Page 120 of Forget Me

He caught my gaze in the mirror. “Want to jump in the shower?”

“No time.” I scanned my work-rumpled clothes. They’d have to do.

He lifted my hair, coiled it around his hand, and kissed the back of my neck. “We could be fast.”

There was thatweagain. I spun in his arms and kissed his cheek. I wanted to linger there, sniffing his aftershave and exploring all my favorite places on his body. “We have guests. Go say hi to Ben and your cousin while I wash my hands and put on lipstick, ’kay?”

“Okay.” He nuzzled into my neck, laying a kiss there, but a second later, he was gone.

I stared into the mirror at my huge pupils, my kiss-swollen lips. Fuck it. Let my family see how happy Mateo made me.

I washed my hands and slathered on some long-wearing lip stain that ought to stand up to a few more stolen kisses. I swapped my low heels for slippers and closed the bedroom door behind me.

Everyone squeezed into my tiny kitchen around Rosa. Ben arranged a bouquet of chrysanthemums in a vase while Cooper spoke quietly to his mother. Mateo stood at the stove, checking the potatoes.

“Hey, guys,” I said.

“Hey, sis.” Ben fluffed the flowers one last time and threaded through the others to hug me.

“Mimi,” Cooper said. “Everything smells delicious.”

“Thanks to your mother and Mateo.”

“Hard day at work?” Ben asked.

“Great day. You’ll never believe the donation I accepted.”

“The amount or the donor?” he asked.

“Both. Plus the person being honored.”

“Ooh. Do tell.”

“So Jamila Jallow walked into the office today—”

“Mila?” Cooper’s head snapped up. “How much?”

“Don’t be jealous. She told me it’s exactly what she gave to your foundation. One million.”

Ben whistled.

“But wait. Here’s the weird part. She said it was in honor of—get this—Natalie Jones.” Natalie was helping me plan next year’s gala. We weren’t leaving it to the last minute like Larissa had done. She’d been showing me some brochures for venues when Jamila breezed in. And Natalie had gasped like Jamila carried a bloody ax and not a teeny designer bag with a thrillingly generous check inside.

Rosa clucked her tongue. “That Natalie Jones lights up like a marquee whenever Jamila is in the room.”

“Really?” I scrunched my nose. Natalie was so naturally vivacious I hadn’t noticed anything different in front of Jamila. “You’re right. She went red as Thor’s cape. And then after Jamila said she was honoringherwith the gift, she just ran out. And Jamila ran after her. Well, she didn’t run. It was more like a fast glide. She moves like she’s on ice skates.”

“Interesting.” Ben exchanged a look with Cooper.

“What? Is something going on there?”

Cooper shrugged. “Maybe you’re right, babe.”

“What?” I wailed. “She’s never said anything to me, and we’refriends.”

“Don’t take it personally,” Ben said. “That one hides a lot under all that fashion and poise. With her mother, and what Jackson would say—” He shook his head.

“You can ask her about it on Monday, mi amor.”

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