Page 86 of The Plus One

“I’m not crazy.”

“You went to somebody’s house in the middle of the day to fight.”

“She had it coming.”

“I know she did. I'm just surprised you waited this long to tag her ass." Ace held the ice against my face while I relaxed into him. He didn’t make me feel weak or stupid. He just made sure I was good. I had spent most of my life handling shit alone. Maybe having somebody in my corner wasn’t so bad.

Nineteen

Ace

A month after Kema's fight with Tiana I had to fly to Vegas to sign a contract at my winery. I was still pissed she went to that woman’s house without telling me. I wasn't mad she finally beat ole girl ass I was pissed Kema could’ve got hurt or arrested, and I wouldn’t have known until it was too late. I couldn’t stay mad at my baby, though, so I turned the business trip into a date night.

Kema had been asking where we were going since we left the airport. I told her ass to sit back and relax, which led to her saying something smart and me wanting to put my dick in her mouth. I had time for that later, though. I knew when she saw the date I planned for her, she was gonna give a nigga some.

“You know I hate surprises Ace.”

“You liked the surprise I gave you in Cancún.”

She chuckled, “I did.”

I chuckled and turned onto a dirt road that led to my winery. Kema looked out the window before sitting up. “Is this your winery?”

“Yep.”

“You flew me to Vegas to see your winery?”

“I had business here. I figured I’d bring you with me.”

“That’s not what you said when you told me to pack.”

“Would you have come if I said it involved work?”

“No. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in the way.”

“Exactly.”

When we reached the back of the winery, Kema stopped walking. A table was set between the vines with dinner, wine and candles. “You did all this for me?”

She laughed before wrapping her arms around me. “Thank you, baby.”

We ate while the sun set. I’d done everything I could to make sure Kema knew where she stood with me. I enjoyed being with Kema. She was more than I could’ve imagined. She was the woman I was learning I couldn’t be without. Any time I spent without her I was spending thinking about her. That was a sign she was the one for me.

After dinner, Kema rested her legs across my lap while I rubbed her feet. “This is so nice,” she said.

I smiled, “I brought you here because this place means something to me. It was left to me by my grandparents but I escape to this place when I feel like I need to reset. It’s peaceful here. I never share this place with any other woman. I need you to know how serious I am about you.”

“Never?”

“Nah. You ain’t just some woman I’m dealing with.”

Her expression softened as she looked at me. “I know.”

I looked her in her eyes needing her to know how serious my next statement was. “Do you? Cause I need you to know I see myself spending the rest of my life with you.”

She looked away. “I’m trying.”

“Trying to do what?”