Chapter 22
O ur Memorial Day sale is one of our biggest sales next to Christmas. Fall and winter inspired pieces are reduced and the new line of spring and summer pieces are introduced with package deals. The showroom floor stays packed from open to close and my entire sales team basically works double shifts, relishing in the high commissions. My finance team is working overtime to approve accounts and deliveries are occurring every day. It’s all hands on deck and exhausting at the end of each day.
Today, when I picked Aryel up from school, instead of going home, we had to come back to the store. This morning, I had my scheduled iron infusion. I’m working late to make up for coming in late. Although she says she’s not getting a job until she’s old, her words not mine, she actually loves coming to the store and spending time in my office. When she’s here, she’s normally the center of attention, especially with Melia. Aryel becomes her assistant, two-way radio and all.
“Daddy. Daddy.” Her voice comes through on channel two of my two-way. I’m in the warehouse checking on a delayed order before I leave.
“Yes. Little Miss Goode,” I reply.
“The pizza and wings are here; tell everybody,” she says. I had Melia order early dinner for the team because we all worked through lunch. Leonardo’s is a staff favorite so she ordered pizzas, calzones, and wings for the showroom and warehouse.
“Thank you, baby. I will.”
“And our food is in your office.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in the store in fifteen.”
“Huh? Okay. I’ll tell them next,” she says, clearly not talking to me.
“Take your finger off the button, sweetie,” I hear Melia say before she calls me. When I answer, she tells me, “Kyle is bringing the food back there to the warehouse. Please let Furley know.”
“Got it. Thanks for taking care of this.”
After placing my two-way back into my pocket, I walk back to Furley and inquire about the delivery. We quickly discovered the delay was not on our end as the customer alleged. In fact, she was at fault. Her note on the delivery sheet was no deliveries Monday through Thursday. Today is Wednesday, which is why she doesn’t have her two bedroom sets.
“Thanks for clearing that up,” I tell him.
“Yeah and I’ll call her and see if she wants to reschedule. She’s lucky because I have an opening tomorrow between one and three. I’ll offer it even though this is her mistake.”
“Let me know what she says and Kyle is bringing the food. Make sure everybody gets something to eat.”
“Gotcha, boss. See you tomorrow to do this all over again.”
“You know it. Good night.”
I leave the warehouse and catch Kyle pulling up with the food. After helping him unload and take it all into the warehouse, I catch a ride with him back to the store. With my new burst of energy from my infusion, I’d walked back here but decided to ride back. Aryel is, no doubt, impatiently waiting in my office. She holds me to a time when I give one. My fifteen minutes are up. As expected, when I make it back to my office, she’s here, but to my surprise so is Truce.
“What are you doing here, beautiful?” I ask, pleasantly surprised, as I pull her into me. As I await her answer, I drink in her sweet scent. She always smells fucking edible.
“Daija found an apartment but this one isn’t furnished like her last one. She’s going to take her bedroom set back but she needs a dinette and living room set. I’m going to surprise her, and since you’re having a sale, I’m here,” she says, smiling and looking gorgeous as always.
Because I can’t keep my lips off Truce whenever she’s in my presence, while I still have her captured, I look at Aryel and say, “Baby girl, close your eyes and cover your ears for a minute.” Without questioning me, she places her headphones over her ears then closes her eyes.
“Rex,” Truce whispers.
Her beautiful smile appears and I lean in and enjoy her soft ass lips. Because my time is limited by my impatient princess, I quickly pull Truce’s tongue into my mouth and suck it before pecking her lips one final time. I swear the moment our lips part, Aryel’s eyes fly open.
“I know you kissed her,” she says while giggling uncontrollably.
“You don’t know anything,” I tease before releasing Truce.
“I didn’t know I would be interrupting dinner,” she says as she walks over to the small sitting area.
Aryel’s box with her two mini pepperoni pizzas is open and her favorite strawberry-lemonade slush is besides the box. I’m guessing the two unopened boxes are my calzone and wings. When Truce sits, I step over and join them.
“You can have one of my pizzas,” Aryel offers.
“Oh no thank you, sweetie. I’m not hungry. I really just stopped by to look at furniture. You two eat and I’ll go look around.”
My eyes take her all in. She looks sexy as hell. A tight ass shirt displaying her pretty breasts and her ripped jeans have too much of her silky dark skin on display. I’m not letting her loose on my showroom floor, not without me guarding and claiming the body and woman I love.
“We can go look around. Aryel is fine in here. She loves it,” I say, then stand. I extend my hand and assist her up too. “We’ll be back,” I tell Aryel and she nods. As soon as we are at my door, I lean into the side of Truce’s neck. “You don’t need to worry about the sale. You get the sweet-pussy discount. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
She smiles but her head swivels back so fast, checking to see if Aryel heard me. She didn’t. Her iPad and food possess all of her attention.
“You are so nasty but sweet,” she says, simpering, before we walk out. When we pass Melia’s desk, she stops whatever she’s doing and just stares at us. Her eyes travel to my hand resting on the small of Truce’s back and she smiles while nodding in approval. Since she seems so invested, I turn and introduce the two. Melia’s smile doubles in size when I do.
“She seems nice,” Truce utters when we walk off. As busy as the floor is, my team still finds time to glance over at us. She immediately notices. “We are drawing attention. Don’t tell me I’m the only customer you’ve ever assisted.”
“Nah but you’re the only one who has had my hands all over her while I did.”
“I feel special.”
“Cause you are special, in every way. I can’t keep my hands off yo’ sexy ass. You coming here made my day. Real shit. I hope you’re coming over tonight.”
“I was going to wait since I’m coming Friday.”
“Wait for what? I don’t ever want you waiting to see me. All of you, all the damn time; that’s what I want. With me, you don’t have to wait at all,” I tell her, being serious as hell.
“Then I’ll be there. I’m going to owe you anyway ’cause I already see the living room set I want,” she says before making a beeline for the new Summer Rain two-piece, right-arm chaise sectional set. After running her hand across the fabric, she sits on the sectional, bounces on it, then reaches her hand out to me. I take it then join her. “Can you hold this set until she moves?”
“Yeah. I got you.”
“Perfect. Thank you, baby, ’cause this is it. I even like the rugs and lamps.”
“Then I’ll put all of it in the warehouse until you need it.” I reach out and grab the plastic price tag holder. I pull out the red SOLD tag and place it over the price.
“I’m going to owe you big,” she teases before crossing her legs and letting the top one drape over mine.
“You know you don’t owe me shit. I’m not charging you for anything in this store.”
“But I thought I had the sweet-pussy discount. I thought that meant I have to give it to you.”
“The discount was well earned the first time you let me taste you. What we do tonight and any other night is just extra. We can call it a bomb ass tip.” My hand caresses her leg. “Besides, I thought it was already mine. Am I wrong?”
“No, you’re definitely right. It is yours.” She slowly licks her finger then discreetly brings it down between her legs. “All yours,” she utters and fuck. My dick is threatening to burst through my zipper.
“Makes no sense to be so damn sexy. We gotta go now and get this dinette set. I want you in my bed and on my face ASAP.”
I stand and practically snatch her sexy ass off the sofa. We venture to the dining area and after debating over two, she finally decides on our marble top, square, counter height dinette table and four chairs. After I arrange for both sets and their accessories to be moved to the warehouse, I gather our food and the three of us leave the store.
When Truce has pulled off and I’m in my truck, Aryel looks over at me with a curious look on her face. Her big, expressive eyes are narrowed and her eyebrows are pinched.
“Are you okay?” I ask her.
“Yes, sir,” she responds but her expression remains the same, making me question her answer.
“Are you sure? Looks like something’s on your mind. What’s up, baby girl?”
Her shoulders drop then her face relaxes. She exhales a little sigh then asks, “Daddy, are you going to marry Miss Truce?”
“Would you like it if I did?” I question.
While I have no doubt that Aryel is crazy about Truce, her answer means a lot to me. Independently of me, they have created their own little bond and I love it. Aryel enjoys cooking with Truce and spending time with her. I’ve even been relieved of my nail shop duties. She loves having Truce around but it’s different once we enter into forever. Marriage causes occasional to become permanent and that’s a big change for Aryel, for us.
While nodding, she smiles then says, “Yes. I want you to.”
My smile matches hers as I say, “I have to ask her first.”
“Just ask her tonight,” she says nonchalantly.
“You think she’ll say yes?” I ask and her laughter fills my truck. She’s laughing so hard that her body is shaking. Then, she shrugs at me incredulously. “What’s so funny?”
“She kisses you every day. She gon’ say yes.”
I really can’t keep my hands and lips off of Truce.
Between Aryel’s simple assessment and my agreement with it, I find myself laughing too. Shit. She’s right.
I start my ride then back out of my parking space.
O ne night turned into two and this morning, I woke up to my favorite thing, Truce’s naked body wrapped around mine. The image of her in my life and in this house is crystal clear and I have zero doubts that we belong together. My second favorite thing is watching Truce and Aryel in the kitchen and this morning, they made our breakfast croissants before leaving. I went to the store and Aryel insisted on Truce taking her to school.
Aryel is my world, my life, and I always knew that my next and final wife would seamlessly fit into our lives. Not only is it seamless with Truce, it’s natural. The night of my parents’ anniversary when she cuddled Aryel while my family fell apart confirmed what I already knew. And when she slapped the shit out of Aria, everything was solidified. Truce Redmond is my forever. She is the woman who was crafted by The Man Upstairs for me.
This dinner is the final and necessary step in our journey to forever. She has a relationship and bond with my daughter and I need to at least officially meet hers. Considering their history and change in relationship roles, introducing me to Daija is a big ass step for Truce. I’m sure Daija’s approval of me means just as much to her as Aryel’s approval of her did for me.
“You good, baby?” Truce asks for the hundredth time and I respond the same as I have each other time.
“I’m straight.”
“I’m going to check on Porsh in the kitchen and see if she needs some help.”
“It’s her and two assistant chefs. She doesn’t need any help, beautiful. Calm yo’ sexy self down and stay right here. You’ve bothered her enough. Let them finish. Daija will be here in thirty minutes and they need time to finish.” I drape my arm around her then pull her closer to my side. She woke up anxious and nervous about this dinner but this last hour she’s really ramped up. When I found out that the chef assigned tonight from Diablo’s is Daija’s best friend, I thought that would ease some of Truce’s anxiety but it hasn’t. It’s only given her a reason to stay in that damn kitchen. “Everything is going to be fine,” I assure her.
“I know but,” she sighs.
“No buts. There’s no room for anything to go wrong. It’s already smelling good in here. You look amazing and Daija is on her way. Plus, I promise I’ll be on my best behavior,” I say with a smile, trying to ease her worry. She grins.
“I know. I just love you and Aryel so much. I need y’all to love Daija too.”
“I already love her. Loving you means that I love every part of you, even her, an extension of you, your child,” I tell her and her body shifts. She raises her hand to the side of my face and I grab it, lightly kissing her palm. “So we are all good on my end. Real good.”
“God, I love you.”
“And you know I love you.” Lovingly, I kiss her lips then stand. “Let me go get Aryel out of the theatre room and you stay out of the kitchen.”
“No. You stay. Sit down and I’ll go get Aryel.”
She stands then inches up to peck my lips before leaving me in the family room. When she disappears around the corner, I trek to the bar. Maybe a drink will help Truce. I’m no bartender but I’ve figured out how to make her Sidecar drink so I mix her up one and pour myself a small shot of my Hennessy Paradis. As I down it, my doorbell chimes. It has to be Daija. Her name was given to security this morning.
When I make it to the door, Truce and Aryel are on the staircase, walking down. Excitedly, Aryel increases her speed and Truce is right behind her. As soon as they are by my side, I open the door. A replica of Truce stands on the other side holding a small candy bouquet. I’ve seen pictures of Daija and saw the resemblance, but in person, it’s crazy. She has her mother’s entire face.
Truce steps over to her, grabs the bouquet, hands it to me, then hugs Daija. While they hug, Aryel’s eyes never leave the candy. It’s filled with the fruity and sour candy she likes.
“Rex, this is my Daija,” Truce begins and Daija steps to me and gives me a light hug.
“Nice to meet you,” she says.
“Glad to finally meet you too and thanks for this.”
“You’re welcome but I brought that for the princess. I was told one lives here,” she says and Aryel’s entire face lights up. Daija leans in a little. “You must be Princess Aryel. I’m Daija.”
“Hi, Miss Daija.”
“Oh no. Just Daija.”
“Okay. Thanks for my candy.” Aryel glances up to me. “Can I eat a piece, Daddy?”
“After we eat,” I assure her.
“You hungry?” Truce asks as we journey to the dining room.
“Starving. I saved room for Porsha’s cooking. Is she still here?”
“Yes. In the kitchen. I’ll take you.” Before detouring and heading to the kitchen, Truce reaches for the bouquet.
“I’ll carry it,” Aryel says, dying to get her hands on it.
Truce gives the bouquet to Aryel and the three of them walk to the kitchen. I continue into the dining room, stopping at the bar for Truce’s drink. I’m only in the dining room alone for about ten minutes when the beauties walk in followed by the chef and her team. The two have platters in their hands but the chef’s hands are empty. Once Truce, Daija, and Aryel are seated, our dining experience begins.
“Thank you so much for booking Diablo’s Steakhouse for your private dining experience. I’m Chef Porsha and tonight I’m taking you on a Caribbean experience with four delicious courses for your dining pleasure.” The two servers place small plates in front of each of us and it looks good, like a pastry with a dipping sauce. “This first course is a jerk chicken empanada. The spice level is mild for our tender palate but you can control your spice level with the sauce. Bon appetit!” Porsha does a quick nod then the three of them leave.
“This smells so good. Let’s say grace first though,” Truce says then nods for me to pray. We all bow our heads and I quickly bless the food.
“My girl can really cook so this is going to be good,” Daija assures. My dining table seats six and no one is sitting at either end. Truce is beside me and Daija and Aryel are across from us, seated beside each other. Daija lifts the sauce then dips her fork in it to taste. “The sauce is hot, real hot. I’m not going to use mine,” she tells Aryel with a smile.
“Me either,” Aryel says, quickly following Daija’s lead.
She actually copies everything Daija does. While I drown my empanada with the sauce and lift it to bite it, Aryel cuts the delicate dough with her fork just like Daija. She really enjoys being in the presence of women.
“Do you like it?” Truce asks her.
“Yes, ma’am. It’s good.”
“The sauce is spicy but I like spice. Baby, do you like…” she begins then looks at my empty plate. “I guess you did,” she finishes with a titter and both Aryel and Daija laugh.
“I’m sure there’s more. They can bring you another one,” Daija says.
“I could definitely eat about two more but I’m straight. I’m waiting to see what’s next,” I admit. If I need to circle back on the empanadas, I will. With these private dinners, there’s always leftovers. So while I wait on the second course, I decide to fix myself another drink. “I’m going to the bar. You drink, Daija?”
“Yes. You got some Patrón?” she asks and Truce’s eyes stretch.
“Truce, I’m twenty-one, in college, I drink,” she says while smirking. “Been drinking before then,” she adds, uttering under her breath but we catch it.
“I guess,” Truce sighs but then smiles.
“I have silver.”
“Perfect. Just a shot.”
“And you drink it straight,” Truce says, clearly surprised that Daija drinks.
“Can you make my strawberry drink, Daddy?” Aryel asks.
“What’s your drink?” Daija asks, amused.
“I don’t know the name.”
“A virgin strawberry daiquiri,” I answer before standing.
I trek to the bar and fix all three drinks. I even put Aryel’s in a wine glass and top it off with whipped cream. As soon as I return with the drinks, Daija takes her shot to the dome and Truce is in shock the whole time.
The chefs return with our second course, callaloo and toasted pieces of coco bread. I’ve never had this before but it’s really good. It reminds me of mustard greens with a lot of flavor. Diablo’s is known for the best steaks in town and the main course lives up to the hype.
“Our third and main course is a chargrilled Caribbean ribeye with coconut rice and a grilled pineapple salad,” Chef Porsha announces as her assistants place the delicious smelling plates on the table. “If you would like tableside cutting, please let us know.”
“Can you cut mine please?” Aryel asks and the server standing behind her gladly cuts her steak.
While cutting into her steak, Truce says, “I’m not going to make it to dessert if I eat all of this.”
“I will. I’m going to kill this and dessert. I’ve missed good food. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good spots in Atlanta, but a lot of places are just overhyped. You go for the vibe not the food. Plus, I just missed the food here.”
“There’s nothing like hometown food,” Truce says.
“Especially your cooking, beautiful,” I add. Not only can Truce throw down in the kitchen, she actually loves to do it. She legit loves to cook for the people she loves.
“Yes, I like cooking with you,” Aryel says.
“And you are a good cook too. I’m going to teach Daija to cook some dishes this summer so she can take some of Crescent Falls back with her to Atlanta.”
“You don’t know how to cook?” Aryel asks Daija.
“No. Wait… I can cook pancakes, tacos, and spaghetti, but that’s it. I’m a gourmet orderer though. Give me an hour and I can get anything I want to eat delivered,” Daija says while grinning.
Everything is going so good and Truce has a permanent smile on her pretty face. Our light conversation continues as we enjoy our steaks and it carries into our final course, a Jamaican mocha rum cake with a rum-infused Cool Whip and sliced strawberries. While we eat our dessert, Chef Porsha and her team clean and pack up, leaving the extras neatly packaged on the kitchen island. When they return to the room, we thank them and Aryel actually applauds them.
Daija stands and walks out with her friend and Aryel runs upstairs to use the bathroom. There are two bathrooms downstairs but for some reason, she only uses hers. So no matter where she is in the house, she will go to her room when she has to go.
“It’s going good, right?” Truce asks, slight nervousness in her tone.
“It’s better than good, beautiful. You worried for nothing. The food was good and that shot loosened Daija up,” I say, intentionally picking at her.
“And she downed it fast. I didn’t know she drank.”
“A college student in Atlanta, away from home? Of course, she drinks.”
“I guess you’re right but I just didn’t know. I have to remember she has a whole ass life in Atlanta.”
“A whole adult life but she seems to have her shit together.”
“Cause she does,” she says proudly.
“Where’s Daija? She left?” Aryel asks before she’s even fully in the dining room.
“She’s coming back. She’s probably still outside with Porsh. Are you finished with your cake?” Truce asks.
“Yes. I’m full.”
“Me too,” Truce admits.
“I’mma go find Daija,” Aryel announces before leaving the dining room.
“Looks like Aryel approves.” Truce laughs.
“That’s a fact.” I grab the leg of her chair and pull her closer to me. Just to reassure her, I say, “And I already told you how I feel. I love Daija just like I love her mother.”
“I know but you do really like her too, right?”
“Yes, beautiful. I really like her. She’s sweet and I can tell that she’s got her shit together. You can be proud of that,” I say and she practically blushes. Then, her soft hands caress the sides of my face and she holds my head steady as she leans in and kisses me lovingly. When our lips part, she simpers then pecks my lips again. “You know what this means, right?”
“What, baby?”
“Daija met us and loves us like I knew. The final piece to our little puzzle is complete. You have to marry me now.”
“Is that right? Just like that?” she says before placing her lips back on mine.
“Exactly like that.”