Page 9 of Love Set Me Free

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m forever grateful. Thank you.”

As he spoke, his voice cracked, and she could tell he needed a moment to gather himself within the embrace. She didn’t mind. He could take as long as he needed. Eventually, he pulled away, swiping his thumb across his nose and sniffing. Paisley took a step back.

“I’ll let you get settled. Feel free to wash up and change… get comfortable. We can eat when you’re finished.”

Kydrick nodded, looking a bit overwhelmed, and Paisley didn’t blame him. She felt overwhelmed too.

After pulling the door shut behind her, she let out a deep breath before making her way back downstairs and grabbing her phone from her purse. She quickly called Tiana, who answered within a second as if she’d had her phone in her hand waiting on the call.

Before Paisley could say anything, Tiana asked, “Why’d you hang up on me earlier? Is Kydrick home? Your location says you’re at home.”

Ignoring her first question, Paisley said, “Yeah, we’re home. He’s just getting settled, and then we’re going to eat.”

“How is he?”

Tiana was three years younger than Paisley, but she grew up with Kydrick always being around. Her entire family cared abouthis wellbeing, and it made Paisley feel a lot less alone through the years.

“He’s good, Sis. Can you let everyone know he’s alright? I think he just needs some time to get adjusted to being out. It’s honestly weird for me. I can’t imagine how he’s feeling.”

It took a moment for Tiana to respond. When she did, her voice dropped almost into a whisper.

“Are you finally going to tell that man how you feel? You don’t have the excuse that he’s locked up anymore.”

“Bye,” Paisley muttered before hanging up on her sister again.

Nerves filled her as she thought about what Tiana said. At some point Paisley and Kydrick needed to talk about whatever was brewing between them, but she didn’t think that moment needed to come tonight.

After quickly sending her mom a text about dinner the following night, she walked into the kitchen and put her phone on the charger she had in there before sorting the food out. When she finished, she sat at the center island and got lost in thought.

For some reason, her mind drifted to Janelle, causing a frown to etch on her face. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what her old best friend was doing today. She wondered if the woman even cared that Kydrick had been released from prison. A part of her felt like it should have been the three of them celebrating this day together. It had always been the three of them, and although they were many years removed from Janelle and Kydrick’s break up and time moved on, there were many things that were forced to stay frozen in time.

They never had the chance to navigate the break up or their new friendship dynamic as a trio in real time or in person because Kydrick was locked up. There were a lot of things they hadn’t gotten the chance to experience—both good and bad.Now that he was out, it was like the clock on those things started ticking again, and she knew there would be some hurdles, which worried her. Now that she thought about it, a lot of things worried her at the moment. She felt a little lost with no goal in front of her, nothing to fight for, no problem to solve. So much time had been spent on Kydrick that she wasn’t sure what to do now that she could relax.

“What you in here thinking about?”

Startled, Paisley looked behind her and then offered Kydrick a small smile. She smelled the men’s Dove soap she bought for him emanating from his skin, and he looked refreshed in a pair of sweats and a T-shirt.

“Nothing,” she lied. “You okay? Do you need anything?”

He chuckled before putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her into him. He smelled so good to her, and she wanted to stay just like this forever.

“You gonna keep asking me that, ain’t you?”

“Probably,” she admitted.

He shook his head, but a small smile danced on his lips as he took a seat next to her and reached for the nearest box of food.

“You ain’t eat yet?”

“I was waiting for you.”

“You ain’t have to do that, P.”

“I know, but I wanted to. I haven’t had Sazón since…”

He stopped opening containers and peered at her.

“Since when?”

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