Page 30 of Craving a King

I motion for the passing waiter to refill my mojito and move in closer to the screen to speak. “I know I can’t dodge him forever, Adom. I simply have no motivation to deal with him until I absolutely have to. I can complete village visits and planning with him over the next two weeks before I leave. Right now, I want to spend my weekend enjoying the beach I was booked to stay at all along.” A slight smile reluctantly comes to my lips when I think back to the clever way Kofi hijacked my lodging plans. Up until seven days ago, I was glad he did so. Seven days ago, I thought I might be falling in love.

Now, I know what I’ve always known: love is for fools. I told him the first night we met that my mama ain’t raise no fool. I’m over it all. I lie back in my lounge chair and sip my drink to signal I’m done talking about Kofi. Adom responds by clearing his voice loudly. I turn to the screen.

“Adom, you are ruining my sun time. I want to return to Atlanta with a deep bronzed hue, if you don’t mind.”

He rolls his eyes. “You’ve got it all figured out, huh? You think you can just go back to your boring ass life with no drama after being with a king?” I sit up and shoot him a signaturehave you lost your mind talking to me this waylook. He adjusts his tone and tries again. “Ella, I refuse to play buffer forever. Shit, for the first full day, the man didn’t even know you were still in Ghana. I gladly gave you that revenge.” Adom smirks. “He was a wreck until I finally confirmed you are indeed in Accra. But now the fun and games are over. Have you forgotten about Akwasidae tomorrow night? You’re supposed to attend with him, remember!”

I sigh and start to put on my cover-up. The way Adom is stressing me out, I may as well go back to my room. “Of course, I remember. I’m just not going.”

Adom laughs. “Oh, my dear, you are definitely going. It’s the most important government and cultural function of the Ashanti.” I attempt an interruption to remind him I no longer need their favor. Reading my thoughts, he moves to fill the screen and raise his hand to stop me from speaking. “And don’t tell me it doesn’t matter now, because it does! You have to keep the contract by keeping favor with the king, village chiefs, and parliament. Snubbing the event and the king will win you no support with the village chiefs you’re trying to serve. You need those chiefs to partner with you, and their loyalty is to the Asantehene.”

I search to find a hole in his reasoning, but there isn’t one. I’m going to have to dress up in the sexy dress Kofi designed for me and attend Akwasidae with him. That’s probably why he keeps calling; he knows I have to answer eventually. He’s not silly enough to think I’d allow my heart to convince me to return his call after the stunt he pulled. However, he’s keenly aware I still need him to get our business done.

“Fine, Adom. I’ll keep my obligation, but he needs to keep his hands and thoughts to himself. I don’t want him saying shit to me.”

“Ella,” he begins to scold. A nurse calls for Adom, and I see him stand and stretch. I’m sure his beautiful chocolate body is receiving more than one appreciative glance from the nurses station. Adom is a slave to the gym and clean eating. His six-foot-seven frame is muscular and strong without an ounce of fat. He’s fine as hell and knows it. That’s why I’ve never been interested—just drunk. We both decided a long time ago that our drunken night of fumbling sex at 19 is not worth ever mentioning.

He leans down so his face is back in the camera. “Kofi is a jealous, mistrusting asshole. I swear before he met you, he was well on his way to misanthrope status. Even as a young man in school, he was never a people person, women included. He attracted them and had sex with them with no idea how to handle them. So, he tightly controls that part of his life.”

“Adom, you are definitely not doing your cousin any favors here, are you? You make him sound more terrible than I already believe him to be.”

“I do not care to paint him any other way but the truth. I do not care how he comes across, as long as you know what you are dealing with. Kofi is not used to being out of control, especially when it comes to his love life. He is scared; I can tell from the way he’s harassing both of our phones. Now that I think about it, he sounds like someone else I know.” He smirks and wags his finger in my direction.

I laugh and stand, carrying my tablet with me as I move toward the lobby. “Whatever, you didn’t hear the things he said to me. He was so unforgiving about something he knew absolutely nothing about.”

Adom nods. “Yes, that sounds like him.” A sadness hits Adom’s eyes and I remember something Senya said in the kitchen seven days ago when Adom told me the tragic news about Maya.It’s different now, Adom; he no longer blames you for the past.Adom has never gone into detail about his broken relationship with Kofi, and clearly Kofi didn’t want to talk about it during our time in the garden. What happened?

“Adom, why don’t you and Kofi get along? Senya said something at Bonbiri about him no longer blaming you for the past?” Another guest opens the hotel door for me as I continue speaking to Adom.

“He just blames me for the death of his mother. But just as with you a week ago, it’s misplaced anger and blame. He’s always been swift to judge and lash out. Even as a 12-year-old.”

There’s something Adom isn’t telling me. He’s usually a masterful storyteller, so this succinct and evasive answer is odd. I wait until I am inside the elevator to my room before I push further.

“How did his mother die? How could he ever blame you? You both were children.”

Adom gives me a cautious look. “Ella, that’s a story for another day and a lot more alcohol. Why don’t you ask Kofi about his mother’s death? As desperate as he is to speak with you, he will more than likely tell you anything you want to know. For now, just know that I lost more than my favorite aunt that day.”

“Hmmm. A family secret! I won’t pry. I just thought it might help me understand him more.”

“I thought you said you were done with him. Why do you need to understand him? You don’t fool me at all, Ella Jenkins. You’ve foolishly fallen for him.”

I roll my eyes as I step out onto my floor. “No, not at all. It’s always good to know what makes your business partners tick.” I don’t say that with enough conviction to even convince myself. I’m a fool. “Plus, I hate to think you two can’t mend your relationship.”

“Pfft,” Adom replies. “That’s up to him. I’ve extended the olive branch as far as I’m willing to.” Adom waves goodbye and starts to log off. “I have to go check in on Maya and see what the nurses are doing. I’m sure whatever it is, it is wrong. I will check back in with you tomorrow.”

I tell him thank you for everything and log off of Facetime. Once inside my room, I open my phone and call the number I’ve avoided for seven days. I need to hear his voice more than I need to hear what he has to say. It only rings once before he answers.

Chapter Eighteen

Resentment

Ella

“Ella?” he answers hesitantly. “Are you…OK? Is Maya OK?”

Hell no, nothing is OK.

His voice over the phone betrays his fear. It sounds like he is scared to face the call he has been waiting on. Adom tells me daily how desperate he is to hear from me. In this case, his trepidation is wise. I want to keep this call as short as possible.

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