Chapter 1
Raphael
After easing my fully loaded 2023 BMW 7-series sedan into a brightly marked ‘visitors’ spots, I turned the engine off, but didn’t make a move to get out. Instead, I allowed myself to process the rash decision which brought me here, to a place I hadn’t visited in five years, despite Harrison Family Vineyards being where some of my fondest childhood memories happened. I could recall with full, vivid details spending hours running around these grounds, harvesting grapes and other fruits to create our own blends of alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines, having picnics in the springtime, camping during the summer months, taking hayrides in the fall, and drinking hot cocoa and ice skating during the winter for Harrison Wonderland.
For as long as I can remember, The Reeds and the Harrisons were always close. It was a friendship spanning over multiple generations. My father and Asher Harrison, Ashlynn’s dad, grew up together. They attended the same schools from elementary all the way to law school. The only time life separated the two friends was when Asher accepted a job on the West Coast right out of law school. But when he returned years later, with his wife and three children, it was as though nothing changed.
The same could be said about me and Ashlynn. Visions of her sauntering through the crowded ballroom on New Year’s Eve sent a jolt of electricity coursing through my system, charging the parts of me that had been depleted. The way the royal-blue gown molded to her curvaceous body like a second skin, made me do a triple take. She’d look stunning, and the longer I watched her mixing and mingling with guests, the harder it had been to ignore the magnetic pull of her heart to mine.
I tried.
I fought like hell to keep my distance.
It took everything in me to stay away from Ashlynn, and not beat the hell out of every guy in attendance when they spoke to her, touched her, or breathed the same air as her.
But in the end, I failed.
Grabbing my coat and the black, green, and white bag off the passenger seat, I opened the door and stepped into the brisk February air, kicking myself for not parking closer to my intended destination. However, braving the cold for the fifteen minutes it would take me to reach the offices of HFV was necessary. I needed to see Ashlynn. I couldn’t stop thinking about her or how it seemed no time had passed at all when we kissed. It was seared into my brain. Her lips yielding to mine, the eager swiping of her tongue into my mouth, the soft moans she emitted—it all felt natural, and I’d dance under the Northern Lights in Iceland while wearing assless chaps and a cowboy hat for the chance to taste her again.
Or to be around her again, because having Ashlynn in my life in any capacity was better than not having her at all. I’d learned this the hard way.
Once we consumed our glasses of champagne, took a shot of MidnightAce Noir, and recovered from the awkwardness of being caught crawling from under the table by its occupants, I figured we would hang out and catch up on the things we’d missed in each other’s life. But before I could suggest we go somewhere a little quieter, Ashlynn was gone. She ran off, leaving me standing alone, replaying every second of our interactions to pinpoint where I’d fucked up or if I’d misconstrued her actions.
I waited a week before I reached out to Ashlynn, giving us both time to work through the implications of our actions. I called, texted, and emailed, only to have my calls sent to voicemail, my texts left on ‘read,’ and my emails be unanswered. Three weeks after the gala, I sent a different bouquet of flowers every day. Red roses on Monday to show my love for her. Tuesday, she got lilies because they remind me of her sweet and innocent beauty. On Wednesday, the florist suggested orange tulips since they symbolized appreciation and friendship. I even sent a Rose of Jericho knowing Ashlynn would be enthralled with watching this plant come back from the “dead” … kind of like my hopes for us. Finally, I ended the week with white tulips, so she knew I was sorry. The flowers earned me a simple, but very cherished ‘ty for the flowers’ text.
Most guys would’ve taken the hint, chopped up the silence—or dry response—as a loss, and kept it moving. They didn’t believe in chasing women because there were plenty of them in the world. But I wasn’t most men, and Ashlynn wasn’t any regular shmegular ass woman. She was the other half of my broken soul. I wanted to spend my life with Ashlynn, grow old with her, making memories that lasted a lifetime. Instead of giving up, her reply spurred me to do more. So, for the past week, I had meals from her favorite restaurants, and a few small trinkets, delivered to her office, like a certificate to Elite Oasis Spa and Retreat, a CBD wellness spa owned by a friend of a friend in Santa Monica, California. When she responded with a smiley face emoji instead of actual words, I wasn’t upset. I’d blurred the lines by kissing her, and she’d all but erased it when she kissed me back, further complicating a complicated post-relationship relationship. She needed time to process her thoughts and work through the maelstrom of emotions I’d undoubtedly unleashed, and I did the same, giving myself space to evaluate what I wanted from her, our relationship, from myself, and life.
But now, we needed to talk.
After scheduling appointments through her secretary, only to have them canceled at the last minute, I was through playing childish games. Then again, Ashlynn wasn’t expecting me today. She had plans to have lunch with Dina, but thanks to the freelance work Dina did for the Traveling While Black app, she was once-again jetting off to places unknown. Was I the asshole to bogart this time and take it for myself? Hell yeah, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Hence the plan I concocted.
The sound of voices outside of the door floated to my ears.
“Ms. Harrison, you have a visitor.”
I could hear the indignation in the tone of Ashlynn’s assistant, Ms. Sonia, and pictured the older woman standing at Ashlynn’s side with her thick gray hair styled in spiral curls, a pinched expression on her lips, and hands perched on her hips, no doubt trying to warn Ashlynn of who was waiting in her office. Having worked for the Harrison family for over twenty-five years, Ms. Sonia was known to be as sharp as a tack and as mean as a rottweiler. Her loyalty to Ashlynn and her family trumped everything, including knowing me since I was a kid.
“Shoot. It’s Dina, right? Fuck. I forgot we were meeting for lunch.”
Leaning back in the plush, custom leather chair Ashlynn had specifically made for her, I continued to inspect the Rose of Jericho plant I’d sent to her while quietly laughing at the conversation happening a few feet away from me.
“Wait, Ms. Harrison?—”
“Can you have two bottles of our sweet red blend brought over, and a box of the milk chocolate, pink champagne truffles Dina likes?”
“Okay, but, Ms. Harrison?—”
“Do I have any meetings after this one?”
There was a long sigh before Ms. Sonia responded, “You mentioned taking the two p.m. Tasting Tour, but said it was a last-minute decision you’d make depending on how you felt. Also, you have a telehealth appointment with your rheumatologist at four.”
“Did I tell the guide I would be there?”
“In passing, I believe.”
Ashlynn released a groan. “Send word that I won’t be doing the tour today. I want to give all my attention to Dina. Also, reschedule the appointment with Dr. Lockwood. In about ten minutes, you can come take our orders for lunch, but I’m sure we’ll both order what we usually do.”
The handle jiggled and the door creaked open, causing my heart to speed up in my chest. I had no idea how this would go. The soft clack of high heels reverberated against the gleaming hardwood floors. A deafening silence filled the air.
“Wait, where’s Dina? I thought you said she was here.”
“Actually,” I spun around in the high back chair behind the sleek L-shaped desk, revealing myself with a toothy grin, “she never said it was Dina.”
Ashlynn’s sharp gasp and the mixture of confusion and pure irritation on her face were comical. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide. “Raphael?” Her gaze swung from me to Ms. Sonia and finally back to me. She arched an eyebrow. “What are you doing here, where’s Dina, and why are you sitting your ass in my chair?”
“I’m here to see you. Not sure where Dina is though.” I shrugged, sitting forward and clasping my hands together under my chin. “Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe you should check the group chat to see if she posted her itinerary. Then again, you know your best friend. I wouldn’t be surprised if she forgot to tell you she needed to cancel.”
“You know she did. Why else would I be surprised to see you and not her? Besides, she might be my best friend, but she’s your little sister,” Ashlynn stated matter-of-factly.
She folded her arms under her breasts; I wondered if she knew just how sexy she looked glaring at me or how the gesture emphasized their fullness.
“She’s also a grown woman. As long as Dina’s being safe not reckless, taking care of herself, and bringing me back souvenirs from her explorations, I’m good. And to answer your last question, I was looking out the window and your chair was there. It’s extremely comfortable. I hope you don’t mind. Think of it as me keeping it warm for you.”
Ashlynn opened her mouth to respond but closed it. She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, then turned to Ms. Sonia, who watched our exchange in silence, but with an amused smirk. It faded when Ashlynn’s gaze settled on her.
“Can you have a small charcuterie board prepared, along with a flight of white wine, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic?”
“We can skip the charcuterie board since we’re about to have lunch.” I stood and walked around the desk, leaning against the front edge. “Also, non-alcoholic wine for me, please. I have to drive back to the city.”
“You drove?” Her gorgeous, almond-shaped, brown eyes landed on me, and narrowed into thin slits. “I didn’t see your truck.”
“I drove my BMW today, and parked in Lot C, behind the tasting room. I needed to stretch my legs, get a little exercise in before our date.”
“Meeting,” she corrected. She directed her attention to Ms. Sonia.
For several minutes, Ashlynn rambled off instructions on how she wanted the rest of her day to go, as though I wasn’t there. It didn’t matter to me, Ashlynn could pretend she was unaffected by my presence, but the truth was, I threw her off balance. Her head was spinning, trying to recalculate how to gain a semblance of control over this situation, over me.
“Raphael, do you need to see the menus?”
I pressed my lips together, trying to hide the smile that threatened to break out. Even with me not visiting HFV in years, my order from The Vine never changed.
At the knowing look I pinned her with, Ashlynn rushed to add, “I’m not sure when you last visited?—”
“Five years.”
Ashlynn swiveled to face me at my admission.
“So much as changed since then, but not my order.”
We stared at each other, neither of us blinking. I had no idea what was floating around in her pretty little head, yet I couldn’t help but think of those times when she would order to-go platters from The Vine, I’d bake fresh edibles, and we would meet up in secret locations outside of the city. For two years, we dated in secret, acting like we were having a forbidden affair, and weren’t two consenting adults who’d fallen in love over the years. Not fighting hard enough to bring our love to the light was one of the biggest regrets I have concerning our relationship because it suffocated in the darkness.
Sadness filled her eyes, but with a single blink, it was gone. She ran her tongue over her teeth and looked away. “He’ll have Nana Mae’s Smothered Fried Chicken with creamy mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and two buttermilk biscuits. Please tell the chef to be light-handed with the garlic and add gravy on the side.”
Inwardly, I smiled.
After speaking for a few more minutes, Ms. Sonia left the room. The door had barely clicked into place before Ashlynn stalked over to me and stabbed a pointed fingernail into the center of my chest. “I can’t believe you stole Dina’s appointment knowing I would be expecting her and not The Devil. That’s low, even for you.”
“Damn. I must’ve really pissed you off if you’re referring to me as the nickname you rebuked when you heard MJ call me.”
“I’m starting to think maybe MJ was on to something,” she mumbled under her breath, but loud enough for me to hear her. There was a hint of an amusement in her tone. “How is he? Still in Vegas?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I spoke to him a few days ago.”
Malcolm Jacobs, or MJ to those who knew him—and with the way this man operated, that could very well be the half the population of the United States and parts of Canada—was a friend I’d met while attending NYU. Not only did he throw the most talked about, absolutely craziest parties on and off campus, but he was also The Plug, selling nothing but the finest, rarest green guaranteed to get you higher than a soprano battling an alto during Sunday morning worship. I’d known of MJ thanks to some guys I was cool with and his legendary status on campus, but we weren’t close. However, that changed when he stopped me from making one of the biggest mistakes of my life and jeopardizing my freedom by beating the hell out of a guy who was talking dumb shit to me outside of one of his parties.
Now, not only was he one of my good friends and a mentor, but he was a business associate.
A comfortable silence fell between us, before she admitted, “I was going to reach out to you. I just needed time.”
“I know.” Taking Ashlynn by the wrist, I hauled her into my arms, and when she didn’t fight me, I held her, reveling in the feel of her lush body melting against mine. I inhaled, filling my nose with the sweet and sensual notes of her perfume and an aroma I recognized as uniquely Ashlynn. My mouth watered to taste her. “I was being diplomatic. Trying to do things the right way by going through your secretary to get on your schedule since you always think I’m on some bullshit. I’m not. If I were, I would’ve shown up here weeks ago or caused a scene at any of the events we’ve attended together over the last month.”
She leaned back, looking me in my face, and I fought the urge to kiss her nose, lips, eyes, and every other part of her body that would leave her begging me not to stop. “What are you talking about? I haven’t seen you since the gala.” She paused, bringing her hands together in prayer position, and tilted her head with a cute smirk. “Lemme find out I got you hallucinating.”
I was shaking my head before she even finished her statement. “Nah. And since I know you’re going to ask, yes, it was outside of my dreams, Dream.”
“Corny ass.” She sucked her teeth. “Where?”
“The MLK day parade in Congress Heights, three out of the four locations Mr. Black-D.C. held their coat and blanket drive, heading into the Silver Diner in Greenbelt, standing in front of that blow dry salon in Penn Quarters yesterday, and a couple of other places.”
Ashlynn’s mouth dropped open, but she didn’t say anything.
“And no, I wasn’t following you.”
“Mmm-hmm. Whatever you say. For all I know you could be going through your stalker era, hiding behind bushes, and ducking underneath cars. Who knows, you probably tapped my phone.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I told her, trying hard to sound like the crazy, monologue-spewing inner voice of the character from that Netflix show. “Maybe I’m capable of doing everything you said I did.”
We stared at each other before busting out laughing. It had been a long time since we’d laughed like this. A full belly, body shaking, good for the soul type laugh, and I missed it.
“You’re a fool, Joe.”
“I know, and since I’m being honest, I saw you on your lil’ date at Dye Hard Paintball Range on Sunday.”
“You were there?”
“Yeah, with my mentee, Jamal. I was lowkey tempted to interrupt, but I had an impressionable teenager with me. However, that ain’t stop me and Jamal from lighting ol’ dude’s punk ass up with a couple of rounds.”
“That was you?” she asked, swatting me on the arm. “I spent the rest of the date trying to assure him he wasn’t being targeted because each round he was out within the first few minutes.”
“That’s whatcha get for going out with someone so lame.”
Her lips dipped into an adorable pout, and I fought not to laugh, but failed, further pissing Ashlynn off. She threw her hands in the air and let out an angry huff, stomping away.
However, I didn’t let her get too far.
“Come here, Dream.”
Ashlynn stopped abruptly but didn’t turn around.
Closing the distance between us, I stepped in front of her. “The frown lines aren’t worth it. We both know I’m right.”
“That’s what’s pissing me off,” she grumbled. “It took me hours to see his true colors, but you came to that conclusion in what, a few minutes?”
“More or less.” I wanted to tell her every muthafucka before me was lame, and so would every muthafucka after me. But there would be no other men if I had a say in the matter. I was it for Ashlynn; she was it for me. Time hadn’t been previously on our side, but I had to believe this was the universe giving us yet another chance to get it right. I pulled her into my arms, dropping a kiss to her forehead. The nagging voice of my conscience, telling me to let her go and keep my lips to myself, was loud and clear, but I ignored it.
I couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to, and I didn’t.
This was and had always been us. It never mattered how long Ashlynn and I were apart or where the world took us, when we came back together, it was always a perfect fit. We fell into a rhythm only the two of us could maintain because it just happened … like the natural order of life. A tumultuous cycle where the good oftentimes outweighed the bad, but the scars left behind were rooted deep. Instead of adjusting or fighting what we both knew, we climbed in and buckled up for the ride with no regard for how our actions would affect our present or our future.
However, I was determined to do things differently this time.
Yet, instead of letting her go, I held on, savoring the warmth Ashlynn emitted, the peace and calm she effortlessly brought into my life, the feel of her body melding into mine as the boundaries she constructed lowered along with her inhibitions, and the beating of her heart whose time matched with mine. I never wanted to leave this space, but there was a huge ass elephant sitting in the middle of the room, and until we addressed that muthafucka, he would continue to take up space.
After releasing her, I took a step back. That coupled with the sudden confusion on Ashlynn’s face caused pain to shoot through my chest. “I didn’t come here to talk about the kiss or our past.”
“Really?”
The hopefulness and relief in the one-word question was like douse of cold water to an open flame. “Okay, I did, but it’s not the only reason I’m here. I only need a few?—”
A knock sounded, cutting me off. Clearing her throat, Ashlynn rushed around her desk and settled in her chair. “Come in,” she called out.
Seconds later the door opened, and Ms. Sonia stepped inside followed by three uniformed men, one of which was pushing a cart with two covered trays, silverware, drinkware, a carafe of water, and napkins. The second and third men held bottles of non-alcoholic wine.
Slowly, Ashlynn stood. “What’s this?”
“Lunch,” Ms. Sonia answered. The corners of her lips twitched with the makings of a smile as she motioned to me. “It seems like Mr. Reed stopped by The Vine and took the initiative to have lunch ordered and delivered.”
“Or the unmitigated gall,”Ashlynn mumbled.
“What was that?” I asked, smirking.
“Huh?”
“I thought you said something.”
Realizing I’d heard her, Ashlynn gave me a tight smile. “Oh. Yeah, I agreed with Ms. Sonia. You’ve always been thoughtful.” Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on me.
Tossing her a wink, I watched as the men unfolded a crisp, white tablecloth, draped it over a square table on the other side of the office, and worked together to set the table. Once completed, they stepped back, giving Ashlynn the space to assess their work.
“Everything looks amazing. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome, Ms. Harrison.” With a quick head nod, two of the men left the office. The last, a lil’ young muthafucka, who’d appeared more interested in watching the gentle sway of Ashlynn’s hips and the switch of her ass as she circled the table to take in the details of the set-up, remained behind.
He licked his lips, rubbing his hands together. “Ms. Harrison, would you like me to go over the wines selected?”
I know damn well this muthafucka didn’t just?—
I glanced over to Ms. Sonia. Her eyes were tight and her lips were dipped in a scowl. As if she felt my gaze, she looked at me and shook her head, silently communicating her disapproval.
Ashlynn raised her head. Confusion knitted her brows. “Oh, umm?—”
“Wait.” I walked over to where Ashlynn stood, placing a hand on the small of her back. The touch was intimate and possessive, but I didn’t give a damn. Feeling the shiver that worked through her and hearing the soft gasp that fell from her lips at my touch emboldened me. “Is this the restaurant’s newest sommelier?” I asked no one in particular. “Congratulations on your new position.” I reached out to shake his hand. “I’m Raphael Reed.”
His eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his features to appear indifferent. Still, he hesitated before placing his limp hand in mine. “Darnell.”
There was something about a dead fish feeling handshake that irritated the fuck outta me. From a young age, I was taught the importance of a firm handshake. Like looks, your handshake revealed a lot about you. Introducing yourself with a lifeless grip while avoiding eye contact meant the person wasn’t confident either in themselves or their current environment, while giving a handshake that’s too hard could be interpreted as a person trying to overcompensate for their shortcomings. It was apparent Darnell fell into the former category.
Good. As long as he knew he could never compete with me, on any level, especially for Ashlynn’s heart, then we had no problems.
I released his hand. Petty me started to tell him to elaborate on the wine or ask what inspired him to become a sommelier but didn’t have the chance.
“Darnell, is that how you were taught to welcome guests to HFV? With a lackluster, rushed greeting, and a weak handshake? I know I’ve been away for a while and you’re new, but here at Harrison Family Vineyards we treat visitors like family because they are an extension of us.” Her reprimand echoed in the silence of the office.
“I-uh …”
Ms. Sonia took that moment to speak up. “Darnell isn’t a sommelier, Mr. Reed. He works at the restaurant as a waiter. I’m sure he needs to get back since we are in the middle of the lunch rush. Besides, we don’t want the food to get cold.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He glanced back at Ashlynn. “Have a nice day, Ms. Harrison. You too, Mr. Reed.” Then, he was gone.
Seconds later, Ms. Sonia exited, closing the door behind her.
Ashlynn shrugged my hand off her and spun around to face me. “Seriously, Raphe. What the hell was that? You knew damn well he wasn’t a sommelier.”
I pulled out the chair for Ashlynn to take a seat. Once she did, I selected a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, poured a little in her glass, and watched with a smile on my face as she lifted it, swirled the pale golden liquid around, deeply inhaled the earthy aroma, then took a small sip. She smiled, giving me a slight nod to fill her glass and mine.
“I knew it. You and Ms. Sonia knew it, too. Apparently, he didn’t, or else he wouldn’t have offered to tell you about the wine made at your family’s vineyard.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, that was weird, but you didn’t have to be rude, Raphael.”
“True.” It could’ve been a lot worse, but I wouldn’t tell her I was ready to beat his ass for gawking at her like he ain’t see me standing there. We were turning a corner.
“Now,” she placed her napkin on her lap, “what’s so important you had to see me?”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was no more beating around the bush or making small talk. “A partnership that’ll bring exposure to both Weed the Peopleand Harrison Family Vineyards.”
“How do you propose we do that? A marriage of convenience?”
I sat forward, taking her left hand in mine. “I mean marriage wasn’t what I had in mind, but if you want a ring and my last name, baby, let me know. I’ll call my jeweler.”
She snatched her hand away and waved me off. “Then how?”
I smiled, taking a sip of my mind. “By joining together to create an exclusive cannabis-infused wine.”