Page 73 of The Secret to a Southern Wedding

Cyril nodded. “I kept that part out of the story when I told you because I didn’t want you to know Imani was also mustard woman. What if we hook up now and it doesn’t end well? Then we’ve made things weird for our parents.”

“But you don’t do hookups. You could have had plenty of hookups before her and you didn’t. You ’bout to start the hit it and quit it lifestyle with her?”

“Nah.” If anything, for the first time in his life Cyril was thinking about forever with a woman. He’d wondered if the feeling would ever come and had sometimes even wished that he could find someone. He never would have thought he’d find the person he could see himself spending his life with like this. “But she’s not planning on staying in Peachtree Cove. She’s got a life back in Florida. Hell, she’s the doctor of the year. I’ve hinted around about her staying, but every time she pushes back. For all I know she can’t wait to get through this wedding and get back to her fabulous life. No matter what I may want, this can’t be more than a hookup.”

“There’s long distance,” Joshua said. When Cyril glared, he sighed. “You’re right. She lives in Florida, and she doesn’t come home often.”

“And I’ve got the bar. I can visit her, but it’s not the same. Then what happens if either of us meets someone while we’re separated? Then we’ve got a possible bad breakup but will have to see each other because our parents are married.”

“If you knew all of that, then why did you kiss her?” Joshua said, clearly never having had the woman who called to every part of his body and soul in front of him and having the opportunity to kiss her. His friend dated, and had some long-term relationships, but he wasn’t looking to ever settle down permanently.

“Because, again, it just happened. The talk we were having, the way she looked at me...all of that just kind of...”

He trailed off as his mind went back to that moment. The way the streetlights cast shadows on her face. The sweet smell of her perfume drifting around him like an intoxicating cloud. The barely hidden need in her voice as she’d mentioned regretting the decision to pretend their first kiss never happened. All of that led to a moment he couldn’t regret despite the fallout.

“You’re really into her.”

He opened his mouth to deny it. He’d been trying not to be into Imani like that. He’d pushed the feelings to the side, tried to ignore them, came up with excuses, but at the end of the day they were still there. Refusing to go away and make his life so much simpler.

“I am.”

Joshua threw up a hand in surrender. “Then quit trying to predict the future and see how things turn out.”

He shook his head. “I don’t need a crystal ball to know how this is going to end. It’s not just our parents getting married, but it’s our history.”

“What do you mean?”

Cyril shook his head. He didn’t want to get into the other reason why things might not work out with him and Imani. Joshua knew the entire story about his dad, but he didn’t know Preston wanted to keep the entire story hidden from Ms. Kemp. He couldn’t keep the truth from Imani any longer. He was going to tell her everything. The way he felt about Imani might not mean she felt the same, or that she’d want to try to make anything work, but he wasn’t going to intentionally hurt her during the short time they had.

“We’ve both got a lot to get over considering our family history. Me and my dad, and she and her mom have been through enough. Whatever we do doesn’t need to make things worse for Ms. Kemp or Imani.”

Joshua nodded. “I understand where you’re coming from, but if you think you’re going to keep this a secret then you might need to think again. If I figured out you were kissing Imani on Main Street, then you best believe other people out there are coming to the same conclusion. Your dad isn’t going to let this go, so you might as well tell him what’s going on before someone else does.”

twenty-nine

When Halle heard the rumor about Cyril kissing someone on Main Street, she’d guessed it might be Imani and called Tracey. Tracey spilled the beans in true girlfriend fashion, and the two of them insisted Imani meet them at their old spot on the lake to talk. If they met anywhere in town, too many people would eagerly listen in.

Halle and Imani arrived first and set up a blanket with a bottle of wine on top of the large boulder. Tracey came down the path shortly after with a basket of sweets from the bed-and-breakfast. The three of them sat on the blanket and poured wine into plastic cups.

“Well, maybe something interesting will happen at Joanne’s grand opening tonight and Cyril kissing someone won’t be the talk of the town anymore,” Tracey said after they’d all filled their cups.

Imani frowned. “Doubtful? If Joanne is opening her salon it’s going to be a classy affair. No hint of scandal.”

“I don’t know,” Tracey said with a grin. “Maybe tonight will be the night Devante finally admits his feelings for her.”

Imani gasped then laughed. “Wait, does your brother still have a thing for Joanne?”

Tracey nodded. “Yep, after all these years. He still does.”

Halle smirked before sipping her drink. “Doesn’t he still change girlfriends like underwear?”

“I didn’t know he and Joanne were together,” Imani said.

Tracey shrugged but smiled. “Sometimes feelings don’t just disappear.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Imani said with a heavy sigh. She took a long swallow of her wine.

Halle raised a brow and eyed her. “Why you say it like that?”

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