Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 74450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“Don’t turn a blind eye to them. Just keep watch.” Azure’s phone began to buzz. She turned around and noticed it was her boo. “Speakin’ of the devil.” She grinned, then jumped out of the hot tub. “Y’all, I’ll be right back. Let me take this.”
“Tell Caspian we said hi!” Fatima yelled, followed by a giggle.
“Ask him if he got any sexy friends!” India chimed in as she jogged into the kitchen of Fatima’s home, the cool air beating her arms and legs.
“Hi, baby. Hold on a sec!” As she answered, Toni Braxton started to croon ‘How Many Ways.’ She made quick work to get the water off her, worried she’d catch cold. Then she wrapped the towel around herself.
“I’m sorry to bother you, baby,” came Caspian’s deep, sexy voice. “I know you’re having fun with your friends right now. Hate to disturb your girl’s night.”
“It’s not a bother, honey. Your time with Noah go well today?”
“Yes and no. I’ll fill you in later… but that’s not why I’m calling.”
“Oh… what’s up? Something wrong?” She could feel it in her gut. That gnawing feeling she had that morning as he was leaving her apartment had returned—the sensation that he would be forever changed, a different man, by the end of that day.
“A man called me… said he thinks he may be my father.” She heard her man take a deep breath, then exhale loud and hard. “We’re meeting tomorrow for dinner. I’d like you to come.”
Her voice caught in her throat. Surges of apprehension, excitement, and worry consumed her.
“…Yeah… yes, honey. Of course. No problem.” She nodded, taking a fleeting glimpse outside the patio doors to see her friends bobbing their heads to the music and talking. “I’ll be there. I take it he saw what you wrote online?”
“His son did. A guy named Jasper. Apparently, Jasper listens to my podcast and they both live here in Louisville. His name is Harrison McKinlay.”
“…Okay. Have you told anyone else?”
“Yeah. I texted Legend and Axel. Both of ’em seemed just as surprised as you. They were encouraging, nonetheless. I know the media is going to get a hold of this and have a field day. I can’t worry about that right now, though. I just have to stay focused.”
“Well, this happened fast now, didn’t it?” She gripped her phone, ignoring the drops of water falling from the ends of her hair onto the floor.
“Yeah, much sooner than I thought. I’m not gonna keep you—just wanted to update you. I have to run a couple errands tonight, so you may not hear from me until later.”
“Okay, no problem. Just text me when you get back home.”
“Okay, baby. I love ya. Have fun. Talk to you later.”
“I love you too, Caspian.” He ended the call before she could say anything more. She stood there, her mind going in a million directions. Setting her phone down on the counter, she clutched the towel and held it tight to her body. In the distance, Toni was singing her heart out and her friends were laughing and splashing the water.
I hope this man really is his father. Speak now, or forever hold your peace…
Chapter Twenty-Three
A large painting of bison grazing on a prairie hung next to him on a cream-colored wall at the Corner Café in Louisville. The wooden frame was slightly crooked and little splotches of what appeared to be ketchup stained the lower left corner of the artwork.
The place smelled of baked chicken wings, fries, and homemade pizza, noisy with gut-pouring laughter and rowdy conversation. Caspian scanned the room as he waited for Azure to return from the restroom. Two men stood by the front door, smoking. One looked a little like Axel’s father—but for sure it wasn’t him. The man had been admitted to hospital yet another time. This had been a continuous occurrence for the past few months. Fathers… are we better without them? I guess if they’re like Axel’s father, we may be. I’m so ready to get this over with.
He sipped his beer to the muted sounds of ‘Head Over Heels,’ by Tears for Fears. The meeting with his father initially had jolted feelings of excitement and anticipation. Now he felt nothing much at all, except impatience. Azure rushed towards him, her chunky beige wedge shoes slapping the floor with each step, and her obscenely long and beautiful locs in an updo. She held on tight to a balled-up brown paper towel in her hand, her dagger-shaped dark purple nails digging into the crinkled material. The frayed ends and fringe on her distressed light blue jean jacket swung with each step as she made a beeline to reclaim her seat.
“Here comes the beauty to my beast,” he teased as he got to his feet, allowing her to slip next to him. He made sure he sat at the outer end of the booth seat just in case he needed to leave this fucker in the dust. Make a clean getaway.