“Well?” I asked when he remained silent.
Lev slipped one hand into his pocket. “I’m trying to figure out why I’m taking you out looking like that.”
Camryn laughed as she passed him. “Because you paid us to make her look like that.”
“I paid y’all to make her look nice. This some other shit, ya’ll trying to have somebody else steal my woman.”
I turned slightly in the chair. “You don’t like it?”
He walked toward me, still studying the dress. “You know damn well that ain’t what I said.”
“What did you say?”
“I said we might not make it out the house.”
A smile pulled at my lips. “That sounds like a personal problem.”
“It is.” He stopped in front of me and rested a hand against the side of my neck. His thumb brushed lightly below my ear. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.” I smiled closing my eyes against his touch.
His gaze softened in a way that happened more often when we were alone. “You look good, baby.”
The compliment should’ve been easy to accept. Months later, I still searched his face for the part he might be leaving out. You look good considering or you look good, but I remember what you looked like before. Lev seemed to know when my mind wandered there because his hand moved beneath my chin and lifted my face. “Aye, don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Make up some shit in your head I didn’t say.”
“I didn’t say anything.” I looked away, but he brought my attention back to him.
“You beautiful,” he said. “All of you and ain’t no asterisk behind it.”
My throat tightened again. “I know.” I sighed.
“No, you learning.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead carefully so he wouldn’t mess up my makeup. “But you gone know.”
He helped me from the chair without making a production of it. That mattered more than he understood. He didn’t snatch me up or behave as if I might collapse. He placed his hand where I preferred it, steady at my waist, and allowed me to push through my right leg until the prosthetic foot settled beneath me.
I stood still for a moment while my balance adjusted. The heels were lower than I would’ve chosen before, but high enough to make me feel like myself. I fixed the dress over my hips and reached for the cane resting against the vanity. Lev picked it up first and held it out. Six months ago, accepting it would’ve embarrassed me. Now I took it and moved beside him.
The drive took us away from the center of the city and toward the water. Lev kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting near my thigh, with his fingers brushing against the silk whenever he changed lanes. The music played the speakers, playing the R&B channel from Tidal and I knew he’d chosen because I liked it, although he acted like the playlist had appeared on its own.
“Where are we going?” I asked for the fourth time.
“Somewhere.”
“That was helpful.”
“You welcome.”
“I know this isn’t a restaurant.”
“Why?”
“Because we passed every restaurant.”
“Miami got more than one street with food on it.”
