I knelt down on one knee in front of her. “It’s not your fault.”
“Spence, we traumatized my daughter.” Tears filled her eyes. I hated to see her cry. “Des is a grown woman, but she’s still Rod’s daughter. She loves her father. I have to make sure she’s good with this before we …”
The rest of the sentence hung in the air. Des wasn’tjustAlaiya’s daughter. She was a huge part of my business, my life. “I get it.”
“Next Friday,” she blurted out.
I blinked, confused about the change in subject. “What?”
“That’s when the divorce is final.” Laiya flashed a wobbly smile. “Figured you’d want to know.”
“I did want to know.”
She stood. “I should probably go.”
I walked her to the door. “If you need me …”
She gripped my shirt in her fist, stepped up on her toes, and kissed me. “I’ll call you.”
CHAPTER 5
So High
Alaiya
“What the fuck do you have on?”
I froze, my mouth wide open. “Wh—” I looked down, only to make sure my pants weren’t inside out or my shoes mismatched. “What are you talking about?”
“Laiya!” My cousin Dallas stalked over to me, circling me. “I love you, cuzzie, but you’re not going out with me looking like Florida Evans at James’ funeral.”
My little cousin, Blake, snorted, spitting out the water she’d just gulped down. “Damn. Damn. Damn.”
The room erupted with laughter as they broke out in a silly rendition of theGood Timestheme song. I glared at all of my cousins—Blake, Bliss, Dallas, and Demi. “I should kick all y’all heffas out.”
Bliss walked over to me. “I’m sorry, Laiya.” She was mynice, sweet cousin. Full of cheer and love and encouragement. “But they’re right.”
My tentative smile fell. “Traitor.”
Bliss giggled. “It’s a party.”
“You look like work,” Blake added.
“No,” Dallas chimed in again, “she looks like she’s in mourning. All that grey.”
“That outfit is not it,” Demi said. “Especially since you just got the best news in court today.” The divorce was finalized, the judgment signed, and I was officially single. And because Demi wasthebest attorney, it was mostly painless.
The process was nothing like the movies. There were no courtroom outbursts, no veiled threats, no crazy drama. Just two people who had finally accepted that the marriage was over. And although Rod and I couldn’t make it work, I hoped that we could one day become friends again.
“I know.” My throat burned as fresh tears fell. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Bliss smoothed a comforting hand over my back. “Don’t cry, cuzzie.”
I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “I’ve been crying all day.”
“I know you’re not having second thoughts,” Blake said. “Not after everything you’ve been through.”
Each of my cousins had a little bit of Aunt Vicki in them. Dallas was bossy. She fixed shit for everyone. Blake was never scared to fight. Bliss’ heart was big, and she loved hard. And Demi—even though she wasn’t Aunt Vicki’s biological daughter—had picked up my aunt’s ability to read a room.
