“How nice of you to tack me in on the end there. What are you getting, Sloane?”
I lay my menu down, finally meeting his gaze. “Probably a stir-fry. I need some vegetables in my life.”
“She’s still getting a dragon roll though, don’t let her vegetable talk fool you.”
I roll my eyes at Mal, but when the waitress comes and takes our order, I do get a dragon roll. Conversation flows easily between the three of us. Dom and I fill Mal in on the day-to-day of the hotel renovation while she regales us with more gossip. This time it’s about Aunt Mary’s son, Julian, who is supposedly sneaking around with the pastor’s son.
“Personally, I think it’s sweet J has finally found someone,” Mal says, taking another bite of her fried rice. “I just think it sucks that Aunt Mary is going to try to disown him because of it.”
“Does she know?” Dom asks. He’s been quiet through most of the conversation, letting me and Mal talk while he frowns at his phone every now and again. I can’t help but wonder if Kristen is the one texting him but asking him in front of Mal isn’t an option.
Asking isn’t an option at all.
“If she does, she hasn’t said anything to anyone about it. Not even Mama.”
Dom slides his phone into his pocket. “Well, hopefully, she doesn’t lose it on him.”
“Right.” I dip part of my sushi roll into soy sauce. “The only thing she should care about is if her kid is happy.”
But even I know that parents are more complicated than that. They spend their whole lives envisioning a certain kind of life for their kids, never stopping to think about whether they want it or not. Then they lash out when things don’t turn out how they planned, which is why my mom felt so comfortable admonishing me for marrying Eric.
Pick someone in your league.
You need a man who can take care of you, Sloane.
Please don’t embarrass your father and me this way.
“That’s what I’m saying!” Mal exclaims, hands flying in the air. “But we both know how these older Black folks are though, they don’t care if a man cheats on his wife or beats her, but as soon as two men show up holding hands, it’s an issue.”
“Maybe Mama can talk to her, help her not ruin her relationship with her son.”
I smile at Dom’s suggestion. He’s always trying to solve problems, even if they don’t involve him. Mal looks thoughtful for a moment.
“Yeah, I think I’ll bring it up to her. If Aunt Mary will listen to anyone it’ll be… You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
My head snaps up at the strange ending to Mal’s sentence and the sudden change in her tone. Both her and Dom are looking at a spot above my head. He’s looking shocked and a little annoyed while Mal looks…well, she looks pissed.
Oh, shit.I turn around to see what’s caught their attention and nearly fall out of my seat at the sight of the man moving toward us. Six feet tall, short curly hair and light brown skin that sets off his chestnut eyes.
Chris Johnson.
He’s at the table, sliding into the empty seat beside me, before I can pick my jaw up off of the floor and force myself to stop staring. He’s still handsome, but the happy, smiling guy I always saw Mal obsessing over is gone. Replaced by a more serious man with small lines around his eyes, a hard set to his chiseled jaw, and a storm brewing behind his eyes.
“Sloane, Nic. It’s nice to see you again.” Chris offers me his hand, and my inner socialite won’t let me ignore him. I flash Mal an apologetic smile as I take it.
“Chris. It’s good to see you again too.”
A lie. A flat-out lie. I pulled out every weapon in my arsenal to make sure I wouldn’t see him tonight, sohowdid he end up here with us? I shoot Dom a questioning glare as I slide my hand out of Chris’s grasp. He gives a subtle shake of his head to let me know he isn’t the reason he’s here.
“Mallory.”
Chris says Mal’s name like his entire reason for being is contained in the word. His tongue curls around each letter, caressing each syllable with soft, languid strokes that make me feel like I’m listening in on an incredibly intimate moment.Shit.No wonder she hasn’t wanted to talk to him. He’s only said one word to her, andI’mblushing. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be on the receiving end of all of that intensity and haveto pretend not to be affected. I flick my gaze to Dom as he shakes Chris’s hand and heat creeps down my neck.
Okay, so maybe I can.
Mal sets her fork down on her plate and shoots daggers at Chris and Dom with her eyes. Her mouth is a flat line and there is a whirlwind of emotions playing across her face. Rarely do I see Mal like this: angry, hurt, eerily calm. Close to murder.
“Christopher, to what do I owe this displeasure?”
