Rituals for Love (9781476761893)

by Ray, Shamara

  “You’re laughing? A brother gets engaged and forgets that he used to be king of all bachelors. It wasn’t long ago that you were in my shoes.”

  “It’s been long enough.”

  “Where is Dru?” I asked. Dru was my brother’s fiancée.

  “She’s out of town at a conference.”

  Dru had turned my brother’s life upside down, in a good way. Older than me by two years, for as long as I could remember Terrence would not settle down. He loved women and enjoyed the single life thoroughly. Until Dru. She was a psychiatrist with her own practice. As sweet as she was intelligent, she was good for my brother. It didn’t hurt that she had the tools to know what type of person she was dealing with.

  “I’m sorry she couldn’t make it,” I said. “Let’s make plans for the four of us to get together when she returns.”

  “Your mother wants us to come for Sunday dinner soon.”

  “I see how this works. The two of you are just going to exclude me from plans now,” Fitz chimed in. “I never thought I’d see the day when my two favorite cousins would discriminate against me just because I’m single.” Fitz stood up. “Let me patrol the room and find someone I can bring to Sunday dinner.” He walked off chuckling.

  I shook my head. “As if he needs a reason to prowl for women.”

  “Sit down for a second.”

  I took Fitz’s abandoned chair at the bar. “Is everything all right?”

  He nodded. “Can’t I have a moment with my sister?”

  I smiled. “Of course.” I remembered the days growing up when we’d have one-on-one conversations about any and everything. From our made-up games to building tents in our bedrooms on a rainy Saturday, Terrence and I were the best of friends. He always had my back and I his. And though we remained close, with our individual lives flourishing, we didn’t get to spend as much quality time with each other. He was running our father’s architecture firm and I had Rituals. He had Dru and I had Cain. We were busy with our careers and personal lives. When the span between family visits became too long, our mother would corral us together for a family dinner. She was not going to let her family grow apart. In fact, I’d be expecting a Sunday dinner summons from her in a matter of days.

  “I saw Cain a few minutes ago.”

  “I know he just got here…late.”

  “He’s a good dude, Jade. I hope you didn’t give him a hard time.”

  “Now why would you think I gave him a hard time?”

  “Because I know you.”

  “It’s my birthday. I was responsible to get myself here, which I did, and have a good time—which I’m about to do right now. I am not about to worry about anything else.”

  “Uh-huh. I guess that’s why you mentioned it.”

  I cupped my ear and inched closer. “I can’t hear you.”

  “You heard me.” Terrence chuckled. “Go enjoy your party.”

  I hugged him. “I’ll see you a bit later.”

  I left my brother at the bar and went to join the others at our table. I had to do better when it came to spending time with him. I never wanted to lose the closeness that we shared and yet I felt it slipping away.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CAIN

  Jade hugged Nolan and Ernest, chattering away as she sat next to me on the sofa. She was in her element, amongst a bevy of friends that cared for her beyond measure. I watched her as she spoke with a lighthearted passion that shone through her words. People were drawn to her and I knew that from personal experience. Whether it was a casual conversation during a chance encounter or a lifelong friendship that began during childhood, her energy slipped a lasso around you. The next thing you knew, you’d be tethered to her, temporarily or permanently, in one way or another.

  An assortment of spirits cluttered our table. Milan passed Jade a cocktail and saluted her best friend, setting off a round of toasts from everyone in our felicitous group. After five consecutive toasts, glasses were empty but quickly refilled. I stroked Jade’s back, gazing into her eyes. In that moment, I tuned out everyone and everything and let her lasso tighten around me.

  Milan cleared her throat before dragging Nolan off to dance. Bria announced she and Ernest would be checking on things in the kitchen.

  Jade broke eye contact and watched her friends flee. “What did they say?”

  “I missed you.”

  “That is not what they said.”

  “You’re coming home with me tonight, right?”

  “I don’t know if I know you well enough to go home with you.”

  “I have something special waiting for you.”

  “I bet I can guess what it is. Is it with you right now?”

  “Can you be serious?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, giggling. “The Jade Lady is stronger than I thought.”

  I kissed her forehead. When Jade got tipsy, she got silly. I knew by the end of the night she wouldn’t be in any condition to be behind the wheel. I’d drive her back to my house and she’d be fine with it.

  I planned to bring her gift to the party, but since I was running late and unable to go home first, I’d give it to her in private. After a year together, Jade and I were still living in our respective homes. We preferred it that way. There were certain things we agreed that we wouldn’t rush and living together was one of them. There were weeks where night after night we stayed at either her house or mine, but there were also weeks where we slept separately at our own residences. We’d go out and spend time together; however, if I ended up at Jade’s house or she at mine, we would go home at the end of the evening. Sometimes you need your alone time. I was appreciative that we were both mature enough to acknowledge and accept that simple fact. Although if I were to be honest, in spite of our shared views, during our nights apart or especially when I was traveling, I wanted her with me. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. More and more, I was discovering that’s true.

  I took Jade’s hand and linked her fingers with mine. “I want to dance with the birthday girl.” I was coaxing her from the couch and over to the dance floor. I drew her body close and we moved as one to classic R&B. I knew her flow well, laid-back sexy. Jade was the kind of woman that when she danced all the fellas watched. The twirl of her hips was hypnotic and would have you swaying to the music before you realized you were moving in time with her. I was ready to take her home, but we still had to sing Happy Birthday and cut the cake. We had a couple more hours before she would be all mine.

  After a few songs, I led her back to our table and the drinking resumed. Milan and Bria made sure her glass was never empty. Since I was going to be the one to drive us home, I took it easy. Jade, on the other hand, was in overdrive.

  • • •

  MY HOUSE IN OLD WESTBURY wasn’t far from Rituals. Jade was in the passenger seat with her heels kicked off, dress hiked up, and talking in rapid run-on sentences about the great time she had at the party. It was nearly three in the morning. I cruised through the quiet neighborhoods, arriving home in record time. I parked in my driveway, got out of the car and walked around to open Jade’s door. She was struggling trying to slip her left foot into her right shoe.

  “You all right?” I asked, laughing, as I watched her fumble with the shoe. I kneeled down and helped her put the shoes back on. I held out my hand and assisted her as she got out of the car on unsteady legs. I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her to the front door.

  As soon as she stepped into the foyer she was pulling the heels off again. I hoisted all of her five feet plus a couple inches into my arms and carried her up the stairs and into my bedroom. I placed her on the bed. “Do you need help getting out of that dress?”

  “If you could unzip me in the back, I can handle the rest.”

  I obliged her request and then left Jade to her own devices. I started to undress myself. It had been a long day of business meetings, travel and partying. I wanted to take a long, hot shower. I peeled off my shirt, stepped out of my pants and carried
them into the closet to toss in the hamper. Jade was attempting to place her dress on a hanger, but since she hadn’t zipped it up, it kept slipping off. I gently removed it from her hands. “Let me do that for you.”

  “My girls wanted to get me drunk for my birthday and I think they did.”

  “Oh, without a doubt.” She was in her panties, and I was in my boxers. “Take a shower with me. I’m not sure I can trust you in there by yourself.”

  “I’m not that drunk!”

  “I know, baby. Take off your panties and let’s go shower.”

  “You first,” she said, with a mischievous grin.

  I removed my boxers and put them in the hamper. “Come here.”

  She slipped out of her panties and tossed them in my direction. “I told you I’m fine. Let’s go.”

  I followed her out of the closet and into the bathroom. She was at the sink removing pins from her hair. She shook it loose and it fell down to her shoulder blades. I opened the shower door and turned on the his and hers showerheads. Jade was directly behind me and nudged me inside, backing me up against the wall. The water cascaded over our bodies. She pressed her wet breasts on me and rested her face against my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist.

  I held her to me, stroking her back. “Baby?”

  “I’m savoring the moment. I wanted to feel this all week long.”

  I held in my laughter. She was such a cute drunk. She couldn’t even stand up straight in the shower. I reached for her shower sponge and poured on the body wash with her clinging to me. I began to gently lather her body, starting with her back and her arms, and then slowly pried the rest of her body off of mine. I steadied her as I washed her from head to toe. The entire time, with barely opened eyes, she rambled about missing and loving me and how we should throw parties every weekend. I held her beneath the shower head to rinse off the soap and then directed her to the shower bench. “Honey, sit down for a moment.” She sat back and leaned her head against the tile.

  I quickly bathed and then stepped out of the shower to dry off. I returned with two fluffy towels for Jade, one to wrap her hair and the other to dry her body. With slow, clumsy hands, she helped me tuck her hair up into the towel and then let me take care of her body. I enfolded her in the towel and led her back into the bedroom. I grabbed one of her pajama shirts from the dresser drawer and put her in it. She started buttoning it on her own and, needless to say, she missed a few. I left it just the way it was and got her tucked into bed. She puckered her lips for a kiss, then her head drooped to the side. I kissed her forehead and climbed into bed next to her. I pulled her close and she burrowed into me. Damn, I loved that woman.

  As I lie next to her, listening to her breathing fall into a rhythm, my mind drifted back to my meetings in Atlanta. Over the past few months, it had been difficult to get the staff quite right at Eden2. I had already been through two executive chefs and was interviewing for a replacement for the third time. Thankfully, the buzz was still building and people were getting to know us and our food. Maybe I wasn’t spending enough time in Atlanta cultivating the internal workings of the restaurant. At my Long Island location, my brother Jeremiah was the head chef, and he was just as invested in the success of the business as I was. In Atlanta, I understood it was a new venture which probably needed a lot more time for my staff to feel a connection or sense of ownership about working in my establishment. The last two chefs hadn’t caught on that Eden2 was an extension of my brand. I had given them creative control to integrate Southern elements into my existing menu from Eden, and there were certain dishes that I insisted must stay the same. Unfortunately, their offerings and the preparations weren’t on par with my expectations and they had to be let go. Thus far, the situation hadn’t been ideal, but I preferred to work out the kinks while the restaurant was relatively new, rather than have my brand tarnished with fare that wasn’t appealing. I had narrowed the choices to two chefs and planned to do things a little different. I informed them that my final consideration would be contingent upon a one-week residency at Eden under the watchful eye of Jeremiah. It would require them to travel from Atlanta to New York, but I would cover the airfare and hotel. It was unusual criteria, however, I wanted to find the right chef for my restaurant and put an end to the staff changes. I didn’t become successful in business by making poor choices and this was definitely a good one.

  Fatigue seized me and I held on to Jade, one of the best choices I had ever made.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  JADE

  My eyes opened to a darkened room and complete stillness. I had no perception of the time. Through a drowsy haze, I focused on the clock. It was just past nine. The heavy drapes blocked out the daylight. I was alone in the middle of Cain’s California King. I reached up and touched a damp towel perched crookedly atop my head. I stretched, untangled myself from the sheets, and hung my legs over the side of the bed. With leaden feet I headed into the bathroom.

  Face washed, teeth brushed and towel removed, I left the bedroom and wandered downstairs. I squinted as the light pouring through the living room windows washed over me. The aroma of coffee lured me down the hall toward the kitchen. Cain was seated at the table staring at his tablet. At least one of us looked refreshed. His head was clean-shaven, goatee freshly trimmed, and he was in a white robe.

  He looked up and snickered as I ambled into the room. “Good morning, ladies.”

  I turned, looking behind me. There was no one there. Cain’s eyes left my face, traveling downward. I followed his gaze. My pajama top, incorrectly buttoned, was partially exposing my goodies. “It’s too early for jokes,” I said, not caring about the shirt. “I need coffee.”

  “Sounds like somebody had too much to drink.”

  “Maybe a little.” I grabbed a mug from the cabinet and filled it with the piping hot liquid. “I blame Bria and Milan with their signature cocktails. I hope I didn’t do anything to embarrass myself.”

  “I thank them for the cocktails because you had a great time.”

  I couldn’t argue with him. My girls had really outdone themselves. The music, the food, the crowd—everything was great. Bria and Milan were like my sisters. I had known Bria since childhood and Milan since college. There were a lot of years and so many escapades between us. Naturally, we have had ups and downs but one thing was constant—our sisterhood. Friends may come and go, but sisters were for life.

  I joined him at the table. “There was only one thing missing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Cain…”

  “Yes?”

  “Stop toying with me. I want my gift.”

  He laughed. “All right. It’s actually two gifts.”

  I perked up. “Now I’m really excited.”

  He reached in his robe pocket and removed a small, gift wrapped box. He slid it across the table in front of me. “Happy Birthday, baby.”

  I smiled and wondered out loud. “What could be in here?”

  “Open it.”

  I ripped the paper off and removed the small lid from the box. One single key was nestled on a tiny satin pillow. I lifted the key from the pillow and held it between my fingers. “It’s a key.”

  “It’s not just a key. It’s a key to my home and home is where the heart is. That little key symbolizes something significant—that you reside in my heart. I love you and I want you to know that my heart and my home will always be completely open to you.”

  I closed my hand around the key and held it to my heart. “I love it, thank you.”

  “I have one more gift.” Again he reached in his pocket and extracted another small box. He set it down next to the first.

  I returned the key to its pillow and then snatched the paper off the new box. I peered inside and looked up at Cain. “Another key…to what?”

  “To Genesis.”

  There was a flutter in my chest. “Wait. Genesis?”

  “That’s what I said.” He was beaming.

  “Wait a minute.” I st
ood up. “This key is to Genesis?”

  “Yes.”

  “How? I mean, we discussed the possibility, but I didn’t think you were ready.”

  “I still need a bit of prodding, but I could see how passionate you were about it.”

  “Are you serious?” I asked, my voice raising an octave.

  “You’re holding just how serious I am in your hands.”

  “Oh my goodness…”

  “There’s no denying your business plan was good.”

  “Oh. My. Goodness.”

  “I bought the building.”

  “Oh my goodness!” I screamed.

  “Are you going to say anything else?”

  “We’re opening an eatery and spa in the city?” I asked, unable to conceal my incredulity.

  “We’re opening an eatery and spa in the city,” he echoed, with a gleam in his eyes.

  I screamed again and leapt into his lap. “I can’t believe this. Thank you, baby!”

  “Your reaction is all the thanks I need.”

  I leaned in and kissed him. “You have officially made this my best birthday ever.”

  “And I thought I would get this reaction when I gave you the key to my house.”

  “Oh, honey, I loved that gift, too.”

  “No, no. I see what it takes to get you going.”

  I kissed him again. “You have totally surprised me.”

  Cain and I had discussed the possibility of launching a business together numerous times. With the success of both of our restaurants and his vast experience in a myriad of other business ventures, it was a no-brainer. I was pushing for an establishment in Manhattan—a full-service spa offering a seasonal menu of light bites—but he was interested in a joint venture in Long Island. I never would’ve imagined that he’d buy a building that I casually mentioned would be perfect as we strolled through SoHo on a spring day. I even had the name picked. Genesis.

  In my mind, our collaboration was inevitable. Until we were ready, I intended work on polishing my business plan. This man saw my vision and had enough confidence in my ideas to move forward on them. I appreciated many things about Cain, but his ability to take the lead and have my best interests at heart was at the top of the list. My mother always taught me to let a man be a man. For some that would seem to be a bit old school; for me, it was sage advice. If you have the right man leading you down the right path, how could you not follow? I knew my mother didn’t mean that every man was worthy of leading and by no means should I follow someone blindly. She meant that a real man knew how to be a man for his woman and, in turn, I should respond accordingly.