While they’re gone, Evie fires up her laptop to do some last minute work for her clients and I stare out at the tarmac.
I can’t remember the last time I took a consecutive two-week vacation. The other doctors at the practice make time for vacations, but I never do. I have what I consider a healthy work-life balance. Sure, I work twelve-hour days with minimum breaks and when I’m not working at the obstetrics practice, I’m working on the plans for the birthing center I want to open, but I make sure to go to brunch with my girls once a month and I answer everyone’s texts and phone calls in a reasonable amount of time. To me, that’s work-life balance. Going two weeks without seeing a single patient, though? Unheard of for me. There’s a first time for everything, though.
“Look who we found,” Christian’s voice booms through the terminal.
Evie sucks her teeth but turns with me to check out our newest arrivals.
Dani, Amerie, and Arnold all walk behind Christian, but I can’t focus on them because walking up beside Micah is a face that throws me completely off my game.
Of all of Arnold’s friends, I’ve spent the least amount of time with his best man, Rome. When I was with Arnold, we were always two ships passing in the night. I’d get to Arnold’s place only to find out he had just left. He’d bail on game nights at the last minute. When we did see each other, it seemed like he was always rushing off to do something else.
In the back of my mind, I always felt a tinge of annoyance at his absence because it felt purposeful. What the hell did I do to him to make him avoid me? I never let my thoughts linger on him for too long, though; scared of what feelings they might bring up.
Then he moved to California for six months for work. By the time he got back, Arnold and I were out and Arnold and Amerie were in. The first time we were in close proximity was when we were forced to work together to plan the engagement party. I barely escaped that party with my panties intact.
Rome Martin is gorgeous. He’s not as tall as Micah but he has a good nine inches on me at six-foot-five. His taut muscles broadcast his familiarity with the gym. His ochre skin never has a blemish on it. His eyes are hypnotizing. They’re the color of midnight, tempting you to plunge into the pits of darkness with them. The line-up on his taper fade is crisp. His beard is close cut but long enough at the chin for me to grab and hold on to.Nope.Cancel out those thoughts. It can’t happen.
Just as Rome’s eyes meet mine, I turn away. I don’t have time for those deep onyx pools of trouble. Though looking at him and thinking of my earlier conversation with Evie about Chris reminds me of the Costco-sized box of condoms Evie shoved in my suitcase against my will. If I come home with a few of those missing, I’ll consider this trip a success.
My gaze turns to Amerie, donning white lounge pants and a white tank top. When she told me she planned to go all LisaRaye and wear white every day of the trip leading up to the wedding, I thought she was joking. I should’ve known she wasn’t. She flips her three-strand twist out behind her shoulder before strutting over to me like she’s entering a boardroom.
Dani, who’s wearing an orange jumpsuit that makes the mahogany of her skin pop, runs and jumps into my arms for a hug.
Arnold looks put together as always. As the son of an NFL legend and a sports agent himself, he’s constantly “on,” so I’m not surprised to see him dressed in tan linen pants with a white casual shirt like we’re about to head to dinner on the beach right now instead of sitting on a four-hour flight.
He hugs Evie but when it’s time to greet me, he gives me one of those awkward side hugs. It takes everything in me not to snap at him that his dick was not good enough for him to treat me with kid gloves. I’ve had good dick, fantastic dick, and life-changing dick. Arnold’s wasn’t bad by any means, but it definitely wasn’t life changing. It wasn’t even fantastic. It was just good; and I am not going to spend a year crying over simply good dick. I’m damn sure not going to let him make me feel like I am. The only thing stopping me from putting him in his place is knowing that anything I say will get back to my mom and further the narrative she’s built in her mind. I’d rather just get the wedding over with and then fall back.
I catch Rome’s eye again and my eyes widen slightly when he heads in my direction. His thick legs carry him over to me in no time at all. “You know, Ri was just telling me that you said your speech was gonna make her cry. I hope you’re not trying to outdo me.” Damn, that voice of his. Deep and sultry, a panty-melting melody.
This is the most off-guard I’ve seen him around me, and I can’t help but want to pull more out of him. “I wasn’t aware it was a competition, Rome.”
He licks his lips; the movement sends a chill straight to my core. “Isn’t it, though?”
“It’s absolutely not. But if it were, I’d suggest you give your speech first. Because you’ll be booed off the stage if you have to follow me.”
“Is that right?”
“Very much so.”
In the back of my mind, I’m aware that our eye contact is going on for too long but I’m also aware that he doesn’t seem keen on breaking the connection either. So, I let it linger.
And linger.
Until finally, someone clears their throat forcing us to take a step back. “I guess we’ll see,” he utters before breezing past me to say his hello to Evie.
A retort stands at the tip of my tongue, but my mouth dries up at the feel of his hand on my skin as he walks by. I wonder if he felt the same shock I did.
I’m grateful for the reprieve when Amerie links her arm through mine. “I’m so nervous.”
“For what? The flight?”
“No. I don’t know. Just the whole trip, I guess. The wedding is really here. It feels like just yesterday we were in the beginning of the planning stage.”
Not for me, considering I was ready to snap her neck back then. It took a lot of wine to get through that initial planning phase. “It’s gonna be beautiful. Everything is gonna go just right.”
“You promise?”
“Have I ever steered you wrong?” She shakes her head. “Exactly. So you just need to kick your feet up and relax this week. Let the stress come when Mom and Dad get here on Sunday.”
