Page 27 of Inspiring Dominic

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about you,” Johan stated. “Couldn’t wait to meet the woman who got Dom to eat something other than steak.”

I laughed. “Why is everyone so interested in the food I put in my damn body?”

“Because you a picky muthafucka,” Wes chimed in. “We once watched you starve yourself at an event because all they had was sushi.”

“That shit is nasty,” I explained. “Raw fish doesn’t have a place in my body.”

Johan shook his head. “With that kind of attitude, it’s no wonder Samara got you to try anything in Cuba.” He looked to Samara. “You’ve done what no one before you ever has before, and for that, we must bow to you for accomplishing that feat.”

Johan and Wes both bowed and even Denise laughed and did the same. Evelyn, Lyn, Eve, or whatever she was calling herself in a busted effort to reinvent the thirst trap she was sat back down at the table, suddenly interested in her mimosa.

“Hey, man,” I said to Johan. “Can we talk before we order food?”

Evelyn groaned out loud, mumbling something about me being a drama queen under her breath.

Johan told her to cool it before telling me, “There’s a lounge area on the other side of this rooftop deck that looked pretty empty right before you arrived.”

As we walked over to the lounge area, I turned my head, ready to silently tell Samara that I wouldn’t be long. However, she was already in an intense looking conversation with Evelyn. When she finally caught my eye, she gave me an encouraging wink before finishing whatever she was saying at the table.

“How has wedding planning been?” I asked, trying to break the ice.

Johan shrugged. “It’s going okay I guess. I figured since we’d been married before, Lyn wouldn’t want another big wedding, but she’s all on my ass about getting married before the end of the year.”

I nodded. “Listen, let me just start by saying that as your friend, I respect your decision to get back in a relationship with Evelyn.”

“You just don’t like her.”

“Nah, man. I don’t,” I admitted. “And I don’t trust her either.” If I was being honest with myself, even back in the day, I had to force myself to like her since it was rare that I met anyone I didn’t like. When I did meet someone I didn’t care for, my gut never proved me wrong and eventually revealed their true colors.

Johan frowned. “She’s changed, man. She knows she fucked up, and when she came into your room that night, it was an accident.”

Right. She slipped and her mouth fell on my dick.“What about all the other guys she slept with?”

Johan shrugged. “I mean, it ain’t like I didn’t fuck a lot of women in my past.”

“Before you got married,” I corrected. “You never cheated on her.”

“And she’s apologized,” he said. “Look, I don’t expect everything to go back to normal between you and Lyn, but with all us being in serious relationships now, maybe we can start over?”

I nodded. “I’d like that. Being with Samara, I understand more than I ever have before how you can love someone so much, you can’t imagine not being with them.”

Johan smiled. “Man, I ain’t never seen you happier, and Wes updates me every time y’all hang out.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty damn special. Things are going great between us.”

“So good that you ready to propose?”

“In due time,” I said with a laugh. “We’re not tryin’ to overthink anything, but she’s it for me, man.”

“I’d know it even if you didn’t admit it,” he said. “I’m glad to hear it. Seems like things are finally falling into place for all of us.”

“It seems so.” I glanced over my shoulder at Samara who was now talking to Wes and Denise while Evelyn scrolled through her phone. As if she felt her my eyes on her, she glanced up, a slow smile filling her face.

Johan and I updated each other on a few other things going on, then we went back to the table to order before we missed the brunch menu all together.

“I have to admit, it was nice catching up with Johan,” I mentioned to Samara after brunch was over and we all agreed to walk down Rainbow Row so I could show Samara the colorful homes that reminded me of the vibrant colors of Cuban houses.

“I’m glad you talked it out. You can tell he missed you.” She clutched my hand in hers as we watched the others walk ahead of us, both my friends cracking jokes and talking shit while Denise laughed and Evelyn kept pulling Johan to her, whispering things in his ear that were clearly pissing him off.

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