Chapter 23 Solana #2
"Girl, please. Stop acting like you're not about to fold like a lawn chair," Jessa added.
I rolled my eyes and held back my smile because I wanted to hear what he had to say.
"Jessa, please," I called out.
Duke smirked and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Can I borrow her for a minute?"
He stepped a little further into the room. Jessa and Aubree stood and started collecting their things.
"You sure can. We were just leaving, right Jessa?" Aubree said.
Jessa looked briefly confused, then stood with a smile.
"Mm-hmm. Let me know when y'all leave tomorrow," she added.
They walked around us and Duke held the door open for them. Once they were gone, he turned back to face me and closed the door.
"I didn't mean for them to have to leave. I didn't want to ruin your night any more than I already had."
I shrugged and turned toward the living room to start clearing the plates.
"Don't worry about it. They used you as an excuse to leave. I'm sure they were ready to get back to their nights. And you aren't ruining anything."
I turned to look back at him and he nodded.
"I don't know where to start. My head has been all over the place. I even went to finally have a talk with my mom tonight."
I stopped clearing the plates and turned to face him. Duke never spoke about his mother, and when he did, it wasn't much.
"First, I could have handled how I was feeling earlier a lot better. I'm not trying to control you. I just want you safe, and you going back to a place that made you drop everything for a new life didn't sound safe to me."
"I didn't mean what I said earlier. I wanted you to give me a reason to be mad at you. I don't think you're controlling. You do think you know everything, but what man doesn't," I said, causing him to smirk.
"Ha, very funny. But I apologize. I should have done more listening and less pushing my fears onto you. That situation with your manager earlier triggered every protective instinct I have when it comes to someone I love."
My mouth dropped. I slowly closed it and replayed what he said in my head. He had never told me he loved me, but his actions had been saying it for a while now.
I clasped my hands in front of me and smiled.
"You love me?" I asked.
He smiled and strolled over to me, then leaned down and lifted me bridal style. Duke carried me to the couch and sat down with me in his lap. I knew it was only a matter of time before he closed the distance between us.
"Hell yeah. I think I've known it since the night I saw you treating that broom like a stripper pole."
I swatted his shoulder. "I was not," I whined.
Duke chuckled and lifted my hand to kiss my knuckles.
"Nah, but I realized tonight that the baggage I carry with my mom was being pushed onto you.
I don't talk about our dynamic much. But she had me young, so my grandparents raised me.
I never realized how much I was still hoping she'd come back and treat me like her child.
And if I'm being real, the house I have is because I always wanted that white picket fence life. "
I stayed quiet and listened as he went into the details of the conversation he had with his mom that night.
I felt for the little boy in him who had to sit with the truth that his mother had never been ready for him.
But the grown man was able to get the answers he always knew and needed to hear out loud.
It made me smile that she wanted to try.
Duke was trying not to seem too excited, but as he talked about her I could see it written all over him.
"I'm glad y'all are going to try. But I'm sorry you had to hear some of those things to get to the other side. This really could be a new beginning for both of you."
Duke nodded and turned to face me.
"I don't ever want my stuff to push you away.
It's not going to disappear just because I want it to.
But know that I'm going to check it within myself the moment I feel it rising again.
I want this and I need this. We're building something I didn't know I deserved, and I'm willing to actually listen this time. "
I placed my hands on his cheeks and leaned in to kiss him. "You deserve more than even I can offer. I'm going to be better for you too. I'm not perfect and I still have a few things I need to work on, like earlier."
"Baby, I don't know if that was a trauma response. Yo' ass just wanted to argue."
I pointed toward the door. "Are we making up or not, sir?"
Duke cracked up and leaned back against the couch, then made a zipping motion across his lips.
"I'm done. Let me hear it. What do you want to do? If you choose to go back and handle your business, I'll be right by your side as your personal bodyguard."
I smiled.
"I don't want to go back just because I owe my fans, at least that's not the only reason.
I want my entire life back. I want to be Solana Amore Wright, no exclusions.
I worked my ass off for my career as an actress.
I can afford to have help yet I'm afraid to touch my own money.
I'm tired of being scared. I have to go back and take my life back. "
I tried to read Duke's expression but couldn't tell what was going through his mind. Until he gripped my ass and smiled up at me.
"Well, let's go get yo' shit."
I leaned forward to kiss him, but he stopped me.
"I'm all for us going back, but we are not riding on any plane with ol' boy. He weird as fuck and we can get there on our own."
I nodded and closed the distance between us.
THE NEXT DAY…
Duke and I made our way to the airport. I had chartered my own jet, not the one Henderson was using. I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't be riding with him. Not to mention, we couldn't leave at the same time he wanted to go anyway.
Duke had to get a few things in place at Chrome and I needed to do the same with Sugar Kissed. I decided to close up shop for the week and left a note on the door letting my customers know I would be back up and running the following week. I hated to do it, but some things couldn't wait any longer.
By the time we had our bags packed and everything squared away with our businesses, it was well into the afternoon.
I knew we were in for a long flight, so it was in our best interest that I chartered something private.
I pulled out my card for the first time since I had been gone and felt a strange mix of nerves and relief when it went through without issue.
I had to call my bank using my new number to let them know the purchase was mine, since the card had been sitting dormant for so long.
Duke drove my car to Straton Bay so we could head to the private airstrip.
The moment we pulled up, the staff moved quickly and helped load our luggage beneath the plane without a word.
I had chosen Premier Wings because they were known for their discretion above everything else. I knew that when the flight landed and we left the lot, the world wouldn't know I had returned to California. At least not until I was ready for them to.
Duke had been quiet the entire ride over and remained that way once we boarded. I knew this was pulling him far outside of his comfort zone. He never said a word about it. All he did was hold my hand. I tapped his shin lightly with the tip of my foot.
"Everything okay? I know this is a lot. But it wouldn't have been good if we went through a regular airport. We wouldn't have been able to move comfortably."
Duke smiled and squeezed my hand once. "I'm not worried about that. I just get quiet in new spaces, Sweets. It's not a problem, but next time let me know ahead of time and I got it."
I nodded and left it alone. I snuggled closer to him and laid my head against his shoulder just as the attendant made her way over with a warm smile. She had a pretty curly afro that framed her face perfectly. I glanced at her name tag. Khaleya.
"Can I get you a snack or something to drink?" she asked, then handed us each a menu.
It had been a long time since I had experienced this level of luxury.
I loved Rose Haven deeply, but I also loved being taken care of in this way.
Something about it felt like slipping back into an old coat that still fit.
I released my hold on Duke and did a little dance in my seat, causing Khaleya to giggle softly.
If she didn't already know who I was, I was sure she would have thought this was my first time on a private jet.
I pointed to the chicken and rice on the menu, then at the Fiji water listed beside it. She turned her attention to Duke, who was studying the laminated pages like he was preparing for an exam.
"And for you, sir?" she asked.
I leaned over to look at the menu alongside him.
"They can make all this on the plane?" he whispered.
I was sure Khaleya heard every word, but she smiled wider and never let on. She just waited patiently like we had all the time in the world.
"Damn, aight. I'll have what she's having. But if y'all mess up my stomach, I'm going straight to your boss," he told her plainly.
She smiled, collected the menus from both of us, and headed toward the galley without missing a beat.
I nudged Duke's shoulder and cracked up.
"Why did you say that to that woman? She seems sweet."
Duke kissed his teeth. "Everybody's sweet, baby. Until you've had food poisoning from undercooked chicken. And I told her I was going to her boss, not her. I can't blame the trainee. I'm going upside the head of the muthafucka who taught her."
I cracked up because it sounded ridiculous, but he was completely serious and that made it worse.
"You are a trip."
Duke shrugged, then leaned over to place a kiss against my jaw.