15. Leilani
Brandon’s mouth was moving, but I wasn’t hearing anything he said.
My eyes were glued to my phone, wondering why Banks hadn’t texted me back.
We’d hardly talked over the last three days, and I was missing him something terrible.
Every time I asked him what was wrong, he either wouldn’t answer or would change the subject.
I didn’t understand.
He never had a hard time expressing himself to me until now, and I couldn’t help but to wonder if it was something I did.
“Lei? Did you hear me?”
I whipped my head up to give Brandon my undivided attention. He sat across from me, looking handsome as ever. His pools of syrup pierced through me as his thick eyebrows were lowered over them. He thumbed his nose and crossed his thick forearms over the table.
“I’m sorry.” I apologized, brushing my locs back. “My focus was elsewhere. What did you say?”
That raspy chuckle I once loved erupted from Brandon’s throat. He wet his bow-shaped lips with a swift swipe of his tongue over them. “I can tell. You good?”
“I will be. Now, what were you saying?”
“Do you want to talk about what’s on your mind first?”
I twisted my lips, tapping my fingers against the table. I glanced down at my phone once more and sighed. “Have you ever unintentionally fell for someone?”
“Yeah. You. And honestly, I don’t think we ever intentionally fall for anyone. It just happens.”
“And what would you do if that person starts pulling away from you with no explanation? Everything was going so good and then…”
“You’re talking about Banks, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“I sensed that on your live the other day. You only paint in blues when you’re feeling down.”
“I’m surprised you remember that.”
Brandon smiled, revealing the deep dimples in his hair free face. He rubbed his chiseled jaw and admitted, “I remember everything about you, Leilani. You’re one person I’ll never forget, one person who will always have an impact on my life.”
“And the feeling is mutual, Brandon. It is, but not in the way you think.” I had to make it clear. I would always have love for Brandon, but we would never be together again.
“I understand. I do. To answer your question, if you truly care about the person pulling away from you, find a way to pull them back in. That was where I messed up with you, Leilani. I think that’s where we messed up with one another, honestly.
And before you say anything, I know this isn’t about us.
I’m simply using us as an example of how things can go. ”
“Well, it’s not as easy as it seems to pull someone back in when they don’t want to be. I don’t know, Brandon. Maybe I need to let things go.”
It pained me to say that. Letting Banks go was the last thing I desired to do, but I wasn’t sure what else to do. He’d completely shut down on me.
Brandon reached over and gently placed his medium brown hand on top of mine.
For a moment, we got lost in one another’s eyes.
What surprised me the most was that I felt absolutely nothing.
His touch used to send an electric shock through my body.
His intense gaze used to make my pussy purr.
Brandon used to make my body react in ways that only Banks could now.
I slid my hand from underneath Brandon’s, picking up my glass and taking a sip of my mimosa. “So what were you saying before I got all sentimental, Brandon?”
“Well, what would you say if I told you I’d gotten connected with Blaque and showed him some of your work?”
I almost choked on my mimosa. Brandon leaned over and patted my back as I coughed. “Are you serious?” I questioned after catching my breath.
“I am. So serious that he wants to do an exhibit showcasing your work.”
It was taking everything in me not to scream at the top of my lungs and jump across the table on Brandon. “Before I get too excited, you gotta show me the proof. I need to know it’s real.”
Brandon held his finger up and pulled out his phone.
He typed a few things before sliding it over to me.
Shortly after, a FaceTime call came through.
I glanced up at Brandon who nodded for me to answer.
When my finger slid across the screen and revealed Blaque on the other side, I almost passed out.
“It’s really you!” I gushed, throwing my hand over my mouth.
Blaque laughed, showing off his beautifully aligned smile and nodded. “It is. How are you, Leilani? I’ve heard some great things about you.”
“I’m in disbelief but the good kind.”
“I get that often from up-and-coming artists. Your work is absolutely breathtaking. Brandon showed me your FameVsYou profile, and I was immediately intrigued. I would love to sit down and meet with you before the exhibit I’ll be hosting in your city.
I want to showcase some of your work to my colleagues as well. ”
“A-are you serious?”
“Very much so. I’ll be honest with you and say Brandon wasn’t the first person to introduce me to your talent. Your boyfriend, Boss, actually sent your work to one of my colleagues a few days before I connected with Brandon. I had to snatch you before she did.”
Tears welled in my eyes. I dabbed at them with a napkin, feeling an overwhelming number of emotions taking over, and it wasn’t because of Blaque giving me an opportunity.
Banks never failed to show me he kept his word and supported me, even when I didn’t know it.
We agreed at the three-month mark was when I would have access to his resources, but I guess he had other plans.
“He’s so full of surprises. He didn’t even tell me.” I giggled in-between tears. “I’d be more than happy to meet with you, Blaque. This is like a dream come true.”
“Give me your number, so I can store it in my phone. I’ll be reaching out later today to confirm details once I go over my schedule with my assistant.”
I rattled my number off, and Blaque immediately sent over a text. After thanking him, we ended the call. I sat back in my seat in complete awe. Nothing could steal my joy.
At least I thought.
Brandon and I finished up our lunch after I thanked him repeatedly. He wasn’t the only person I had to thank. Banks had also put my name in a room without me knowing. If it wasn’t for him, it was possible nothing would’ve happened so suddenly.
In my car, I unlocked my phone to find an email from Banks’s lawyer.
“What the fuck?” I gasped, reading over the contents stating our contract had been voided. Everything around me started spinning. I couldn’t fully grasp what was happening or why. It was so abrupt with no explanation from Banks.
So, I called him.
I called him repeatedly, but it went to voicemail each time.
I tried texting him, too, and none of my messages went through.
The saltiness on my lips trickled down and splattered onto my phone screen.
There was no use in stopping my droplets of pain from falling.
Banks had pulled one from right underneath me, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it.