Page 83 of Arris, Jayme & Dyani
“Yeah.” He opened his arms to me. “Come here.”
Jayme let me go and I hopped up quickly to walk over to him. I immediately wrapped my arms around his body and he tucked me in beneath his chin. I snuggled into him. He rubbed up and down my back and kissed the top of my head.
I melted into him and breathed him in deeply. He smelled amazing. Something about his scent and the way his strong arms felt around me made me feel like my entire nervous system was resetting itself.
Arris reached down, grabbed my chin, and tilted my head back. I blinked up at him.
“How are you feeling for real?”
“I’m okay.” I exhaled. “I know shit is going to be tense with Darryl but it is what it is. Either we’re going to make up and everything is going to be good with us or it won’t. I mean, it’s not like me and Darryl have been close our entire lives. There was a point in my life when I didn’t talk to him for months at a time; so if that’s what he wants to do, so be it.”
“Dyani,” Arris said softly. “I’m not going to let it get that far. I mean, I might fight that nigga again and put him to sleep, but at the end of all of this, I’ll do whatever it takes to squash it. Even if me and Darryl never actually are cool again, I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure you and him are good.”
“You are?”
“I promise.”
I nodded and buried my face back into his chest.
My phone started ringing and I ignored it to just kept breathing Arris in.
“Do you want to get that, baby?” he asked.
“No,” I groaned. “Darryl called our dad and I already know he’s going to give me a really hard time and I know I’m going to have to face the music but?—”
Arris cut me off.
“You don’t have to do shit.” He massaged the back of my head. “You can talk to them when you’re ready, but if you aren’t ready, don’t feel pressured about it.”
“Okay.” I exhaled. “I’m sorry for all the drama, Arris.”
“You didn’t do anything, Dyani, and this is light shit for real. You’re worth this lil shit and a whole lot more.”
“Yeah?” I pouted, feeling on the verge of tears.
“Don’t ever question that, baby.” Arris grabbed my face in both hands and leaned down to kiss my forehead, nose, and mouth.
I nodded and he slowly let me go so he could pour his coffee. He kept a hand on my hip while he drank it.
“What are y’all getting into today?”
“I have three appointments and should be wrapped up like an hour before Blake gets out of kindergarten so I’ll scoop him then probably come home and cook something.”
“What about you?” Arris tapped my hip lightly.
“I’m going to hopefully close that deal we vetted yesterday.” I exhaled. “I don’t really know after that. I mean, I’m going to check my emails, see if Iliana has anything she needs help with, and reach out to a few people who are actively hunting and see if anything sticks.”
“If it doesn’t and you don’t want to be alone, you can always come to the shop,” Jayme offered.
“I won’t be in the way?”
“Nope.”
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. And what are you doing today, Arris?” Jayme asked.
“Going to the shop to see if Alex needs anything then I have a full day since I rescheduled shit around the appointments I already had today.”
