Page 81 of Certified to Handle You
We went up another level, and it just kept going. There was a theater room, a space set up for massages and facials, and more bedrooms that looked like somethin’ out of a high-end hotel. Everything felt finished, and nothin’ felt thrown together.
By the time we found a room, I slowed down just to take it in.
The room was big, fully furnished with a king bed, a sittin’ area and a bathroom that looked better than most places I’dbeen to. The windows stretched from the floor up, and all you could see was water.
“I can’t believe I’m even on somethin’ like this,” I said, lookin’ at Renza. “This shit is crazy.”
Renza stepped up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pullin’ me into him before pressin’ his lips to mine.
“Get used to it,” he said low. “We gon’ be doin’ more of this.”
I smiled against his lips and kissed him back, lettin’ that sit with me.
After we got settled, we made our way back to where everybody else was. The setup was already goin’. Chefs were cookin’, plates comin’ out fresh, drinks being made at the bar and everything looked clean and gorgeous as fuck.
Me and Renza found our seats together, and I sat close to him without thinkin’ about it. My body leaned into his naturally, and I let myself settle while I took everything in.
I sat with him with a drink already in my hand, surrounded by my man’s family, and for the first time, it all felt like somethin’ I could step into without question.
This was something I could get used to.
Some time passed, and I couldn’t even lie… I was actually enjoying Renza’s parents.
Bein’ around them, I could honestly see where he got his humor from. Nyori had a way of talkin’ that pulled you in without you even realizin’ it, and the more she asked me about myself, the easier it got for me to answer her.
We was sittin’ at one of the long tables on the upper deck with the sun sittin’ low enough to cast that soft glow across the water while the music played in the background.
Plates had been passed around already, drinks stayin’ full without anybody havin’ to ask, and the whole setup felt effortless in a way I wasn’t used to.
Nyori sat across from me with another wine glass in her hand, leanin’ in just enough to keep our conversation between us even with everything else goin’ on around the table.
“So tell me more about your businesses, Reni,” she said, her tone calm but interested in a way that felt real. “Renza mentioned a few things, but I would rather hear it from you.”
That caught her attention.
“The morgue?” she asked, her brows liftin’ just enough to show she was interested as she leaned in a little closer. “Now that’s different.”
I nodded. “Yes, I know. I don’t be there all the time, but I do hair for the deceased. I make sure they look right before their people come see them.”
She sat with that for a second, really takin’ it in while she swirled her wine.
“That’s a delicate kind of work,” she said. “You’re handling people in a very final state, and you’re responsible for how they’re remembered.”
“I take my time with it,” I replied. “You can’t rush somethin’ like that.”
She nodded, like she respected it, then took a small sip from her glass.
“Well,” she said after a second, her tone smooth as ever, “maybe we’ll have to bring a few bodies to you.”
She let out a soft laugh like it was just somethin’ light.
I paused for a second, my eyes movin’ over to Renza without thinkin’, tryin’ to catch his reaction.
He didn’t even flinch at the shit. He didn’t look surprised or try to correct it. He just sat there like it was regular conversation.
I looked back at her and let out a light laugh, tryin’ to keep the shock from reachin’ my face. “Let’s hope not.”
She smiled right back, already movin’ on like she hadn’t said nothin’ out the way.
