Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
She’d been counting down the days until Thursday. The work had picked up. The show had begun to air, and the line was jumping with people who wanted a piece of the story and the pie.
And Robin was finally home.
Rolani had called her from the car on the way back. She’d heard it in his voice before he said a word — loose, lighter. When he walked through the door that evening and laughed at something Monroe said, full and unguarded, she understood. Robin was home. The family was whole again.
Which meant they could leave.
With the phone between her ear and shoulder, she listened to her mother beg her to come by when she got back.
“Mommy, I said I would, and yes, I will bring him and Monroe with me.”
“Good, it feels like it’s been forever since I saw you. He must be keeping you busy.”
“Please don’t ask me questions you know I can’t answer.”
“Baby, it wasn’t a question. It’s what I know. I hope this trip is fun. You’ve been working hard.”
“I honestly don’t know how I feel about you two texting each other. It’s giving blurred lines. Because how do you know where we’re headed, and I don’t.”
“Kennedi, look up surprise in the dictionary and then tell me. I swear you act like you hate romance.”
“What?”
“Yes, I said it. This is love. This is dating. This is healthy. It’s healthy for your man to know what you need. Like a change of scenery. I want you to lean into that. You deserve it as much as anyone else.”
Kennedi was bent over her desk, half her body disappeared into the cabinet underneath as she searched for a charging cable that had somehow vanished into the office abyss. Her shirt had ridden up, and she was muttering curses at whoever designed office furniture.
Two sharp knocks at her door.
“Come in,” she called out, still digging through the mess of cords. “Ma, I love you, and I hear you. Gotta go.”
She heard the door open and close, then silence. It made the hair on the back of her neck stand up because she knew exactly who was taking up space in her small office. Her body only responded to him in this way.
She straightened up slowly, smoothing her shirt down, and turned to find Rolani leaning against her closed door, watching her with that look that made her stomach flip — the one that said he was thinking things he had no business thinking in the workplace.
“Don’t,” she said.
He tilted his head, slowly. “You gone have to be more specific, Ken. I’m thinking a lot right now.”
He pushed off the door and moved to the chair across from her desk, settling in, letting his eyes roam over her frame. “And work ain’t one of the things. Let me bend that ass over real quick.”
Heat crept up her neck. She turned back to her desk, busying herself with papers that were already organized. “You said one. It’s only twelve-thirty, and letting you bend me over is how we got RJ.”
“I know what time it is.” She could feel him watching her. “I also know you. You’re gonna find twelve more things that ‘need’ to be done before we leave. Might as well let me be one of those things.”
“I don’t do that.”
“You did it last week when we were supposed to go to dinner. Turned a five-minute thing into forty-five.”
He loved how she was skating over his request.
She looked at him over her shoulder. “That was important.”
“So is this.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and the movement made his shoulders look broader in the black t-shirt he wore. “Where’s your bag?”
“Right here.” She gestured to the Louis Vuitton duffel he’d insisted on buying when they went shopping last week.
It matched his and had her initials embossed in gold.
She couldn’t deny that it was a beautiful bag.
In fact, everything he’d bought her was nice—the luggage, the clothes for the trip, the new perfume he’d picked out.
That wasn’t a coincidence either. She smiled before shaking her head.
He was spoiling her, and he didn’t care how she felt about it.
Most of the time, he had to convince her to let him take care of her, but he respected her independence.
He wanted to be someone she could depend on, too.
“And your laptop?”
She hesitated. Her laptop was sitting right there in its sleeve, practically begging to come along. “I was thinking—”
“Ken.” He stood and walked up behind her, close enough that she could feel his body heat. His arms wrapped around her, and his chin tucked in the crook of her neck, and she relaxed into him with a sigh. “What did I say about this weekend?”
“That this is my baby moon and a surprise.” Her voice sounded strange, too aware of how his slight erection pressed into her lower back.
“Mmhmm, and what else?”
“That I need to trust you and work is not going to interrupt this trip.”
“So trust me.” His mouth was close to her ear now, his voice dropping even lower. “Leave the laptop. Leave the work. And bring your fine ass with me and let me handle the rest.”
She closed her eyes. His cologne was everywhere—that woody, clean scent that she’d started associating with safety and want all mixed together. “What if something comes up?”
“It won’t.”
“But if it does—”
He turned her around to face him, and the movement was smooth, natural, like he’d done it a thousand times. His hands stayed on her waist, keeping her close. “Baby. Look at me.”
She did. Those hazel eyes were serious now, no teasing in them.
“I got you. Whatever happens, whatever you think you need to handle, I’ve got it.
This weekend is about you getting to rest and celebrating you.
You said you were bored, and I’m tryna rectify that.
Let me do what I can for you.” His hand came up to cup her face, thumb brushing her cheekbone. “Can you do that for me?”
The way he was looking at her made her feel bad that she was even considering going against this. It also made her think about what her mother said to her. She was going to listen and allow the excitement she felt to come through.
“Yeah,” she whispered. “I can do that.”
“That’s what I like to hear, baby.” He picked up her bag, heading for the door.
“You ready?” he asked from the doorway.
She grabbed her purse, locked her office door, and followed him down the hallway.
“You nervous?” he asked.
“About what?”
“Not knowing where we’re going.”
She thought about it. Months ago, not knowing would’ve driven her crazy. But now? Now she found herself wanting to see where he’d take her. What he’d planned. How he saw her when he imagined what would make her happy.
“No,” she said. “I’m not nervous. I’m excited to get away for a little bit.”
His hand pressed a little harder into her back. “That’s my girl.”
In the car, he didn’t immediately pull out of the parking lot. He sat there, engine running, looking at her. He did this often.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. Just looking at you.”
“You better get that out of your system before we get on the road. You always get the horn blown at us because you stare so much. It’s sickening,” she laughed, turning in her seat and putting an imaginary mic in his face.
“Tell me, Mr. Pracher, what’s the reason for your ridiculous lustful staring problem?” She grinned and pushed her fake mic closer.
“Because I can.” His hand found hers on the center console, laced their fingers together. “Because you’re beautiful. Because you’re mine, and I still can’t believe you let me this close. My head finna be between yo legs all weekend.”
Her throat went tight. He said things like that so easily, like they didn’t completely make her nerves go haywire. “Ro...”
“I know.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
“I’m doing too much. But I’ve been waiting to get you to myself, and now I finally got you, and I don’t know how to act.
” He pulled out of the parking lot, heading toward the highway.
“Get comfortable, baby. We got a little drive.”
The drive to the airport was comfortable, her hand in his while music played. She didn’t ask where they were going; she watched the city pass by, feeling lighter than she had in years. Someone else had the plan. Someone else had control. All she had to do was show up.
At check-in, she noticed him watching her, waiting for questions that didn’t come.
“What?” she asked.
“You really not gonna interrogate me?”
“You told me to trust you.” She shrugged. “Plus, I like surprises when they come from you. You must want to tell me.”
He kissed her temple, leading her to the first-class lounge. Truthfully, he was excited. He’d never done anything like this for a woman, so he hoped he was going about this the right way. And he prayed that this was something she would remember for years to come.
“You’re different today,” he observed.
“I’m trying something new. Letting go. I’m happy.”
“I like it.”
She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her emails one last time. Not because she was worried, but because it was a habit. When he returned with two waters and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries, she put the phone away without him having to ask.
“Here, baby,” he said, handing her a water.
“Thank you.” She accepted and took a sip.
He settled beside her, close enough that their thighs touched. She kicked off her heels and curled into his side until their flight was called.
She believed him. She believed that whatever he’d planned would be exactly what she needed, even if she didn’t know she needed it yet.
They sat there for the next thirty minutes, whispering sweet nothings. This was what she loved about him, the way he created space for them, made everything else fade into background noise.
When they called their flight, she stood without hesitation, followed him to the gate, and boarded the plane beside him. First class, window seats, extra legroom. Of course.
“You’re spoiling me,” she said as he helped her with her bag.
“That’s the goal.” He settled into the seat beside her, buckled in. “Get comfortable, baby.”