She smiled up at him, eyes still glassy. “You don’t have to thank me for that. He was either going to be our baby or mybaby. But I want you involved. Please understand it was never about that.”
“Yeah, I do have to thank you because you could’ve made decisions and you didn’t.” He kissed her again, softer this time.
She pulled back and looked at him. “Feed us.”
He laughed — full and easy, the first real laugh of the day. “Say less.”
Luther’s had a private dining room that Robin kept for family and private dinners. The hostess led them back without being asked and seated them at a table by the window. Outside, the lake caught the afternoon light.
“You look beautiful,” Rolani said, sliding into the seat across from her. Cream Rhude hoodie, starched jeans, cement 4s. His herringbone necklace was her favorite. The man could do no wrong in her eyes.
“I don’t feel it. Our son is taking me down through there. My neck is getting black.”
The sigh she gave made him stand and come around to her side, sliding in beside her instead.
“Ken, you may feel one way, but that doesn’t negate the facts. You are beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
The server arrived, and Rolani dapped him up by name before ordering for them both without looking at the menu. He knew every dish, every special, every person on the floor. Kennedi watched him operate and thought she could get used to this. Following his lead. Letting him move through a room and existing beside him.
She watched his face change, fighting back a grin.
“What?” he asked, swiping his hand down his face from her staring.
“I like seeing you get all bashful.”
“Bashful?” He leaned back, shaking his head with that dangerous smile. “Nah, ma. A nigga smitten, I’ll give you that. But bashful? Never that.” He turned his head, unable to look at her, in fear of his face saying the truth.
“I think smitten might be worse, honey.” Her eyes sparkled, enjoying how uncomfortable he was now. “But I love that for you.”
“See, you got jokes.” He shook his head, but the smile wasn’t going anywhere. He could run a whole city and not flinch, but this woman calling him smitten had him looking everywhere but at her.
She let him squirm for a second before her eyes did what they always did around him. Wandered. His cologne had her pressing her thighs together under the table. His skin caught the low light, smooth and clear, and that beard looked so well-maintained she wanted to run her fingers through it. The intricate neck tattoo that spelled ‘Pearl’ in script with dates underneath was visible today. She loved how family-oriented he was.
The server came back to check on drinks again.
“I’ll take another sparkling water with lemon,” she said.
Rolani’s eyes never left hers. “Double shot of D’ussé, neat.”
When they were alone again, silence settled between them, neither sure what to say, but so much needed to be said. The jazz floating through the restaurant seemed to highlight everything they’d done backwards. They’d never just... existed in the same space like this. Never mapped each other’s stories with words instead of hands.
He didn’t like the gap in his knowledge of her. He wanted to know what made her laugh when nobody was watching, what she thought about when she couldn’t sleep, what dreams she’d given up on, and which ones still kept her hungry.
“So…,” she said. “This feels weird, doesn’t it? Getting to know each other after we’ve already…after everything else.”
“A little.” He said, sitting back and removing his arm so he could look at her, when he got comfortable, a lazy smile played on his lips. “But I fuck with it. What you tryna know?”
“Everything.” She tilted her head. “But let’s start simple, favorite color?”
“Blue. Dark blue, like the lake at night when the moon hits it.” His hand moved to play with a braid; it was now she who was uncomfortable. “I watch NASCAR and documentaries when I can’t sleep. Nature shit, history, and sometimes true crime. You probably think that’s square as hell.”
“Not at all. I love documentaries too.” A smile pulled at her lips. “Biggest fear?”
He went quiet, studying her with those eyes that made her bite her lip. “This might sound like some stalker shit, but I’ve been watching your interviews online. You cold with it, Ken. That also tells me you nosey as hell. Where that come from?”
“My momma. You know she grilled me when you left Sunday.”
