“And what else?” Magnolia asked, eyeing her. She had a tumbler filled with hot tea instead of wine because she was breastfeeding.
“That’s really it. I love you guys, I do, but I miss Ayden. You know he works those twenty-four-hour shifts, so I haven’t seen him, and I’m anxious to.” Her eyes were wide as she spoke. “What have we become?”
“We got duped,” Juniper said, laughing.
“One day, we were all single and then bam!” Lilac added. “Marriages, babies, and love.” She gagged. “We are all some sick individuals.”
“Sick ain’t the word,” I said. “But, I’m actually still single.” They all looked at me like I’d grown two heads. “What?”
“If you said that in front of Roman, what would he say?” Lily asked.
“He would either say I was right or ask me to be his girlfriend.” I shrugged. Roman was a straightforward kind of guy, and I adored that about him. He never sugar coats a thing with me, and I feel so secure in knowing that he will always be real no matter what. We hadn’t discussed being exclusive in detail, but I knew that we were both only seeing each other. And that came straight from his mouth.
“Whatever works for the two of you,” Magnolia said, setting her tumbler on the table.
“Besides,” I began, drowning the rest of my drink. I was beginning to feel the effects of it, three glasses later. My body felt as if it were swaying while I talked, “What would Devin say if you told him how you felt instead of hiding behind fear?”
“Ouch,” Lily muttered, blinking at her glass.
“Oh, stop being a baby,” Juniper told her. “You had that one coming.”
“I know,” she agreed. “That’s why it stung a little.”
“I’m not trying to be mean.” I tapped the table. “You know I love you. Hell, I love all of you, but I’m the only one in this bunch who isn’t afraid to fall in love. Or should I say wasn’t, since all you heffas have surpassed that.”
“Hey!” Lilac exclaimed. “I wasn’t afraid. Ezra and I fit like glue immediately.”
“That’s true.” I nodded and corrected my statement. “Lilac and I were the only ones not afraid to love.” I didn’t fear what was to come. I just knew my feelings, and I went with them. And sometimes that backfired, but I always bounced back. No matter how bad I’ve been hurt, I’ll never stop being me. A hopeless romantic who craves physical contact, bacon, and teddy bears. Roman was good at giving me exactly what I needed. He had mastered my love language within the first week, and I wasn’t even sure if he knew it yet.
“Sometimes, I worry about you, Bloss,” Magnolia said. I tilted my head at her.
“Why?”
“Because she’s a mama bear,” Juniper answered for her. “And she thinks that we all have these underlying issues.”
“I have issues,” I admitted. “Things that I’m still working out in my mind, but I don’t hold them in. I talk about them, or I write it down so I can revisit later. That’s why my heart is so open.”
“Someone listens to their big sister,” Juniper said proudly. I nodded and blew her kiss, which in return, she caught.
“I’m a little jealous at how free you are,” Daisy said. “I mean we’ve all overcome our different fears, but man things would have been so much easier if—”
“No two journeys are the same,” Lilac cut in. “I’m proud of you, Bloss.” The smile I was already wearing stretched across my face.
“Keep being your resilient self, we could all learn a thing or two from you,” Daisy added, lifting her glass. “Let’s toast.” Before I could grab the bottle of wine, Juniper was up filling my glass with a smirk on her face. I gave what I was sure was a lopsided grin and lifted my glass.
“To sisterhood,” Magnolia said.
“To new beginnings,” Lily said.
“To new life,” Juniper said.
“To overcoming,” Lilac said.
“To second chances,” Daisy said.
All eyes were now on me. I smiled.
“To love, happiness, and success.”
After our toast, I glanced at my phone. My heart fluttered at the message waiting for me.
Roman : I miss you too, beautiful.
I jumped up from my spot in front of the coffee table and grabbed Daisy’s hand.
“Dance with me.” She giggled, and then, Juniper began to loudly hum Back That Azz Up by Juvenile.
“Girl, you look good won’t chu back that azz up,” Lily rapped, bouncing in her seat. Daisy and I danced around the living room, twerking to the acapella beat.
“I’m going to check on—”
Magnolia frowned and clamped her mouth shut. The sound of the front door opening and the alarm beeping had silenced us all.
“I know they didn’t...” I paused when Daisy squealed and ran toward Ayden. He lifted her into his arms and whispered something into her ear, sending her into a fit of giggles.
I smiled.
It was beautiful seeing them together. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Lennox and Magnolia walking away together, and then there was Ezra, Brandon, and Devin, who made themselves at home on the couch.
“The theme for tonight was girls only,” Lilac fussed, plopping down in Ezra’s lap.
“Are you complaining?” he asked. I tuned them out and spun around, feeling a pair of eyes on me. Roman was leaned up against the wall with his hands behind his back, watching me.
I took slow yet deliberate steps toward him. His eyes worked their way up my frame, stopping at my exposed stomach, and then settling on my face.
My voice was just above a whisper when I said, “Hi.”
Pressing my body up against his, I wrapped my arms around him and slipped my hands into his.
“Wassup, baby.” I nudged his chest with my chin and blew a piece of hair out of my face. He chuckled softly and shook his head. I’d come here with it in a ponytail, but somewhere into the night, I set my mane free.
“So happy to see you,” I murmured. I couldn’t get enough of this man.
“Always happy to see you,” he replied, staring into my eyes. “Are you drunk?” I shook my head wildly. Maybe I was a little bit.
“I feel nice, though.” My body felt like it was humming. “It’s the tequila Juniper added to my wine.” He nodded slowly and then leaned in to kiss my forehead. “I love it when you do that.” Kissing someone’s forehead was so intimate and sweet.
“Yeah?” He gave me another one and then leaned away.
“Mmhm.”
“Do you need a ride home?”
“To your home?” I asked. My apartment didn’t feel like it belonged to me anymore. I was finally in the process of moving out and into Lilac’s old place. Her and Ezra had officially sealed the deal on living together last week.
“That’s what I was hoping,” he said, releasing my hands, so he could use his to cup my ass. “I just wanna be close to you tonight and hold you.” My heart fluttered.
“And talk?” He smiled. “Can we talk?
“Of course, BB. We can always talk.”