I focused on him weighing what he said. I didn’t doubt him but I felt as if I needed him to say more and he wouldn’t.
“Old, don’t usually operate like that, Kier. I’ve paid attention to her tone, her gestures… everything.”
His thumb brushed along my jaw before his hand dropped, sliding down to lace through mine like he wasn’t about to let me drift too far back into my thoughts.
“You watch too much of everything else, Si,” he said. “Watch me.”
I looked at him, really looked this time, then let my eyes fall back toward the water. I wanted him to say more. I wanted toask more, but I didn’t want him to think I didn’t trust him. At the same time, I felt like he should have worked harder to secure me instead of making me sit with his short answers.
“I just don’t like feeling like I’m missing something.”
“You not, baby,” he replied calmly. “Not with me, I will always keep it a hunnid with you.”
Kier tugged my hand gently, pulling me with him as we continued across the bridge. Halfway over, he stopped, leaning forward as he looked down into the water.
“Look,” he said.
I turned to see what had caught his attention. One of the koi zipped through the water, bigger than the rest, weaving in and out like the idiots in the Houston traffic.
“That one is big as hell,” I said.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “That’s you.”
I turned to him. “Uh, excuse you?”
He glanced at me, barely hiding the amusement. “Look at it, yall are twins. Always doing the most. Want everybody to see you and know you’re there.”
I pulled my hand back, laughing. “Boy, don’t play with me!”
He caught my wrist before I could step away, pulling me right back into him, his arm settling around my waist.
“Everyone knows you’re there, Si,” he said. “And even if they don’t, I do. I’m not fucking that up for nobody.”
My attitude slipped immediately. Kier leaned down and kissed me, quick but long enough to interrupt whatever I was about to say. I shook my head, trying not to smile as he took my hand again. For a moment the studio foolishness disappeared. I didn’t bring it up because it felt unnecessary at this time. Nothing was fully resolved, but I did have some sort of peace in that moment.
fourteen
. . .
After Kierand I had our date at the Japanese garden, the next day was laid back. I managed to find a salon that removed my braids, washed, and styled my hair. My silk press was deadly, or at least I felt it was. I was looking and feeling good, which made heading to the album release party a tad bit easier. It was clear that I was once again stepping into his world, and that came with its own sort of stress.
By the time we pulled up, my nerves kicked in completely. An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of my stomach. Celebrity or not, I questioned why people put themselves through this type of attention. Cameras flashed before we even stepped inside, the voices overlapped, and people called out names, trying to be seen just as much as they were trying to see. Security navigated us through quickly. I smoothed my dress without thinking, taking a quiet breath as everything around me picked up speed. Kier didn’t say anything, just placed his hand on my back, helping to guide me through.
The venue was packed. Anybody who was somebody in the industry was here. I think it had less to do with Kaori, and more to do with Kier. Knowing he’d been instrumental in getting so many careers off the ground made it clear that a lot of peoplewere here in support of him. There were ‘journalists’ from The Blade Room here, as well as other media outlets. Even one of the DJs from theWorld’s Greatest Morning Showwas in attendance. Kier was so loved, and I knew why.
There was no avoiding the cameras now. Kier pulled me along to every photo opportunity but never answered their questions about us. He diverted every question back to the label.
“Kier Stone, what an honor it is to be invited to this album release party. What can you tell us about what to expect tonight?”
“You can expect dope ass music, a couple of surprises, and one big announcement.”
“And you are indeed full of surprises. Speaking of, this beautiful woman has been spotted with you several times over the last few months. What’s the story here?”
“The story here is, Kaori’s album drops on Friday. It’s dope, and I can’t wait to hear what songs yall are feeling the most. Excuse us.” He said, ushering us into the party.
It was a lot calmer once we got past the interviewers. Kier moved nonstop. With his hand on my lower back, he guided me through the crowd, introducing me to some people and avoiding others. People nodded at him as we passed; some spoke, some didn’t. He acknowledged just enough to keep walking. I stayed close because I was literally in a room full of strangers, whether they were a celebrity or not. Eventually, I found myself needing a break, which was cool because I had just made it to a cozy section.
“You straight?” He asked, glancing down at me as we reached the section.
