Chapter 33 Cole
CHAPTER 33 COLE
ADINKRA SAYING: (Dono Ntoaso) A symbol of united action.
HELEN ADDO: Since when is your own mother expected to apologize?
I had been waiting for this moment.
I had known from the moment he assigned me the imprint with Ofosua that at some point things were going to come to a head. And today was that day.
I was a Drake. Drake Publishing was my legacy. And if my uncle was allowed to stay at that helm, I would have no legacy left.
I still had almost five years before I’d be able to take over. So I had to take drastic action.
My uncle had insisted the meeting with Brian Cosmos to try to lock down the investment happen in his office. It was certainly large enough, and the views of Central Park were unbelievable.
But it was a power move. In this office, my uncle was in charge. And all his dark oak furniture and paneling made the room look extremely masculine and traditional. He hadn’t updated it to be bright, open, and modern like the rest of the office.
But it had always struck me as odd that there were no Drake books on the bookshelves in here. Instead, the shelves were filled with books from his London days. What kind of publisher didn’t have his own books on display?
I wondered how I hadn’t been able to see it before.
My uncle hadn’t grown up with my grandfather. He didn’t understand his values. Instead, he’d had his own agenda this whole time. And he’d thought we were all going to pay for it.
I kept watching the clock, waiting for the Cosmos team to arrive. Five minutes before they did, Ofos sent me a text.
OFOS:
See you in five.
A smile tugged at my lips. We still had work to do, but we were working on us. She was starting to forgive me. Not that I deserved it, but I wasn’t wasting this opportunity.
My uncle frowned at me. “What’s that look on your face? What is wrong with you? Cosmos is about to hand us a massive check.”
I cleared my throat and put my phone away. “Well, let’s hope so. After what happened, I’m not so certain.”
He frowned at me. “That was an employee stepping out of line. He understands business.”
“Sure, he understands business, but you recognize she works for him now? And she went voluntarily and made it very clear that you were the reason why. You really think he’s going to hand us a check?”
He scoffed. “He’ll see our way of thinking.”
“This might not go the way you think.”
“He has nowhere else to go. Drake is the ideal partnership for him. Cosmos is an upstart. I’ll make it clear that other companies won’t work with him. Not after what he pulled here.”
I shook my head. “You can’t just toss your weight around.”
“This is how things get done, Cole.”
“I really hope not.”
“You’re a Drake. You’ll come to realize how these things happen.”
Cosmos walked in with Ofos behind him, swathed in a Stella McCartney electric-blue wrap dress and black Manolo Blahnik pumps. I knew the shoes well. She’d been wearing nothing but those shoes when I’d made love to her this morning.
Her gaze flickered to me, and the corners of her lips twitched.
Warmth bloomed in my chest, threatening to expand until I fully exploded into a supernova.
Cosmos shook my uncle’s hand, then mine. Ofos gave me a smile and nodded at my uncle before taking a seat next to Brian.
Uncle Steven was less gracious. “This is a surprise. We were expecting only you, Brian.”
“Ofosua is a key part of my team, Steven. I’ll keep this brief. Obviously, we’ve been in negotiations for some time, and we’ve had a good partnership until very recently. And that’s what I want to discuss. I’m reconsidering the investment with you.”
My uncle sat back and toyed with his fountain pen while glowering at Cosmos. “Is this because of her? You’re making a gut decision based on a low-level employee you’ve known for a couple of months. Despite what Ofosua may have told you, Drake has done nothing but support her.”
Brian held up a hand. “Steven, I’m going to stop you there. You wanted my money, and I can understand that, but Drake very obviously still has a lot of work to do. The imprint was a strong step in the right direction, but instead of moving forward from an authentic place, you were only making your money grab. Do you think I don’t know that you’ve been trying to shut the imprint down these past few weeks, and not only that but you are blaming it on Ofosua’s departure? The deals and partnerships we make at Cosmos aren’t just about money. They’re about making an impact. And Drake, as it currently stands, is the wrong kind of partner.”
My uncle leaned forward. “We had an agreement. And I’m still publishing the books you wanted me to publish. I’m going to have Drake’s lawyers on this immediately.”
“I don’t think you’ll have the right to make those kinds of decisions for very much longer.”
My uncle laughed. “In case you haven’t noticed, I am Drake Publishing. Our lawyers do what I tell them to.”
And that was where I sat forward. “Actually, Uncle Steven, about that.”
I glanced up at the glass door of the office in time to see my aunt Ruby breeze past my uncle’s panicked executive assistant.
Clad in understated Burberry elegance, Aunt Ruby looked every bit the Upper East Side Manhattan socialite of a certain age that she was. “Darling. I’m so sorry to interrupt.” Then she paused and smiled brightly. “Actually, that’s not true. I’m not sorry at all.”
My uncle looked shocked. “Ruby, what are you doing here? I’m in the middle of a meeting.”
“Actually, you no longer are in the middle of a meeting. Well, not the meeting you think you are in, anyway.”
He coughed a laugh and practically fell back in his chair. “Excuse me?”
She shifted her gaze to me and winked. “You see, while you’ve been so busy underestimating my nephew, he’s been filling me in on your, ah, exploits here at Drake.”
Uncle Steven turned his gaze to me. “Cole? He’s nothing but a spoiled malcontent. I’d had such hopes for him. But he’s just like his father. Unfit to run this company.”
“Well, the good news is that it isn’t actually up to you to determine this company’s successor. It never was up to you. Your malcontent nephew also informed me that you and one of your publicists—Nazrin, is it?—have been carrying on a secret affair. Sometimes you even carry it on in the office. Which was not very smart, Steven. Did you forget that there are cameras in the elevator? You must have. Did you also forget that the Drake family owns this building, pays the security teams, and can review the tapes at will? I’ve been content all these years to let you run around doing what you needed to do. I thought that no matter what, at least you cared about books and Drake Publishing the same way my father did. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told myself that over the years. But you almost losing the deal we need to ensure that my family’s legacy survives made me see the truth. It’s over, Steven. All of it. I have the power to fire you, another thing you seem to have forgotten.”
She turned her gaze to Ofosua. “It was a shame to lose you. You started something important with Mahogany Prose. I read all the manuscripts, and Cole is right—you have an incredible eye. Also, I love a love story.”
Ofos sat up straighter. “Oh, thank you.”
Ruby turned back to my uncle. “So, as per the agreement in our prenup, my lawyers are waiting right outside this office to deliver the really bad news to you. The board will meet this afternoon, and I’ll name Cole as interim co-CEO, with me. In five years, I’ll hand Drake fully over. Cole and I are very excited about our new partnership with Mr. Cosmos.”
Brian grinned at my uncle. “You see, I have no intention of working with you , Steven, but Cole and your soon-to-be ex-wife have made me an offer I can’t refuse. It’s been great watching your face through this whole little thing.” He turned to Ofos. “Thank you for convincing me to come here in person and not just make the phone call.”
“My pleasure.”
For a moment, I thought my uncle was going to lunge at my aunt, so I pushed to my feet and stepped directly between the two of them. “Uncle Steven, don’t do this. I watched you squander the opportunity we had. I didn’t see it at first, maybe because I didn’t want to, but at every turn you have dug this company into a hole it didn’t need to be in because you refuse to change.”
I turned to Ofos. “I know that you are very happy at Cosmos Film and Media. But if you could do Drake one more favor and help us find an editor who’s worthy of the imprint, I would be grateful.”
I could see the tears in her eyes as she said, “I’m happy to lend my services.”
“Excellent. I think my uncle Steven and aunt Ruby have a lot to discuss. So, Brian, if you will, maybe I can take you and Ofos to lunch?”
He grinned. “Sounds good. Let’s make sure it includes a champagne toast.”
I gave my uncle a nod. “See you around, Uncle Steven. I told you not to underestimate us.”
I didn’t bother with a glance back at him.
OFOSUA
As we lay in bed, the sunlight streamed into Cole’s bedroom while he fingered my hair. “I really love your curls, you know.”
My fingers played with the dusting of hair on his chest. “I love that you love them.”
I tried to sit up, but he pulled me back into his arms, tucking me close to his chest. “Try to get up again, and I’ll have to put you back into a sex-drunk stupor.”
I muffled a giggle against his chest. “Oh no, anything but that.” He was so very good at the stupor. Truth be told, after last night I wasn’t sure I’d be able to walk properly. He hadn’t let me rest.
He kissed my forehead softly before asking, “How long are you staying before you go back to LA?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t have any meetings for the next two weeks or so, and honestly my position is technically remote. So most of it can also be done from here.”
He pressed my hand over his chest. “So I have you for two weeks before you have to go back?”
I nodded. “Then I’ve got a couple of meetings to take care of, but afterward I’ll come back.”
“We really have to sync our schedules.”
I lifted my head and studied him. “Don’t worry. There is always phone sex.”
“We can practice.” He lowered his voice an octave before whispering, “I can still taste you from last night. I love the way you ride my tongue. I’m hungry again.”
Automatically, my skin flushed hot, and that pulsing heat between my thighs became impossible to ignore. “You’re trying to kill me, Cole.”
I laughed as he nipped my shoulder. He played with the skin of my collarbone as he whispered, “No, I’m trying to make you eager to come back.”
I raised my head to meet his gaze at the slight seriousness in his voice. “It’s only two weeks. I’ll be back.”
“I know. I’ll just miss you.” He kissed me softly before adding, “There is the other tiny elephant in the room.”
“Tiny elephant?”
“Your mother. I don’t think she’d take it kindly if she heard that I called her an elephant.”
I frowned. “Right. I’d been trying not to think about her.”
“I know, but she did travel all the way to Los Angeles with me. I mean, she complained the whole way, but she misses you too.”
“Let me guess, then she tried to convince Brian that he needs to date me?”
He shook his head. “Kukua. Actually, she said you were in love with me.”
I laughed. “She’s not wrong. I am in love with you.”
It was the first time I’d said the words out loud, and I made a point to meet his gaze when I said them.
The slow smile that spread over his lips warmed my heart and healed all those little fissures and cracks that had been formed when he broke me.
“Well, that’s good. Because if I continued to love you and you didn’t love me back, that would have been awkward. Though I would have persevered.”
I laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe a little.” He shrugged.
“I still can’t believe you brought my mum with you to LA.”
“She really does miss you, you know.”
“Yeah, well, it’s not as easy to forget what she did to me. To us . And saying she misses me isn’t going to erase that.”
“Look, be mad at her all you want. But I had an equal part in it, and I own it. For all it’s worth, I think you guys should try to find your common ground.”
“Oh, look at you, waxing poetic.”
“It’s been known to happen.” He pulled me down for another kiss. “Either way, I think you should talk to her. I’m not going to tell you what to do, obviously. But if you talk to her, you might actually feel better.”
“I’m not sure I will. I’ve never been this angry with her before.”
“If you can forgive me, I’m pretty sure you can find a way to forgive her.”
“It’s more complicated than that. She’s interfered with all of my relationships. It’s like she’s incapable of being cured.”
“Maybe she’s just desperate to be involved in your life.”
“And that needs to end. Literally. I’ve had enough of it.”
“You’re right. But wouldn’t it be better if you’re on good terms with your mum? You might feel better then.”
I scowled at him. “I hate it when you talk sense.”
“Come here, I’ll show you how good me talking sense can be.”
Once we were showered and headed out for breakfast, he grabbed me by the waist, twirling me around as we waited for the elevator in his building. When the doors dinged and slid apart, we both froze. Inside the elevator stood my mother, her angry gaze pinned to Cole’s face. “Eh, of course. You left me in Los Angeles so you could, what, come and enjoy her yourself?”
“Hi, Dr. Addo.”
I frowned at them both. “Did you set me up?”
Cole’s face went ashen. “No, I didn’t know she was coming.”
My mother, in her typical way, stormed forward. “He would have run away. Worried I was going to give him the beating of a lifetime.”
And sure enough, with her handkerchief in hand, she aimed for him.
He ducked easily. “Dr. Addo, I needed to get to Ofosua. You opted to stay in LA.”
“That Brian boy, he’s nice. He’s cute.” She turned to me, looking me up and down. “He’s single.”
“Not going to happen, Mum.”
“Mm-hmm. Of course not. But Kukua is single. It could happen with her.”
I sighed. “You will never stop, will you?”
She turned on me. “You. I’ve been traveling across the country and back again looking for you.”
I frowned. I was looking for the remorse in her eyes, but I knew I wouldn’t find it. Cole was right. Running away from my mother wasn’t going to solve things for me.
Cole watched me warily. “I’m going to make myself scarce. Why don’t you two use my apartment for this conversation?”
“Hm, the way he turned up on my doorstep, insisting that I had to come and chase you down. What kind of child makes her own mother chase her?”
When Cole left the two of us alone, she turned to face me. “Do you even understand that something could have happened to me and you wouldn’t have even known?”
“I would have known. Dad knew how to reach me.”
She pursed her lips. “Your father knew how to reach you? But I did not?”
“Is this about being left out, or what? I’m having a hard time following.”
She watched me. “Do you not even care that you hurt me with your antics?”
“All right, Mum. I love you very much. But you still can’t have my number. Not until you learn some boundaries.”
“What boundaries? You know, these obroni things that you have picked up, I don’t like them. Not one bit.”
“You didn’t stop to think that there was a reason that you , of all people, didn’t have my number? You don’t listen. You only want to hear what you want to hear.”
She sniffed as she started a stroll around Cole’s apartment. “Is that what you think?”
“It’s what I have seen. You know, after thinking about it, I’m not even sure I wanted to marry Yofi. I wanted to be away and not have you constantly in my head. ‘When are you going to get married, Ofosua? Why won’t you go get your master’s, Ofosua? My friend’s son is available, Ofosua.’ I was exhausted and worn down. I know I’m your only child. And I know you’re worried that I will be alone. But the constant harping turned me into a twenty-five-year-old divorcée.”
“I don’t care about you being alone. As your father says, you’re quite capable. I’m worried about you continuing your culture. Having a connection to your people. You don’t seem to care.”
Clasping a hand to my chest, I stepped in her path in an effort to make her truly see me. “I care, Mum. I have a different way of caring, and my ways are also valid. No matter where I am or who I love, I am an African. I am Ghanaian. I am a Ga . But I have to do that my way.”
“Your way. You young people, you think you’re the only ones who ever invented a need for freedom? You’re not. Dare I say, me and my generation, we did it better.”
“Look, Mum, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to fight with you. I’m so tired, and you hurt me.”
She rolled her lips inward. “Look, maybe Yofi was a mistake. But—”
“Yofi was maybe a mistake? Was he the only way for you to be proud of me?”
“What nonsense are you speaking? Your father and I are very proud of you.”
“Really? How come I’ve never heard you say it before?”
She frowned. “Oh, I’ve said it before. Why?”
“Okay, say it now.” I just wanted the words.
“Say what?” She used that voice I was so accustomed to.
“That you’re proud of me.” How could she not see what I was saying?
She frowned. “Why do you need such sentiments? It’s not what we do. We’re Ghanaian.”
I sighed. This was exhausting. Honestly, maybe this was how she did it with my father all these years. I’d always wondered if all this really wore him down. Maybe that was why he traveled so much.
“So you’re not even sorry about Cole, are you?”
She frowned at me. “What happened was in your best interest.”
I had always known that a Ghanaian parent would rather bite off their left arm than issue an apology. Yet still, somehow, I was surprised at my own mother’s reluctance to offer anything even resembling one.
“So what now? Mum, I’m not going to fight this fight with you. I love you, and you’re my mother. I respect you. I know our culture. You and Daddy gave me a strong foundation. I’m so impressed and honored that you’re my mother, but to sit back and let you continue to meddle in my life? I don’t have to subject myself to this. If you call me and you need something, I’ll come. But if you never let me be an adult, I will never act like an adult. If you want to cut me off, that’s fine. I understand. And that’s okay because I have been saving money, and I actually earn enough to support myself.”
She watched me warily in stony silence. When I hitched my purse higher on my shoulder, she mumbled something.
I frowned. “What was that?” Her gaze was downcast, and I couldn’t quite hear what she was saying. “Mum, I can’t hear you.”
“Fine. I’m sorry, okay? Now will you come home?”
I shook my head. “No, you’re not listening. I’m not coming home. I moved out.”
“But this is nonsense. I said sorry.”
“But did you say it because you meant it or because you thought it would shut me up?”
She bit her bottom lip. “Fine, okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Perhaps, sometimes my zealousness to do right by you causes problems.”
I laughed. “Sometimes you’re overzealous? Wow, this apology, be still my heart.”
She scowled at me. “Stop talking and let me finish.”
I bit the inside of my cheek.
“Sometimes I don’t see. I know that you had stress in this country. I know in Ghana things would have been so much easier for you. You could have met some boy whose family we knew, and you could have done your own thing. But we raised you here, so I have to try harder.”
“And I can survive here, Mum. You and Dad have made me strong. I’m pretty badass if you let me be.”
She sniffed. “I’m sorry. Yofi, hm, that boy, he’s lucky I have such a calm temperament that I barely considered killing him. You know, I might still beat him for the way he tried to humiliate you.”
My mother had been threatening to beat people since I was a child. To my knowledge, she’d never actually beaten anyone. It was that Ga way of being all talk.
“And Cole?”
She sighed. “He’s—he’s so white.”
I coughed a laugh. “Hey, he didn’t embarrass me on the dance floor.”
“It’s true. But, ah, still so white.”
“Yeah. He is. He’s not Ghanaian, and he’s not a lawyer, or a doctor, or in finance. But he’s a good man. And he’ll run the publishing company soon, Mum. I could do worse.”
She sighed. “Publisher. It’s almost as bad as being a professor. Eh, he’s your choice. He’s your choice.”
“Great, then I might even tell you where I live now.”
“I’m ready to bring you jollof. Did you ever learn how to make it like me?”
And then she walked me through the jollof recipe, and I had to take down notes. I smiled because I had missed her. Psycho antics and all. She was my mum, after all.
It was then that Cole walked in. “Ah, how are my girls?”
My mother looked him up and down. “I’m not your girl.”
He laughed and strode forward and gave her a big hug. “You might as well get used to me. I’m going to be here a long time.”
My mother tried to wiggle out of his hug, but at the corner of her mouth, I could see she was smiling.
COLE
My hands were sweating.
Maybe that’s because you had to avoid a wooden spoon.
“Obroni, pay attention, or else you’ll burn the jollof.”
“Yes, Auntie,” I murmured.
Over the last month or so, I’d gotten used to the auntie custom. And I had to make a mental note of all the ingredients that she’d used so I could replicate this whole thing for Ofos.
When I’d arrived to the Addos’ to ask Ofos’s parents to marry her, Helen had just given me a stiff nod and then insisted that the best way to propose was through food.
I just didn’t realize that the instruction would come firsthand… from her. Complete with wooden spoon.
It had been worth it, though. Because I knew that Ofosua would be much happier with her parents on board.
When I thanked Helen for her help, she sniffed and then rapidly blinked her eyes. “Eh, if I don’t teach you, who will? Otherwise you people would cook poorly all the time.”
That had been weeks ago. I’d been planning this for weeks and getting lessons. I was pretty sure Ofos was suspicious. Every time she called me from Los Angeles, I had to call her back because I was at her parents’ house. And I couldn’t risk her hearing her father screaming at the television or her mother screaming at me.
But today was the day, and I hoped to God I was ready.
When Ofos arrived at my apartment, I had everything prepped. I’d left work at noon to make sure I had everything. It had taken that long to prep. But I was clean, freshly shaven, and had made jollof, chicken, a side stew, and a whole heap of Ghana pancakes. That one I had slightly cheated on because I’d made the batter yesterday. And the ring was in my jacket pocket.
For the band, I’d sourced gold from Ghana. Helen had helped me. I’d gotten a braided band with yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold intertwined with each other and studded with diamonds. And a five-carat marquis cut on top.
Helen had accompanied me as I designed the ring. She’d had many opinions, but I could tell she liked to be involved.
I knew exactly what I was going to say about how I wanted to braid our lives and our cultures and our families together. I was so nervous, though, my stomach twisting and pitching every time I practiced. When the buzzer went off, I took a deep breath and let her up.
There was a rapid series of knocks on my door, and when I opened it with a grin, Ofosua pushed past me, her rollaway bag in tow. I smiled at her. “Hello, gorgeous.”
Ofos had her hair in slim, beautiful braids in an ombré brown color from her roots all the way past her ass. She looked good in braids. Somehow, they made her look younger, though. Like I was about to get engaged to a college student. She lifted a brow at me and marched straight to the bedroom, searching for something. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
“My mother. I smell her cooking.”
That made me grin. “So I got it right?”
“Got what right? Mom. She was here.”
I shook my head. “No, she wasn’t.”
“Where’s my mother?”
I cupped her face. “Stop worrying about your mother. I cooked.”
She blinked once, her brow furrowing. “ You cooked?”
“Yes. I can cook.”
“I know. But I’ve never seen you make anything other than, you know, pasta or chicken.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t cook anything else.”
“That smells like seasoning, Cole.”
“I certainly hope so. Your mother would kill me if I got the recipe wrong.”
Her brows shot up. “You asked my mother for her recipe?”
I shook my head. “No. I had her teach me how to make things.”
Ofos’s mouth fell open, and I grinned as I ran my thumb over her bottom lip. Then I sank to my knee, pulling the box from my pocket.
“Oh my God. What are you doing?”
I grinned up at her. “I’m going to need you to be quiet now, my love. I have something important to ask you.”
The waterworks started before I even started to talk. And she was shaking her head back and forth. “Ofosua Abena Addo, I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment we met. I’ve loved you from the moment you decided you hated me. I’ve loved you from the moment that you decided that you might like me. I’ve loved you through it all, and I will continue to love you until my dying day. I promise to always strive to be better, to do better, to learn more. To be a man worthy of you. Will you marry me?”
I watched as the tears moved freely down her cheeks now. “Oh my God, Cole.”
She wasn’t saying yes. Why wasn’t she saying yes? I started to sweat. “Anything you want. I will bend the heavens to give it to you. Just say yes. Give me a chance.”
She blinked rapidly. “Oh my God, yes. I said it in my head.”
I laughed as I slid the ring on her finger.
She stared at it and blinked. “We’re going to need to get something smaller for me to wear every day.”
I laughed. “Not on your life. I’ll probably upgrade the stone for every year we’re married.”
“You upgrade the stone, and I won’t be able to wear it in public without someone trying to rob me.”
“Great, then I’ll give you an armed guard. I don’t care. We belong to each other. And I want everyone to know that your husband will move heaven and earth to give you the best.”
She stared at the ring, and her gaze lifted to mine. “Oh my God. Are you sure about this?”
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close, inhaling her scent and instantly relaxing. “I let your mother teach me to cook. I’m sure. PS, she really does whack you with a wooden spoon.”
She laughed through her tears. “I told you! You didn’t duck out of the way?”
“She’s shockingly fast for such a small woman.”
“Are you going to feed me now?”
“Yes, I am. And I have one request.”
She tilted her chin up as she nuzzled into my chest. “What’s your request, besides that I marry you?”
“Don’t be jealous that I’m a better cook than you.”
Predictably, her brow lifted and she pursed her lips. And then she said the sweetest words other than the “yes” that she’d just given me a few moments ago. “I smell a challenge coming on.”