Chapter 21
Twenty-One
Nhuri maneuvered her cart through the aisles of the local grocery store with her phone to her ear. She only needed to run in for a few things and was glad it wasn’t packed for a Friday evening.
“Girl, when I tell you this week drained me, I mean it,” Nhuri sighed, stopping in front of the wine section. Her eyes scanned the selection, debating between a rich red and crisp white. She wasn’t sure what she was in the mood for, but one of the two was coming home with her.
“I’m already knowing it did,” Jazmyn said.
“Between work and picking up Raniya while Natalia recovers, I’m tempted to get both of these bottles.”
Jazmyn chuckled. “That’s exactly why you need to pull up on me this weekend. It’s supposed to be real nice outside tomorrow too.”
Nhuri smirked, grabbing a bottle of tequila and placing it in her cart before reaching for the red wine. “I’m not trying to be around a bunch of people. Let’s just chill tonight, and I’ll think about going out tomorrow. Maybe,” Nhuri warned.
With Shyriq having to make an impromptu trip out of town, Nhuri felt like her workload had tripled.
When he called to check on her, she didn’t let him know that she was a bit overwhelmed, but she could’ve.
The Exclusive Wine-Tasting event was approaching, and final details needed to be handled so there would be no complaining. Nhuri got the job done.
It wouldn’t have seemed like a lot had she not also been on auntie duty.
Nhuri had Monday off, but Raniya still went to school.
Per the doctor’s orders, Natalia was to rest as much as possible, so Nhuri picked up where she couldn’t.
She wasn’t complaining and never would, but she wanted this weekend for herself.
A little decompressing and self-care was a priority over the next few days.
“Now that’s what I like to hear,” Jazmyn said approvingly. “So . . . How’s your boss doing?”
Nhuri rolled her eyes, biting back a smile as she pushed her cart forward. “You mean Shyriq?”
“Yes, him.”
“He’s fine.”
“Just fine?” Jazmyn dragged out with her tone full of curiosity.
Nhuri sighed, lowering her voice as she turned the corner into the snack aisle.
“Jaz, I don’t even know what to call this.
One minute we’re on some professional shit, then the next, he’s carrying my niece into the house like he’s been in our lives forever.
And don’t even get me started on the kiss. ”
Jazmyn gasped dramatically. “Wait, wait. A kiss? You kissed this man and didn’t tell me? I thought we were closer than that. You’re so fake.”
Nhuri shook her head, grabbing a bag of chips off the shelf. “It wasn’t a whole thing, Jaz. It was sweet. Real gentle like . . .” She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. “Like he meant for me to remember it and want more.”
“Girl,” Jazmyn exhaled. “That’s dangerous.”
“Tell me about it.”
Nhuri grabbed another bag of chips, still lost in her thoughts.
She wanted to kiss him longer, and had the circumstances been different, they would’ve taken things much further.
She was still thinking about his soft lips when she suddenly heard a voice from behind her. It was so familiar her chest tightened.
“Damn, so you just wasn’t gon’ text me back?”
Her entire body froze at the sight of Dru. Dressed in dark jeans and a fitted Nike crewneck, he looked the same yet somehow different. His beard was a little fuller, and he looked like he’d been in the gym. His eyes still held that same intense energy that once used to catch Nhuri up.
Nhuri exhaled sharply. “Dru.”
He smirked, leaning on his cart. “That’s all I get? Not even a ‘hey’ or ‘how you been?’”
She crossed her arms, gripping her phone tighter. “I didn’t think I owed you that.”
Jazmyn’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Wait, who is that? Who are you talking to?”
Nhuri blinked, remembering she was still on the phone. “Jaz, I’ma call you back.”
“Nhuri—”
She ended the call before Jazmyn could protest and slid her phone into her back pocket.
Dru chuckled. “Damn. That bad?”
She sucked her teeth. “Dru, what do you want?”
He tilted his head slightly, studying her. “Can we go somewhere and talk? I’ll be in town for a couple of days.”
Nhuri frowned so hard. “What do we have to talk about?”
“A lot, considering you just up and left,” he said.
Nhuri let out a dry laugh. “I didn’t just ‘up and leave.’ You and I both know why I left, so let’s not play games.”
Sighing, Dru moved his cart out of the way for someone to get by. “A’ight. I do, but can you at least hear me out? You never responded to my text.”
“For a reason,” she scoffed. “I left you and what we had in the past.”
“And I never liked how things ended between us,” he said smoothly. “Just hear me out. Can you give me that while we’re in person?”
Her stomach flipped at his words, and she hated that he still had that effect on her. Nhuri felt her phone vibrating in her pocket but ignored it. She knew it was no one but Jazmyn calling or texting her.
“You can’t just pop back up and expect things to be cool between us,” she muttered.
“I don’t expect anything, but damn . . . Is there really that much bad blood between us?” Dru questioned, honestly curious.
It was, at least on her end. Once again, like nothing had changed, Dru was deflecting. Or maybe he was being delusional. Nhuri wasn’t sure.
She swallowed, gripping the cart tighter. “There is, but you seemed to have forgotten.”
“Did I?” he challenged, stepping closer.
Nhuri stiffened but held her ground. “Yes.”
His jaws flexed, and for a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue.
But instead, he exhaled, glancing down before meeting her eyes again.
“Look, I know I messed up. And I know I can’t just walk back in like nothing happened.
But I’m here for the weekend, and I’d really like to talk. For real this time.”
Nhuri hesitated. Every logical part of her told her to say no and to keep it moving. She could simply tell him no, head to checkout, and go home with her things. But a part of her did want to hear him out. Maybe he has changed, and I’m just overlooking it, she thought.
Nhuri wasn’t sure if it was her curiosity or wanting the closure she never got, but she gave him an answer that she knew had made his entire day.
She sighed, shaking her head slightly. “Fine. We can talk.”
Dru raised an eyebrow, almost like he was surprised she agreed. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He smirked. “Bet. Tonight?”
Nhuri sucked her teeth. “Um, why tonight?”
“Because I don’t need you changing your mind.”
She rolled her eyes. That was exactly what she would have done had she gotten home and talked herself out of wanting to hear anything he had to say.
Dru chuckled. “Exactly. I know you.”
“No. You know the old me. Don’t forget that,” she said seriously.
The smirk on his face fell, and before he messed up things, Dru nodded.
“A’ight. I’m at the hotel around the corner from here. We can talk in the lobby or the restaurant. Is that cool?”
Nhuri nodded. She hoped his intentions weren’t to get her up to his room because that wasn’t happening. Talking in public meant she had free will to leave at any moment.
“Yeah. Let me pay for my things, and I’ll be right out.”
Dru nodded, lingering for a second longer before finally stepping back. “A’ight. I’m in a grey Kia.”
As he walked away, Nhuri released a deep breath. She wasn’t sure why she agreed to meet him, but something told her this conversation was long overdue.
Nhuri pulled into the hotel parking lot and parked.
Dru hadn’t lied about being around the corner.
It took them three minutes to reach their destination, and Nhuri fussed at herself during the entire drive.
She should’ve been going home and relaxing.
Dru waited for her at the entrance, and they stepped inside.
“The lobby, or you wanna grab a table at the restaurant?” Dru asked.
“A table.”
He nodded and walked ahead, confident that she’d follow him.
Nhuri couldn’t help it, but she thought about Shyriq and how he’d never let her walk behind him.
He always made sure she was either by his side or in front of him.
Nhuri rolled her eyes at the vast difference in mannerisms between the two.
The hostess walked them to a booth in the middle, and Nhuri slid inside.
“Someone will be right with you,” she said.
Nhuri nodded politely. She wouldn’t be ordering any food, but a glass of water would do. Seconds later, that’s exactly what she ordered when their waitress appeared.
“You sure you don’t want any food?” Dru asked.
“I didn’t come here to eat, so no.”
The seriousness in her tone made him sit up straighter. Dru looked at the waitress.
“We’re good for now. ’Preciate it.”
“No problem.”
She returned seconds later, placing the ice water and a straw before Nhuri, who thanked her before she walked off. Besides the jazz tunes playing over the speakers and the low chatter of guests, silence surrounded them. Dru had initiated this sit-down, so he had better start the conversation.
The dim lighting cast a warm glow over their booth, but there was nothing warm about the tension between them.
It felt as cold as ever. Dru sat across from her with one arm propped on the table, watching her with that same unreadable expression that used to drive Nhuri crazy.
She had no idea why she agreed to this, and her annoyance grew by the second.
Her good heart and open mind somewhat wanted this conversation to help make their past make sense.
Or maybe she just wanted to let go finally.
Dru leaned back, scratching his beard. “So, you gonna keep staring at that water, or are we actually gonna talk?”
Nhuri scoffed, looking up at him. “Oh, now you want to talk? That’s new.”
Dru exhaled, shaking his head. “Here we go.”