Micah joins us in the kitchen and opens the bottle for us.
The corner of the label is peeling, and this champagne is too expensive for that, so I grab it and pull it free the rest of the way.
“Has that always said that?” Daria asks when Tanya’s next clue is staring us right in the face.
Chapter Twelve
Micah
“No matter how far you go, you can always go home.” —Tanya
IFEEL MOST LIKE MYSELF WHENI’M PAINTING. MY BRUSHESare an extension of me. Sometimes, I like to sketch out my work before I start, but on projects like this, where I don’t have a particular subject in mind, I like to let my hands lead me. No plan. No pretense. Just feeling.
After we couldn’t figure out where the hell Tanya’s note was trying to send us, Dani and I came back home. We tried roping in Victor, but he of course feigned cluelessness. We searched her house for the umpteenth time and still turned up nothing. I know Dani was starting to feel frustrated, so we’re both glad to have this short break.
My door opens and Rome walks in, carrying a large carryout bag.
“How you know I wasn’t doing something crazy in here?” I yell from the loft area of my apartment, where I do all my painting.
He sets the bag on my kitchen counter and then makes his way upstairs to the loft. “’Cause you’re workin’ and you don’t do shit else when you’re working. Hence why I brought food.”
“Aww, bitch. You care.” I put on the singsong voice we always use when one of us does something nice for each other.
“I don’t know why. Bring ya ass.”
I follow him back down to the kitchen where he takes the Chinese food out of the bag and we move to the couch to eat.
“So, how’s things with Miss Janelle?”
His entire face lights up. “Really good. She’s … yeah. I really like her.”
“I think everybody knows that.”
“Nah, but it’s never felt this easy before. You know? It’s crazy because it’s still new, but I just know it’s right. She’s my person.”
He looks at me, his eyes asking if I understand what he means, and I do. I think I met my person eleven years ago, and it hasn’t been easy. It’s been far from it. But it’s worth fighting for, so that’s what I’ll do.
We catch up on other things like work and our parents until every scrap of food has been demolished.
“How’s things with Dani?” he asks, his brows dancing on his forehead. “J has thoughts about y’all.”
I bet she does. I’m very curious what Dani has told the girls about us. Rome knows there’s more to the story with Dani and me, but I haven’t shared the details with him because I never wanted to betray Dani’s trust. I’ve only ever told Bailey and I only told her because she wouldn’t accept me moving to New York any other way.
“Wanna share?”
“She told me not to tell you.” He smirks as we finish cleaning up our food.
“What you bring it up for, then?!”
“To fuck with you. Aight, I’m out.” He chucks the deuces and leaves me behind.
Dickhead.
I’m still in the zone when a knock on my door surprises me. Checking the door camera only surprises me more.
Dani? What’s she doing here?
Shit, it’s 8:00 a.m. I worked through the night. It’s not the first time I’ve done it, but usually I’m able to sleep for the rest of the day to recover. If Dani is willingly stepping into my space, though, I won’t be going to sleep anytime soon.
