“Goes to casinos. Loses all money.”
Niko wasn’t sure how that was relevant to his situation, but he tucked it in the back of his mind.
“Do you have his phone number? I’d like to speak to him, to explain the situation and tell him I’ll pay him whatever he wants.”
Yaya’s lips curled in a smile, but it wasn’t a happy smile. Niko loved Yaya, but he would have to say the grin she was wearing was downright sinister. She patted his cheek. “You are good boy, Niko. You protect your family. But remember, sometimes the best way to beat shark is not to fight in water.”
He nodded, not entirely sure what that meant but knowing if he asked, he wouldn’t get any more clarity.
Yaya took his hand in hers. “l make few calls. In meantime, be happy for brother. Today is about love, not war.”
Niko looked over at AJ, who was holding hands with Poppy and staring up at the blue, cloudless sky as if he couldn’t believe it was real. Beside them Frankie was snapping photos on her phone, and Liam was gazing at her adoringly. Yaya joined Arthur, and Niko got a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest. A feelingof family, of belonging. This moment would be perfect if Tiana was there by his side. As he stared at his siblings and grandma, he really hoped his own story, like theirs, could have a happy ending too.
24
Tiana stood hiddenin an area not visible to the entry at The Cove restaurant, where she was meeting Brock’s family for dinner. She checked her phone for the tenth time. Niko had messaged her earlier saying that he was going to be late for dinner and would meet her there, so she’d taken a Lyft since it was one of the few places that was not in walking distance. The restaurant was upscale and in the Hope Falls hills.
She was debating whether or not she should just go in by herself. Did she want to? No. But to be honest, she didn’t want to be at the dinner at all. She agreed to it because for the decade she was with Brock, his family had been good to her. His Aunt Corrine, whom she’d grown close to, had even left her money in her will. It wasn’t the people themselves she was anxious to see, it was who they represented, the time in her life they represented.
For the tenth time, she checked her phone for an update. Still nothing.
Why?Why would he be late? she wondered.
Standing up straighter, she told herself it didn’t matter that Niko wasn’t with her. She hadn’t wanted him to come in the first place.
So why did she feel so disappointed, so let down, so abandoned? It wasn’t even a big deal, so the fact that she was blinking back emotion, her stomach was in knots, and her chest was tight was absolutely ridiculous.
Her anxiety was getting the better of her. All she wanted to do was go home, crawl into bed, and cry. Her body ached, and she felt exhausted. She actually felt like she’d been hit by a truck. Sure, she hadn’t been getting a ton of sleep lately because she’d been engaging in extracurricular nocturnal activities, but she felt a level of exhaustion that was beyond sleepy. This was extreme fatigue that she only ever experienced when having heightened levels of panic. It made her feel physically ill.
She only felt this way because she hadn’t prepared herself to face this dinner alone. She’d dropped her guard. She’d allowed herself the luxury of being vulnerable to another person.
This wasexactlythe feeling she’d wanted to avoid. This was why sheneverrelied on people. Theyalwayslet her down. If there was one thing she could count on, it was that.
Tears began to fill her eyes, but she sniffed them back. She refused to feel sorry for herself. It was better this way. It was better for her to get the rug pulled out from under her at this point rather than when she was actually depending on him.
One more check to her phone, and she decided she needed to just get this over with. She quickly shot off a text to Niko.
Tiana:Don’t worry about coming. No need. It’s all good.
She didn’t want to be watching the door all night and spending the next three hours in a perpetual state of disappointment.
With that, she took a deep breath. As she stepped out of her hidden vantage point, a car pulled up to the valet. Sherecognized it as the same Lyft vehicle that dropped her off fifteen minutes earlier. Instead of remaining in the car, the driver got out and opened the back door.
When she saw the person who exited, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Pops! What are you doing here?” She rushed to the car to help him out.
When the driver saw that Tiana was helping Pops, he went to the trunk and removed his walking cane, then handed it to them.
“Thank you.” She smiled.
Once Pops was out, standing and steady, she asked again, “What are you doing here?”
“A little birdie called me and said he was running late and asked if I was feelin’ up to standing in for him until he got here, then he sent me a car.”
“Are yousureyou feel up to this?” She saw he was wearing his portable oxygen, which she was happy he had but was still concerned.
“Stop fussin’ over me, Tiny. Let me go see my Debbie B.”
