Harlan smiled but not smug. Not possessive. Just assured. “That’s fair.” He didn’t ask for more.
Didn’t press for time or place. He simply nodded, like he understood that she needed to sit with herself first and that made her want him even more.
PRE-DINNER
Simple black dress. Off-the-shoulder. Soft and smooth with a small slit on the side. Classy. Confident. It fit her like it had been waiting in the closet for this moment.
Still, Sabine stood frozen in front of the mirror, earrings in her palm, one heel off, heart pacing like she’d been asked to givea TED Talk naked. She’d agreed to dinner. She’d said yes. She meant it and yet…she couldn’t stop thinking.
About how Harlan looked at her like she was a force. About how his voice didn’t rise to command but dropped low to invite. About how her body had responded, slowly but clearly—like it remembered what it felt like to be wanted without complication.
But she also couldn’t ignore the other thing pulsing underneath her ribs.
Adair.
The way he’d been calling more. Checking in more. Sounding like the man she used to beg him to be. And that night at Ade’s birthday, when his voice broke as he told her,“We really did…”
She was so in her head, she barely heard the FaceTime ring.
“Narri,” she answered, propping the phone up on the dresses while she clipped in one earring. “Thank God. Talk me down.”
“Girl, what?” Narri appeared on screen with a bonnet, lashes still flawless. “Is he ugly in person or something?”
“No! I’m serious. I feel like I’m cheating on my past or something. I haven’t been out on a date since…hell, before the divorce when I had a damn husband. It’s been work and Ade and?—”
“And healing,” Narri cut in. “Don’t play with your growth.”
Sabine sat on the edge of her bed, “but it feels fast. Or like…I don’t know. Like I’m betraying…Adair.”
“You don’t gotta marry the man. Let him wine and dine you. Be soft. Shit, let a man pull out your chair and make you laugh. You deserve that.”
Sabine smiled faintly.
“And listen,” Narri added, more playfully now, “Idon’tthink you should let him fuck. BUT…if youdo…” she leaned in close to the screen, eyes wide, “that’s a decision between you and me.”
Sabine snorted. “Narri?—”
“I’m just saying! Sometimes you gotta see if the chemistry translates.”
They both laughed, but the tone shifted when Narri suddenly went quiet. Not awkward quiet—that friendship quiet. The one they both knew to be funny but on the inside was cutting.
“I know how this feels,” she said, softer. “I...I’m going through this with Tate right now.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sabine’s brow furrowed.
“Because you got enough going on, Bine.” Narri shrugged.
“Never enough that I can’t be your rock too, A’Narri.”
At that, Narri sniffed. Sniveled, really and it threw Sabine completely off guard. Her friend cried forreasons, so there had to be areasonshe was crying when it came to Tate.
“I just…” Her voice cracked. “I love his bitch ass so much and he just can’t see that he’s hurt me. So bad, Bine. Hurt me so much I’m angry all the fuckin’ time now.”
“Oh Nar…” Sabine’s heart broke a little. “I know…” and she did. She was there every time Narri left Tate, packed up the babies, showed up on her doorstep saying,“I’m done for real this time.”
“I’m trying so hard to just…to just not let it win,” Narri said through tears. “But how can he say he loves me, and I’m just the mother of his kids? Why don’t I feel…good enough for him?”
Sabine stood up immediately, grabbing her phone, already typing. “I’m canceling. I’ll tell Harlan something came up.”