by Nia Arthurs
“What the…?” He pressed the button in rapid-fire strokes and watched the pictures change over and over again.
Someone stirred behind him. It was James waking up.
Luke scrambled over to his cousin, the laptop held tightly in his grip. “Who made this?”
“You did.” James groaned. “Oh, my head hurts.”
“I did?” The moment those words spilled from his lips, the memories shot back into his brain. Luke almost dropped the laptop. “Where’s my phone?”
“What?” James winced.
He scrambled over to Harold and nudged the large man over on his side. “Harold, have you seen my phone?”
“Mfff,” he grumbled.
Luke darted to the sofa and lifted every pillow until his phone clattered to the cushions. He scooped it up and scrolled through his messages, staring at the screen in horror.
“What?” James asked, walking up behind him.
Luke ran a hand through his hair. “I texted Ashanti to meet me. Tonight. At the café.”
“Oh yeah,” James said. His eyes were smaller than usual since he was still half-conscious. He smoothed the front of his wrinkled white button up as he spoke on a yawn, “Your big confession is tonight.”
Luke tapped the screen. “No, no, no. I can’t do this.”
“Why?”
“It’s crazy, that’s why.”
Before Luke could type a message recanting his invitation, Ashanti replied.
ASH: I’ll be there.
The phone slipped from his fingers as Luke groaned. He whirled on James, black eyes flashing. “This is your fault!”
“Me?”
“It was your stupid idea.”
“It’s better than doing nothing.” James pushed Luke away. “I have court at eight. Wake Harold before Lin breaks my door down looking for him.”
Luke sank into the couch and half-heartedly poked Harold with his foot. “Wake up, man.”
Harold snored in response.
Feeling miserable and not particularly kind, Luke yelled—“Lin! I can explain! I swear!”
Harold shot straight up like a man possessed, his face creased in fear. He held a hand over his head and flinched. “Lin?”
“James said to go home,” Luke said evenly.
Harold blinked. “Come on, man.”
“Sorry.”
James chased them out of his house. Luke only had time for a quick shower and an outfit change at his apartment before rushing to the café to meet Uncle Eddie.
Nerves did a number on him all day. He could barely concentrate on orders and giving back the correct change. Luke caught himself biting his nails several times—a habit he’d given up years ago.
The plan that had seemed like such a great idea last night, terrified him in the light of day. Sharing emotions and being affectionate were not high on his family’s list of priorities.
Yong Chung had never told Luke that he loved him and Luke didn’t expect to hear those words.
How was he supposed to say them to Ashanti?
After closing, Luke freshened up in the bathroom and pulled on a fancier shirt over his regular T-shirt. He half-hoped Ashanti didn’t show up, but the other, quieter part of him hoped she did.
Luke needed Ashanti in his life. Point blank. Period.
There was no way he was losing her and if he had to make a sappy speech to keep her in his life, then that’s just what he’d do.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ashanti parked outside the café but made no moves to get out of the car. The street was dark, silent. The café’s shutters were pulled, which meant that Luke had forgotten he’d asked her to come or she was supposed to enter through the side door.
One minute passed.
Two.
“Are you going in or not?” she mumbled to the car.
Despite her question, Ashanti remained seated.
She almost hadn’t shown up tonight. She’d wrestled with her decision to give Luke one last chance all through getting ready, grabbing her keys, and driving down here.
Ashanti knew she was acting out of character. Running from her problems had never been her thing. But Luke was different. He wasn’t just some guy that she happened to find attractive and entertaining.
He was her friend.
Her closest friend.
Her best friend, though she didn’t like throwing that word around.
It sucked to be anyone’s consolation prize, but especially his. They had more to lose. The moment they made things official, they ran the risk of not working out, ruining their friendship.
It was a huge gamble and one she wasn’t sure Luke had considered.
If he had, maybe he wouldn’t have thrown around the ‘I like you’ phrase as easily, especially when he didn’t mean it. Especially when Michelle was still in his heart.
She shook her head. Ashanti had spent all of yesterday drowning her troubles in ice cream and old romantic comedies. Her hips certainly didn’t thank her for the mini-meltdown and the headache she’d had after thirty minutes of crying was a cruel reward.
She’d almost called her dad to talk, but decided not to. Her father always tried to ‘fix’ her problems and he’d just contact Luke on his own.
Ashanti didn’t want Luke to know how hurt she was.
Because then he would know how deeply she cared.
“Whatever.” She yanked her keys out of the ignition. “I’ll just see what he has to say and then wing it from there.”
Since the front was locked, she trudged to the side door and found that it was open. Curious, Ashanti pushed inside and paused in the kitchen so her eyes could adjust to the darkness.
Light from the café’s main room spilled onto her path, illuminating her way. Ashanti stepped cautiously past the ovens and metal shelves and into Luke’s coffee station where he made drinks.
The room was dark except for a large square of light reflected on the wall. Ashanti froze where she stood as music played and footage of her life with Luke played before her eyes.
She smiled at the throwbacks of them in primary school. She’d forgotten how much nerdier Luke had looked back then. He was still cute, but… dang. That shaggy haircut had done him no favors.
Her smile grew fonder when the pictures progressed to high school. Those were the years they’d gotten closer as friends. Ashanti covered her mouth as each picture brought back a flood of memories.
Even when she knew she was ‘bothering’ him, Luke never made her feel like a nuisance. In turn, his patient, quiet care of her was refreshing. Emboldening. Ashanti never doubted that Luke had her back.
A flood of selfies memorialized their college years and Ashanti cringed when she saw some of those photos. She had just done the big chop and some of the styles she tried with her new growth were not cute. At all.
By the time the song was over, the footage was finishing too. It ended with a slide that said simply, ‘There is no Luke without Ashanti’.
Touched, Ashanti walked deeper into the room. She saw Luke approaching her. He was lit only by the glow from the projector but she saw that he wore a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. His hair had been brushed too so he looked far more cleaned up tonight than he had on their date.
“What is all this?” she asked breathlessly.
“This is my apology for being a moron,” Luke said.
She tilted her head.
“Ashanti… yesterday, before our date, Michelle called me. She was drunk at some bar and the line clicked off. I got worried and took her home. We officially ended things and I told her how I felt about you.”
Ashanti’s heart thudded, but she didn’t want to let him off the hook that easy. “Why did you even go to her in the first place?”
“Because she needed that rescue. She needed closure. And I’d been so up and down with her, I think I needed it too.” He took her hand. “And now it’s over.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.” Luke stepped so close she had to crane her nec
k to see into his dark eyes. “I don’t want you to doubt where you stand with me, Ashanti. You’ve always been by my side. You belong there. I won’t accept anyone else.”
“Luke…” She put a hand to her chest, melting despite her instructions to stand strong.
He ducked his head, looking adorably flustered. “I’m not good with words, and I might not always remember to tell you how I feel about you. But I do love you, Ash. As more than a friend. And no matter how strange this new side of our relationship is, I want to explore every inch of it with you.”
Ashanti drew nearer and threw her arms around his neck. “Liar.”
Luke tilted his head.
“You said you weren’t good with words, but that was nice.”
Luke chuckled. “Does that mean you forgive me?”
“That depends?”
“On?”
“Whether you’re giving me coffee.”
“As much as you want.” He grinned.
Ashanti’s gaze caught on his mouth. The tension thickened as Luke slowly lowered his head and captured her bottom lip with his mouth. It was an explorative touch, like a man prowling land that was once forbidden.
Her breath hitched and her eyes fell shut. Ashanti didn’t know her heart could pound this hard. Didn’t know electricity could skitter over her nerves like fire. Didn’t know Luke could produce this much of a reaction from her.
Her hands twisted into the fabric of his shirt. She tilted her head, welcoming his invasion. Egging him on when he got more confident. A moan broke free from his throat and she smothered it with her mouth.
When he pulled back her tongue flickered over her bottom lip, tasting him there. “That was so much better than my dream.”
“Since your dream wasn’t really a dream, I take offense to that.”
Silence fell. She studied him with half-hooded eyes. “So, we’re really doing this.”
“Yeah.”
“We’re dating.”
“That’s generally how this works.”
“Shut up.” She swatted his arm.
He let his hand drape her waist. “I saw your article in my feed this morning. It hurt to read those words. I kept imagining that guy hitting you and it made me angry.” His fingers danced over the bruise on her jaw. “Is it still tender?”
“You ask that after you kiss me?”
Luke didn’t smile at her joke. Instead, he got serious, almost pensive. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“Relax.” She pressed another quick kiss to his lips. “See? It’s all good.”
His shoulders released their tension and he pushed her back into a barstool. Luke leaned over, caging her in with either hand gripping the counter behind her. “Now that you’re officially mine, we’re going to need some rules.”
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow.
“First, no more running off investigating dangerous drug dealers without some help. If you can’t wait till I’m done at the store, take Tara or that receptionist guy.”
“Byron?” Ashanti laughed.
“Take someone. Don’t go by yourself.”
Ashanti was slightly distracted by how handsome Luke looked bearing over her like that. Her voice was husky as she said, “What’s number two?”
“Don’t avoid the store when you’re mad at me. I like seeing you everyday. Even if we don’t speak.”
Tingles slid through her middle. Oh, that’s it. She had to kiss him.
Her fingers curled into his shirt and she tugged him closer. “Anything else?”
“That.” He nudged her nose with his own. “Don’t look at any other man the way you’re looking at me right now.”
“Deal.” She pulled him in for another kiss and another.
Luke and Ashanti spent much of that first hour wrapped in the euphoria of a realized love, exchanging kisses and talking about their day. It was a bit of their old relationship mixed with the new and she soaked in every minute of it.
When they came up for air again, Ashanti addressed the elephant in the room. “Have you talked to your parents lately?”
Luke groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“What?”
He ran a hand over his jaw and rested his arm on the counter. “I haven’t spoken to my mom since last week when she basically told me to jump off a bridge.”
Ashanti gasped. “She didn’t.”
“Not in those words, but that was the gist. Mom is standing down now that Yeye’s involved, but she’s not happy about it.”
“I’m supposed to meet Nai Nai this Saturday to go shopping at the market. Maybe she’ll show up and we can bond.”
“I don’t think so…” Luke said gently.
Ashanti lost her false cheer and hung her head. “Me either.”
“Ash,” he took her hand and gently ran his thumb along the back of it, “there’s a real possibility that my mother won’t ever accept us.”
“I’m sure she’ll soften when we have kids.” Ashanti realized what she’d said and pulled her hand away from Luke. She didn’t want him thinking that she was moving too fast. “I mean, if we eventually decide to go that route. Or if we’re even together—”
He reached for her hand and pulled it back to him. “Even after we get married and have children, she might not want to be a part of our or their lives.”
Ashanti’s joy at Luke talking about marriage and a future with her was dampened by the prospect of her potential children never knowing their grandparents.
What if they had questions? Would she be forced to look into their innocent eyes and tell them their own blood didn’t want to see them because they were mixed with black?
“Hey.” Luke kissed her palm. “Let’s not worry about something that hasn’t happened yet.”
“You’re right.” She forced a smile.
He noticed and stared deeply into her eyes. “No matter what my parents say, I choose you. I will always choose you.”
Ashanti softened. “I know.”
He squeezed her hand and asked, “Then why do you still look worried?”
“The night she came to my house to beg me to break up with you, your mother told me the proverb of the fish and the bird. She said we were like that, two creatures who fell in love but couldn’t be together. That we came from different worlds.”
Luke winced. “I’m sorry.”
“No. Don’t apologize.”
“She had no right to say that,” Luke insisted.
“It makes me wonder if someone hurt her, you know? Like she was so adamant about that. She doesn’t hate me for no reason. She genuinely believes we can’t be happy together.”
“Then it’s our job to prove her wrong,” Luke said firmly.
Ashanti’s heart warmed and she decided to tease him. “So who’s idea was all this?” She gestured to the projector.
“What? You don’t think I’m capable of a big romantic gesture?”
“No.”
“Ouch.” Luke rubbed his chest. “That hurt.”
“Was it Weng? James? Harold? All three?”
“It was alcohol,” Luke admitted with a laugh. “And James and Harold. But mostly the alcohol.”
Ashanti blinked. “Wow. That just ruined the effect for me.”
“Can’t you give me credit for going through with it?” Luke asked.
“Nope.” She tried to hold a stern face but her lips trembled and she ended up smiling hard.
Luke rested his hand on the counter and leaned his head against his fist. He said nothing for a long while, just watched her with disbelief on his face.
“What?” Ashanti asked, squirming beneath his intense stare.
“I just… can’t believe I waited this long to kiss you.”
Ashanti laughed. “Then I guess we have a lot to make up for.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Make this quick,” Yong Chung said as he fell into the seat across from Luke a few days later. “Your mom thinks I went out to buy gas.”
Luke nodde
d and watched his father. Yong Chung wore a deep scowl. His hair was thinning in the front and brown spots dangled right along his hairline. His dad looked older and Luke realized it had been far too long since they’d seen each other.
“I wanted to ask something.”
“If it’s about that girl, the answer is no,” his dad said abruptly. “Your mother and I are united on that front.”
“Then why did you come to see me?”
“Because you’re my son.” Yong Chung stared gravely at his weathered hands. “A father never forgets his son.”
Luke swallowed. Most of the time, he didn’t think about the split with his parents, but in moments like these it struck him hard.
In his ideal world, his parents would accept Ashanti with open arms and they would be one big, happy family. But reality wasn’t so kind.
At the very least, he wanted a better explanation for it all than ‘we don’t like her because she’s black’.
His parents had raised him to be fair and treat everyone as equals. Their stores didn’t discriminate. They served all ethnicities from the Garifunas, to the Mayans, to the Creoles.
Where had all this racism come from?
Ashanti’s suspicion that his mother had a deeper reason for objecting to their relationship had latched onto his brain like a burr. If anyone could provide an answer to how Zhang Feng Yue’s mind worked, it would be her husband.
“Why is mom so against black people?” Luke blurted.
Yong Chung froze. “Excuse me?”
“I know you two wouldn’t have been this upset if Ashanti was white or even Hispanic. There has to be something more.”
“What are you insinuating?”
“Is it because Aunt Jin’s store got robbed last summer and the culprits were black? Or did one of her friends—?”
Yong Chung half-rose. “Is this what you came to ask? I can’t help you, Luke.”
“So there is something?” Luke mused.
His father returned to his seat and folded his hands into his lap. “Nothing happened to us personally, but we’ve heard the stories. We’ve seen the news reports. Black people are behind most of the crimes in the Western world. They are wild and uncultured. Can’t you see that?”
“Even if you’re right—and just so we’re clear I don’t think you are—Ashanti can’t be brushed with that stereotype. You’ve met her. She’s kind, well-spoken, and educated. She fights for the disadvantaged and gives the trampled a voice.”