Chapter 3

3

K assadee

When I turned quickly and leaned against the counter, Siri eyed me skeptically. I should have been ashamed of how hard I worked to keep Dali from noticing me notice him, but I wasn’t. It was hard to not stare at the man when we were in the same room. Not just because of how handsome he was but because of how I felt about him. Dali was the man I believed I would always have feelings for. Even after I got married, he’d be the one that made me wonder what if.

“Are you okay?” Siri asked, stepping in front of me.

“Mhm. I just thought Dali was gone since I didn’t see the moving truck outside.”

Her eyes rolled playfully before she squeezed my arm. “I don’t know why you try to avoid him. It’s not like he’s going anywhere any time soon.”

“I know that. Doesn’t make it any easier to be around him though.”

“That’s what I don’t understand. Before I left, you two were inseparable. What happened?”

With a sigh, I leaned against the island. Siri’s confusion was warranted. She spent a few years working in Arizona after college. When she came back to Jasper Lane, my friendship with Dali had done a one-eighty. Over the past three years, it felt like Dali and I were drifting further and further apart. At one point, he was my protector, confidant, and travel buddy. Now, we barely had a conversation when we crossed paths.

“I don’t think there’s one single thing that changed us,” I said before nibbling my bottom lip. “Just… a series of things over the years.”

“Like?”

I huffed. This really wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have right now. It wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have at all .

“Out of all the things we can talk about right now, that’s what you choose?”

Thankfully, Samantha came rushing into the kitchen, providing the escape from this conversation that I needed.

“Tete!” she yelled, arms extending for me to pick her up.

“Hey, pooh!”

I picked Samantha up and covered her face with kisses. She was the reason Siri came back home a little over five years ago. Her man didn’t want to be a father and offered the money for her to get an abortion. Instead, she came back home to her tribe, fully determined to be the best single mother she could be.

My brother had always been good with kids, so it didn’t surprise us when he started to get attached to the one growing in her womb. Him going to appointments and buying the baby things led to him being in the room with her when Siri gave birth. Their friendship took an authentic romantic turn, and Kennessy had been the only father Samantha knew.

I was happy my brother and best friend found love with each other and even happier that they were finally taking things to the next level. Hopefully they’d make it official and get married soon.

“What’re you up there doing?” I asked, putting Samantha down on her feet.

“Making Daddy a welcome home card.”

That filled my heart with warmth as I clutched my chest. “Aww, that’s so sweet of you. He’s gonna love it.”

“I hope so.” She beamed and swayed from side to side. “Are you going to stay for dinner? I should be done by then and can show you.”

“Tete actually has to go to work a little early so I can’t stay, but tell your mom or dad to send me a picture of it after you give it to him.”

“Okay!” She agreed before rushing out of the kitchen as quickly as she’d come.

Siri’s pout couldn’t be ignored as she said, “You’re leaving before dinner? I was looking forward to hanging with one of my favorite girls.”

“Unfortunately. I got called in to cover a shift.”

“Well, get that money, sis.”

“What are you going to cook?” I asked as she headed toward the refrigerator. When she told me smothered pork chops, candied yams, and broccoli were on the menu with banana pudding as dessert, I requested, “Can you put me up a plate?”

“Of course. Actually, I’ll have your brother bring you one after we eat.”

“Even better. I love the bar food, but nothing beats a good, southern home-cooked meal.”

We continued to talk for a few minutes more before my brother came in and interrupted us. He was my first best friend even though we got on each other’s nerves as kids. I learned a lot of game from my brother and his friends. Between them and my father, it was easy for me to navigate romantic relationships without experiencing unnecessary hurt. There was only one man I’d been unable to protect my heart from, and that was Dali.

Even without trying, that man taught my heart how to love… and how to hate.

I could list all the reasons our relationship had suffered over the years, but none of them made me love him less... Want him less. All they did was put a covering over my heart that made it more difficult for anyone else to get to it. A part of me wanted to be hopeful that Dali and I could finally be in a relationship since he’d retired from boxing this year, but so far, it didn’t look like that would be the case. I guess after all these years he’d finally given up on me, and with our history, I couldn’t say that I blamed him.

I ended up staying for another hour or so before heading out. Before my shifts, I always liked to spend some time alone. I always had to be extroverted, talkative, and friendly as a bartender, so I cherished my time to myself. My parents still couldn’t believe I declined going to law school after college. Ever’s Pub was an unexpected happy place that I found my senior year of college. Now, six years later, I was content and didn’t plan to leave any time soon.

My goal was to spend my twenties traveling and having new experiences. Maybe in my thirties I’d go to law school. For now, I thoroughly enjoyed the fun and freedom of working such a relaxed job.

Too many people rushed into adulthood and responsibilities, putting themselves in a position to work jobs they didn’t love. Life was too short to do anything other than what you wanted to do. One day, I hoped I had the courage to go after Dali… but only if he gave me the confidence I needed to trust he wanted me too.