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“I don’t know…”

“La’Belle,” she said firmly. “The first time I meet my son-in-law won’t be at your wedding. I just want to see this man you’re marrying for myself.”

I picked up the bag. “Fine.”

She walked me to the door and hugged me. “I’m proud of you, baby. I mean that.”

I headed back to the truck still sitting and knocked on the driver side window. It rolled down as Marco was putting up his seat.

“My mom made a to-go plate for you,” I said, lifting the bag.

He cracked a smile. “Tell her I said thank you.”

“Tell her yourself. She’s probably watching us through the window.”

He looked up at the house, and sure enough Mama was in the window watching us intently. He lifted a hand and she smiled before the curtains shifted back in place.

I leaned my head against the window and watched the city come back into view. All I wanted to do was go home and wash this whole day off me.

30 CARDEZ MONTAGUE

She was in her usual place on the sectional when I came in. The TV was on, but she wasn’t watching it. The energy felt different from the hostility that had filled the space the first few weeks.

I heard Aaliyah’s soft voice floating through the speakers and spotted a bottle of Gavi on the coffee table.⁠1 She looked like she’d gotten out of the shower not too long ago, her bonnet on, dressed in a little silk shorts set as she twirled the wine in her glass. She looked up when she heard me come in.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey.” I loosened my tie. “You eat?”

“My mother sent me home with enough food for two. You can have some if you want.”

I nodded and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. She was still nursing her wine when I came out.

I found the container in the fridge, and while the food warmed up, I mulled over what Priest told me. I’d planned on asking about it tonight, but she sounded exhausted. It could wait.

Plate in hand, I came back to the living room and sat on the opposite end of the sectional, keeping some distance between us. Belle went to the kitchen for another glass, poured some for me, then settled back in as her playlist kept going.

“How’s your mom?” I asked eventually.

She made a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh. “Her dramatic ass started tearing up when she saw the ring. She wants to meet you.”

“We can do that if that’s what you want.”

She nodded and leaned her head back against the cushion, looking up at the ceiling.

“What happened today?” she asked.

“What you mean?”

She turned her head, looking at me sideways. “Your energy feels heavy.”

“The usual. Work.”

She hummed and topped off her glass, then held the bottle toward me.

I shook my head. “Come here.”

I was testing the waters, trying to see if her exhaustion meant her guard was down.