“Love you too. Text me when you get to the house.”
When he hears the latch of the door, he drums his fingers against the countertop before peeling his shirt from his body. Walking down the hallway, he gently opens Lucy’s bedroom door, tiptoeing to undo a few buttons on her onesie. Most nights she sleeps soundly, but the new medication has made her more irritable. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he turns the sound machine on before moving across the hall to his room.
Still gripping the shirt, he starts to drop it into his hamper but notices a brown marking on the collar. He draws it closer, running his thumb over it before letting out a soft laugh.
Her makeup.
For a few seconds, he’s tempted to leave it be, to tease her about it the next time he sees her, but as the plan formulates, Danica’s words make a reappearance.
You make dumb decisions.
Messing with Jahlani is as dumb as it gets, he thinks as he drops the shirt on his growing pile.She’s responsible for your grades.She determines if you graduate or not.
And then Jahlani’s own words.
You think everything is a joke, that we can just laugh away our problems.
But as he wrestles with sleep, all he can think about is seeing her again and talking to her. Making her laugh.
And most importantly: fixing things with her.
CHAPTER 16
ORDINARY
JAHLANI
Jahlani isn’t sure how she ended up back here in less than twenty-four hours. The bar looks just as classy in the daytime, the skyline a soft azure, clear and non-threatening, but Jahlani knows better than to trust it. The street is fairly quiet and the large windows of the bar are closed, protecting patrons from the oppressive humidity that September in Florida brings. Jahlani wipes her palms against her jeans, pushing her sunglasses to rest on her head as she steps up to the door.
Checking her reflection in the tint, she steps into the space, the atmosphere calming her senses. Low murmurs, dishware clinking and ice being poured filter through. She finds him too quickly, his tall frame bent backward as he laughs at something being said. Squeezing her fists closed and then spreading them, she walks slowly to the counter, rehearsing her speech in her head.
It’s as if he senses her because his eyes meet hers before she’s able to take another step. Her mouth seems to dry as every pair of eyes follow her as she walks.
She only focuses on one, as she reaches the velvet stool. Roman’s dressed in black slacks and a white button-down, thesleeves rolled up to reveal smooth skin scattered with a few beauty marks. Several veins are peeking through. His hair is tousled in its usual manner, and his eyes shine bright.
He’s stupidlyhandsome.
It sickens her.
Especially when he smiles down at her like they’re old friends. Like they have a secret. Like he’shappyto see her.
She clears her throat. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
She takes a steadying breath. “Can we talk?—”
“Oh, hey! You’re the girl that passed out on him last night.”
Jahlani’s eyes widen a fraction as she turns to the low-pitched voice. Her body flushes as she gives a tight nod to a girl with curly hair and round cheeks.
“That’s me,” she says, her lips forming a thin line.
“I’m Ashlynn. This is Vaughn,” she gestures to a burly guy covered in tattoos with his arms crossed.
Jahlani clears her throat, interlacing her fingers. “Nice to meet you both. Roman, can I talk to you, please?” She adds, “In private.”
Ashlynn and Vaughn exchangethe look, the one that screams Roman has spilled every last interaction they’ve had with each other to the two ofthem. It makes her want to scream, cry, and throw up, because it can’t have been a pretty picture.
