“You okay? Something going on?”
“I’m good, just life and growing pains.”
“Mmhmm.” She wasn’t buying it. Winnie was Sametra’s best friend, but she had become mine, too. Tessa was coming, and I was hoping to make introductions to complete my friend’s group. I smiled, but she still pressed. “You’ve had that same look on your face for weeks. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I promise. At least nothing I can’t handle. Don’t worry about me.”
Before she could push, Sametra found us, pulling me into a hug. “You made it! I’m so glad you’re here. Malik got my nerves so bad, tryna calm him down, that I need support.”
Sametra had been glowing and thriving, five months pregnant and radiant was an understatement. Love looked good on people; it looked good on my friend.
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss this. Plus, you said some fine ass men would be here. I’m here on bullshit if nothing else.”
“Halo, do not cut up in here. Just a little, girls gotta have some fun behavior is allowed, at least until I drop Summer.”
“Girl, every time I think about you starting over, I could just faint. But you look beautiful and happy, friend. Dr. Big Daddy handlin’ business.”
Watching her with Malik, seeing how he looked at her, touched her belly like it held the whole world, that’s what I wanted. That certainty. That love that didn’t play games or disappear without explanation or require that I never spread my wings. But until then, I guess I could have some fun.
“You really blew his head up with that one. Come on,” she said, linking her arm through mine. “I have a few people I want you to meet. Malik’s been working with some athletes, and they came through to support the opening.”
A small tremor rolled through me, but I let it pass.
We worked the room, with Sametra introducing me to people while I smiled, nodded, and tried to stay engaged. But a set of eyes was on me. I tried to follow them, but they kept moving.
“Halo. Halo,” Sametra said, snapping at me. “I want you to meet Malik’s momma first.”
I tried hard to focus on her and what she was saying, but then I saw him.
DaVinci Bryns.
He was across the room, laughing with Malik. I couldn’t deny that he looked too damn good in the black suit he wore with no tie. The gold hitting his skin made me inhale. And it struck me again, he carried a light nobody had managed to put out, not even life with all its hits. That wasn’t something I was used to seeing in a man.
He licked his lips, and my body stilled, watching his thick tongue slip back in his mouth was torture. I hadn’t seen him since the fire. But seeing him now, after a month of silence, had me tryna make all the pieces fall into place, whether they wanted to or not. I’d been around handsome men, but he was more than handsome; he was the mold.
“Halo, this is Miss Yolanda, Malik’s mom. Momma Yolanda, this is my friend Halo. The wild one.”
I brought my eyes to her and smiled. She was beautiful, looking just like Malik, but slimmer and shorter. She had such kind eyes it was hard to look away.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Yolanda. You raised a wonderful man. I’m so happy for my friend.”
“Ohh, Halo, it wasn’t easy, I’ll tell you that.”
“Raising kids never is. But Malik is one of a kind. Accept your flowers.”
“Mimi, I believe my son is trying to get your attention.”
Sure as shit he was. I’d completely forgotten that I joked with Sametra about delivering DaVinci to me as a gift. This was before the fire, and now I regretted ever saying that shit.
“DaVinci Bryns is here,” Winnie said, appearing at Sametra’s other side and walking with us. My nerves were going haywire. Do I keep it cute, or do I throw my guard up with reinforcements? My factory settings said go with the reinforcements, but the other side. The curious side of me wanted to test this man.
Sametra walked over, and suddenly I was being pulled forward with her and Winnie, the three of us presenting a united front, like we always did. But this time I was shaking in my boots.
“DaVinci, nice to see you again,” Sametra said graciously. “These are my girls—Halo and Winnie.”
She waved her hand in front of us like we were contestants on a game show.
“Ladies.” His voice hit first, but when he looked at me, everything shifted. The easy smile faded into something more profound. His grin widened, eyes narrowing as he took me in. And I didn’t blink. I let him look. “Oh yeah... I remember your fine ass.”
