caramel skin colored body and a fat 6-inch dick that can do some thangs. Afta talkin'one day, that shit was on and he did know how ta work on it so I was always down. E'erything was good ta go 'til we was almost caught by his wife.

We always kicked it at his house and his wife was neva a problem 'cause she was always workin'while her husband was always fuckin' me. Okay, so we went ta they house down in Riverdale and his wife decided ta call the diner afta we had left. Somebody told her he'd gone home for lunch so Ella ... his wife ... decided ta bring her ass home, too.

Al was hittin'it from the back and them 6 inches was talkin' real good when we heard her car pull up in the driveway. Al's dick went down and he backed out of it all scared while I picked my clothes up real quick and went in they closet ta hide. I put my shit back on while he ran his ass downstairs. Then they ate lunch togetha while I sat in they closet mad as hell.

Ella finally left but I was too through by then and had decided ta quit his ass. I told 'im the next day and this mu'fucka went off. He tried threatenin' my job, thinkin' I'd give in, but I came back on his monkey ass. I threatened ta tell his 48-year old, Georgia-Pacific Executive workin' wife about all our days of fuckin' in they bed ... then the nigga backed down.

Now we 'on't even speak and he be actin' like a pussy, like how he's doin' today. I wasted my time on this nigga ... tryna get brand new on somebody wit' his simple ass ...

"You lucky you still got a wife ... she 'on't know how we used ta get down but she can find out. Don't play yo'self 'cause I still 'member where y'all stay at."

"You tryna threaten me, bitch? You got me fucked up ..." I just gave his ass the finger and went out ta table 8, where the olda man put his menu down.

"May I take your order?"

"I'd like the lunch special with green beans and two slices of cornbread instead of one."

"You want the catfish, pork chop or the white or dark meat fried chicken special?"

"The dark meat fried chicken special ..." I marked his order, told 'im drinks was in the corner and he winked, tryna flirt while I frowned.

Quinesha, the otha girl who waitresses wit' me, was handlin' tables on the left side so I went ta my second as people poured in. I put they orders through ... tryna get 'em out 'cause my shift ends at 5:30 p.m. and I catch the MARTA train out ta Doraville for my second job.

Three hours layta, I was in the dressin' room at the Superb Tail Gentleman's Club puttin' on my g-string when the owner came in. Delsa's a 70-plus year old black lady who used ta be a topless dancer back in the day. She looks a lot like Eartha Kitt ... is a feisty lil'lady and treats us really good here. She clapped her hands and looked at e'erybody.

"Ladies, there's a convention in town and a lot of those men are here tonight. We want to accommodate all of them so they'll spend big money in our fine establishment. Understand?"

E'erybody said "yes" and she left as I put on a neon green mesh bikini top, pulled the mesh daisies up my thighs and fixed my g-string on my hip. Me and a Mexican girl name Desiree had a set togetha. We hung on the pole togetha, openin' our legs wide and then stripped each otha naked 'fore rubbin'on each otha wit'babyoil while the song, "Nasty Girl" by Vanity 6 played.

Dolla bills was bein' thrown on stage while we danced and I bounced my ass in patrons faces while they threw more money at me. Then the DJ switched the music and Ready for the World's song, "Tonight" started playin' as two black girls ... one light and one dark ... came out.

I took my money ta the back and then put on a fitted short black dress before goin' back out. I went up ta a patron and asked if he wanted a lap dance when I felt somebody pull on my dress. I turnt around real quick and seen a 60-ish year old light skin dude starin' at my body.

"I'd like a lap dance ..." I seen 'im before ... Then I realized it was the nigga I had waited on at Al's earlier. Shit what's he doin' here ... Don't nobody know I strip so I hoped he wasn't 'bout ta blow up my secret.

"How you doin' ... you wit' the convention?"

"Yes ma'am and this must be my lucky day seein' you twice! Damn, I should've known you were a stripper with a body like that ..."

I felt relieved and then took a good look at 'im. I'm fina make some money off yo' ass ...

"What's yo' name?"

"All the ladies call me 'Lonzo." All the ladies ... nigga please ...

"Okay 'Lonzo ... you want a lap dance ... follow me ..." We went ta a VIP room and he sat down before I bent down, makin' sure he seen my titties. Since the patrons ain't allowed ta touch us, I was 'bout ta work this old man ova for real.

"I know you want more than a lap dance but it's gon' cost you some real paper ..."

He nodded while starin' at my titties.

"I got it ... I just wanna have you naked all to myself ..." I stood back up and pinched my nipples ... as they got hard, he stared while lickin' his lips.

"It'll cost you two bills ..."

He...