Page 29 of The Dating Prohibition
“Not you trying to get me to manifest!” she laughed through her tears. “Who are you? How long have I been gone?”
He laughed. “You know, I believe in a lot of things, Kenny, and one of those things is that if you ask for it, it’s coming toyou. Things are working toward your good all the time, and though it may not come the way you want it to, it’s still on the way.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled against his chest. The warmth of his body against her cheek awakened her senses and she realized herhand was pressed against the muscles in his chest. “Uh...” She pulled back awkwardly. “Thank you for taking me on thesevisits and everything. I’ve really appreciated it.”
“Wait, why are you talking in past tense?” He rested his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.
“Because, I mean, if I can’t get funding...” She wrung her hands as her mind raced with all of the what-ifs.What if I can’t get the money? What if there isn’t a space when I finally do find funding? What if I never get to achievethis dream?She looked down at the ground, falling deeper into her own thoughts.
“No, no, no... don’t do that. Don’t give up, Kenny. It’s gonna happen.”
“I just...” she sighed. “Maybe I’m moving too fast.”
“You had a full plan though. You did the calculations, you have multiple menus and your price points and projections. Youcited your sources. Your brother raved about your market research and the level of detail you had in that proposal. You arenot someone who half-asses preparations, right, Kenny?”
“Yeah...” There was no reason to doubt herself the way she did, Kendra knew that, but what she envisioned as she strategizedthe business during her travels and what was actually coming to pass were so different that she couldn’t help but questionher next steps.
“So then it’s just a matter of time until someone says yes.”
“I guess I’m just not able to see what you see right now.”
“Come on.” He pulled her toward the car. “Why don’t we go get a drink?”
“That actually sounds like a really good idea,” she said,nodding. They turned to Dean. “Thank you so much for your time.”
He waved. “Please let me know if anything develops! I can tell you’re really excited about the property and the owner wantsit to go to someone who will do justice by it.”
“If I get that chance, I promise you that I will.”
“Alright.” The real estate agent walked back into the main building as BJ led her to the truck.
“Nothing can ever be easy, can it?” She smiled ruefully.
“If it were easy, then everybody would do it.” He started the car and maneuvered them toward H Street.
“I mean, I guess that’s true, but sheesh! Sometimes it would be nice if a little something could be easy.”
“I know, but it’s coming though, Kenny. Don’t give up.”
“Yeah.”
They stopped at a bar in Brookland that served wine and tapas. Over a glass of Tempranillo, Kendra’s head began to clear.“Can I tell you something?” She took a big sip of her wine.Liquid courage. “I was afraid to come home.”
“Afraid of what?” His brows scrunched together. “What do you mean?”
“You know I’ve been living in my brother’s shadow since childhood. I don’t know how to step out into the light of my own volition.I’ve been a C-suite-level executive making a quarter of a million dollars a year, and because that job didn’t pan out andI decided I wanted something different, I think they assumed I lost my way. And maybe I had for a time,” she admitted. “ButI know what I want now. All of that travel and quality time with family did me good.”
BJ nodded thoughtfully. “I can see that. You seem far more determined than you ever did in data.”
“Right? I don’t know what the universe is trying to tellme, but it’s like I can’t have my own—I have to live in his basement and work in his restaurant,” she laughed nonsensically. “And I just can’t . . .”
“Don’t saycan’t, because itispossible, Kenny. I need you to say that.”
She quirked her downturned mouth to one side and huffed. “It’s possible,” she droned.
“But I need for you to believe it. You need to believe it foryou.”
“Okay fine. I admit I know that my dream is possible. I’m just starting to wonder if it’s actually attainable. Maybe I can’t—”
