Page 26 of Can't Get Enough

“Well, enough about my love life.” Zere carefully swipes a rogue tear under her eye. “Or the recent lack thereof. Let’s talk about Chapel’s show.”

“Right.” I blow out a breath of relief, glad we’re changing the subject. “I’m ready to do this and so glad you see the same potential in her that I do.”

“As soon as she stepped on set, I saw what she could be. Her winning the contest just confirmed what I already knew. She’s a star.”

“She is indeed,” I agree.

“You’ve got a great eye for talent, Hendrix, and you’re a hustler.” Her eyes soften, and her expression looks lighter for the first time since the video call began. “We’re gonna do great things together.”

“I think so, too,” I reply with a smile. I clap my hands once. “Where do we start?”

The call, scheduled for thirty minutes, goes an hour. We both have so many ideas we end up brainstorming several approaches. We hang up and I barely have time to look over the list of contacts we prioritized before it’s time to leave for lunch with my Aspire team.

“Sorry I’m late,” I tell them when I rush into Paschal’s. “Got caught up in my last meeting.”

“Girl, you fine,” Nelly Brewer assures me, proffering her cheek for a kiss. “Sit down and take a deep breath.”

I am rather breathless. In addition to losing track of time, I got caught in some of Atlanta’s random-ass traffic in the middle of the day, which only stressed me more.

“You’re actually just in time.” My other partner, Kashawn Phillips, gestures to the table where a basket of corn muffins takes center stage alongside an order of voodoo shrimp to start us off.

“Now y’all know I’m trying to eat fewer fried foods,” I say, reaching for the battered shrimp. “Diabetes runs in my family and I do not need it running over here.”

“I got you, girl,” Nelly says. “Veggies. Fried green tomatoes.”

We laugh and I tell the server I’m fine with water.

“How are the kids?” I ask them both, pinging a look between the two of them.

“Giving me as much grief as I gave my mama.” Kashawn massages her temples. “Meryl decided she doesn’t want to go to college. Every step this child has taken since she was like five years old was toward an Ivy League education. We didn’t impose that on her. She wanted it,and now all of a sudden she’s gonna do what? Travel the world and post about it on social media?”

“Hey, don’t knock it,” I say. “My friend Yasmen’s daughter Deja will probably make more money as a hair influencer than most of the people in her class who go to college for a conventional degree. And you already know Soledad is getting that bag.”

“She has you to thank for that,” Kashawn says, reaching for another shrimp.

“I simply connected her with some brands looking for the kind of content she produces,” I say. “Soledad is a domestic beast. I love seeing one of my best friends flourish.”

I sip my water and nod toward Nelly. “And what about Gabriella?”

“Finally sleeping through the night.” She lifts her hands in hallelujah. “That’s what I get for marrying a woman half my age who wanted babies.”

“Beth’s not half your age,” I laugh. “She’s only ten years younger, and you know you love that baby more than life itself.”

“You right,” Nelly concedes. “But I didn’t see myself starting a family at fifty.”

She reaches into her purse and fishes out a pink mini fan, plopping it onto the table and turning it on to oscillate over her face.

“I’m literally in menopause,” Nelly mock sobs. “When they say it’s like fire shut up in your bones, I bet they meant hot flashes. Lemme tell you. Changing diapers while having hot flashes is not it. Why’d y’all let me do this mom thing this late?”

“You know you’d do it again for Beth,” I tell her. “Like come on, you’re so gone for that woman.”

“What we won’t do for love.” Kashawn sighs dreamily.

“Whatever,” Nelly grumbles, but she can’t hide the smile that creeps over her face or the sheer joy in her eyes every time she talks about Beth and the baby.

I can’t help but think of my earlier conversation with Zere.

“You’re happy, though, right?” I ask. “No regrets?”

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