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My shoulders cave and I stare at the rug. Persian, from the looks of it. Must have cost a fortune.
“You’re likely feeling a little stupid.” She chuckles. “But love always makes you stupid. That’s why you have to be careful who you fall in love with. Not everyone should be engaged with when you’re only functioning on half your brain cells.”
Lucy places a gentle hand on my shoulder, showing a rare glimpse of the older sister who used to look out for me, rather than the ditzy sister who’s always getting into trouble.
“I don’t think you were wrong to choose her, Dare. The chemistry between you two? It’s not something you can fake.”
“You saw the interview?”
“I’m talking about the day you introduced her. You were looking out for her, taking care of her, and she was watching you, curious and amazed. I could tell.” Lucy smiles. “That’s why I didn’t say anything even after I confirmed you were faking it. You finally had someone who made you stop hustling and grinding. You finally had someone who made you smile.”
“I didn’t have her,” I mumble. “I had a contract.”
“A contract?” Lucy shrugs. “What’s wrong with that? Marriage is a contract, no?” Suddenly, she gasps. “Don’t tell me you fought because of that?”
“No, it was—”
“It doesn’t matter.” She waves her hand. “I know just the way to any girl’s heart. Here’s what you should do. You buy her the biggest ring you can find. Something so heavy she won’t be able to lift her hands.”
That’s not helpful when she uses those hands to sign.
“And then you buy her a building.” She rubs her chin. “Something close to downtown. Then you put her name on the front of it and ask her to be your girlfriend for real.”
“A building?”
“Is that too much?” Lucy paces in front of me. “How about an all-expenses paid shopping spree in Paris then?”
“I don’t think—”
“A private island in Morocco? The one mom took dad to after he retired?”
“Money isn’t going to fix this,” I tell her.
“Money fixes everything.”
Not with Yaya.
Controlling her with a contract, with money, it’s what started this mess. My threats were hanging over her head, a shadow staining our entire relationship, towering over every interaction. And now it’s a monster that’s raging out of control.
My way of pursuing her removed her ability to choose right from the start. And without that choice, without that clear and undisputable beginning, we have no foundation.
I want to believe her feelings for me are genuine, but I’m not dumb enough to think they always were. Was she just playing along for the contract?
Sure.
But it turned into more. For both of us.
The question is… is what we have enough to compete with what Henry, her best friend, the exact type of man she wants, can offer?
I thought I knew all the answers, but after seeing her walk away with Henry I realized something startling. Those two might have a bond that I can’t sever, a connection money can’t compete with.
While Yaya was trying to save Henry, he was trying to save her too.
And maybe I was the fool for thinking I could come between that.
* * *
With my personal life in turmoil, I happily leave Talia with her mother for the night and meet Mosely at the office.