Page 140 of I Think They Love You

“Can’t talk now, Dad!”

“You need to—”

“Braylonneeds me,” is the last thing he shouts while running to his car. He knocks into a potted shrub outside Atlas. His left loafer is barely hanging on, but Denz never stops.

There’s only time for one thing. One person.

He hopes he’s not too late.

-20-

When Denz approaches Skye’s the Limit, he expects to find a disappointed but forgiving Braylon outside. Not an exasperated Whit wearing the facial equivalent of an ax murderer staring down their next victim.

To be fair, he should’ve expected both.

“I canceled dinner plans,” she says through her teeth, “withmy wifefor this.”

Denz raises surrendering hands, shielding himself. “I didn’t even know you were married!”

“I went to FAMU,” she says.

“Um,sorry?”

Whit points a sharp gold nail at him, her left eye twitching. Denz promptly shuts up.

“I have a bachelor’s in economics. A minor in business,” she continues. “I don’t need to waste a Friday evening waiting for you to teach me which filter to use on a selfie.”

Denz nods very slowly.

“I’m here because your boyfriend is a great guy who cares. Never asks for anything,” she says. “He deserves better than my bitchiness over you being late.”

He deserves better than me,Denz wants to add.

“Butyou,Atlanta’s golden boy,” Whit growls. “You don’t get my kindness. My patience. Or my time.”

“I—”

“Fix whatever you did to him.Now.” She walks away.

In her place: Braylon.

Denz takes him in. The tired posture. His gray button-down untucked from his black slacks. The pattern of his loose tie punching Denz in the throat—a navy-and-white design identical to the sweater Denz wore to dinner with his parents.

I’m sorrysits heavy in his chest. He can’t get it out. Silence balloons between them as Braylon’s jaw flexes, his eyes turning sharp and annoyed.

“You didn’t answer my calls,” Denz says.

“You drove all the way here to say that?”

“No.” Denz rubs his jaw. “I’m sorry about today. I—”

He doesn’t want to say “forgot.” Or “failed.” That’s exactly what Kami said about him, and he hates how true it is.

“I didn’t mean to miss this” comes out, another truth.

Braylon stares upward. Past the streetlamps that leave his complexion pale. To the mauve sky where the occasional blue-gray cloud sits. He whispers, “It’s fine.”

“It’s not like this was the big party, right?” Denz steps closer. “The one that decides whether you get the promotion.”The one that’s going to take you away from me,he doesn’t say. “It’s a one-off. We can reschedule.”

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