Page 27 of Pretty

“A’ight. So you’ve been checking a brother out,” I replied and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Something like that.”

“Do you know my favorite colors?” I asked.

“Gold and black.”

“Damn. You do be checking a brother out.”

“I care about you, Drew, and I care about what matters to you. I bet you don’t know mine.”

“Blush pink and chocolate brown.”

“Lucky guess because I’m wearing them today.”

“Nope, you mentioned it in Naples, and I didn’t forget.”

“Wow. Okay, I’m impressed. Even though you had no idea you’d see me again.”

“I hoped.”

“I’ll take some wine,” she stated, changing the subject.

I grabbed her hand and led her to the bar that was set up. I requested a glass of red wine from the bartender we’d hired for the event and passed it to her. She took a sip, smiled, and declared, “Nice.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were gonna show up. You really should grab a bite to eat,” I encouraged and grabbed her hand.

It was warm and soft in mine, and I didn’t want to let it go.

“No, really, I’m fine.”

“Okay, then if you won’t eat, the least you can do is dance with me,” I pleaded.

She laughed. “I can’t dance.”

“You can’t dance; you can’t eat. What is it that you can do, miss lady, other than paint?”

The smile dropped from her face, and she narrowed her eyes at me. “Are you mocking me, Drew?”

“I would never do that, beautiful. Just wondering is all.”

“Why can’t painting be enough?”

“Who says it isn’t?”

“That’s what you insinuated.”

“I feel as if there are layers to you, and I just want to peel them back, Pretty.”

“What if I don’t want to be peeled?”

I could have made so many remarks to that, but I chose not to. “I’m not asking you to drop the brush and become a ballerina. I’m just saying, come have a little fun. That’s all.”

“Let me finish my wine, and I will.”

“A’ight. In the meanwhile, my mama is beckoning us to her. Let me introduce you to my parents and then we can have some fun.”

“Oooh, so we're at the meeting your parents stage, huh?” she teased.