AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dad grunts. “What? I’m just stating facts.”
Wayne gazes at me lovingly. “Leslie is my fiancée. I plan to marry her.”
“So you’re really engaged? I thought it was a publicity stunt,” my mother murmurs before her eyes travel to my ring finger. “Oh, gosh. That’s a huge engagement ring. You’re getting married?” she asks in disbelief.
My eyes drift back to Wayne’s. Pride and endearment stare back at me. “Yes, we’re getting married soon. I was going to tell you once we have all the details,” I say, wanting my parents to know I would never get married without inviting them, no matter how big our differences were.
Dad’s stance is firm and commanding as he says, “Well, good. Glad you have good intentions for my daughter. I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong, and this is one of those times I’m glad to say I was wrong about your intentions with Leslie. So when is the wedding we didn’t know anything about?”
I open my mouth, prepared to tell them we don’t have a date. Wayne has been resistant to setting a date and putting it off year after year.
“We’ll get you the exact date next month, but the wedding will definitely be this summer,” Wayne cuts off my thoughts.
I don’t correct him, although I’m just as surprised as they are that there will be a wedding this summer. I look past my family at Wayne, who has remained beside me since this unexpected visit began.
“We need a moment alone,” I tell him.
“Come on and let me show you the backyard,” Jasmine offers my parents. “If that’s okay with you, brother.”
Wayne nods. “Sure, go ahead.”
Dad shakes Wayne’s hand and grins, clapping his soon to be son-in-law on the arm. “About time you introduced your bride to a preacher, son.”
Mom beams at us. “I don’t think I could be happier about this, Wayne. You are going to marry my daughter. My beautiful girl is getting married. The happiest day of her life.” She follows Leslie down the hall toward the back of our home, eager to see more of the house Wayne and I share.
Wayne sits beside me on the bed and takes my hands in his. He looks deeply into my eyes like he can read my soul through my dark brown irises. “You know I would never be ashamed of your ethnicity. I was not hiding you. I was protecting you. There’s a difference.”
“I know that, Wayne,” I assure him.
He nods, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows hard. “Good, I love everything about you–especially your beautiful brown skin. I love your mind, your personality, and how you showed up when I least expected it. When I saw you in that sneaker store, I knew you were mine. I just had to convince you of it. And now here we are, preparing to spend the rest of our lives together." He pulls me into his arms. “You ready to be my wife?”
“Are you sure you want to do it this summer?” I ask, wanting to ensure he didn’t feel pressured by my parents to set a date.
“I’ve wanted this for a long time. And now, it’s time,” he answers assuredly.
Within an hour, I go from anxiety and worry to having two things I thought would never happen. My parents are in our home, and we’re one step toward rebuilding our relationship. And Wayne Richards has done something I didn’t see coming today. He’s set a time frame for the wedding.
I fall deeper into his arms, and a tear slips down my cheek. “We’re getting married this summer. We have a wedding to plan.”
He holds me closer and whispers into my ear. “Let’s do this, babe.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
WAYNE
Stand For Something
We try to enjoy the next month following Les’s parent’s coming to our home. We set a date for our wedding in June and start planning. Seeing Les up and about, fussing over flower arrangements, gowns, cakes, and venues is lovely until the lie about her having an affair gets a second wind. She can’t leave the house without someone approaching her and saying something stupid. Her mood shifts back to the solemness from before. And that’s when I decide to take a stand.
I’m not upset with anyone for trying to make money on the internet, but there are ways to do things. Upsetting my woman is not the way. I will cut these snakes off at the head until they get the message—one by one.
My lawyer investigated how the latest rumor about Leslie started and recommended Jessica Talbert, a shark of a lawyer known for winning defamation cases. Jessica hired a forensic data scientist who determined Blogger Ellie Two Times started the rumor. Now, I could care less about what Ellie writes on her blog, but since it’s making Leslie unhappy, it’s pissing me off. My sister-in-law lost her life listening to this kind of nonsense about my brother. I will not lose Leslie. I. Will. Not.
“What are the next steps after the conference?” I ask Jessica Talbert as me and Leslie sit on the other side of her oakwood desk.
Two weeks ago, we devised a plan to be here today for a news conference to address the defamation. We could have doneit quietly, but this way, we are sending a message and putting other wreckless bloggers on notice.
Jessica splits her attention between me and Leslie. “She’s been sent a cease and desist letter, and since she’s the one who originally spread the story, a motion has been filed to get her into court.”
