AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lex, you keep him from becoming a holy-roller,” Jade scoffed. “Girl, please!”
Tori found that hilarious. It seemed to me they knew each other. Raj nodded hard, trying to stifle his humor.
“All jokes aside,” Tori’s husband leaned into the table. “When you’re quiet like this, and your eyes are closed, what are you doing?”
They definitely had experience with each other. I simply wrote the handsome, raspy-speaking man off as weird, but not offensive. Tori’s husband just confirmed the weird part.
“I’m hearing,” the pastor rasped. “Feeling.” He shrugged. “Like Alexis shared, I’m content.”
“What’re you hearing, E?” Trent asked, eyes squinting down the table at him.
The pastor’s eyes opened. He sat up and chuckled. “Incongruently, I’m sensing a connection at this table.”
Wynter snorted as she peered down the long dinner table. “We see the connection.”
The pastor took a sip of water, unhurried.
“Y’all leave my strange man to his Maker. Y’all know he rarely stays on planet earth.” His wife rubbed his shoulder and back soothingly.
“He’s our guy, Lex.” Jade’s head fell to the side. “You know we stay fishing for a Word from on High.”
Tobias laughed next to me. But the others wouldn’t take their eyes off the preacher.
He placed his elbows on the table and rubbed his hands together. “A business deal of sorts. A partnership.”
Everyone looked around at each other.
“Who?” Wynter asked.
“We had the collaboration today,” Jade explained. “Trent and Raj finally brought your vision to fruition. The Thanksgiving dinner for their charities was a success.”
The pastor shook his head. “This feels professional. I’m sensing a career transition. Two radical ones.”
That had everyone, once again, glancing around the table. I wasn’t the only one confused.
“Oh!” Jade tweeted, straightening her spine while catching eyes with her husband. “I guess this is as good a time as any to share.” Trent shrugged at her in agreement. Jade turned back toward the table. “I just closed on the fourth location of my salon business.”
“The nail salon?” LeRoy asked.
Jade nodded. “Yup. I’ve got two here in Jersey, one in New York, and the other in Philly. We’re now talking to a contractor about putting together a design for each location. They need to be uniform no matter where they are.” She glanced down the table. “ThinkB-Way Burger. Every restaurant looks the same whether you’re standing inside or outside. I meet with him next week to see his designs.”
“And what’s next?” Tori’s husband asked.
“Me, cutting a check.” Trent’s brows lifted. The table laughed at that, me included. Jade melted into him with an embarrassed expression. “She’s got lots of shit to do, which is why I’ve been staying on her lil’ ass. She’s been sitting on it for years now, being so afraid, thinking it would take away from what she does for our family. It’s been a dream of hers for way too long. I’m ‘bout to wrap this ball life up. It’s time for her to spread her wings and see dreams can come true for her, too.”
Jade reached up and kissed him. “You are my dream. Every day.”
It was such a cute and sincere, candid moment. I almost felt guilty for watching.
“So sweet,” LeRoy cried, his chin resting on his knuckles.
It was. My hand tightened around Tobias’ under the table.
“So, what’s next?” Tori asked, passing her baby to her husband. “I’m ready to support a Black-owned nail salon.”
“A lot.” Jade exhaled. “I have to hire staff…train staff—”
“Holy shit,” Tobias steeled next to me. His hooded eyes fell on me.
