He shakes his head. “Nothing.”
“No, say it.”
Jalen looks me dead in my eyes. “I hope you’re right.”
That’s not what I want to hear, so I don’t respond. I dap them up and leave before they can put any more doubt in my head.
Because I am right.
I know I am.
Lily is going to love it.
y the time I get to the studio, everything is ready.
I pull up and sit in my car for a second, looking at the front windows. The sign still isn’t up. I wanted her to choose that. I left the walls plain too, even though part of me kept imagining her color everywhere.
Inside, the front room has room for easels, tables, whatever she wants. The shelves are empty. The back room is cleared out. On the patio, there’s a covered corner set up for her paint water.
It feels like I made space for her without taking over.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
My phone buzzes.
Lily: I’m here.
I look up and see her pulling into the lot. My heart starts beating faster. She steps out wearing wide-leg pants and a fittedtop, her curls loose around her face. She smiles when she sees me, and for a second, I forget to move.
“Hey,” she says, walking up.
“Hey.” I kiss her cheek, then step back because if I touch her too long, I’m going to give everything away before I even open the door.
She looks around. “Where are we?”
“You’ll see.”
Her eyes narrow. “Javonte.”
“What?”
“You have a tone.”
“I have many tones.”
“You have a surprise tone.”
I grin and reach for her hand. “Come on.”
She lets me lead her to the door. I unlock it and push it open, stepping aside so she can walk in first.
For a second, she doesn’t move.
Then she steps inside.
The room is bright when we walk in, sunlight spread across the new floors and clean walls. I watch her face, waiting for the moment it clicks.
She walks a few steps in.
