I felt a laugh bubbling up. “Who?”
“Yours.”
I snickered. “I think she sounds more like you, but I appreciate the compliment.”
Neither of us could sing. But it was an inside joke that we’d kept alive for the last ten years.
My mom kissed my cheek. “Your father would be so proud of you,” she whispered.
I kissed her right back. “He would be proud of you, too.”
My aunt and uncle came back from the dance floor sweaty and out of breath. “Why aren’t you two dancing?”
“I’m tired,” my mom complained. Crossing her legs and sitting back in her seat, she rubbed her legs. “These knees aren’t as young as they used to be.”
I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Tell me about it!”
The beat from “Back That Azz Up” started and I jumped to my feet. For whatever reason, that throwback song was a shot of adrenaline.
“I’ll be back,” I told my family as I darted to the dance floor.
Just like old times, Kia, Nikki, Milan, and I found each other in the middle of the crowd. And as if we were back in college, we hyped each other up until the beat dropped and then shook our asses like we were being paid.
The party started to wind down an hour later. I was tipsy and happy and full of so much love as I walked through the door to leave my event. I’d sold out of books. I’d danced so hard that it felt like I worked out. I’d had so much fun with my friends. The night was over, and I was realizing I had the time of my life.
“You look like a happy bride,” Kia told me as she got into the backseat of her taxi.
I nodded. “I feel like a happy bride.”
She cut her eyes to the left and smirked. “Well happy bride, I have some interesting maid of honor news for you…”
I followed her line of sight and saw Byron standing on the corner with a big smile on his face. He was making jokes, causing Trenton and India to laugh.
“What’s your news?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know yet. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
“You sure?”
She nodded. “Goodnight, Zola! Congratulations!”
“Thank you. Goodnight!” I closed her door. “Text me when you get home,” I added.
I turned around and headed toward the laughter. I’d seen all my other friends off and my family had left thirty minutes earlier. Trenton, India, and Byron were the last to go.
“Congratulations,” they cheered in unison as I walked up.
“How long did it take you to practice that?” I wondered with a grin.
“Longer than it should have,” India admitted with a light laugh. “These two were going back and forth on if it should be ‘Congrats, Zola’ or just ‘Congratulations.’” She shook her head. “We decided on ‘Congrats, Zola.’”
I laughed loudly. “Well I see none of that went as planned. But it was still beautiful, nonetheless. Thank you.”
“Speaking of beautiful,” Byron started, sliding his arm around me smoothly. “We look good together, don’t we?”
I smiled, putting my arm around him. “We probably do.”
“Since we look good together, we would probably be good together.”
I looked up at him. “You think so?”
He nodded. “I know so.”
“Byron, you couldn’t handle me.”
“What do you mean? I can handle you! You have to give me a chance to handle you, first.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll show you exactly what I can do.”
I shook my head and slipped from under his arm. “See, the fact that you automatically went to sex lets me know that you couldn’t handle me.” I stared at him. “I wasn’t talking about sex.”
“Wowwwwwwwwww. That’s how you’re going to do me?” Byron reacted dramatically. “I wasn’t talking about sex, either.”
“What were you talking about then?”
“Uh well, see…” He hesitated, unable to come up with an answer quick enough.
I pointed at him. “Exactly!” India and Trenton laughed as I continued, “Case in point.”
Byron threw his hands in the air. “Y’all are not helping,” he told them in exasperation. “Zolaaaaaaaaa…after all these years, are you not going to give me a chance for real? Me? Of all people?”
“You play too much,” I told him, swallowing my giggle. “That’s your problem.”
“I can be serious”—he stepped forward and draped his arm around my shoulders again— “I’m not leaving until Monday. If you want to make up for accidentally brushing me off for the last five years, let me know.”
I looked up at his big brown eyes and even bigger grin. “Is that you asking me on a date?”
“Yeah!”
“Byron, Byron, Byron…” I shook my head. “If that was you asking me on a date, you’ve just proved my point.” I pulled him close and gave him a squeeze. “You can’t handle me.”
“Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!” He extended the word again and his voice carried comically. He put his free hand to his chest. “You break my heart each and every time I see you.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I brushed off his words and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. “In case I don’t see you before you leave, thank you for coming out and have a safe trip back to Texas.”
“You, too. Congratulations, for real,” Byron said, wrapping his other arm around me to give me a squeeze. “And I can take it if you’re not going to be with me. But please, please do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t choose the dude in the smedium suit.”
The laugh erupted out of me. My shoulders shook as I released him from our hug.
I embraced Trenton and India and told them goodbye.
“I won’t be leaving for another tour for a month so let’s get together soon,” India suggested after giving me her own personal celebratory cheer.
I gave her an extra squeeze. “Absolutely.”
“Tonight was a good look. Congratulations again,” Trenton said as he opened the door to the town car scheduled to take me home. “Get home safe.”
I waved to the three of them and then pulled my phone out of my bag. As I scrolled the missed calls and text messages, I stopped on one text message in particular and smiled.
“Did you have a good night?” the driver asked as he pulled off.
I looked up at the young man in the driver’s seat. “I really did.”
*****
Chapter 2
“You could’ve worn that shirt with the holes in it and you still would’ve been the most beautiful woman in the room,” I read the text message to Kia the next morning.
“Awww I love that,” she replied, yawning. “Between the way the two of you were looking at each other and that follow up text, he’s clearly interested.”
“I think so too,” I agreed. “He said that we should get to know each other, but I’m going to let him ask me on a date.”
“He did! Him telling you that you two should do it again and get to know each other better was him asking you on a date!”