Page 96 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

“I’m planning to call it off. I’m going to send out a social media post shortly.”

Crap. “You shouldn’t do that. This is a big event for you.”

“There’ll be other big events. I mean, a few stragglers who didn’t see the message might drop by, but I can send them gently on their way. I want to focus on you today.”

Double crap. “I’m not fit company. I need sleep and time to regroup. A lot of shit went down last night.” He winced. Not because he’d sworn in front of her—that’d happened before—but because he’d revealed so much.

“So you’re not coming over?”

Was that hurt in her voice? God, he hoped not.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. I need some time to myself—”

“Fine.” She hung up.

He pulled the phone away from his ear. The length of the call flashed for a few seconds, and then the screen went dark.

Fine?

One of the least productive words in the English Language—fine,nice—or his favorite,nothing’s wrong.

Had he blown it? Whateverthiswas? Surely not. They weren’t arguing, right? No heated words’d been exchanged. Nothing substantial had happened. He was just begging out of her party. A party, admittedly, he’d been looking forward to. Although he really hoped it’d not be a repeat of last night. Poor Marnie. Loriana’d been out of line. Obviously her heart was in the right place—wanting to find a partner for Marnie. Just as obviously, Marnie wanted to be left alone. And the conversation between the three gay men last night’d amused him.

He'd also felt a kinship to Xavier. Another Black man in town. And he’d glimpsed one at the grocery store. As well as several women. And, aside from Ravi, he’d spotted plenty of brown people as well. Some were Indian while others appeared Indigenous. He disliked noticing people’s races, but after having worked for a company that claimed to embrace diversity but was very white, he enjoyed seeing himself reflected in the world around him. Yes, as a tall man he stood out—but he’d dealt with that his entire life.

What if I had a child?He’d never felt the compulsion. He and Loriana were religious about birth control. Far too early in the relationship to contemplate children. But condoms weren’t foolproof. He and Marjorie’d had a scare. She’d been almost a month late. He’d never gotten a read on what would’ve happened if she had been pregnant. Would she have stayed with him? Raised a mixed-race child? He had the distinct impression the answer would’ve been no.

A knock on his door pulled him from musings into full consciousness.

Loriana?

No. In his heart, he knew not.

Slowly, he dragged himself from bed. Sentimentally, he’d chosen to wear his flannel pajamas last night.

The knock came again.

“Mr. Alexander, please open the door.”

He knew that voice. The higher pitch resonated through him just as much as the lower pitch of her partner’s. He shoved his feet into his slippers, grabbed his robe, and hotfooted it to the door. Wouldn’t do to leave police officers waiting. They might get tired of being polite and start pounding and demanding entrance.

As he opened the door, he spotted both Corporal Dorrie Duhamel and her asshole partner Pritchard. He looked irritated, a little furrow in his brow, while Dorrie had a smile. Tired, but there nonetheless.

“May we come in?” Softly spoken. A definite request.

What would refusing get him? Having the discussion in the hallway was just asking for trouble. If today were a Sunday, his neighbors might be sleeping in.

Scratch that. Many of them were early-going churchgoers.

And Christmas morning? Kids abounded on this floor, so likely just about everyone was up. And despite the fact they cops were in plain clothes, he doubted anyone in town didn’t know Colton was a cop. So he held the door open.

Dorrie stepped in first with Colton hot on her heels.

Was the guy worried Mitch’d slam the door in his face? He’d been tempted.

Dorrie began to remove her shoes, but Mitch waylaid her. “No, please don’t worry about it.” He caught Colton’s stare. “You won’t be staying long.”At least I hope they won’t be.

Thus far, they hadn’t asked him to put on clothes so they could take him down to the station. In fact, they didn’t appear to have slept at all. Dorrie had mauve bruises, indicative of missed sleep, under her eyes, and Colton’s jaw flexed as if he was staving off a yawn.

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