Page 17 of The Dating Prohibition

“I think I like BJ,” Kendra blurted out. She sat at a local coffee shop with her brother. Neither of them could concentrate

much at home, so once in a while they’d take their laptops to claim their favorite coworking space to encourage productivity

over steaming mugs of coffee, fruit bowls, and fresh lemon cake. Jazzy tunes played from overhead speakers and the seating

area was filled with people clicking away on laptops or blocking everyone and everything out with noise-canceling headphones

and a good book.

This particular location had its own coffee roasting machine on display with huge bags of coffee beans ready to be roasted.

The rich and energizing aroma wafted throughout the room as chatter and laughs echoed through the open space.

Kendra wasn’t sure her brother heard her, but there was no chance that she’d repeat her admission. She lowered her eyes and

poked at a strawberry before slicing into her cake. The tart icing and tender confection melted on her tongue. She hummed

her approval, swaying in her seat.

“I know you do,” Logan replied calmly, sipping his coffee.

She made a face. “You do?”

“Have you ever been able to hold water?”

“I thought I was being inconspicuous this time,” she muttered.

“Yeah, no, you were the exact opposite of that. You are the most ’spicuous person I’ve ever known—that would be your superpower.

You are ’spicuosity personified.”

Kendra glared at her brother, trying to fight a smile. “You’re a fool,” she giggled, punching his shoulder. “I don’t even

want to laugh right now.”

He smiled at her. He always knew how to make her feel better, even when she wanted to wallow a bit more. “Do you want to tell

me about it?”

“There’s no real need to get into the details. The CliffsNotes version is that there’s a mutual interest, but he decided I’m

off-limits and doesn’t want to try anything.”

“And you do?”

“You know me better than anyone. How often do I come home upset about a guy?”

“Hardly ever. So why are you upset here? Why you gettin’ riled up over BJ?” Logan regarded her patiently, his watchful eyes

always more observant than she wanted them to be. Even as kids, Logan’s ability to pick up on the moods and body language

of those around him had allowed him to deftly navigate spaces without creating any waves; rather, he skimmed the surface when

emotions ran high and delved deeper when he sensed that people were more receptive.

Kendra stared at her brother, a knot forming in her stomach. “Did you tell him that he couldn’t pursue anything with me?”

She didn’t mean for her tone to be accusatory, but the urgency in her voice was unmistakable.

“Of course not. You’re grown. But also, if you do any thing, hear me when I say that I don’t want you to tell me anything. I don’t want to be in the middle of it, and don’t want details on what y’all get into.”

She slumped in her seat. “Well, you don’t have to worry about it. He says he isn’t going to act on whatever it is he is feeling.”

He sipped his coffee thoughtfully. “Okay, so what do you want to do about it?”

“There’s nothing to be done,” she said, spearing a couple of blueberries with her fork. “It’s not like me being interested

means anything in this scenario. He doesn’t want to try.”

“I don’t really think he’s ready for anything serious right now.”

“He talked to you about it?”

“Not directly, but I know my best friend, Keke,” he chided gently.

“ Kendra ,” she enunciated, bouncing her hand in the air from one syllable to the next.

“I’m your big brother, I will call you whatever I want,” he retorted, a hint of a smile playing on his cheek.

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance. Brothers . “What do you think I should do?”

He shrugged. “I’m not really sure there’s much you can do. Move on. If timing is off, it’s not like you can force it. That

never works out well.”

She nodded. “You’re right.” What he said made perfect sense, but there was no denying how drawn she was to BJ—his presence

pulled at her the way the moon pulled the tides, enticing her toward his orbit only to push her away like the wrong side of

a magnet. “I should move on,” she whispered. Easier said than done.

Her brother’s mouth twitched. “You can do this, you know. It’s not like y’all had anything going on yet.”

Kendra’s eyes sparkled as she grinned mischievously. “Got any other friends who might be ready for something?”

Logan blew out a breath and ran a hand over his face. “Here we go,” he groaned before taking a bite of his cake, then pushing

it to his cheek to finish his thought. “With you? Nah... You have to know I’d never hook you up with any of my friends.

I can’t possibly think that any of them are good enough for my baby sister.” He regarded her while chewing quietly.

“Even BJ?” she asked teasingly.

“Even BJ,” he agreed. “Big brother’s prerogative.”

She kissed her teeth and turned her attention back to her laptop with a huff, tapping away at the keyboard, but she couldn’t

regain her focus. She sipped her latte and watched one of the baristas pour a large bag of coffee beans into the machine for

roasting. It rumbled to life, the motor humming as it churned circles slowly. She darted a glance toward the sound before

turning to see her brother still looking at her as if he were waiting.

“Want to tell me about the business loan? Did you follow through on connecting with Duke?”

“I did! I sent him everything I put together and applied for a business loan so that I can work on securing a property. I

gave him spec sheets on a bunch of locations that fell within my proposed budget and financial trajectory. I went and visited

that one place with BJ, which you know, and that place was way too expensive based on what I budgeted, so now I need to find

some other locations that could be viable for the business.”

Logan nodded. “That’s good. You got more location visits scheduled?”

“I’m working on that now.” Her cell chimed four times in rapid succession. “What in the—” Notifications of messages from BJ illuminated her screen as she muttered, “Speak of the devil.”

Logan said nothing and patiently eyeballed his sister.

Kendra willed her cheeks not to flush as she unlocked her phone and saw GPS pins for three different locations in DC along

with a text.

BJ: Hey, Kenny. Let me know your schedule. I found some more locations we can scope out together.

It was the “together” that sent a delicious yet unwelcome ripple down her spine. Images and sensations swirled in her mind

of BJ’s eyes on her, the softness of his beard grazing her cheek, the desire to put her fingers into his hair to pull him

back to her. Her mouth went dry, and she looked up to see her brother watching her with an amused look as she wet her lips.

“Careful there, Keke. You’re drooling.”

She scoffed and took a big gulp of her coffee, willing herself not to blush. She pressed her fingertips against her throat,

trying to clear it as she avoided meeting his gaze. “Just a little parched.”

“Keke, I need you to focus. I’m trying to embrace my inner matchmaker here...”

“Huh?” Kendra blinked, having zoned out halfway through Shonda’s strategizing how to bring Lani and Stanley together.

They were sitting in Shonda’s back office of the restaurant.

They were about an hour out from the restaurant opening, and Lani had just been given the news that she was officially going to be on the management track.

Both the manager and assistant manager positions needed to be filled, but Lani was working hard to be considered.

As a result, she’d been sacrificing her romantic life, and almost everyone in the building was well aware that her dry spell rivaled the Sahara.

Everyone except Stanley, and Cuzzo was looking at this man like he was the oasis of her dreams.

Lani leaned forward, caught up in the possibility of one-on-one time with Stanley. They’d been making eyes at each other since

Kendra returned home, and everyone hedged their bets on who would make the first move. Shonda couldn’t bear to continue waiting

for one of them to gain the courage to broach the subject, so she wanted to take matters into her own hands and manufacture

a reason for the pair to be alone together.

“What if they accidentally get locked in the cellar?” Shonda fluttered her steepled fingers with excited anticipation.

Kendra frowned. “Wouldn’t they know we’re all right upstairs to let them out?”

“But if they’re the two that stay to close up, none of us will be here. And maybe we—conveniently—are at some undisclosed

location and it takes us a while to get back to let them out?”

“Has false imprisonment ever been a good idea? Just think of it. ‘Mommy how did you and Daddy meet?’” Kendra turned from one

side to the other to respond, switching from a high-pitched nasally voice to a deeper, more sultry and sophisticated tone.

“‘Well, baby, I conspired with your aunties to trap him in the restaurant cellar so that he’d be forced to fall in love with

me.’” She’d perfected her auntie voice and couldn’t wait for Shonda and Logan to grow their family so she could spoil their

babies.

“But that’s the best part—no one is forcing him to fall in love. I bet he’s halfway there already. He just needs some mo tivation to make a move.” Shonda laced her fingers as if she were pleading for Kendra to agree.

“I can’t speak for Lani, but I know I don’t want a relationship that starts with a trap.”

Lani had watched them volley back and forth, and she closed her eyes for a brief moment, twisting her mouth to the side as

if in deep contemplation. “So here’s the thing...” she started, pressing the tips of her fingers against the bar. “Normally,

I’d agree with my cousin, because I don’t want to manipulate a situation into a relationship. That just sounds messy. But, I will say that Shonda is also right—he’s had ample opportunity to say something, and he just keeps dancing around