Page 21 of Mr. Right Now
He seemed to be having a difficult time with whatever he planned to say. The woman who loved him wanted to shout, “Just tell me!” The professional in her said to wait quietly until he was ready to speak. She chose the latter, giving his hand a gentle squeeze of encouragement.
Finally, he spoke. “Four years ago, I was engaged to be married.”
Oo-kay.That’s not what she expected to hear, but held the thousand and one questions she wanted to ask.
“In the month following our engagement, my ex-fiancée began to turn into someone I didn’t recognize. Everything was about her and what she wanted, and I’d started to have second thoughts. During that the same time, my father had a heart attack and was hospitalized for almost two weeks. When he came home, my sister and I took turns helping Mom manage his care.” He paused, as if gathering his next thoughts.
Dread crept up Jayana’s spine, and she tightened her grip on his hand. She could feel the anxiety and anger bouncing off him in waves.
“Mom had to fly out of town for a two-day conference. She didn’t want to go, but my dad insisted. I promised I’d stay over and take care of him because Erika had gone out of town for training with her job. This was a year or so before we opened the youth center,” he added. “Everything was fine until I asked Danielle to hang out with my father while I went to pick up my mother from the airport. Her flight was on time, but another plane was at their gate and they had to sit on the runway for a few minutes. I called Danielle to let her know I’d be about ten or fifteen minutes later than I thought.” Dante stood up and paced, then stopped. “She said that marrying me didn’t include babysitting an old man, and she had plans with her friends to go shopping for a wedding dress.”
Jayana gasped softly and felt her own anger rising. “You have got to be freakin’ kidding me. Shopping for a damn dress? She acted like you asked her to provide twenty-four hour care for a week.Ugh!”
“When my mother and I got there, she was gone. I guess she’d called someone to pick her up. But my father…” He hesitated, seemingly trying to control his emotions, then sat again. “We found him in the middle of the bedroom floor clutching his phone. He was trying to call me, but he was gone,” he said in an anguished whisper. “I trusted her.”
His voice cracked and tears ran down her cheeks. Now she understood. “You blamed yourself.” And because she broke his trust, that same mistrust and unwillingness to open himself up again had been passed down to every other woman who came behind her.
Dante nodded. “If I had just—”
Jayana left her chair, hunkered down in front of him and cupped his face between her hands. “Listen to me, Dante. I can’t even imagine the kind of pain you must have felt that day, and I’m not going to try. The guilt must be eating you up inside, but you are not to blame for her selfishness, sweetheart.” She had to clamp her jaws shut for a minute to keep from saying something to make it worse, like asking where the heffa lived so she could beat her ass. “I know you’re afraid to love me because of what she did, but had it been me, I would’ve never left your father’s side. The love I have for you would have been extended to him and I would have cared for him as if he were my own father.” The tears standing in his eyes made hers come faster. “Let go of the pain and guilt, Dante, and let me love you the way she should have loved you. The way I already love you. Trust me with your love, with your heart. I promise to take good care of it.”
Dante crushed her to him. “I love you, Jayana. So much.”
Hearing him say the words filled her heart to near bursting.I will love you always.
CHAPTER8
“Freedom and true equality gives us the opportunity to be seen and celebrated beyond the color of our skin,” Dante said to the students and families gathered at the gala Sunday evening. “As we continue to learn from the past and strive toward creating a better future, we have to be committed to increasing equity and eradicating racial injustice in the Black community. Don’t settle for mediocracy. Set your sights on something higher and don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. I want you soar, to journey forward, then reach back and help those coming behind you.” He stepped away from the podium to thunderous applause, stopping to shake hands and accept hugs.
“Nice speech. Short and to the point, as always,” Ryan said, meeting Dante halfway and handing him a glass filled with an amber liquid.
“Thanks.”
“Man, this was a brilliant idea. Look at their faces. I don’t think I’ve ever seen these kids smile so much.”
He took a sip, recognizing it as an old fashion, his drink of choice. “I know. I’m going to make this an annual function.” His Mr. Black duties would end in three years, but this was his legacy. During the tour of the museum, many of the students had shared that they never knew their history. It was up to all of them to make sure they never forgotten.
“So, why didn’t you tell me about you and Erika?” Dante asked, changing the subject.
“Honestly, I didn’t know how you’d feel about it.”
He still didn’t know how he felt about it. “I love you like a brother, but sheismy baby sister. If you hurt her, I will kick your ass.”
“You know me, D. And I would never hurt Erika. To hurt her would be like hurting myself.”
Like how he felt about Jayana. He had to give it to Erika. She’d been right about him baring his soul to Jayana. Their conversation yesterday had been cathartic, healing. Dante was honest with himself and knew he still had some things to work out, and was even contemplating scheduling a few sessions with someone to talk. “If I had to pick a guy for her—and I’m still not saying I would—you’d get my vote.” He held out his fist and Ryan tapped his lightly against it.
“Now that I’m off the hot seat, what’s up with you and Jayana?”
“I told her everything.”
Ryan choked on his drink. Coughing, he pounded on his chest a few times to clear his throat. “I’m glad because she really loves you, but I never thought you would.” He lifted a brow. “Y’all good now?”
“We are. I am.” He said the words to his friend, but his gaze was locked on the beautiful woman who owned his heart. Jayana stood across the room talking and laughing with a couple of the students. The black one-shoulder gown wrapped over the side of her neck and down to one long sleeve, and left the other arm and her upper back bare. It skimmed every one of her curves and had a side slit that ended mid-thigh. He’d been in a state of arousal from the moment she opened the door to him.
“About damn time. She’s good people, Dante. Don’t let her get away.”
“I don’t plan to.”
