Cali had gone through the motions of feeling her guilt for the part she played in the demise of her and Braye’s relationship. She’d virtually pounded herself into a pulp because of her actions. There was no remedy for Braye. She couldn’t extend anymore apologies because it wouldn’t soothed the broken part of him. Did she feel bad? Of course, but she had to move on, and she wished he would do the same.
“Here,” Rio said, startling her. “I ain't even have to pay.”
She simpered while sliding her phone inside her bag. “‘Cause you're the hometown hero, right?”
His brows furrowed, making her snicker. “You hating?”
“No, I’m just saying. These people act like you were the president around here.”
“That’s ‘cause I am.” He took a sip of his D’usse. “You wanna dance?”
“Dance?” she repeated. “Babe, you don't dance.”
“You right, I didn’t, but when you almost die, you start doing a lot of shit that you never did.”
Cali ruminated over his words. “Well, since you put it that way, sure.”
Grabbing her hand, Rio helped her out of the booth. He led them to the middle of the dance floor where the two faced each other. Cali wrapped her arms around his neck while his hand settled on the top of her ass. They swayed in perfect sync to Daniel Caesar’sGet You. The moment was impeccable as they became adrift in each other’s eyes. Cali wanted more of this intimacy where it increased moment by moment until they were completely filled on each other’s love.
“Can I tell you something that I never told you before?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, she replied, “Sure.”
“When your pops approached me about marrying one of his daughters, I thought I was gon’ marry Enya.”
As soon as Cali’s head jerked back, Rio began laughing.
“How the hell did you think that?”
“Because Doug’s ass said it was her at first. I ain’t gon’ lie, I was salty about that shit ‘cause Enya cool but she wasn’t my type.”
“So, when did you find out it was going to be me?”
“When we met up. You came into the club, and I was relieved like a mothafucka.”
“Is that why you kept asking me if I was the right one?”
Rio chortled. “Yeah, ‘cause Doug’s slow ass said Enya.”
Jokingly, she slapped his shoulder. “Don't talk about my daddy.”
“You know that nigga a lil’ slow… but yeah, you came in, and I was locked in.”
Twisting her lips in doubt, she challenged him, “Then, how come it took so long for us to get on the same page? Do you remember how awkward our first six months of marriage was?”
Initially, their marriage was nothing like it was in the present day. They barely spent any time together and when they did, it was so uneasy that they both avoided each other.
“Well, for me, I felt like you were too good for me. You intimidated me, and I didn’t know how to handle you. So, a nigga had to build up some more confidence to be the man you needed me to be.”
A sudden ache appeared in Cali’s throat. She swallowed hard, hoping her trigger wouldn’t surface on her face. It dawned on her that Rio had been counting himself out during the entire marriage. He never felt like he was good enough for Cali and she didn’t assure him that he was.
She cleared her throat while withholding the emotion that threatened to spill from her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
For everything, Rio…
“I just wasn’t that easy going in the beginning. I didn’t want to get married, and I made sure everyone knew it including you.”
