Page 14 of Reasons to Love Again

Serenity hunched her shoulders. “I’m fine with whatever. Jacob is on a work trip this weekend, so I have nothing but time. This place seems like it’s worth the wait.”

Just wait until you see the owner.

Nodding, I killed the engine, and we got out. I locked my arm with my sister’s, leading her inside. Immediately, we were greeted with low music playing in the background of the restaurant. Purple, black, and gold were the theme colors, and I knew Keondra had chosen them with Kehlani in mind. As we waited in the small line, I looked around and saw a wall covered with pictures of Kehlani. Each small frame was formed into a flower. Whoever created that possessed some real talent because it was stunning.

There was a bar area far in the back while booths and tables were strategically placed throughout the remainder of the restaurant. The place gave off royal vibes. From the crowns to the quotes, it was all so nice.

Just as Serenity and I walked up to the hostess stand, I heard my favorite little voice call out my name.

“Ms. Miles!”

All eyes were on Kehlani as she dashed toward me with her tablet in one hand while the other arm swung with each step. She almost ran into one of the servers, but from the way she stopped upon seeing Kehlani, it was obvious she was used to it. I crouched down the best I could in my dress and caught her. Her tight grip around my neck brought the biggest smile to my face. She bounced on her toes as if she hadn’t seen me all week.

“Hey, sweet girl. What are you doing here?” I asked, letting her go and observing her.

“My daddy didn’t have anyone to watch me, so I got to come to work with him.”

“Oh, really? Are you being good for him?”

The hostess chimed in. “She’s been running around when she knows his rules.”

Kehlani placed her finger to her mouth. “Don’t be a tattletale, Amber.”

“She’s not being a tattletale, Kehlani. What would your father say if he knew you weren’t following his rules?” I interrogated, and Kehlani pouted.

“I’m bored here. It’s no fun.”

“It’s no fun for me either, KeKe, but that doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want.”

The sound of Keondra’s voice caused Kehlani’s eyes to buck as her little body froze. I stood up, and my gaze found him. My goodness. The way his white chef’s coat fit his muscular frame was far too enticing. It gave a small peek at his tattoos and veins running up those thick arms of his. Absentmindedly, my tongue got a full taste of my lip gloss as it traced over my lips. It wasn’t until Serenity nudged me with her elbow did I realize I was openly checking Keondra out.

Clearing my throat, I brushed my hair behind my ear and turned back to Amber with heated cheeks. “How long is a wait for two?”

“About thirty minutes.”

“Is that fine, Serenity?”

“It is. Like I said, I don’t have anything else to do.”

“Perfect. We’ll wait.”

Keondra walked over to Amber and whispered something in her ear. She carefully listened before nodding her head. She spoke into a small mouthpiece, jotting something down onto her notebook. Turning his attention to me, Keondra pushed his glasses up on his nose and studied me from head to toe. I could’ve sworn I saw his head slightly nod in approval, but I had to look away. His stare was too intense, and the heat from my cheeks was traveling all throughout my body.

“It’s nice to see you, Ms. Miles. Y’all can come with me.”

Without waiting for us to respond, he gently grabbed Kehlani’s hand and started toward the back. He led us to a secluded area that appeared to be for larger parties. On one end of the table, I saw Kehlani’s things sprawled all over it. It must’ve been where he was keeping her.

When Keondra turned around, the stress lines creasing his forehead were prominent. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, releasing a frustrated sigh. Kehlani stared at him the entire time.

“Are you okay, Daddy?” she asked ever so softly.

“I will be, KeKe. I know you don’t like being here, but I need you to listen to me and stay back here. This is the only place I can keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay. Do you understand?”

Kehlani’s head and shoulders dropped. “Yes, sir.”

Even though it was obvious Keondra was frustrated, he was still gentle with Kehlani. Whatever was going on, I felt the urge to help. I glanced back at Serenity who winked, silently encouraging me to do whatever I felt was right. She could read my mind without me saying a word most times.

“Mr. Daily?” I called out, and his eyes met mine.