Page 22 of Emani's Way

My mother has been blowing up my phone for the last few weeks. We have a nonexistent relationship, so I kinda wonder what she wants because she’s been calling so much. However, now is not the time for me to have a conversation with her.

We pull up to the restaurant, and the valet opens my door, I go around the car and pull open the passenger side door. I take Emani’s hand and help her out before escorting her inside.

“Hello, welcome back to Santorini’s, Mr. Reid. Your usual table is ready,” the host says, leading us to my preferred table.

I pull out Emani’s chair and push it in once she’s seated. I round the small table and take my seat. The place was buzzing as usual, and I couldn’t help but notice the eyes that followed Emani’s every move.

The woman is effortlessly graceful, and it’s hard not to notice the light that shines from within her. I don’t think she’s aware of all the attention she’s getting, which says a lot about how humble she is.

Once we order, I have to keep myself from awkwardly staring at Emani. The last thing I want to do is creep her out. But she’s so fucking beautiful that I just can’t help myself.

“What? Is there something on my face?” Emani lightly touches her face, and I grab her hand and kiss it.

“No, Sugar. You’re perfect.”

Emani dips her head with a smile, and she’s so damned cute when she blushes that I can’t resist kissing her hand once more.

“So, you know my Daddy, huh?”

“Yeah, crazy how small the world is.” I nod, but I doubt that Emani really wants to know how well I know her dad.

“Yeah, it is. So, I guess since you’ve met my parents, we should probably have the customary how many siblings do you have conversation,” Emani says.

I chuckle, “Well, I have a twin brother. My parents have been divorced since I was young, and my stepmother raised us as her own. That pretty much sums up my family dynamics. How about you?”

“Well, there are four of us girls. I’m the youngest.” Emani smiles.

“Wow, four girls. I’m sure your father must’ve had his shotgun ready at all times,” I chuckle.

“He absolutely did.”

Our conversation is so easy, that I can definitely see myself falling hard for this woman. And God help me because it’s only our first date.

Chapter10

EMANI

My first official date with Maddox was so relaxed that it was like we’d known each other for forever. I don’t want to get my hopes up so soon, but he’s so… everything. After that, we’ve been seeing or talking to each other almost every night for weeks.

“So, how’s the dating life?” Kay’s hopeful tone gets me excited all over again.

“Did you give up the goods yet?” Shelby makes her eyebrows jump up and down, and I laugh.

“Maddox has been great, and no, I haven’t given anything up,” I laugh.

“Why not? Y’all already did the do. It was so good it had you turning into a bitch ‘cause you weren’t getting tha D, and now you wanna act appalled at the thought of popping that p on him again.” Shelby gyrates her hips and flutters her tongue at me.

“You are so crazy, Shell.” Kay and I fall out laughing.

I love the time I get to spend with my girls. We’ve all been busy, and our get togethers have been put on the back burner. Kay has just returned from her vacation with her boyfriend, and Shelby has been working nonstop since she got her promotion. And I’ve been trying to make it through the school year without losing my mind.

“I just don’t want to hop into things too fast. I felt guilty and regretful for jumping into bed with Maddox without knowing anything about him. I didn’t feel good about myself, and I don’t want to feel like that again,” I respond after our laughter dies down.

“Emani, you’re too hard on yourself. You don’t have anything to feel guilty about. Maddox didn’t ghost you, and now you’re dating.” Kayla, the forever optimist, always makes me feel better.

“I guess you’re right, but after the berating I got from my mother… I still feel some type of way,” I sigh, letting the somberness creep out.

After my parents crashed my date, I knew that I was going to have some serious questions to answer from my parents. I thought my Daddy would be the most upset because he hates looking uninformed in front of anyone. But, he surprisingly took it rather well. As a matter of fact, he came to my defense a few times when my mother was fussing.