Page 15 of Three of Hearts

After I cleaned up the mess I made all over my stomach, my phone rang as if she read my mind from miles away.

“Hey, baby. Everything good with the book?” I asked, setting up the phone on the nightstand.

“Yeah, she just wanted to go over the last couple chapters and walk through the outline again because she had a suggestion for the ending, so I was hearing her out. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m straight.”

“Nah, your energy changed. What’s wrong?” It was a love/hate relationship with the fact that she knew me to the point she felt that shit through the damn phone. I wasn’t sure I wanted to have the conversation like this, but it was fresh on my conscience.

“This room…” I trailed off.

“You can’t stop thinking about her?” she asked, but it wasn’t a question. She already knew.

“What the fuck did she do to us?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out the same thing. I’m just happy to know it wasn’t just me. I thought I was crazy.”

“I’m so sorry, Niecy. I should’ve been more open about everything. I didn’t handle that shit right.”

“There’s no need to apologize, Q. You didn’t do anything wrong. I knew you were feeling it too, you just didn’t know how to express it to me. I get it.”

“So what do we do?” I asked, even though we had talked about it countless times. “Just wait until the festival and hope we run into her?”

“I mean yeah, unless she decides to reach out. I don’t think the ball is in our court, babe. Even though I know we both wish it was.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We wait then.”

“Leave it up to fate.”

“Leave it up to fate.”

Chapter 13

One month before RRABF 2026

Nikki

Why the fuck would a school schedule a graduation on a Wednesday? It was the question I was asking myself Saturday morning, ringing Amber's doorbell. My late cousin's wife was throwing their son, Josh, a high school graduation party. I couldn't make it to the actual graduation since it was in the middle of the week, and I had to be in court for an intense trial. But I vowed to be here for the party, so I booked an early morning flight and even volunteered to help her set up.

"Nik!! It's so good to see you!" she said, opening the door and throwing her arms around me. I felt a pang of guilt as I hugged her back. I hadn't been back to see them since around the time of my cousin's passing.

"It's so good to see you too! This is for Josh," I said, handing her an envelope. It was just a card with some money in it because what else do you get an eighteen-year-old going off to college?

"Thank you! Oh, shit, I still need to set up the gift table. Come in, come in." She ushered.

I followed her to the living area as she talked through her vision for the gift table and asked my opinion. Once she settled on a spot, we headed out to her beautiful backyard where most of the partygoers would be. I froze at the back door, my hand still on the handle, before Amber even started talking.

"Oh, Nikki, I don't think you've met my sister Denise and her husband Quincy. Guys, this is Nikki, Anthony's cousin."

The awkward silence almost went unnoticed by Amber, who had busied herself adjusting the string of lights hanging from the covered deck.

"What?" she finally asked, realizing no one had moved to greet each other. Q was the one who saved face.

"She looked familiar. I think we met at the book festival in Atlanta last year, right?" he asked, looking directly at me, his eyes dark and searching.

"That's right! You and Niecy both went to that. Small world," Amber said, completely oblivious to the looks being exchanged between the three of us. If she had been paying any attention, she would've seen the mix of mortification, confusion, and excitement displayed on all of our faces.

"It's nice to see you guys again," I spoke softly, my voice barely above a whisper, my heart hammering against my ribs.