“Right,” Rylee continued. “And I’m not trying to sound ungrateful or whatever, but he just keeps popping up. He popped up again last Saturday saying he wanted to take breakfast off my to-dos and make it himself...”
Nadia peeked over at Parker at the same time Parker looked to Nadia.
“And you know…” Rylee cleared her throat. “I know how itsounds, but really see it a different way.”
“Well, shit, friend, I hope where we’re going with this gets bad at some point,” Nadia started. “Because yes, you seeming like the asshole so far. Yes.”
Parker giggled.
“The kids,” Rylee began this time, tapping the table, rattling the glasses a little. “I’m worried about Nova and LJ.”
Her friends’ brows wrinkled.
“They get so damn excited when they see him and don’t ever want him to leave to go home. LJ done called the manDadbecause he loves himsomuch.”
The quiet part to her rant was that Rylee wondered what that would mean for the man who should’ve had that place in LJ’s heart. Her son had never met his father, so she feared Xander was slowly taking that place, erasing the memories Rylee had intentionally planted to fill Lennox’s absence. Would those memories she worked so hard to make matter remain if she and Xander kept going?
Nadia kissed her teeth and raised her hand just as their waiter was walking past. “Can I please get another glass? And feel free to go light on the orange juice and heavy on the champagne because my friend here is getting on my damn nerves.”
Rylee gasped.
“I’ll take that same mix too,” Parker echoed. “And for the same reason.”
Their waiter chuckled. “Right away. I’ll be back in a few with your refills.”
“You hoes,” Rylee uttered low, making her friends burst into laughter.
It was Brunch Sunday for the ladies. A once-in-a-while occurrence that hadn’t happened since last summer. Between their jobs and Rylee juggling her business and her grief support group with motherhood, the only way these ladies had managed to catch up had been in group chats and FaceTimes between appointments.
That Sunday, they promised they’d meet up, even if only for an hour. Now, three hours and nearly five mimosas later, Ryleefinally felt comfortable enough to get off her chest what she’d been holding in for months…
That Xander was amazing, and his amazingness was starting to make her worry.
“He made pancakes… again,” Rylee added once they were alone. “With custom pancake shapes. And the syrup he brought… I didn’t even know they had that kind of syrup?—”
“My love,” Nadia cut in, scooting to the edge of her seat. Over her shoulder, and through the thick pane glass window, the New York City skyline beyond the East River reflected the winter sunlight off the several glass fixtures that shaped the landscape. “Maybe you’ve forgotten what dating is like out here, and I feel it’s my obligation to give you a quick reminder.”
“Hello!” Parker added.
“But before I do that, let’s recap what you’ve told us this afternoon.” Nadia held up her hand and started using her fingers to count off. “The man cooked for your kids and didn’t leave you with the dishes, cleaning them himself. The children love him so much that they would prefer he stay instead of leave, every time. Is that correct so far?”
Rylee sighed, tossing her braids off her shoulder and reluctantly nodded.
“He loves you, caters to you, is mindful of your heart and your needs,” Nadia added. “And though you won’t confirm, I can tell by the way you are glowing, he’s taking care of you in bed.”
Rylee rolled her eyes. “Would you get to the damn point, please!”
“Sure. Rylee?” Nadia placed a hand on Rylee’s hand. “What you have given us are not problems. What you have explained to us is the answer to agahdamnprayer.”
“Okay!” Parker shouted, tossing back the last of her mimosa as the server brought their refills. “A prayer I’d like written onpaper, word for word, bar for bar, because my ass need some grace and guidance out here. Shit.”
“Thank you! And that brings me to my original point,” Nadia jumped back in. “I’m a marketing exec and I had to make a burner account to find a halfway decent man on the damn app I work for. Me! Girl, dating out here, at least for me, is awful. Really, really awful, which Iknowyou already know, Rylee.”
“I do,” Rylee mumbled.
“I mean,” Parker chimed in. “And if it ever did slip your mind, you could always just remember that you were the same one who got dumped by email once upon a time.”
Rylee blinked hard. “Oh! So the mimosas got your lips loose now? Girl, you better find something safer to do, Parker, ‘cause this ain’t it.”
