“Who cares?” she retorted.
Danyelle picked up her glass that was now refilled. “Cheers to your peace and happiness.”
Nina clinked her water glass against it. “And yours too.”
Dinner went well once Danyelle climbed her drunk ass out of her business and they changed the subject to their common interest, which was art. They shared a slice of Oreo cheesecake neither of them needed, and by the time they stepped outside, the sun was replaced with the moon.
Danyelle wrapped her arms around Nina one last time.
“If this thing with Jio ever doesn’t work...”
Nina frowned. “It will.” She learned a very valuable lesson in friendship from tonight’s dinner and that was to NEVER vent to Danyelle again. She loved her so much, but she didn’t let shit go. When she forgave Jio for the shit he’d done, Danyelle didn’t, and it came back to bite her in the ass every time they got together.
“I know.” Danyelle gave her a smirk. “But if it doesn’t...”
She held up one finger. “Date ‘em all.”
Nina laughed as she climbed into the backseat of her waiting SUV.
“I'll keep that in mind,” she lied again.
She knew she wouldn’t because there wasn’t a man alive that she would rather spend the rest of her life with if it weren’t Jio.
η
“What made you come here again?” Kadeer asked his best friend. Out of all the jewelers that they knew, he chose a store far the fuck away from the city. It was too quiet. Too bright and everyone spoke in these super low voices. Kadeer went from the velvet sofa where he’d been sipping a Coke that they offered him upon arrival to taking a peek at what they had for sale.
The security guard had his eyes on all of them, but shit, they had the goons with them too.
Kadeer peeped everything. As Jio’s right hand, that’s what he felt like he had to do. He was proudly his brother’s keeper.
Jio didn’t look up.
He stood over the display case with both hands braced on the edge, eyes locked on a row of engagement rings arranged beneath soft white lighting. He’d been quiet these past few days and it had him worried.
“So, you gon’ tell me what happened or you gon’ keep standing there looking like Batman at Kay Jewelers?”
Jio finally glanced over his shoulder. “You think we drove an hour away to go to fuckin’ Kay’s?” he griped.
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. Why you acting weird nigga?”
“I’m buying a ring. How am I acting weird?” He was doing some shit he’d never done before. Nervous? Yes. Anxious? A tad. Weird? NEVER.
“This is a big decision, Kadeer,” Auntie Vee chimed in. He’d made the right decision by bringing her along. Kadeer, on the other hand, was getting on his nerves.
If he was going to choose a ring that Nina would wear for the rest of her life, he needed someone in the room who loved Ninaenough to tell him the truth and loved him enough to hurt his feelings.
Kadeer was only there because Jio trusted him. His auntie was the one whose opinion he was taking heed of, and so far everything that he showed her, she’d said no to. She said that the rings screamed, “I’m sorry”and not“Will you spend the rest of your life with me?”
The sales associate returned with another tray in hand. Kadeer and Auntie went to sit back down on the couch because Jio had yet to be impressed by anything they’d shown him.
“This collection is from our private vault,” she said gently. “These are all natural stones, certified, and most of these settings can be customized if you’re looking for something more personal.”
Jio nodded. “Let’s see what you got.”
