11. Myheir
the blackwell brilliance benefit
Tonight was the night.
It seemed like whenever this part of the year came around, I could never tell whether I was coming or going. But I’d do this a million times over for the young kids who desired to study jewelry design, gemology, and metalwork but couldn’t afford the training.
I was blessed to get all the training necessary to be as successful as I am. I’ve been working on one-of-a-kind pieces to auction off. Then, I still have to make time for orders for my custom pieces, and my role at the bank.
It was the main reason my damn phone was always in my hand or on silent. I’d been on my event planner’s back. I needed this gala to be pulled off perfectly. I needed this to work for the kids who were waiting for an opportunity.
I could easily pay for each of these kids to go, but I was around too many people with money. We needed to do better about giving back to our communities, and this was my way of making sure that happened.
I peered down at my watch. The limo I’d arranged to pick Khaleya up should be picking her up soon. So I pulled my phone from my pocket to send her a text.
Me: I’m giving you a pass for tonight to make your way downstairs without me knocking at your door.
I hit send and waited for her to reply. I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed talking to anyone this much.
I was watching those three bubbles materialize, then go away, like she was trying to get her response just right.
My jaws were hurting because of how hard I was smiling about a response I hadn’t gotten yet.
Doll: Of course. Whatever you like, Big.
I cracked up, catching her Coming to America reference. The surrounding people glanced in my direction with wide eyes.
Me: I can hear your attitude through the phone LOL.
Doll: My King, I’m glad it wasn’t lost in translation.
I shook my head and smirked down at my phone as I replied.
Me: Keep it up, Doll. I just wanted to let you know your ride should be outside within the next five minutes.
Doll: I’m getting in now. All jokes aside, tonight is going to go great.
I stared down at the text for a moment. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that until this very moment.
Me: Thank you. I’ll be outside waiting for you.
I locked my phone and slipped it back into my pocket.
“You seem to outdo yourself every year,” Jace said over my shoulder.
I smirked and turned to greet him and his fiancée, Simone. She always reminded me of Whitley Gilbert from A Different World without the squeaky voice. I dapped Jace up and turned to Simone to kiss her cheek.
“Thanks, man, and you look beautiful as always, Simone.”
She smiled brightly and leaned into Jace with her arm wrapped around his waist. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before returning his attention back to me. I just stood there smiling, looking crazy.
“When Jace told me you were bringing someone to the wedding, I was a little skeptical. But the way you’re looking right now is like a man who’s been bitten,” Simone said.
My brow rose.
“Bitten by what?” I asked.
Jace chuckled and then rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Simone poked me in the center of my chest. “You and I can’t wait to meet her. Don’t think we didn’t see you cheesing extra hard over here on your phone.”
I waved them off, not wanting to agree or deny. I needed them to believe this was real. I was about to reply when my phone vibrated. I pulled it from my pocket, and it was a text from security letting me know Khaleya had arrived.
“Aye, give me a second. I’ll be back,” I told them.
“Mm-hmm, go head and run,” Simone said.
I shook my head and chuckled as I jogged up the steps to head towards the lobby entrance.
The moment I stepped into the lobby, the double doors opened. My steps slowed as she came into view. I bit my lower lip as I took her in from top to bottom.
“Damn.”
Khaleya’s hair was full and curly, brushing against her shoulders.
Her dress, damn, that dress. I’m glad she didn’t show me at the store, because seeing her draped in champagne gold had my mouth watering.
The split that went up her right thigh was dangerously close to revealing everything I’d bark and hop on one foot to taste.
Simply put, she was every synonym of the word beautiful.
When her eyes found mine, she smiled, and with every step, her hips swayed. The flashing of the cameras weren’t lost on me. The moment she was close enough, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her flush against me.
She knew what time I was on. Khaleya reached up and cupped my chin, then stood on the tips of her toes. I met her halfway as our lips met in a passionate kiss. I slipped my tongue into her mouth, causing her to moan a bit.
The sweet sound was just for my ears, but damn if it didn’t make me want to take her ass into the nearest bathroom.
The flashing of the cameras got a little louder, bringing me back to reality.
I pulled back, and her cheeks were now flushed.
I brushed the corner of her mouth, then stepped back to kiss her knuckles.
“You’re beyond beautiful, Doll.”
“I can tell by the way yo’ ass took that kiss to hell, Big.”
I chuckled and led her towards the ballroom.
“You started it,” I teased.
The moment we stepped into the ballroom, I glanced over at Khaleya, and her eyes were filled with so much wonder. I knew then I had to have done what needed to be done.
I leaned over and whispered in her ear.
“You like it?” I asked.
“I do. You do this every year?”
I nodded with a smile.
“Oh, he got money,” she said. “Get it all for him.” Like Quinta Brunson in that video.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Since this woman came into my life, I’d been laughing non-stop. I needed that. She’s a walking stress reliever.
“Damn, you smile any harder, we’re going to know your dental health better than your dentist,” Jace said, walking over with Simone at his side.
I should have known their nosy asses weren’t going too far, so they could meet Khaleya.
“Ha-ha, hilarious. Khaleya, this is Jace DeMarco and his fiancée, Simone Rothchild.”
Khaleya stepped in front of me, causing my eyes to immediately admire her ass in this dress. I placed my hands on her hips as she gave them hugs.
“It’s so nice to meet y’all. You’re the wedding in Tuscany, right?” she asked.
“That’s us. It’s nice to meet the woman who has had Myheir cheesing all night,” Simone responded with a smile.
I shook my head as Khaleya looked up at me with a lift of her brow.
“Oh, I believe it. The way this man tried to swallow me whole out there,” Khaleya told her, and they burst out laughing.
Simone stepped back and waved her hand over Khaleya’s figure.
“The way you’re wearing this dress, if I was him, I would have too. You better go head, girl,” she complimented her.
Khaleya smiled, then did the same gesture in front of Simone.
“Girl, you’re beautiful, too. Has anyone ever told you that you look like Whitley Gilbert from A Different World?” she asked.
I looked over at Jace, who slowly walked away from Simone towards me, and I followed suit. We had already become invisible to them, so I took this as my cue to step to the side.
“I guess this means she can come to the wedding for sure,” Jace commented.
“I guess so. I’m glad they hit it off.”
Jace nodded and stuck his hands into his pockets.
“She looks good on you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh this much. Not even with your ex.”
He reached over and gripped my shoulder for a moment.
“Congrats. Now, here is when the real work begins. Don’t fuck it up.”
I smirked and nodded. But if only he knew, according to the terms, a fuck-up was definitely on the horizon. Khaleya was not meant to be the endgame, but maybe it was time to rethink that. I could admit to myself that she was becoming a need, and that was big for me.
“I hear you.”
Before Jace could reply, my assistant Kimmy walked over with a clipboard in hand and a headset, talking a mile a minute. She breathed a sigh of relief the moment she saw me. She needed to chill the hell out. The event was already in full swing. What could go wrong?
No sooner had the question left my mind did our first problem arise.
“Oh, my gosh! I’ve been looking for you everywhere. The boy who’s supposed to do the speech, he’s having a fucking panic attack. Then the damn mayor is requesting a special item on the menu that was never submitted when we requested if anyone had allergies.”
“Aight. Jace, you mind if I leave Khaleya with y’all for a moment while I go handle this?”
Jace nodded and looked back over at Simone and Khaleya, who were engrossed in conversation like neither of us was here.
“You need to be asking them if it’s okay if you leave me over here,” Jace responded, causing me to chuckle.
I waved him off and walked over to let Khaleya know where I was going. I wrapped my arm around her waist, then leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
“You okay over here with Jace and Simone? A few problems have popped up that I need to handle.”
She turned her head slightly to look up at me with a smile.
“I’m a big girl, Big. We’re good, but do you need my help? I’m good with all the crises, in case you were wondering.”
I smirked down at her. I almost told her no and to just enjoy herself, but then I realized I’d never been asked if I needed help. I didn’t know what was happening with Jamieson, but maybe she could help. Not to mention, I wanted her near me.
I kissed her cheek and nodded my head in the direction Kimmy was standing, looking like she was going to pop a blood vessel.
“Alright, big girl, let’s see what you can do.”
She smiled and turned back to face Simone, who was swooning with Jace standing beside her now.
“I’ll get with you later. This man needs a woman’s touch,” Khaleya told her.
I shook my head with a smirk as they made plans to sit together once we were finished. Khaleya then turned to me and held her hand out for me to hold.
Damn, I was getting used to having her hand in mine.
I reached out and took her hand into mine, then brought it up to my lips to kiss her knuckles, before leading her towards Kimmy, who was now bouncing from one leg to the other.
“Uh, do you have to use the bathroom?” Khaleya asked her in a whisper, with a worried expression.
I brought my hand up to cover my smile. This damn woman didn’t have a single filter in place. Kimmy’s eyes widened as she looked around, then back at us. Then she straightened up.
“No, just anxious. Sorry, you must be Khaleya,” she responded.
Khaleya turned to look up at me with a lift of her brow. I shrugged and waved my hand in front of us for Kimmy to lead the way. She turned around, and we followed her through the crowd to the back of the stage.
Jamieson was sitting on a stool, bent over with his head in his hands. One of the staff was standing beside him, rubbing his back, coaching him to continue to breathe. Khaleya released my hand and slowly walked over to him.
“I got it from here, thank you,” she told the staff worker.
The woman nodded and walked back towards the gala. Khaleya lowered herself beside him, careful not to place a hand on him without warning.
“Hey,” she said softly. “Don’t look up at me yet. Just listen to my voice for a minute.”
His breathing had yet to relax as his shoulders rose then lowered quicker than they should.
“You’re safe here,” she continued. “No one is expecting you to be perfect. They’re waiting to hear a story you know all the answers to, because you’ve already lived it. You’re walking around with the answer key, so it’s no way you can fail.”
Jamieson shook his head. “I can’t go out there.”
“Okay.”
My eyes shot to Khaleya with a lift of my brow. He damn sure had to go out there. But I wasn’t going to interrupt. I had to trust she had a plan, because she was so soft and confident with her response.
“Do you mind if I touch you?” she asked.
He nodded. So she reached out and began rubbing circles against his back. She then led him through some breathing routines, encouraging him not to think about the stage or the moment. By the third breath, his shoulders lowered.
“Okay, you’re good to go,” she whispered. “Alright, now tell me what you see.”
He slowly looked up and glanced around the room.
“The gold in your dress. You look really pretty.”
I cleared my throat, causing Khaleya to chuckle.
“Thank you. What do you hear?”
Without hesitation, he stood up taller, then responded. “Music.”
“Give me one thing you know for sure.”
He paused, then looked up at me and back at his hands.
Khaleya reached out and tipped his chin until he was looking at her.
“I’ll answer that one for you. You belong in this room and you’ve earned your place.”
I stepped forward. “I did not give you anything you didn’t deserve,” I chimed in.
He looked back at Khaleya. “What if I mess up?”
She smiled. “Then you take a deep breath and continue. Everyone out there is rooting for you, not against you. Remember that.”
Jamieson looked over at me again, but this time, the light had returned. He stood and released another breath. I walked over and gripped his shoulder.
“You got this.”
Khaleya walked back over, and I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her into my side. I kissed her temple, then whispered into her ear.
“Thank you.”
She looked up and pinched my chest, causing me to chuckle. “You don’t have to thank me, Big. This is why you pay me the big bucks. I handle shit.”
I shook my head and turned the situation over to Kimmy, then led Khaleya back to the ballroom.