Page 51 of Unexpectedly In Love

She sighs, and her eyes sadden. “I don’t fit their um criteria.”

“What does that mean?” I can feel myself becoming angry.

“I’m not what they’re looking for. I love their brand, but the manager said he had a certain look in mind and I wasn’t it,” Anise replies as she kisses the top of Kai’s head.

What’s the look? You’re fucking beautiful.

“Is it a race thing?” My throat tightens, because in my mind not everything is about race, but it is a factor.

She shrugs. “I mean the email said they wanted to diversify but I am not the look. My girl Amy got contract, so I am good.”

Kai begins to fall asleep in her arms.

“The manager was so rude. He was like, ‘You’re pretty for a black girl, but not for this campaign.’ Maybe I’m being too silly.”

“What’s the name of the brand?” I am highly annoyed.

“Senica Cosmetics,” she replies and carries Kai to his crib. “I will feed him when he gets up. Was he good?”

I smirk at my son. “That’s a future president in the making.”

She stands in front of me with her hands folded over her chest. My hands are now in my pocket.

“Can I be honest?” she asks, her nails dig int arms.

I nod. I want her to be honest, it was my only way of insight. My way to see who Anise really is.

“For a year, I stepped back from being an influencer to focus on Kai and to hide.” Her eyes peer into mine, and I feel a hint of guilt.

“To hide…from me.” Shit, she was hiding from me.

“I decided to become a social media manager. I’m good at it, but I like to be in front of the camera than behind.” She sighs. “Senica was my big relaunch.”

She wipes her eyes away quickly. My skin prickles uncomfortably and my throat constricts. The realization hits me hard. It was me I’m the one that stole her joy away…. again.

“It’s just one contract, I will be back in no time,” Optimism shines on her face again. I need to fix all of this.

“Tomorrow is brunch at Sage’s place. But I asked her if it could be here?” I said.

Her eyebrows raised. “Excuse me?”

“Zac suggested that we BBQ, while you all brunch inside. I told him, I can cater and he looked appalled.” I swallow waiting for her to say something.

“You, Eryx Demopoulos, called Sage, Cassia and Ms. Rosemary Loveridge?”

“I called Zac. He put me on to Sage, and well the rest is history.”

She rubs her chest in circles. “My sisters agreed to this?”

“Well, so far, yes.”

“Okay, cool. Are you okay with this?” she asks.

Was I okay? Since Kai and Anise moved in, my life has been …. I don’t know, different. But was I okay? “Yeah, I am.”

She nods. “Cool I have work to do so.”

“About this morning,” I invaded her space, stuffing my hands in my pocket.

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