It had been exactly two hours since Kareem busted up in my house and confessed his love for me . . . at least, I thought thatwas what he did. His words didn’t exactly roll off his tongue, and then he left before I could even process what was going on.
I’d tried calling and texting him, but I sensed that he was embarrassed and maybe needed a moment. I’d gotten antsy, so I decided to visit my parents and get a bit of guidance. I’d told them a little bit about Kareem. Mariah’s big-ass mouth had already spilled the beans about him to our parents, just like she had done to AJ, so I had no choice but to give up some information, but I didn’t say much.
Everything between us happened so fast, and a huge part of me was protective of him and what we had going on. I didn’t want the opinions of others to sway our relationship, but I needed some of my daddy’s wisdom.
“I think I messed up,” I admitted. My heart clenched when I thought about the look on Kareem’s face when I said thank you.
Thank you?I was such an idiot.
“This have anything to do with that man you’re spending time with?” Daddy asked.
I smiled because he was always so spot on.
“Everything to do with him.” I spent the next couple of minutes explaining what had happened. When I finished, Daddy chuckled, and I playfully pinched his arm. “It ain’t funny, old man.”
“Oh, but it is. Why you do that man like that?”
My eyes bucked at him. “I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t even sure whathewas trying to say.”
“It’s perfectly clear to me.” Daddy smiled at me, and the corners of his brown eyes crinkled behind his glasses.
“Well, then, break it down to me, old man.”
“It sounds like that man is in love with you, and he isn’t used to expressing his feelings to a woman. Instead of you hearing him and reassuring him in the moment, you saidthank you.” Hecracked up laughing, and I glared at him. When he calmed down some, he asked, “Do you love him?”
“Yes.” The response was automatic. I knew I loved that man the moment I left his villa back at the resort. My damn feelings for him were so overwhelming, I tried to run and almost fucked up my happily ever after. Thank God He had different plans for us because if it had been up to me and my stupid decision-making, we wouldn’t have had the most glorious month together.
“Then why didn’t you tell him that?”
I blinked. Why hadn’t I? I could play dumb all I wanted, but I knew what he was trying to say to me back at my apartment. I was stalling. I fidgeted in my seat.
“Don’t you think this is all moving too fast?” I asked, and the moment the question left my mouth, I knew it sounded lame.
“Do you?” Daddy asked with his brows raised.
I shook my head. “It feels natural to me. I really love him, Daddy, like I’ve always known him.”
He nodded. “So, my question still stands. Why didn’t you tell him?”
I hung my head. “Because I’m too worried about what everyone else would think.”
“You think he ain’t worried about that? We’re men. It’s in our nature to protect the people we love. I’m willing to bet my retirement account that he feels the same way while also having an insane urge to protect you from other people’s thoughts, but he pushed through that anyway and expressed himself.”
Tears pooled in my eyes as I realized the weight of what I had done.
“I hurt him,” I admitted before tears fell down my face.
“Oh, now. Ain’t nothing that can’t be fixed, Rielle. Women don’t realize how much power they have over the men they love. Go tell that man how you feel. Bet it’ll fix everything.”
“He won’t answer the phone.” I sniffled.
“You kids these days would have never survived back in my day. Let me ask you something. You got two legs?”
“Yes.”
“You got a car?”
“Yes.”
