10. Han’some Valentine
Fontana eyed me with a stank look on her face. I paid her no mind because of the little footsteps I heard growing closer to the door. I could barely stay still, but I kept my patience intact. Finally, Skye came into view on the side of her mother.
“Daddy!” she shouted excitedly.
I opened my arms, feeling relieved to finally lay eyes on my baby. She looked just like her mother but with big, innocent eyes and fire-engine red hair that shocked us all. That was a trait from deep in one of our lineages, but it didn’t matter. She was mine, and I loved her just the way she was.
She crashed into me, and everything felt alright in the world.
“I missed you so much,” I confessed, holding her as tight as her little body could withstand.
Lifting her in my arms, she kept her tiny ones wrapped around my neck.
“Thank you. I’ll have her ready in the morning when your mom comes to pick her up. ”
“Mmhmm,” she mumbled, folding her arms over her chest. “Grab her bag,” she suggested.
“Nah, I have everything for her at the crib.” I backed away, thankful to be taking my baby with me. I tickled her little belly as we walked toward my car. She was a ball of giggles as I placed her in the car seat and buckled her in.
I was so fucking happy. I didn’t try to wipe my smile away.
Nyari talked to me the entire way to my condo.
The house was still being furnished, so it wouldn’t be ready for a few more days.
Because Tana’s mama paid for tickets to an amusement park, I only got to have Skye for tonight.
It was cool, though, because she would be staying with me for two weeks when the weekend was over.
I was already looking forward to it and told Alayshia to not accept anymore appearances.
I was dedicating all that time to my baby girl.
I carried her from the car to the elevator while she busied herself playing with my diamond chain. “You want one of these?” I asked her.
She nodded excitedly. “Yes!”
“Aight. Daddy gon’ ice you out.”
When the doors slid open, an aromatic scent drifted toward us. I followed the trail to the kitchen, where Koi was at the stove stirring a sauce. “Koi!” Skye squealed when she saw her.
My girl turned to look at us with the biggest smile on her face. She set down the spoon she was stirring the mix with to bend down and open her arms for Skye. She took off running toward her, and to see those two embrace like long-lost best friends made my heart swell with warmth.
“Hey, pretty girl. I missed you,” Koi cooed before bopping her on the tip of her nose. “You’re getting so tall.”
Nyari hugged her legs when she stood back up.
“Damn, I don’t get no love?” I asked with a frown.
Koi waved me over, and I closed the distance between us like a dog on a leash.
She pecked my lips twice then grinned. I was quickly adapting to this new way of living, and I had to say it kept a nigga walking around with a little extra pep in his step.
“Hey, Mr. Valentine. I’m making chicken and shrimp alfredo for the cutie. It’s almost ready.”
I nodded while my hands made their way to her booty. I squeezed one of her cheeks and growled in her ear. She pushed me away, giggling like a hyena. “Cut it out. We are not alone.”
“Aight, I’m going to settle her in.” Glancing down at my baby, I said, “Come on, Skye. Let me show you what I got for you.”
She eagerly took my hand as I led her to her bedroom.
I watched her explode with glee when she saw all the gifts I had waiting on her bed.
I probably wouldn’t even allow her to sleep in her room tonight, because I needed snuggles.
Maybe when she came back after the weekend, I would allow her to test out the nightlight I’d bought her.
I sat on the floor in her room, playing with the glittery slime she was focused on, when Koi came to get us for dinner. I took Skye into the bathroom to wash her hands, then we went to the dining room, where Koi had already set the table.
I made sure my baby had her booster seat and pushed her closer to the table.
Koi sat across from her with me on the other end.
We joined hands for prayer then dug in. Koi knew pasta was Skye’s favorite food.
I loved that she could genuinely open her heart for my baby girl.
She really didn’t owe me anything, but she constantly gave me all she had.
“I love seeing you happy,” Koi told me with a sparkle in her eyes. “Daddy mode is definitely more attractive than performer mode.”
I used my free hand to reach for hers. I gently squeezed it, making her blush. “I love seeing you happy too. Working for Galaxy has been a dream come true?”
She nodded excitedly and unconsciously leaned closer to me. “Yes, it really is. I loved working for and styling you, but this is my first time getting to style a woman. I have so many ideas stockpiled that it’s a relief to finally be able to bring them to life.”
I lifted her hand to my lips and placed a kiss on the back of it. “I’m proud of you.”
She offered me a closed-mouth smile. “I am proud of you too. You said you were going to do a one-eighty, and so far, you’ve stood on that. I can admit, I had my doubts about you, but you’re not that bad to be married to.”
I gasped, feigning offense to her words. “Hate that you love it here, huh?” I teased her. She shook her head, allowing her eyes to fall to the pasta left on her plate. She played with the noodles aimlessly. “What’s on your mind?”
She stopped twisting noodles around her fork to look at me. “I’m glad that I love it here, actually. I thought this was something just to get us what we wanted, but the more time I’m around you, the more I start to believe in . . .” Her voice trailed off as if she were afraid to admit the truth.
“Do you think I spent all those years flirting with you just for the hell of it?” The look she gave me insinuated that was basically what she thought.
“I liked that you were never afraid to be yourself around me. I liked that you had boundaries, and even though you hated your parents’ strict rules, you still respected them and yourself enough to stick by them.
I liked that you knew I was imperfect, yet still chose to walk this path with me.
” I lifted our hands in the air. “When we took our vows, I told you that it’s to the grave with me.
I will give you every part of me to make you happy for the rest of your life. ”
She swiped away the tear that broke free before I got the chance to.
“Han’some . . .” She shook her head and let out a shaky breath.
“Please, don’t play with me. I don’t have a lot of dating experience, so a heartbreak might take me out of here.
If I open my heart to you, you have to take care of it and me. ”
I glanced over at Skye, who was busy drinking every drop of lemonade in her glass. “From this day onward, you and my baby are my family. The same way I don’t play about her is the same way I won’t play about you. Trust me. I will take care of you in every way you need and deserve.”