Chapter 23 Solana
AFTER DUKE LEFT…
I groaned as I leaned against the window and watched Duke leave. All I had to do was say what he wanted to hear. But I couldn't. Henderson was in rare form, but he wasn't entirely a bad guy, which was why I didn't find it strange to take his suggestions into consideration.
Once Duke was no longer in view, I made my way into my room to grab my phone. I needed to know if I was wrong, and I knew my girls would give it to me straight.
I called Jessa first. The phone rang for a few moments before she answered, sounding like she was lying down with a cover over her face.
"It's Jessa. If you're getting this message, I am unavailable, so leave a message at the beep. Beep," she said, even making the noise herself.
I rolled my eyes.
"Jessa, it's important. I'm about to add Aubree. Hold for a moment."
She groaned as I clicked over to call Aubree. Unlike Jessa, Aubree sounded slightly out of breath but she answered.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"No. Give me a second. Jessa is on the other line. Let me merge the calls."
Aubree whispered away from the phone, so I knew she had to be talking to someone. If it was who I thought it was, her being out of breath made sense. But I also felt bad for interrupting their night. If Duke hadn't gotten upset with me, we would have been on the same kind of time.
I merged the call.
"Jessa?"
"Yes, girl. Now what is going on? I was in the middle of a dream and Michael B. Jordan was there willing to risk it all for me. So this better be top-of-the-line tea."
I hated that I wanted to laugh when things felt so messed up over here. But she was out of her mind.
"Normally I would be opposed to Jessa's nonsense, but I was a little busy myself—"
"Little? No, we was hella busy, baby." Juelz said.
"Oop, not you got that man over there doing God knows what," Jessa added, then laughed.
My eyes widened as my suspicions were confirmed.
"Would you hush?" Aubree whispered harshly at Juelz, then returned her attention to us. "Solana, what's wrong, girl?"
I released a breath. "I think Duke and I are done. Oh, and my manager showed up at my shop this morning to let me know the jet is gassed up to take me back home tomorrow."
The line went silent. Aubree cleared her throat.
"We're on the way. I'll bring the wine," she responded.
"Damn. I guess this was worth missing out on Michael B. I'll bring leftovers. Grandma threw down tonight and there was a lot left over. I know she won't mind me bringing it to y'all. Give me twenty minutes."
"Same," Aubree added.
"Thanks, y'all, and I'm sorry for interrupting your nights—"
"Uh-uh, we don't do that. I don't need an apology for doing what friends are supposed to do. We will be there soon," Jessa said.
I nodded as we said our goodbyes, then decided to clean my place while waiting on them. I needed something to get out of my head for a moment. I went back into my room and put the clothes I had been pulling out of the closet away, then made sure my place was in order for company.
Twenty minutes went by fast. When the doorbell rang, I jogged down the steps and opened the back door. Jessa and Aubree stood on the other side holding bags filled with everything they'd mentioned.
They followed me up the steps and into the apartment. I held the door as they filed in, then locked it behind them. Jessa stopped in front of the space where my table used to be.
She turned to look over her shoulder at me, then back at the potted plant that had taken its place.
"Uh, bitch. What happened to your table?" she asked.
My cheeks reddened at the thought of my lunch break with Duke. He had plans to replace it. We just hadn't gotten around to it yet between both of our businesses.
Jessa's brow rose and Aubree chuckled, then quickly placed her hand over her mouth.
"I don't even want to know," Jessa decided, then set the bag on the counter instead.
Aubree placed her bottle of wine and the glasses on the coffee table in front of the couch. I walked over and pulled a few plates and silverware from the cabinets. We moved around my small kitchen filling our plates and wine glasses.
"Start with the manager situation, then go into Duke.
I'm sure they go hand in hand," Aubree said as Jessa and I walked over to the couch.
She grabbed one of the chairs from my now broken table set, turned it to face us, and placed her wine glass on the table while starting on the tortellini Jessa had brought over.
The aroma had my stomach growling and reminded me I was supposed to be having ribs with Duke tonight. I took my first bite and practically moaned as the flavors hit my tongue. Aubree nodded across from me and pointed at her plate with her fork.
"Miss Lottie does not play games in that kitchen."
"Right. I'm shocked there was any food left over," I added.
Jessa danced in her seat and took a bite, as if she hadn't already eaten this same thing earlier.
"Okay, stop stalling. You know I left Michael B. to be here, so let's hear it."
I laughed, then finished my bite before going into how my manager showed up, how he grabbed my wrist, and how Duke walked back into the shop and checked Henderson without hesitation.
"Wait, that's Duke for you and he had every right to look at that man sideways. I met him and he weird as fuck," Jessa interrupted.
I released a sigh because I knew Henderson was an acquired taste. But most managers acted that way. They were focused on the money, and I always felt Henderson at least gave some thought to how I was doing. He cared, to an extent. It was the reason I had texted him before I left.
"He's just an acquired taste. I feel like anyone from the outside would seem off to y'all here. I'm sure I seemed strange when I first showed up."
Aubree held up a hand, then leaned forward to take a sip of her wine.
"That's not the same and you know it. You were only off because you were hiding something, which his weird ass might be doing too. I've never met the man, but I don't like that grabbing situation one bit. I wish Duke would have handled him."
My eyes went wide. Aubree wasn't usually the one with that kind of energy, but it was clear that men getting handsy was a sore spot for her.
"I can agree he crossed a line when he did that. He's never done anything like that before so I didn't think much of it. But he let my arm go real quick when Duke walked in."
Aubree rolled her eyes and looked back at her plate. "I'm sure he did," she mumbled, then took another bite.
I went back to telling them about the disagreement Duke and I had surrounding my wanting to go back on the jet tomorrow.
How he asked me to stay and I couldn't find the words to give him.
Then how he called off our evening and left, even after I tried to pick a fight.
Jessa shook her head and Aubree took another bite of her food.
"I can see where he's coming from. You don't owe anybody anything, but that includes Duke too. I don't want you to go back either, but I can see why you might feel like you need to," Aubree finally said.
Jessa leaned forward and placed her plate on the coffee table, then turned to look at me. She reached out for my hand, so I set my plate down and placed my hand in hers.
"You know I see you as a sister. I'm not taking sides, but I think it's Duke's fear for your situation that had him acting that way. The fact that he still didn't disrespect you, even when you were pushing to get into it with him, shows that man loves you."
A tear slipped down my cheek. I knew it was fear driving his reaction. I just wanted him to understand where I was coming from.
Jessa reached out and wiped my tears away.
"You know men, especially men like Duke, are protectors first. That man probably looked into your past situation the moment you told him everything. The idea of you going somewhere he couldn't protect you the same way he can here probably sent him somewhere else in his head."
"Yeah, I can see that. But I don't plan to be there long. I just need a few days to close everything out the right way. I'm tired of hiding in plain sight. I want my life back and all the money I worked my ass off for, without people tracking my every move."
Jessa released my hands and Aubree handed me a tissue. I dabbed my eyes and turned to face them both.
"Which is why I say Duke will get over it. It wouldn't shock me if that man shows up downstairs tonight to apologize. I say go. But when you get there, take a little of the Solana you built here with you. Don't let that slimy manager convince you to do a single thing you don't want to do."
I looked over at Aubree to see if she had anything to add. She crossed one leg over the other, then pointed at Jessa.
"What she said."
We burst into laughter, then picked our plates back up and kept eating. I knew I needed to talk to Duke before I left. I wasn't willing to let everything we had built fall apart over a misunderstanding.
We were still eating and talking when a knock at the door got our attention. Jessa smiled big as she turned toward it.
"Why are you smiling like that?" I asked.
Jessa waved me toward the door.
"You know why. Who else makes nighttime pop-ins over here?"
I rolled my eyes as she and Aubree laughed together.
I ran my hands through my hair, released a breath, then pulled the door open.
Duke stood on the other side in his signature leather jacket and gloves.
He leaned forward slightly to see who was inside with me, and Jessa and Aubree both waved.
I could tell the moment he noticed the plates of food on the table. His jaw tightened.
"I would have gotten you those ribs. And why are you just snatching open the door without asking who it is?" he asked with a raised brow.
I gripped my hip and shifted my weight to one side.
"Because who else has a key to the outside door, sir? And I didn't have a taste for ribs anymore," I responded with crossed arms.