He looked over at her while they sat at a red light, his hand moving with the baby’s kicks. “Damn, RJ is going crazy in there.”
“RJ?”
“Yeah, I was testing it out.” He winked, pulling forward when the light changed. “Rolani Xavier Pracher Junior. What you think?”
She smiled despite herself. “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. We haven’t even discussed names yet.”
“We discussing it now.” His grin was smug. “RJ Pracher. Got a nice ring to it.”
“We’ll see.”
They pulled up to the building on Second Street ten minutes later, and it was exactly what he’d described—clean, safe, good bones. Brick exterior, big windows, and a small parking lot off to the side. The kind of place that looked professional but not sterile.
He met with whom she assumed was Carter and got the keys.
“Ready?” he asked as he unlocked the door and held it open for her, his hand finding the small of her back as she stepped inside.
The space itself was empty, echoing when they walked in, but she could see it. The potential. The vision was coming together in real-time.
“It’s got good light,” he said, pointing to the windows lining the front. Natural light floods the space, warm and inviting. “Soundproofing would be easy to install. Electrical is up to code, HVAC works. Plumbing is solid. It’s ready to go—you gotta furnish it how you want.”
She walked the perimeter slowly, heels clicking against the concrete floors. She could already see where the equipment would go, where she’d set up the interview space, how the lighting would hit. A small lounge area for guests. Her desk in the corner. Maybe some plants to soften the industrial feel.
It was perfect. More than perfect.
“What’s the rent?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, trying not to get her hopes up too high.
He was quiet for a second too long, hands sliding into his pockets. “Ken?—”
“Don’t.” She already knew where this was going. “Don’t say it’s free. Don’t tell me not to worry about it. Just tell me the rent, Rolani.”
“You my woman. You carrying my son. I’m not charging you rent to work out of a building I own. That’s ridiculous.”
“No, what's ridiculous is you thinking I'm going to let you give me a whole commercial space.” She crossed her arms. “I told you, this is business. I need to do this the right way.”
“The right way is me taking care of you.”
He stared at her for a long moment, that muscle in his jaw flexing. Then he exhaled hard, dragging a hand down his face. “You stubborn as hell, you know that?”
“I learned from the best.” She didn’t back down. “Market rate, Rolani. What would you charge anyone else?”
He named a price—fair, maybe even slightly below what she’d been seeing elsewhere, but not charity. Not a handout.
“I can do that,” she said, relief flooding through her. “I’m signing a real lease. With terms. And if I’m late on rent, you can evict me like any other tenant.”
“Ken—”
“I’m serious.” Her voice was firm. “If I’m late on rent, you evict me like any other tenant. If I damage the property, I pay for it. This is not a favor.”
He looked at her like she was the most frustrating, most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Then he shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. “Aight. You want a lease? I’ll give you a lease. But I’m not evicting you for shit, that’s too far.”
“Yes, you will. That’s the deal.”
He pulled her closer. “And just so we're clear—I’m doing this because you asked, not because I agree with it. You my woman. What’s mine is yours.”
“I know. But I’m not there yet. And I need you to respect that.”
“I do.” His hands settled on her waist. “I respect the hell out of it. Even if it’s driving me crazy.”
