Chapter 4
S unny’s eyes grew wide as the driver approached the villa. It sat on what had to be ten acres of prime beachfront land, surrounded on all sides by breathtaking views of the ocean.
Once upon a time, she and the man riding in the car behind them had talked about retiring to somewhere tropical and living in a place like this—maybe not this grand, but an affordable version close to the water.
That dream was dead now, just like so many others.
“What kind of doctor is her father?” she asked, her eyes still drinking in the spectacle.
“Plastic surgeon,” Davion muttered.
“Wow. I guess there’s big money in other peoples’ insecurities.”
“Believe it or not, he’s real down to earth.”
She scoffed at that. “Yes, I can tell.”
Davion’s quiet laughter sounded in her ear. “Don’t let all this fool you. He’s cool. A little stuffy, but cool.”
“You know what? I ain’t even mad at it.”
He sighed, tapping Sunny’s shoulder to get her full attention. “My dad called me. Again.”
She turned toward him, amazed that he looked like a little boy. He always did when he talked about Orion.
“When did you start calling him ‘my dad’?”
Just like that, his face hardened. “Since he broke up my family.”
“Dav—“
“Mama, I love you, but you don’t get to tell me how long to be pissed off about it.”
Sunny shot him a look. “Don’t say ‘pissed off’ to me.”
“Sorry.”
“But…you’re right,” she conceded. “You can be upset for as long as you want. I was just hoping you’d put it on pause this weekend so you can focus on joy and happiness.”
He shook his head as he watched the palm trees whiz by his window. “Long as Brooklyn’s happy, I’m good.”
“So you’re gonna pout your way through the weekend, huh? Don’t think she won’t notice.”
He nodded. “Speaking of Brooklyn…”
“I already know.”
“I know it’s not your job, Mama. You always say you’re done raising kids, and I get that, but—“
“Dav. I already said yes. And it’s not a problem.”
He exhaled sharply, his shoulders dropping. “Thank you.”
Sunny wasn’t happy when she found out she was playing surrogate mother this weekend. It was nothing personal against Brooklyn. She was a sweet girl, at least from the three times Sunny had talked to her on the phone. But Davion was right; she relished the fact that she’d raised her kids. The idea of being a babysitter for a grown woman all week wasn’t her idea of a peaceful time.
“I imagine this is hard for her.”
Davion nodded. “She was crying to me last night.”
“Bless her heart.”
Sunny looked at her other two sons, one bobbing his head with his earbuds in, the other with his face in a book, and smiled wistfully.
No matter what happened with Orion, she was secure in the knowledge that they’d raised some amazing kids. Davion, the engineer. Amari, the pilot. And Sylvan, who would be headed to medical school in a few months.
They felt like the only things she’d done right in her life.
Sunny stared out the window as the car rolled to a stop, greeted by the sight of Brooklyn standing in the circular driveway wearing a pink sundress and a big smile. Sunny felt a short pang of guilt for ever feeling irritated by the idea of mothering her for a weekend.
They stepped out of the car and stretched as the hot sun beat down on their faces. Davion made a beeline for his bride, pressing a tender kiss on her cheek, which made Sunny smile.
“My father apologizes for not being here to greet you,” Brooklyn said. “He had to take an important call.”
“It’s okay. We’re just happy to be here,” Sunny said as she pulled the girl in for a hug.
She was a tiny little thing, but her hug was strong and tight. She pulled away, greeted Orion and the boys, then laced her arm through Sunny’s as she led them all up the walkway to the large stained glass double doors.
Sunny stepped over the threshold with the caution of someone entering sacred ground, while Orion let out a low whistle and Sylvan whispered, “Wow,” as his eyes flickered over the space.
Natural light flooded in from the massive skylight above and the floor-to-ceiling windows. Their feet stood on polished marble floors. High ceilings and an open floor plan made them feel small and insignificant, yet the room still maintained a cozy, lived-in vibe.
Sunny felt her tension melt away immediately. Something about the place felt so… safe .
Brooklyn turned toward her guests, all smiles. “This is our summer home. Welcome, and please make yourselves comfortable.” She looked around, searching for someone. “Sorry, I don’t know where Mars is, but we’ll get your bags to your rooms.”
Sunny waved a hand. “Please don’t apologize. We can carry our bags. No worries.”
Brooklyn nodded, her embarrassment palpable. She struck Sunny as someone who desperately needed things to go smoothly.
“How are you, sweetheart?” she asked softly.
“Stressed. But that’s normal, right?”
Sunny nodded. “It is.”
Brooklyn sighed. “Thank you for being here.”
“Of course. I’m here for whatever you need.”
“I don’t wanna overwhelm you,” she said, “but I’ll need you for a few things. My final fitting is tomorrow morning. My bridal shower is tomorrow evening. Oh, and the prayer breakfast Friday morning. It’s a tradition on my mom’s side. And Saturday morning, we have the bridal breakfast.”
Sunny blinked at the rapid fire delivery. “I’m gonna need to write all that down, but yes, ma’am.”
Brooklyn laughed. “I’m sorry. There’s a whole itinerary, actually. But those are just the ones I need you at. Dav talked to you, right?”
“He did. So I’m gonna need you to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy this weekend. It’s gonna be okay.”
“I know. You’re right. Thank you.” Her eyes shifted to someone behind Sunny. “Oh! Here comes my dad.”
When Sunny turned, time stood still. That had always seemed like a cliche to her, but it felt real now that it was happening to her.
The air thinned. Her pulse quickened. Heat spread through her veins. Static filled her ears. The man Brooklyn called father had walked up behind her, but a long time ago, in another lifetime, Sunny had called him something different, and he’d called her something different, and they’d shared something pivotal and formative. Her mother called it puppy love, because that’s what people always call it when your age still has the word teen anchoring it, but Gayla Johnson was speaking on things from hundreds of miles away. She didn’t have the details.
As he walked toward her, Sunny began to remember those details.
The confidence in his gait. The broadness of his shoulders and the sexy expanse of his muscular chest. That smile, the one that always made him look like he had a secret to tell. His skin was still smooth, his salt and pepper hair and beard the only clues to his age. When his dark eyes landed on her face, Sunny would have sworn something passed between them. She felt it in her heart. In her soul .
Between her legs.
The light of recognition shone brightly in his eyes, but he was just as lost for words as she was. He stopped in front of them, swallowing hard, staring intently at his past lover and future in-law. It was Brooklyn’s cheery tone that finally broke the silence.
“Ms. Sunny, this is my father, Mark. Daddy, this is Ms. Sunny. Davion’s mother.”
Will we, or won’t we?
There was no time to discuss the matter. Their mouths opened at the same time, but he spoke first, allowing four little words to say it all.
“Nice to meet you.”
Relieved, Sunny answered with a tight smile. “Nice to meet you, too. I, um…ahem, thank you for having us. Your home is lovely.”
His eyes flickered over her again, faster this time. “It’s my pleasure. I want you to make yourself at home. Anything you need…” he trailed off, his eyes locked on hers.
A few seconds passed before Orion cleared his throat in the most obnoxious way possible.
“How you doin’, man? I’m Orion.”
Mark’s eyes finally shifted off of Sunny. He and Orion shook, then Brooklyn continued the introductions, and he didn’t hear a word.
His focus was completely shot, and as a surgeon, that was the thing he was best at maintaining. Cici had done it again, just like she always had. He was blown away.
Aside from a little extra weight in her hips and thighs—grown woman weight—she looked exactly like she had the night he first saw her. Beautiful dark brown skin, high cheekbones, full pouty lips, and the sexiest, most sultry eyes he’d ever seen on a woman. Almond-shaped and lined in black, with lashes that could bring a grown man to his knees. He’d never been a match for her when she locked him in with her stare, and she knew it, too.
“My people will show you to your rooms,” he announced. “Please feel free to freshen up, take a nap, go to the kitchen for a snack, whatever. I want you to feel like you’re at home. At six, we’ll have a welcome cocktail party, and then we’ll go from there.”
Mars and Cannon rushed to do their jobs, while Mark tried to come up with some kind of plan that would allow him to spend some time with Sunny—alone. But none came to him.
He watched them all disperse, staring as she walked away from him, only this time, there was no sense of dread. No burgeoning regret.
This time, it didn’t feel like the end.
This was just the beginning.