Once we stepped off the elevator we were no longer Big Grim and Grim, we were Legend and Lesley. The women were laughing about something which was odd, but I let it ride. For the next thirty minutes, we chatted because we didn’t want to make shit awkward. Coco’s vibe was a little off, but she clung to me, and shit, I clung to her.
I stepped away to take a call when my father appeared at my side.
“I’m proud of you, son. Real proud. Consider anything I do from this second on a wedding present. She’s a beautiful girl. Ilike seeing you be a man, but also a man to a deserving woman. Everyone doesn’t get this lucky.”
“Thanks, pops.”
“Walk us out.”
Goodbye’s were said, to go plates packed before I walked them to the elevator. My father shook my hand and held it a beat longer than necessary. He looked at Coco standing behind me in the hallway.
“Colecion,” he said. “Thank you for dinner and being a wonderful host. Dinner was amazing.”
She smiled. “Anytime, Mr. Grimson.”
The elevator doors closed.
I stood there for a second and then turned back to my wife. The penthouse was quiet now, just the two of us and the remnants of the evening — good dishes that needed washing, two empty wine bottles, a cheesecake that was more than halfway gone.
“You good? Wanna talk about it?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m good. This ain’t new to me.” I pulled her into me and held her there for a moment, her head against my chest, my chin on top of hers. She smelled like whatever she'd been wearing all night and underneath it, faintly, like the kitchen she'd been standing in since morning.
“Should I be worried?”
“Now, why would you do that. Pretty baby, I pray nightly, a worry is the last thing on your mind with me around.”
I kissed the top of Coco's head.
“Beautiful way to say no.” She smiled and tried to clean up, but I pulled her back.
“Nah, we got housekeepers for this. Go get ready for bed, and I’ll call,” I said.
She looked up at me, and whatever she saw in my face made her reach up and touch my jaw and shake her head.
“Okay,” she said.
I turned the lights off in the dining room and called downstairs for the cleaning staff. Within ten minutes, I was climbing in the shower with a soap-covered Colecion Alexandria Grimson. My pops was right. I was lucky because she was one of a kind. She washed my back before wrapping her arms around my waist.
“Tonight was perfect.”
I turned, grabbed her waist, and smashed my lips against hers. Our tongues moved fluidly; there were no cares in the world when it was just us.
“Almost, perfect.”
She smiled and kissed me again. That led her to being bent over and folded up until light snores filled our room. Now the night was perfect.
Two Days Later
Things had shifted significantly since Lesley came home. I was still leery of trusting him, but my guard was slowly dropping. Between the dinner, the dick, and the dimes my man was working with, I was adjusting nicely to my role as Mrs. Grimson, the real Mrs. Grimson, so when I woke up from a nap to a text from Lesley that made me sit straight up in bed, with the biggest grin splitting on my face.
Mr. Grim: Clear your schedule tonight. I got something planned. Dress nicely but comfortably. Be ready by seven.
I stared at the message, reading it three times before it sank in. After everything we’d shared recently—the vulnerability, the honesty about wanting to try this for real—he was planning something. Our first official date as a couple.
I spent the rest of the day distracted, wondering what he had in mind. When six-thirty rolled around, I was standing in front of my closet, having a minor crisis about what “nice but comfortable” meant. I remembered the items he had sent as an apology. I’d barely paid attention to all he’d sent, but easily found something to wear.
I settled on the Robert Cavalli and Skims Zebra capri legging set, paired with gold jewelry and gold heels. It was cute, fun, and flirty. Especially considering it was summer. My hair was pressed straight and fell past my shoulders; my makeup was flawless but not overdone.
