Page 6 of The Dating Prohibition
BJ sucked his teeth. “Nobodycalls me Benji anymore.” He glowered. “What grown-ass man wants to be called Benji?”
Kendra’s shoulders shook with laughter as she nudged him with her shoulder. “Well, that’s like me trying for the last twodecades to shed ‘Keke.’ My family refuses to call me Kendra, even though that’s what I want.”
“I mean, I don’t call you Kendra either, Kenny.” The rumble in his voice dipped lower when he reached the nickname and Kendrablew out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
“‘Kenny’ doesn’t bother me.”If it comes from you.She frowned at the thought. “But noted, I can stop calling you Benji.”
“I don’t mind if you want to call me ‘Ben.’ It’s what most of my colleagues call me at the university if we’re on a first-namebasis.”
“You mean, there are people that you see every day—whoaren’t students—that are still stuck calling you Dr. Stephens?” Kendra’s mouth quirked up. “Are they also tenured PhDs?”
“Some, yeah. I keep my circle pretty small.” He shrugged. “Some folks don’t get past the formality stage.”
“Fair.” She nodded. “Anyway, what do you think? Want to join forces for some of these visits? You’ll be able to do some research,and I’ll be able to get your advice. Having an establishment in a landmark building—especially one that was a part of theGreat Migration route—would be spectacular. Any chance to celebrate our history, you know?”
BJ checked his mirror before making a left turn into the parking lot. “That, I do. And, yeah, I’m down. We can share noteson the locations we’re finding. I know of a few already that have spaces being leased for commercial use, and maybe you canidentify some spots that I can research via the National Archives.”
“Deal!” Excitement built in her chest. “I’m so happy that I ran into you! I have such a good feeling about this project.”
“It sounds like a really interesting concept. I could definitely see that being a trendy spot here in DC.”
“Me too,” she gushed. “Thank you, I had a feeling you’d be into it.”
“I’ve nevernotsupported you, Kenny,” BJ said, lips curved slightly. He was quiet for a minute and then muttered something to himself beforereturning to an audible tone. “Even when you and your brother are at each other’s necks, and you know you can be a littlehotheaded.” He parked and they both got out of the car.
Kendra side-eyed him as she pursed her lips. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe you had one too manydrinks, and you hallucinated, because hotheaded?Me?” And, of course, he was right, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She gestured to herself with innocent doe eyesas she blinked up at him. “You must have me mistaken for someone else.”
He pushed her playfully, making her giggle as they strolled in the doors, immediately spotting their contact through a windowinto a back office. He was on the phone but waved to acknowledge that he would be out in a minute.
BJ turned, taking advantage of their wait time. “Now, Kendra.” He tilted his head, his eyes shining. “Don’t make me bringup Boscoe.”
Her jaw dropped as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Boscoe was lost for less than three hours and it wasn’t my fault that hegot out of the yard! Logan was supposed to close the gate.”
BJ full-on smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he shook his head and laughed. “He was supposed to close thegate,” he admitted. “But you were the one that let the dog outside when you got home. You didn’t check to make sure the gatewas closed before you let him out.”
“Since when am I responsible for making sure he does whathe’ssupposed to do?” She threw up her hands.He’s never held accountable for anything!
“You could have taken Boscoe for a walk. You didn’t have to put him in the back. You chose what was less work for you.”
Kendra sucked her teeth and put her hand on her hip, turning away from him. “Ugh. And this is how you show support,” she deadpannedas the supplier stepped out of his office.
“Hey! You here for PALATE?” A bald man with a salt-and-pepper beard waved as he walked toward them, freckles dotting his lightbrown skin.
Kendra nodded. “Yes, are you Scott?” She reached out her hand. “I’m Kendra Porter, Logan’s sister.”
He shook it vigorously. “Oh, great to meet you! And yes,Scott Tooley. Let me grab a dolly and I’ll bring your cases out to your vehicle.”
“Great!” She and BJ headed back outside.
“Dude had quite the grip. Shook your hand like he wanted to shake the change out your pocket,” he joked quietly.
“Almost made my teeth click,” she whispered conspiratorially.
A rumble of laughter made her grin. “Yo. Same ole Kenny.” He leaned back against the side of the SUV. “And I did support you.You don’t remember me trying to calm you when you started crying, or how I sat with you on the porch waiting for your parentsuntil Boscoe just randomly came running back from wherever he’d been?”
Kendra leaned back against the driver’s-side door, her elbow grazing BJ’s arm as she shut her eyes—the rest of the memoryflooding back to her. “You sure did. Man, I forgot all about that.” She gaped until she had another thought. “But wait, howexactly does any of that make me hotheaded?”
BJ shook his head, eyeing Kendra like she stole something. “You don’t remember reading your brother the riot act when he gothome? You yelled at him and told him that he let Boscoe out when he left the gate open. He felt terrible.”
