Rituals for Love (9781476761893) (2 page)

I reached for my perfume and dabbed it on my wrists, behind my earlobes and trailed a bit in my cleavage. It was time to get dressed. I slipped out of my bra—I didn't need it—and into my dress. I grabbed my heels and purse and then regarded myself one last time in the mirror. Flawless.

R
ow after row, cars filled nearly every parking space at Rituals. I pulled into my reserved spot next to Bria's SUV. I was late, but not as late as I thought I'd be. I stepped out of my car and smoothed my dress down. It wasn't a surprise party so, thankfully, I didn't need to feign shock. I was a terrible actress. All I had to do was get inside, greet my guests, and have a great time. Bria and Milan convinced me to have a party. I wasn't fond of making a big deal of my birthday. I loved to plan parties for others but, for myself, I preferred a more low-key approach. Drinks with my closest friends. A quiet dinner with family. Definitely not the production I was about to walk into inside Rituals. I provided Bria with my guest list, which had only thirty or so people on it, and she got carried away with the rest. She saw my party as an opportunity to network with our distributors, radio executives, and anyone else she saw as a potential partner for building our brand. I didn't mind. As long as the people I cared about were in attendance, it would be a fabulous night.

I approached the front doors and could hear the music from inside. Before I could step across the threshold, Bria was pulling me into the main dining room.

“First,” she quickly fired, “you look amazing. Second, you're late.”

“Thank you.” I pulled my arm from her grasp. “And let go.”

“Oh, the diva has entered the building.” Bria laughed. “I hope you're ready to party tonight.”

I surveyed the dining room. “It's a little light this evening.”

“You aren't here to work, Jade.”

“I know. I'm just making an observation.”

“I told you I had tonight covered. The restaurant was packed earlier. We stopped taking reservations at seven. These remaining tables will be empty within the hour. You need to be concerned about your party. The lounge is filled with people here to celebrate you. And, as I already said, you're late.”

“Isn't the birthday girl allowed to make an entrance?”

“I told you to be here no later than nine-fifteen and you come sashaying in the door forty-five minutes late.”

“No one arrives to their own party on time.”

Bria shook her head. “I should have known we couldn't trust you to do the right thing.”

I laughed. “Please don't spend the entire night talking about my lateness. I'm here now, so let's turn up.”

“Turn up?” Bria nodded. “That's what I want to hear.”

We headed into the lounge and, right on cue, the deejay announced that I had arrived. I was immediately surrounded. I spoke to everyone, hugged some, shook hands with others, all while trying to make it over to my table. One of our liquor suppliers had draped an arm across my shoulders and started to tell me all about a new flavored vodka we needed to stock in our bar. He brought a case with him, for my birthday he claimed, and wouldn't let me go unless I promised to take a shot with him later. Just as I was about to pry myself from his grip, Milan walked up and whisked me away.

“Happy Birthday, Jade!” She snatched me into a hug.

“Thank you,” I said, pulling away. “You have perfect timing.”

“I was at the table and saw the look on your face. Who was that?”

“A fast-talking, vodka-selling, space-invading piece of work.”

“Sounds like you can use a drink.”

“In a minute. I have to speak to a few more people.”

“Your brother and cousin are at the bar, and Nolan and Ernest are at the table.”

“Where's Cain?”

“I haven't seen him. I thought you were coming together.”

“He was supposed to meet me here.” My eyes scanned the room.

Milan pointed toward the entrance. “Wait, is that him coming in?” She started waving him over before I had a chance to reply. “I'll be at the table and your first drink will be waiting for you.”

“I haven't decided what I'm drinking yet.”

“We have a signature cocktail for the night called the Jade Lady.”

“I think I'll keep it simple with champagne.”

“No, you won't. We created this cocktail just for you.”

I scrunched my nose. “I can't wait to try it. I'll be over as soon as I finish my rounds.”

Milan weaved her way back through the crowd while six feet three inches of chocolate goodness approached me. He reached for me and my hand instinctively went to the back of his head. Our lips met as our bodies touched, his arm firmly holding me to him. I could feel him smiling as he kissed me. I tilted my head back and looked up at his face.

“Happy birthday, beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

He grasped my hands. “I'm sorry I'm late.”

“Let me guess. Your flight was delayed.”

“Yes, it was.”

“I seem to remember someone suggesting that you return yesterday,” I said,with a smirk.

“I think it was your cocky sidekick who said that.”

I playfully tugged my hand away. “She's a smart woman.”

“One of the many reasons I love her.”

“And she loves you.”

“Are you enjoying your party?”

“I haven't been here long. I was in the midst of greeting my guests before you arrived.”

“All right, I'll go grab a drink. By the way,” he leaned down to whisper in my ear, “you are absolutely ravishing.”

I pecked him on the cheek and continued with my hellos. I couldn't believe how many people had come out to celebrate my birthday. I wasn't sure I even knew everyone that was there. I'd have to ask Bria and Milan who some of the people were.

The deejay was spinning, hors d'oeuvres were being passed, and people were being social. I had finished working the room and went to speak to my brother, Terrence, and cousin, Fitz, at the bar. I came up behind them and interrupted their conversation. “You two clean up nicely.”

“Happy Birthday, little sis.”

“Hey, cousin. Happy Birthday.”

I hugged them at the same time, one arm around each of them. “Thanks, guys.”

“You've got a nice turnout,” Terrence commented.

“Leave it to Bria,” I said. “I don't even know some of these folks.”

“You're not supposed to know every single person,” Fitz replied. “That's part of the appeal of going to a party. Meeting new people.”

“Spoken like a consummate bachelor,” I said.

Terrence laughed.

“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.

J
ade 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.

•  •  •

M
Y HOUSE IN
O
LD
W
ESTBURY
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.