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Hehung up in my face. When I looked at him,he was shaking his head while staring at his computer.
* * *
When Dymon toldme to go to lunch, I hurriedup and packed my things. I was ready to see Derekand catch up.Granted, we didn’t end well, but I always thought that we’d be able to be friends. And when he told me that he needed some time to be my friend, but was seen with another woman so soon afterward, itpissed me off, so that was how he ended up on the blocked list.
Walkingin Palmer’s, I saw Derek sitting at one of thehigh-toptables.There were other employees in here as well.
“Quinci.”
He stood and hugged me, better than he did earlier when he’d seen me. Derekwas six foot three inches tall and had the prettiest cocoa, brown-colored skin with light brown eyes.
“Derek. Look at you.” I grinned.
“Come on, sit.”
He helped me in the seat before sitting across from me.He’s always been a gentleman.When we first met, he had dreads, but he’d cut them off now. He ran track in high school, so his body wasslim and fit. He wasn’t my first or second boyfriend, but he was the boy who I was most serious about and wasactually makingplans with.
What attracted me to him was that he was intelligent, funny, and loved mostly everything that I did includingworking atthe grove and hanging out at the beach.Our relationship, in my mind, was a healthy one, considering wewereyoung. He wasn’t out making me look stupid in publicor anything like that. When he wasn’t working or hanging out with his friends, we werehanging out together.The sex wassofucking good.I had to get on birth control after we had a slip-up that neither one of us was ready for.
He always had goals of working ata Fortune 500 company, but I didn’t expect that companyto be in New York. In the eyes of Fi and Kemba, I was the one who ruined our relationship all becauseI didn’t want to move. I just didn’t feel it in my spirit to movethen. I was willing to do the long distance thing, but he wasn’t going for it—at all.
“I still can’t believe that I’m sitting here in front of you.In New York. This is crazy.”
“I know, right? This is crazy. Never thought I’d be living here.”
“Right. Considering,when I tried to get you to move here, you didn’t want to.So, when I saw you this morning, I was a little shook.And then to find out that you actually work in the same building as me is even crazier.”
“I know, right? Denim stayed at Tranquil,anditkind of just went from there.”
He nodded his head.“Oh, I see.”
“Are we ordering food or drinks or something?” I asked, needing to change the subject.
“If you want, you can go up to the front and get something.”
“I’m good. I can’t really eat right now. Nerves.”
“Aw.You still get nervous about the slightest stuff.”
“Yeah, youstayingat the corporate apartment?”
Before I could respond, a woman… a very pregnant woman appeared at his side. At least she wasn’ttheblonde on the picturesI’d seen before.
“Hi, babe.” She pressed a kiss against his temple.
The woman turned and looked at me, nudging Derek a little. She made sure to press her left hand against herstomach, flashing a very beautiful engagement ring.
“Oh, Quinn, the reason I invited at youhere is because I wanted you to meet my fiancée, Justice Pittman, and our daughter. We haven’t decided on a name yet.”
There were words in the back of my throat, but I couldn’t form a sentence.All I could do was smile. My phone buzzed in my pocket.
Saved by the buzz.
I pulled both my phones out to see that my work phone had a text message.
“I’m going to use the restroom, D.”
My chest felt a little tight, and I didn’t expect tears to form in my eyes.
