Chapter 19
The morning following the incident with Mrs. Goode, I went to the garage to use the stair climber. The thought of running into someone didn’t cross my mind until I saw Mr. Goode on the treadmill. If he hadn’t seen me, I would’ve retreated and waited until his workout was completed.
“Don’t be scared. I promise I don’t bite,” he said with a smile.
All three of the Kenzos looked alike, so the youngest Kenzo didn’t have to wonder what he’d look like as he aged. All three men were handsome, and the older two looked at least ten years younger than their age.
“Good morning,” I greeted with a smile.
“Good morning. I’m glad we ran into each other. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
“Oh? About what?”
“Nothing in particular. You’ve been spending time with my father, and my wife told me you two went to look at venues yesterday. I figured I’d better do my part in getting to know you too.”
“I know you’re a busy man. It’s no big deal.”
I did a few stretches before beginning my workout. The machine was fancier than the one at work, so it took me a minute to select the settings I wanted.
“My father has taken a real liking to you. I haven’t seen him this happy since my mother passed away.”
“I think Kenzo said something similar. Gramps is a treasure, and I’m honored to spend time with him.”
“He says you have a gift and are an eager vessel. He wants to pour everything he knows about baking into you while he remembers it all.”
“I’m happy to be under the tutelage of such a knowledgeable and skilled man. I’m truly living a dream.”
“I was blessed enough to witness how much joy my father found in baking. When I was growing up, I loved spending time with him in the kitchen because we talked about everything. He gave me advice about girls, school, sports, and anything else I wanted to talk about. I wish I shared his excitement about baking, but it wasn’t there.
Don’t get me wrong, though; I can make a mean pound cake and a few other desserts, but the passion for it wasn’t in me. ”
“Some things people are born with, and you weren’t born with a passion for baking. I’m sure he understood.”
“He did, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t disappointed. On the other hand, I was a natural when it came to the business side of things. I spent just as much time with my mother learning how to keep the money flowing.”
“I love that. Both aspects of the business are equally important.”
“Indeed, they are. When Kenzo was born, my father was hopeful he’d inherited his culinary skills, but as you probably know, he was more like me.
My father has been genuinely concerned about the future of the business he built from the ground up.
He’s been worried about maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the desserts sold under his company’s name.
He’s personally trained every pastry chef we’ve hired, and up until a few years ago, he would do random pop-ups at our locations to make sure the desserts were up to standard. ”
“Wow. That’s impressive. Thank you for sharing.”
“I had to share because he was losing hope until you came along. I want to thank you for putting that light back in his eyes.”
“As I said before, it’s an honor. I appreciate you sharing with me. Thank you for accepting me into your family.”
“Uh-oh. There’s the elephant I wanted to avoid.”
We laughed.
“Your wife hasn’t been nearly as welcoming as you and your father. It’s okay, though. I just hope she’s prepared to get the same energy she gives.”
“Dinah is a firecracker, and that’s the only way to handle her. Respect is important, but I don’t expect you to allow her to be disrespectful and not give it back.”
“My intention is to always be respectful, but it has to be mutual. I understand she doesn’t like me for her son, but I’m who he chose, I’m his wife, and if this lasts, I’ll be the mother of her grandchildren.
I’d love for us to get along, but I haven’t talked to my own mother in over six years, so I wouldn’t lose any sleep over not talking to my mother-in-law.
I guarantee you, Mr. Goode, no love would be lost.”
He chuckled. “You’ll be just fine. Well, that’s my workout. It was good talking to you.”
“You too.”
“Someone just called me Mrs. Goode, and I started looking around for your mother,” I told Kenzo when I entered his office.
After my workout, I was bored, so I decided to surprise Kenzo. I figured if he was busy, I could stop by and see Anika. Plus, any opportunity I had to drive my new car, I’d take it.
“I guess word has gotten around,” he responded when he looked up from the paperwork on his desk.
We didn’t make an official announcement about our relationship, but we also weren’t trying to keep it a secret. All it took was one person to know before it spread like wildfire through the building.
“I guess so. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“You’re never an interruption, baby. Now bring your pretty ass over here and show your husband some love.”
I smacked my lips as I headed in his direction. Like always, he pulled me onto his lap, and I draped my arms over his shoulders.
“You love throwing that husband word around, don’t you?”
“What would you rather me say? Friend with benefits?”
“I mean, isn’t that—”
He cut me off with a kiss that I melted into.
“I’m your husband, you’re my wife, and that’s all there is to it. The fact that I had to give you a hundred grand and agree to pay your tuition to get you to marry me has nothing to do with it.”
“Geesh. That sounds so transactional when you put it that way.”
He shrugged. “It’s facts, but that doesn’t mean we are any less married than the next couple. What brings you by? You missed me?”
“I did, actually. I was also bored because I’m not used to having so much free time, and the one friend I have works here. Have you eaten?”
It was after one o’clock, so it was possible that he’d already had lunch.
“Did you come here to let me eat your pussy?”
I gasped and playfully punched his shoulder.
“Kenzo!”
“It was just a question. What’s your answer?”
“Boy, I did not come here to have my pussy eaten. I’m starting to think you’re obsessed. You’ve eaten my pussy every day, sometimes twice a day, since we got married.”
“Are you complaining?”
“No! Hell no, I’m not complaining.”
“After I eat your pussy, all I can think about is the next time I’ll eat it. I don’t see the problem, but to answer your question, I haven’t had lunch yet. Since your pussy ain’t on the menu, do you know what is?”
I rolled my eyes before responding.
“If I remember correctly, today is beef or turkey burgers with regular fries or sweet potato fries.”
“Which do you want? I’ll have Tanya get them for us.”
I frowned. “Is that part of her job description?”
“She’s my assistant, and she assists me by bringing me my lunch at least three times a week.”
“Oh. Okay. I had to make sure you weren’t overstepping.”
I told him what I wanted, and he grabbed his work cell phone and sent a text. A response came through before he put it down.
“She’ll be up shortly. So, I’m surprised Gramps let you get away.”
“He and your father went to play golf.”
“That’s why that nigga’s in a rush to retire. He wants to play golf and smoke cigars all day.”
“I’m sure he’s entitled after decades of hard work. We had a good talk this morning.”
“Who? You and Pops?”
“Yeah. He was on the treadmill when I went to use the stair climber.”
“I’m listening.”
I shared our conversation with him, and he listened intently, chiming in when he felt the need.
“I had no idea Gramps was stressing like that. He’s never had to worry about the business side of things because his wife, then his son, and now his grandson has that covered.”
“But without the desserts, there would be no business. He put his all into this company and wants to leave it in good hands.”
“He sees himself in you, and I believe you’ve put all his worries to rest.”
“That’s sweet, Kenzo. I’m honored he’s taken such an interest in me.”
“It seems you have that effect on men named Kenzo. You’re three out of three.”
“Ha! You have a point, but I’m zero for zero for women named Dinah. You cool with me giving your mother my ass to kiss?”
“If that’s what it takes. Speaking of my mother, we’re meeting her for dinner tonight, but she doesn’t know you’ll be there.”
“This should go well. Is your father coming?”
“Nah. At first, I thought he should be there because I’d be more likely to keep my cool, but he can’t help but go into protector mode when it comes to her, and I need to get a few things off my chest. Respectfully, of course.”
A knock on his door interrupted our conversation. It was Tanya with our food.
“Good afternoon! Here’s your lunch. Malyah, Anika is doing a great job down there, but she let us know right away she wouldn’t be bringing any desserts.
Maybe you can send some with Mr. Goode every now and then.
By the way, we were blown away when the rumors about you two being married started floating around because nobody had a clue you were dating. How did you—”
“Tanya, put the tray down and take a breath,” Kenzo said.
She looked at the tray she was still holding and nodded before placing it on his desk. After stepping back from the desk, she exhaled.
“My apologies. I’m a bit of a chatterbox, especially when I’m excited. I guess I should have said congratulations and left it at that. This is my first time ever seeing you together, and you’re married. How crazy is that? Do you have—”
“Tanya, thank you for bringing this up. We’re about to eat before it gets cold.”
“My bad, Mr. Goode. I’ll get back to work.”
She scurried out of his office, closing the door behind her, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d talk to her a few times when she picked up breakfast or lunch, but I was usually in the kitchen and didn’t socialize much. I had no idea she had such a vibrant personality.
“She’s a burst of energy,” I said, still giggling as I stood and went to sit in one of the chairs on the other side of his desk.
“That’s putting it lightly. Who said you could get up? I like when you sit on my lap.”
“I can’t sit on your lap while I eat.”
“If you can sit on my face while I eat, sitting on my lap shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Oh my God. You must be stopped.”
We continued to converse while enjoying our lunch. He received a text that caught his attention for a minute and had him smiling and grinning at his phone. I tried not to feel a way, but I wanted to know what the hell he was looking at.
“C’mere,” he said, still smiling at his phone.
My nosy ass didn’t hesitate when he summoned the way I usually did, and he didn’t have to pull me onto his lap because I resumed my position willingly.
“Ronin sent the pictures,” he told me.
“Oh my God. Let me see.”
He gave me his phone, and I held it at an angle where we could both see the screen. Every picture was magazine-worthy, and I became emotional as I swiped through the album. We didn’t look like two people who’d only met a week prior . . . We looked like two people . . . in love.
“Do you like them?” he asked.
“I love them all. You?”
“You couldn’t pay me to believe the two people in these pictures aren’t in love.”
“Yeah. We are pretty convincing, huh?”
I looked at him, and his eyes were already on me. He reached up and caressed the back of my neck while holding my gaze.
“Very.”