Page 74 of Surrender to Love

Giselle came into my life at her company picnic, and to my surprise, she was already friends with Alex. Giselle introduced me to Reya and we bonded over DAZ. Our friendships seem destined and we are stuck together for life. I can’t imagine life without them and I can’t have my day without them by my side. To make everything official, I grab the mini cheesecakes with the ring toppers and place them in front of my friends.

“Will you three stand with me as I marry the man of my dreams?” I ask and I get a resounding yes from all three.

Tonight is as perfect as I imagined.

EIGHTEEN

Baby: They said yes!!!

Me: Good. You knew they would.

Baby:

Baby: What did your brothers say?

Me: They said yes too.

Baby: It’s all working like we planned. I love you and I’ll be there later. We are finishing, so I can leave in an hour.

Me: Stay there. I’m coming.

Baby: No. You have to work tomorrow, that doesn’t make sense.

Me: Makes sense to me. Stay, baby.

Baby: OK

“Damn, bruh, I can see all thirty-two from here,” Deuce says when I look up from my phone.

“I know that look. It’s wifey. The party’s over,” Quintus says, then chuckles.

“Bruh, we’re leaving anyway,” I say, then stand. “I gotta tell her y’all niggas said yes to being my groomsmen.”

I laugh and so do they. I didn’t even have to ask them. I just go along with her because I’ll do anything to see that pretty smile on her face. Tonight was our normal bullshitting, eating, drinking, and smoking night. I just started it by telling them I asked and she said yes. That’s all they needed to know. What’s understood doesn’t have to be explained. They are my brothers; of course they are standing beside me when I marry my baby. No ask is needed.

“Congrats again, bruh,” Ace says before embracing me. He daps our brothers next then heads out.

“Yeah, Sis is a good look for you,” Deuce adds.

“’Preciate that,” I tell him and we dap.

“I’m happy for you,” he says before leaving the booth. It’s Friday night and almost ten. The bar is starting to get packed; he’s gotta get back to work.

Tre follows Deuce and I turn to Quintus. “You staying in Diamond Falls tonight?” I ask.

“Nah, I’m going to get my wife and stay at the condo with her since Niya’s with Shuga.”

“Then roll with me. We don’t need to drive two whips. I can follow you to your crib then you ride with me.”

“Bet. That’s better but I’ll drive your truck. I’m sober. Your ass isn’t.”

“I’m straight but you can fo’ sure drive. I’m tired as shit from today. I opened and closed. Tre’s going to open in the morning for me but he can’t do shit under the hood.”

“I’m going to see what we can do for Niko because that situation is crazy. I’ll put one of my junior associates on it Monday.”

“Definitely ’preciate that, not just for the shop but for him. Since he’s been out, he ain’t been doing nothing but working and staying out of trouble. That shit that went down was foul as fuck.”

We exit Deuce’s private booth then leave. I follow him to his crib, and after he puts his truck in his garage, I move to the passenger side and he slides into my ride. I only had one glass of brown tonight, so I’m nowhere near lit but I am tired as fuck. My eyes are heavy as hell and struggling to stay open as he drives to Crescent Falls. When we make it, Sis is still at Kyrah’s. She hugs me for so damn long as soon as she sees me.