She grinned, her eyes sparkling in the midafternoon sunlight. “But I know that my return date to work is coming up soon, and incase I haven’t told you before, I am planning to run in the Fall Family Fun Run happening in downtown Huntsville later this month.”
She moved past him toward the check-in desk. But instead of signing in for her appointment with Dr. Jermaine, she stopped and turned back to him.
“Do you think”—her voice wavered, the warble in her throat catching him off guard—“I’ll be ready to run at the end of the month?”
Solomon glanced at his watch. His next client wouldn’t be here for another ten minutes. “That is something you need to talk to your Dr. Allen about.”
“What about giving me your opinion as myboyfriend? I trust you.” She drew out the last words, her eyelashes fluttering. She inched closer to him, if that was even possible, looking up at him with rounded eyes that usually portrayed vulnerability, but now he saw the glint of stubbornness in them. He was being played, but he was enjoying it.
“Thank you for your trust, but telling you something you want to hear won’t actually help you heal faster.”
Her lips formed into a playful pout, and his temptation to kiss her grew.
“Listen, since you like a good party, I have a proposition for you.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“My cousin gets married in a couple weeks, and there will be some pretty influential people there, including my friend from Blue Horizon.”
“Okay...”
“There is room on our invite list, at our table, and I was—”
“Yesss!” She lifted her hand. “I’m in.”
“Don’t you want to hear more details before you decide? Like the date and all that?”
“I’ve seen a few clips of Nigerian weddings on social media, and I’ve been dying to experience one.”
“Dying, huh?”
“You know what I mean. And I’m assuming that’s what you want to ask me. If so, I’m in. If not, I am still in because you will sneak me in to meet Robert Bluestone, capiche?”
Solomon burst out laughing. “Who sayscapiche?”
“Apparently I do.” She laughed with him and then stuck her hand out. “So, do we have a deal ... again?”
He laughed. “I thought I was the one doing the inviting.”
“This will give me the edge I need for that makeup presentation. If we shake on it, you won’t back out. Or change your mind.”
He matched her intense gaze with one of his own, then grasped her hand, pumping it and holding it a few seconds longer than necessary.
He finally let go when she cleared her throat. “Um, time for my appointment, Solomon.” She grasped the handle of her tote bag and headed to the desk to check in.
After doing so, she gave him a slight wave and settled into her favorite spot in the corner of the waiting room, facing the windows where the light came in.
And it wasn’t until later when he was face-to-face with his own client that he recalled what she’d said that had made him feel like he could scale a building if he needed to. She’d called him Solomon, just Solomon.
“WITH ALLthe money John makes, you would think he’d prefer a bigger house than this.”
“Celise!” Kenya hissed at her sister. She shook her head, raising her hand up to the doorbell. “Are you done? Before Adanne overhears your rudeness?”
“She knows that’s how I roll.”
Kenya lifted her eyebrows and pressed the button, challenging her sister as a chime sounded.
“Fine, yes, go ahead. I’ll be good.”
