My phone begins to ring. I groan and go to pull it from my purse. Looking at the screen, I see it’s Gilbert. I chew on my lip. I was sure he would have called this all off before now. He’s spent so much money on this wedding.
From the lavish engagement party to this rehearsal dinner and the wedding itself. It’s been a never-ending fountain of money being poured into a wedding that shouldn’t be happening. I sigh and answer the call before it turns over to voicemail.
“Hello.”
“Hey, gorgeous. Grandma is concerned about you. Where are you? Are you on your way?”
“Yes, I’m on my way right now. No need to be concerned. But Gilbert, we should talk before the night is over.”
“I told you. Everything will be fine. I’ll see you when you get here.”
“See you,” I murmur and hang up.
CHAPTER 2
Not the Same
Bentley
“Areyou sure you want to do this, man? This is Zah. All I want is to see her happy, bro. I don’t know what all happened between you two, but she’s family.
“Haven’t we all been through enough? Gilbert can give her a nice life and stability. Why come back and get in the way of that now?” Eddy says as he pulls up to the reception hall and parks.
“I love you, Eddy, but shut the fuck up and mind your business. You’re right about one thing. You don’t know what happened and you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” I grumble.
“Bro, what I do know is this is crazy. It’s her wedding rehearsal dinner.”
“What’s your point, Eddy?”
“It’s always about you, Bentley. All my life, it’s been about you. I’m asking you to stop and think about her.
“Think about how this affects everyone else around you. I don’t want to lose her too. Zah is important to me. I don’t want to see her hurt.”
As the youngest, he thinks everything has always been about me. My family did a lot to support my dream. Heck, our entire community has.
I feel for him, but he’s wrong. It’s never been all about me. This dream was my father’s first. He ingrained it in me, and I did all I could to see it through. Then life called an audible.
“I’m not here to hurt her. I’ve done enough of that,” I bellow. “I’m fucking tired, bro. I’m tired of fucking up. I’m tired of saying the wrong thing. I’m tired of being without her.
“Yes, I’m going to do this because nothing makes sense without Zahirah in my life. Nothing.”
I shake my head with my last words. I didn’t come all this way to turn back now. Call me selfish, but I need to do this.
I have to hear from her lips that she doesn’t want me. If she looks me in my eyes today and tells me I’m too late, then I’ll walk away. Then and then only.
“Well, there she is. If you’re really going to do this. Here’s your chance. Don’t fuck this up, bro. Don’t cost us all her light.”
I tighten my jaw and close my eyes. I’m not here to take her away from my family. I know how much she means to everyone.
When I open my eyes, I glance out the window and the sight before me takes my breath away. Zariah looks like a fucking knockout. Her hair is flowing down her back in loose brown waves.
The black dress that’s hugging her body is sexy but classy. Her dark-brown legs look amazing. That body still screams track star.
I clear my throat and reach for the door handle to open the door and step out. Three things happen at the same time. I step from the vehicle and run a hand through the front of my hair.Gilbert Manning walks up to Zahirah and places a hand on her back.
Zahirah looks in my direction and freezes with her mouth open. I can’t help but smile at her. A smile brightens her face for a brief second before it falters and she frowns.
I inhale deeply and force my feet forward. This is it, it’s now or never. Strolling across the lot, I close the gap between us.
