"With my friend's family." One side of his mouth curled into a smile. "You sound concerned. Are you offering to put me up?"
I hid my smile. "You should be so lucky."
Kofi’s face took on a hangdog expression. "I'm hurt. I thought Jamaican people had a reputation for being warm and hospitable."
I met his grin with one of my own. "We are, but I can be forgiven for thinking you're trying to coerce me into something."
His hand returned to his chest. "Me? You're the one asking all the intrusive questions."
That stopped me for a minute, until I realized he was joking.
While he settled the bill for our meal, I thought about his offer.
In the past, home was what it should have been—the place where I felt most at ease, but my mother had changed that with her demands for me to do what she wanted with my life. She had tried dictating things to Garth, but he wasn't having any of that. Garth had always been into the arts and had decided to turn his videography hobby into a business. He was good at what he did and his music videos each demonstrated that special something, which made him successful.
My family ran a distributorship that supplied household items to retailers. Daddy didn't pressure us to do anything other than be the best at whatever we chose to do, but my mother had other ideas. Her controlling attitude ensured that I left Jamaica as soon as I convinced Daddy to pay for Chase and me to get tertiary education in the States.
There were several comparable institutions in Jamaica where I could have pursued my dream, but Mom made it next to impossible for me to do that. If I had let her, she would have made sure I got a degree in Business Administration which in her mind would have equipped me to play a role in the family business.
Chase and I were close enough so that wherever I went, he'd go. That was the only reason Mom had allowed me to study overseas. She trusted Chase. With me, she took things to another level. Not that I could blame her. In the last few years, I hadn't given her any reason to think I was stable and ready to settle into anything she considered suitable.
I rose when Kofi touched my arm and suspended my thoughts.
"Let's take a walk," he said, as we hit the street.
"Exercise is a way of life with you, isn't it?"
"Why would you think this is about exercise?"
I pointed over my shoulder. "Maybe because of what I had for dinner in comparison to you."
"I wasn't suggesting anything like that. I simply enjoy your company. Don't overthink this."
With that, he took my hand in his and we walked down the sidewalk.
It felt right, the warmth of his hand around mine. I didn't get the sense that I was being forced into anything with him. We were both aware of the attraction, both physical and emotional, running just below the surface, but neither of us seemed to be in a hurry to put a name to what was happening between us.
The bright lights, people on the street and traffic were a distraction I needed. Going home to Jamaica wasn't something I planned to do before Garth's wedding. If I went back now, it would mean subjecting myself to harassment from Mom over when I was moving home permanently. Then there was the fact that Mom had old-fashioned ideas about women staying at home and raising babies. The way she saw it, my career should take a back seat to giving her grandchildren who looked like my father.
My gaze went to Kofi and my thoughts shut down again.
He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and turned me to face him. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing much." I waved my arm. "Just enjoying this."
His steady gaze was all-knowing. He guessed I was lying, but I smiled and pushed the hair away from my face. "Really, I am."
He pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. "It will all work out."
I didn't ask what he meant, but sighed and matched my steps to his. The warmth of his hand on my shoulder was reassuring. Tonight's cologne was different from the one he wore last night. I dragged in a lungful of it, turning my head toward his chest. The hair on his chin brushed my cheek, starting a tingle low in my tummy.
As if Kofi knew what I was feeling, his arm dropped from my shoulder and slid around my waist. Neither of us had spoken about what we were doing but somehow, I was getting closer to sharing something sweet and special with him. Our communication was spontaneous and funny, and that was another thing I appreciated about being with him.
We stood face to face beside his car and Kofi reached into his pocket. I used the opportunity to link my arms around his neck. Eyes closed, I brushed his chin with my lips and inhaled his scent.
His arms went around me, pulling my body closer to his.
We didn't talk as my head rested on his chest, but I drew strength from his closeness. Before he began to think I was having a meltdown, I backed up a little.
