Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
The ballroom was filled to the brim with unfamiliar faces. The guest list totaled ninety-eight people and I hadn’t chosen a single one of them. Ashland was in charge of the invitations and who received one. As long as my family was in attendance, no one else mattered.
“Kleigh, this is Rugger, Range, Royce, Roulette, Rome, and Roaman,” I introduced the girls.
“It’s so nice to meet you all. I’ve heard so much about you. I’ll admit I’m a bit jealous you had such beautiful women surrounding you your entire life. You girls are lucky. All I had was the guys.”
She lifted her chin, angling it toward Kofi and Killian who were only a few feet away.
“Two more Chem’s wouldn’t be such a bad thing,” Royce countered.
I heard every word shared, but my eyes were elsewhere. So was my mind and my heart. I could feel his presence, but I couldn’t see him. The anchor on my chest made it evident he was near. Still, I hadn’t laid eyes on him.
Curiosity guided my orbs across the room. There wasn’t a sign of Priest other than my intuition and the forbidden bond we’d created over the last few months. But, he was near. I knew it and so did my heart.
He’s here . I warned, preparing to encounter the man who had stolen my breath away from the very first moment I saw him two years ago.
Backward and forward, across the room, my eyes scurried in search of him until finally, the doors of the ballroom opened. I steadied my gaze and waited anxiously for confirmation of my suspicion. I wasn’t prepared for what was revealed to me. I wasn’t prepared for what was presented.
Dapper in a three-piece suit that was black in every aspect of the world was Priest. Just inches away, but close enough to reach out and touch, was a beautiful, caramel-skinned woman who I was sure had seen hundreds of runways in her days.
Find someone you can learn to love and don’t wait until your heart gives you permission. Do it sooner than later to put us both out of our misery. I’ll live my life, Priest. I want you to live yours. What’s going to happen to us is inevitable. Your lonesomeness doesn’t have to be. For Princeton’s sake, find somebody to love.
My words replayed in my head. I’d given him specific instructions one month ago. He was simply following them. Yet, I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of him with anyone else. Neither did I want to.
Drawn to one another like moths to a flame, Priest’s eyes found mine from across the room. I blinked the wetness away, encouraging the prickling of my eyes to subside. This was no place to display my pain. I’d shed enough tears. I didn’t have any more to cry.
A slight head nod was all I could muster. The hand on my shoulder and the voice in my ear quickly became my saving grace.
“She’s pretty,” Roulette whispered.
“I hope she’s worthy,” I confessed, “He deserves the absolute best.”
Priest’s heart was pure and his intentions were good. Any woman he invested his time and energy in, even if only for a while, he meant well. He hadn’t experienced many, but I had a feeling that would all change now that I was no longer occupying his bed.
I had no doubt in my mind he’d try to fuck the pain away. And, I wouldn’t blame him because I feared there wasn’t any other way to do so. Not even therapy would suffice.
“Everyone is taking their seats.”
“Okay. I’m going to take a second to gather my bearings. My heart feels like it’s breaking all over again.”
“The restroom?”
I nodded.
“Do you need me to come with you?”
“I need to be alone, Roulette.” Gently, I declined the offer. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I’ll be waiting right here when you return.”
I gathered a piece of my dress in my hand so I wouldn’t trip over it and make a mockery of myself at my wedding dinner. Roulette kept the girls at bay. I could hear their voices fade in the background as I made my way out of the ballroom and into the hallway.
Finally alone, I breathed out the air I’d been holding hostage. I brought my trembling hand to my forehead as I traveled toward the restroom closest to the bridal suite and furthest away from the rest of the guests. My movements were unsteady. My thoughts were jumbled. And, my vision blurred.
No more tears, Rather .
I lifted my chin, trying my hardest to keep from falling apart. Just as I pushed the door to the suite, a familiar baritone soothed every inch of my being. It cupped my soul between its chords and held it closely, promising nothing but goodness.
“Rose.”
I whipped my neck in the direction it had come from. There he stood with both hands in his pockets and his eyes trained on me. In silence, I watched as he struggled with his words. His feelings. His truth.
“I’m so– I’m sorry.”
Sincerity and gloom were infused in each word. But it wasn’t his sympathy I needed. It was his life. His love. His laughs. His legacy.
“For what, Priest?” I shook my head, confused by his words.
“The hurt, it’s written all over your face. You told me that’s what you wanted. Had I known, I would’ve come alone.”
“Her?” I scoffed, taking a few steps in his direction. “You think it’s her that has my heart in the bottom of my shoes?”
The question was rhetorical. He didn’t answer because he knew I wasn’t waiting for a response.
“It’s you. And until I find the strength to forget the magic we created, it’ll always be you. Please don’t apologize to me for being a man, Priest. If you’re going to apologize for something, let it be the fact that you can’t be my man.”
I left him standing in the hallway. There was nothing left to say. All had been said over three months.
We’d laughed and we’d loved. It was time to say our goodbyes and continue our lives as if it never happened. It didn’t matter how difficult the task was. Life for us had to go on.
This wasn’t a breakup. We were never supposed to happen. This was a silly game we’d played and broken hearts were the silly prizes we’d won.
Alone in the bridal suite, I patted my eyes dry for the last time. I began counting down from twenty in an effort to steady my shaky hands and jagged breathing. Slowly, my lids closed as my body began to regulate.
You’re okay. Everything is okay . My father’s voice played in the back of my mind. You’ll never be able to see your future if you’re busy with the past .
His advice resonated with me. It was most fitting for the moment. If I didn’t let Priest go, then I’d never learn to love Kofi. It was time to put the past three months behind me so I could begin building the foundation for a prosperous, fruitful future with my husband.
I pulled myself together and headed back into the ballroom. It was then I had a change of heart. I made a personal promise to embrace the moments leading up to the rest of my life. Ashland and Kleigh had put so much work into Kofi and I’s big day. It was time to enjoy the fruit of their labor.
“There you are,” Kleigh called out to me. “Kofi’s been looking all over for you. Is everything okay?”
“It will be.”
Kofi was waiting by our seats to take my hand. I joined him at the table that was reserved for our family and the wedding party. My nerves had settled and so had my raging heart.
Everything will be everything . I coaxed, taking Kofi’s hand. He leaned in closer. His cologne was becoming more intoxicating with each passing second.
“I thought I had a runaway bride before the wedding could even begin.”
“I’ve done many things in my life, but ran from my responsibilities has never been one.”
“Good. That means I’ll see you at that altar tomorrow?”
“In my white dress.”
“That’s what a nigga wanted to hear.”
He joined his hands and clapped silently. I grabbed them and pushed them down until they fell by his sides.
“Don’t start, Kofi,” I warned with a smile, knowing that he hardly had any reservations.
There hadn’t been a time I’d spent with him that didn’t end in uncontrollable laughter. Things were always good with Kofi, which led me to believe we’d be fine. Only time would heal my brokenness and help me learn to love him. I was looking forward to the day I did.
Grace, Rather. You deserve grace.
The decor was beautiful. My dinner gown was flawless. My sisters were by my side. And, my husband-to-be was right next to me with a smile that nearly reached his ears.
Because of my status, a legal, court-appointed marriage in the United States wasn’t plausible. But, we’d managed to arrange the legalization of our union in St. Catana for the following week. There, we’d participate in a smaller, more intimate ceremony for my family.
In the two hours the girls and I had alone, we’d come up with the plan and I was anxious to see it through. Our honeymoon would last over a six-month span. We’d travel the world, visiting three countries that our families deemed as safe zones.
It was crucial I kept a low profile, and steered clear of government officials. We weren’t in the clear yet, but I was certain it wouldn’t be long before we were.
Everyone settled around us, taking their assigned seats and preparing for the dinner to officially begin.
“Um Mm,” Ashland cleared her throat as she tapped the side of the wine glass in her hand.
From the swaying of her body and her loose limbs, I could tell it wasn’t the first glass of wine she’d finished.
“I’d like to start by thanking everyone for joining us tonight. Not all of you will have the chance to witness Kofi and Rather’s ceremony tomorrow, so tonight is very special. I’ve dreamt of this day since I found out I was pregnant with Killian.”
“Standing in front of guests, saying all the great things a mother can think of about the child she birthed while everyone struggles to keep their tears at bay. Well, this isn’t one of those times. Admittedly, Kofi has been a pain in our asses since he came two weeks later than his due date.”
Laughter erupted.
“Even with all his foolishness, there’s one thing I can’t take from him. He’s a good man. Marrying the woman standing next to him will be his greatest accomplishment. I can feel it. So, I’ll save the tearful speech for the renewing of vows when I actually have something good to say about my son. Until then, congratulations, Kofi and Rather. May God be the center of your unity. May it last forever more.”
Cheering followed Ashland’s words. Kofi raised his glass and the rest of the guests joined him. I, too, raised the glass in front of me.
“To Kofi and Rather,” Killian yelled.
“To Kofi and Rather,” everyone chanted.
To Priest and Rather . Inescapable thoughts ruined the beauty of the moment for me.
My intuition confidently revealed I wasn’t alone in my brief battle with delusion. So was he. I didn’t need the carefully curated seating chart to locate him. I felt his eyes on me. His gaze was sharp and relentless.
There was a smile on every face in the building except his. He was deep in thought. Deep in regret. Deep in feelings.
I sipped the champagne from the glass, desperate to quench my thirst. Priest was all-consuming. And, though I tried to tear my eyes from him, the task proved nearly impossible.
“We’re about to be served,” Kleigh informed me, rescuing me from the web Priest was spinning.
“Thank you.”
Mere seconds after Kleigh’s forewarning the first course was served, somewhat quieting everyone around us. We’d settled for a three-course meal because I wasn’t interested in the soup option and we had a long day ahead of us.
By the time the entree was in front of us, the maneuvering of Priest’s muscular frame drew my attention in his direction. He placed one foot in front of the other, peeling back another layer of my sanity with each step. His beauty was breathtaking.
Until he stood in front of us, my eyes didn’t leave him. They never departed from his. There was a fire brewing between my thighs. With any luck it would subside before I made it to the altar in less than twenty-four hours.
My breath hiked in my chest as his aroma swarmed my nostrils. Involuntarily, my jaw locked, fusing my mouth shut. I slid my open hands down my dress to discard the sweat. Tremors shook my body as if the temperature had lowered forty degrees in an instant. To some far away place, I wanted to disappear.
Please .
He lowered his frame to meet Kofi’s ear. Just inches away, he commanded me. All of me. And, naturally, I gave him all that he requested. My eyes. My energy. My sanity. My oxygen. It wasn’t until he straightened his spine and took off in the other direction that I could breathe again. See again. Think again. Smile again.
Momentarily, he halted near his assigned seat. Seconds later he was hand-in-hand with his date and the two were headed out of the ballroom. My heart fell from my chest onto the gold-trimmed plate of gourmet food.
“Bad Boys,” Rome protested.
“Boring,” Rugger teased. “ Colombiana .”
“Aren’t you tired of watching that?”
“Tired of watching a master of the craft? I’m not.”
“It’s not your night, so you don’t get to choose, anyway,” Roulette stated as a matter of fact. “Tonight is all about Rather. What is it that you want to watch?”
My mind was somewhere else. My mind was with someone else. What the girls were watching at the impromptu sleepover somehow didn’t matter to me. Without a doubt, no one would be watching television. It would be watching us. There was too much catching up to do and too much to talk about. No one would care who was on the screen.
Where have you gone?
Priest’s whereabouts shouldn’t have been my concern, but the anguish in those dark eyes concerned me.
“Rather–” Range called out. “She’s talking to you, babe.”
We cut the final corner in the Mercedes Sprinter. I could hardly wait to remove my dress and trade it for the matching pajama set Rome had bought for us all.
“Sorry,” I breathed, “My mind is somewhere else. I don’t care what we put on. I’ll watch whatever you choose.”
“Does it have anything to do with that fine black brother of Kofi’s?” Roulette inquired.
Nodding, I admitted the obvious.
“He left early. I can’t help but wonder where he’s gone.”
“You don’t have to wonder too long, because if I’m not mistaken, he’s standing right outside of that sick ass Phantom.”
Royce’s words jolted me, throwing me from my seat and toward the window next to the seat in front of me. I was at the very back of the Sprinter with my legs stretched out further than my thoughts.
In all his handsome glory, Priest stood against his car with his arms folded in front of him and his chin tucked.
My God.
His presence was as daunting as it was liberating.
“Stop. Stop. Right here is fine,” I yelled to the driver.
We’d made it to the edge of my driveway. Any further would force Priest to move his car. I didn’t want him to move. I didn’t even want him to blink until I was there. In front of him, ready and willing to listen to whatever it was he’d come to say.
“No ma’am,” Roulette protested. “I’m going to beat your ass like Richie and Rhea should’ve if you run your tall ass out there like you have no couth. You know better, Rather.”
“We don’t behave in that manner. It doesn’t matter that the heart is involved. Compose yourself before you step off this bus or we can sit here all night.”
“I–”
“She’s right,” Roaman added.
“You’re too worked up, babe,” Rome claimed.
“Desperate.” Rugger slid in.
“Rugger!”
“Sorry. In my defense, I offered to kill the husband.”
“Fix yourself, baby. Remember who you are. At whatever hour you decide to step down from this Sprinter, he’ll be there. Waiting. As he should.”
I lowered into the seat and tried to catch my breath. At the sight of Priest, it had escaped me. Roulette was on me in an instant, polishing my lips with a fresh coat of gloss. Rome pushed my hair out of my face and brushed it down my back with her hand. She smoothed the top down and stood back admiring her contributions shortly after.
“Feeling better?” Royce questioned.
“Much better. I’m sure I’ve told you all this enough times to last long after we’re in the ground, but I love you.”
“In this lifetime and the next, babe,” Roaman declared.
“You first?” Range tilted her head toward the door.
I shook my head, unwilling to lead the way.
“You all go ahead.”
One by one, they descended the steps. I was the last of the seven of us to exit. Poised and graceful, the girls led the way toward my home.
The weight of my reality made me slower. Heavier. Quieter. Though I stood tall with an erect spine, I had diminished – internally .
My confidence had taken a blow to the core. Optimism had taken the back seat. My belief system was out of commission. Confusion nearly blinded me. Apprehension tugged at my heartstrings.
I rounded his car to meet him. He watched me from afar. My limbs drew closer to my body as I obliterated the distance between us. Side by side, I planted my feet in front of him.
“Rather.”
He was short. He was curt. He was unmoving. The energy occupying the space between us was different. It was cold. And, it was brutal.
As quickly as my name left his throat, I regained my strength. My power was reactivated. And, the girl that had come off the bus with a bruised ego and broken heart had disappeared. Born again was the woman he’d met two years ago. The woman he invited to PS102. The woman my father had raised. The woman my brother praised.
“Priest.”
“I am here as a courtesy visit from the Valentine family. During the arrangement of marriage, we were informed of the bride price your sacrifice required. Ten million in total over ten years, per your family’s wishes. You’ll find an initial deposit of two million dollars for the agreed amount in your account at midnight.”
Those weren’t the eyes I remembered. These were colder. Darker. And, soulless.
“Every two years, another two million will be wired to the account of your choosing until the sum has been met. In the event that you are to car– car– carry our namesake, an additional two million dollars per child will be delivered to you in cash on the date of birth as requested by your superiors.”
He fumbled over his words. The cracking of his voice was gutting. The tremors of his chin were paralyzing. He reached behind him and slid a folder from the roof of his car. With flared nostrils, he continued.
“In addition, there is a five million dollar life insurance policy for Kofi Valentine with you serving as the sole beneficiary. If or when children are born, you will no longer be the sole beneficiary. The policy will be split even amongst you and any child who shares his DNA.”
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was no longer firmly planted with both feet harboring equal weight. Priest was withering.
“Hm Mm.”
He cleared the trail of emotions his words were leaving behind. His spine straightened and his neck grew slightly longer after a good shake of his head.
He was decomposing before me. The Priest I knew, at least, and it was killing me softly with each movement he managed.
“Should there ever be a delay in the delivery of your funds, I am the person you are to see. If there is ever a matter that should arise during the course of your marriage that is beyond your control, I am the person you are to see. Do you understand the things I’ve just shared with you?”
Underneath my lids caught fire. The salty tears and mascara mix was poisoning my eyes. The damn, lengthy lashes left residue on my cheeks and my cornea with each blink.
“Rather.” He demanded a response.
“Yes,” I choked out.
“M– My business here has concluded.”
His chin dipped near his chest. I lost those eyes in the rounding of his shoulders. The file in his hand was pushed in my direction. Reluctantly, I accepted my life’s plan.
In my hands was proof that Chemistry was always twelve steps ahead of the rest of the world. My father had given my hand in marriage, but Chem had secured my future and the future of any children who were made from the union that had been arranged. They weren’t in my personal plans, but should they ever come, they were covered.
Compensation, baby. If a nigga chooses to do you dirty or waste even a second of your time, make sure you’re well-compensated. They say time isn’t something money can buy, but that’s because they’ve never met a woman who has punished their pockets. Be that woman. Never let them play you if they can’t pay you .
Rules were rules. I didn’t make them. I followed the ones put in place before me. That’s how we’d gotten ourselves into the mess we were in now.
I peered at the brown folder, prolonging my departure. The dark round spot in the center shot a dagger through my heart. I lifted my head, fearful of what was waiting for me.
Priest’s flared nostrils were the result of his emotional despair. So was the lone tear that had fallen.
“I—”
My chin was between his hand, suddenly. And, instead of pulling back and running in the other direction like I should’ve, I moved forward. Our bodies crashed into one another. Our lips collided.
Hungrily, he consumed me. His tongue roamed every inch of my mouth as if it was foreign territory. It wasn’t. I wasn’t. We weren’t. He knew me. He knew my body. He knew my heart. He knew my mind. He knew my soul.
Painfully, Priest tore his lips from mine. Both of us stood unmoving with our chests rising and falling. My tears stained his cheeks. No words were exchanged. Not for a full minute. Just as he gathered himself and turned to leave, something in me died.
“I’m scared,” I shouted, stopping him in his tracks.
With his back turned toward me, he waited for me to continue.
“I’ve never been afraid of anything in my life, but I am deathly afraid of losing you.”
His head shook from one side to the other.
“Say something–”
He faced me. The smirk on his face was contradicting his feelings. His thoughts. His sentiments.
“Tomorrow will be the best day of your life. There’s no need to be afraid. You’re in good hands.”
“That’s untrue.”
He shook his head, again.
“The day I met you was the best day of my life,” I confessed, “And though good things come in threes, I find it hard to believe I’ll get to meet you twice.”
He lowered his chin to his chest and smiled. He was stunning. He was a dream. He was my dream.
“Goodbye, Rather.”
In the middle of my driveway, with a face full of tears, Priest left me. I retrieved my heart from the concrete. It was barely recognizable. He’d stumped all over it. He didn’t understand it was his to have. He didn’t know that it belonged with him.
I entered my home and quickly locked the door behind me. I pushed my back against it and pressed the file against my chest. I was sore all over.
“That’s a dangerous game you’re playing, baby.”
I lifted my head. A single blink cleared my blurred vision. My brows cinched near the center of my forehead. The emotions I’d kept at bay erupted at once.
My legs stretched across the floor at full speed. Papers fell from my hand and littered the space around us. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Not until I was in his arms, my feet were off the floor, and his voice was against my cheek.
He soothed my soul. He eased the pain in my heart. He healed my wounds.
“Teddy!” I gasped, unable to form a full sentence.
Without words, he held me closely and swayed my body from one side to the other. In his arms, I wasn’t the woman he’d helped me become. I was the little sister who needed the comfort of his presence and the shelter his limbs provided.
Just like that, we stood until I was able to stand on my own two feet, again. He lowered me to the floor and stood back to observe me.
“I’ve missed you.”
“You have no idea,” he tittered. “I’m no good at being away from you.”
“I thought you were coming tomorrow.”
“As much as I’d like to talk about the shit that’s on your mind, there’s a more pressing matter at hand, baby.”
I shook my head and sealed my lids. The disappointment in his voice was preparing to cause irreparable damage that not even the heartbreak I was experiencing could compare to. Chemistry’s questionable gaze shrunk me three sizes.
“I have it under control. Just– just please don’t look at me that way.”
“Rathe–”
“I’m marrying Kofi. I will fall in love with him and we will live happy lives, Chemistry.”
“I’ll give up everything if it means your ha–”
“Please,” I begged, “That’s not how this wo– how this works,” I wept, “You can’t save me this time, Teddy. It’s time somebody saved you and if it has to be me then so be it. I’m getting down that aisle and I’m marrying that man. Because, if I don’t, the order will be no more.”
“We’ll lose our claim to Clarke. That family’s foundation will crumble. And, Priest, he’ll no longer be head of the Valentines. I’ve been around them long enough to say with confidence that there’s no better person in their family who is qualified for the job.”
“I’m not leading with my feelings, Teddy. I’m leading with my head. The two are not aligned yet, but I promise they will be. I promise.”
He finalized that portion of our conversation with a nod.
“Now, where’s my mother, and where the hell is my niece?”
I pushed my feelings into a deep, dark place where they were to remain. My father trusted me. He believed in me. And, I’d promised to save my sister and our brother by sacrificing myself. Nothing would change. I’d be fine. Eventually .
“Upstairs waiting to see Tee Rather.”
I kissed Chem’s cheek and headed toward the stairs. Just as I placed a foot on the first step, my cell rang. Kofi’s name crossed my screen. A lump formed in my throat as I contemplated answering.
“Answer his call, Rather,” Chem instructed.
“How do you know?”
The insult was written all over his handsome face. “I always know.”
I slid the bar across the screen to connect the call.
“Hello?”
“It’s your husband,” joyfully, he replied.
My cheeks flushed. His sense of humor was medicinal.
“Your name– your name is saved in my phone, Kofi.”
“Aight. Just making sure you know what time it is.”
“I do.”
“It’s,” I paused to pull the phone away from my ear and check the time. “Ten twelve.”
“Which means I have an hour and forty-eight minutes to have you back home. They say it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride the day of the wedding.”
“That’s what I’ve heard.”
“Then, come ride with your nigga before the clock strikes twelve, Cinderella.”
“Kofi, I’m still in my dress.”
“The occasion causes for something of that caliber.”
“What is it?”
“If I tell you then it won’t be a surprise, right?”
I nodded as if he could see me.
“Come outside, Rather. I’m pulling up.”
The call ended before I could protest. There was a tingling in my gut that pushed the side of my mouth upward. Anticipation pushed my feet toward the door where I was anxious to witness Kofi’s arrival.
Despite the love that I’d developed for Priest and the pain of letting him go, time with Kofi wasn’t affected in the slightest. He’d been exactly who he told me he would be from the very beginning. My respect for him ran as deep as it did for the man he shared a father with.
“Rather?” Chem called out to me.
“He’s here,” I informed him. “I’ll be back by midnight.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
The December cold was brutal. I hurried out of the door and down to the driveway where headlights lit my path. Loud music rattled the speakers of Kofi’s car. He was out in a flash, opening the passenger door.
“Your chariot awaits.”
“Why, thank you, Sir.”
I slid onto the soft leather. Kofi carefully stuffed the tail of my dress inside of the car and made his way back to the driver's seat. My body stiffened as he changed gears, preparing for takeoff. Slowly, he eased out of my driveway, but the snail’s pace didn’t last very long.
My head slammed against the headrest as his foot smashed the gas. The slightly cracked windows allowed the fresh, crisp night air in the car. It swept across my face, freeing me of my inhibitions. My heart galloped, pounding against my chest and letting me know I was alive.
“Whew,” I whispered, releasing my hold on the side of the seat and relaxing.
Kofi’s hand migrated to my side of the car. He intertwined our fingers and brought my left hand to his mouth as we got higher and higher in the hills of Mount Clarke. Nine minutes after we exited my driveway, we pulled into another.
After the car came to a complete stop, Kofi peered over in my direction. His baritone deepened and his vulnerability peaked. The man staring back at me felt unfamiliar. The life of the party had quickly become someone else. Something else.
“Welcome home, Rather.”
“Home?”
He didn’t answer me. Instead, he opened his door and exited the car. Within a few seconds, he was helping me out of the passenger seat. I took a step toward the front door and was immediately chastised.
“Nah. That’s not how they do in them chick flicks y’all be watching.”
He leaned down and scooped me right into his arms.
“Oh my God!” I blurted, finding comfort in his ability to make me laugh so easily. His charm was endearing.
Bridal-style, he carried me toward the door.
“I’m a mess right now, Rather, but I promised to clean up my act by the time we walked down that aisle. That’s what I’ve been doing. This home is just the beginning. I have so much in store for us. Like you said back at that coffee shop, this doesn’t have to be awful. It can be as beautiful as we make it.”
“And, I want it to be grand. I know where you come from. I know what you’re accustomed to. I know you’re not a stranger to love. Though that’s not where we are right now, someday we will have one of those stories we’re happy to tell the youngins who ask what’s the secret to a successful marriage and how we lasted so long. I’m with all of that. I want all of that.”
I was at a loss for words. What I was hearing from Kofi eighty-eight days later was what I’d wanted to hear from him on day two when he stumbled into Genre late with a hangover.
He pushed the door open and entered our new home. It wasn’t until we were over the threshold that he lowered me onto my feet. Nervously, he shoved his hands in both pockets.
“Can you see your future between these walls?”
Admittedly, I could. The warmth of the home won me over the second we stepped through the door.
“Yes.”
Visibly relieved, Kofi surrounded me, wrapping his arms around my body and spinning me around. When the room stopped and my feet hit the floor, again, his body was still pressed against me. His hands pinned my face between them. His breath tickled my skin.
“Me too.”
Kofi’s lips crashed into mine at once, rendering me breathless.