Page 63 of The Sweetest Surrender

Selena shrugged.

“Maybe talk to your parents and encourage them to attend with you.”

Selena thinned her lips evenly.

“I can hardly stand my dad now. I don’t know what I’d do if I were around him again. And his introduction to Jordan was hardly the way I wanted them to meet.”

Octavia nodded with a frown and stepped back to perch her butt on Selena’s desk.

“Your father will understand. Baby, Jordan is a Rose, he’s not about to let anything happen to you regardless of who’s doing the pushing.”

Selena smirked. Thinking about Jordan saddened her more. He was only trying to help.

“I think I may have overexaggerated with Jordan.”

Octavia was nodding again.

“I like him a lot.” Selena’s voice quieted. “Love him, really.”

Octavia’s eyes shot up. “You, love him?”

Selena bit down on the corner of her lip and nodded.

“You love Jordan.” Octavia stated for good measure.

“Yes, I do, okay.” Selena huffed. “I’m in love with him, but.”

“Oh no, no, no.” Octavia shook her head. “You don’t get to say but. There is no but. You are making up a but where there is no but to be had.”

Selena rolled her eyes and cocked her head to the side. “There is a but.” She shrugged.

Octavia heaved a dramatic sigh.

“There is!” Selena swore.

“What’s the but, Selena, come on let’s hear it.”

Selena quieted again, and the silence in the room overtook them both. Octavia placed her hands on her round hips, and when she cocked her head to the side, her afro bounced.

“Okay, don’t get all Foxy Brown, on me,” Selena said.

“I’m waiting for this but.”

“But I don’t want to spend my life with someone who’ll leave me later. Forever means just that. No takebacks.”

“Oh, baby,” Octavia gave Selena a neck roll. “But what if the sky falls tomorrow? But what if 45 hits the nuclear button, and we all die? But what if you make the biggest mistake of your life because of a BUT?”

“Now you’re just making me feel silly.”

“Then I’m doing my job.” Octavia stood to her feet. “Remember on Thanksgiving when you knocked on my front door and I was in my pajamas?”

“Here we go,” Selena said.

“Oh yeah, because I’m about to go there.”

Selena folded her fingers and sat them perfectly in her lap as she crossed her legs.

“You dragged me to my bedroom, and made me get ready to see Jonathon even though he hadn’t returned my calls all week. You went so far as to turn on my shower and pull out clothes for me to wear. And I must admit, I was looking and feeling pretty pathetic. But at the end of the day, I was married. Do you know how happy Jonathon and I are now?”

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