Page 70 of The Dating Prohibition
“Well, thank you. I will put that order in, and I’ll give you some time to take a look at the food menu.”
“Thank you.”
Kendra nodded and turned on her heel toward the bar as she entered the order into her digital terminal. As it transmitted,a small ding sounded at the bar, alerting Logan that a new order was placed and a ticket for the drink printed. Kendra wentto the water station to fill a glass and turned to the end of the bar to retrieve the old-fashioned. “Gonna take me a minute,sis. I have to go to the back and get some more marshmallows.”
She nodded. “No problem.”
As Logan stepped away, BJ sauntered over. “So I was thinking,” he started, his hands pressing against the bar. “Maybe we canrevisit our conversation about jabs.”
“Jabs?” She raised an eyebrow. “Just those?”
He shrugged. “Well, you know...”
“Are you saying you want to be my personal punching bag?” She grinned.
Lani was stealth in her approach. “What are you two talking about?”
Kendra jumped. “I didn’t even hear you come up. You havegotto stop sneaking up on people,” she laughed nervously as BJ hid a smile.
“Well, I was just curious what you two were whisperingabout. Are you two doing boxing classes together? How come I wasn’t invited?”
“Something like that,” Kendra quipped, turning away. “I’m gonna take this water to my customer, see if she wants to put inany food orders while she’s waiting for her old-fashioned.”
BJ grunted and headed back to polish more glasses.
“No, seriously, nobody’s going to tell me what’s going on here?”
BJ and Kendra ignored her as they went about their duties, but Lani’s glare swung back and forth between Kendra and BJ therest of the night until her deciphering skills perked up. She got back to work checking reservations in the system, tidyingmenus, and thanking guests as they exited.
Kendra stepped toward the hostess stand the moment she saw that Lani’s mind was clicking things into place. Lani’s eyes grewwide as she stared back at her cousin. They screamed that Lani knew something as she mouthed,Oh my god, and jabbed her finger in BJ’s direction.
“Lani, I need you to be a little bit more inconspicuous and a lot less yourself right now,” Kendra warned.
“Oh my god. Tell me it’s really happening,” Lani screeched in a hushed tone.
“We’re not dating. It’s just physical.”
“But you know you want more.”
“It doesn’t really matter at this point,” Kendra said. “It is what it is. And if I apply pressure, he’s just gonna cut meoff completely. And that’s not what I want.”
Lani crossed her arms over her chest. “So you’re trying to play the long game here, is what you’re saying.”
Kendra took a deep breath, shutting her eyes as she nodded. “I guess you could say that. But at the same time, I’m trying really hard not to get my hopes up. So I need you to not be super excited and encouraging and all the things thatI know you would be if there was actually something more happening right now. I just want to live in the moment.”
“Okay. I hear you. I just... I mean, are you gonna tell Logan?”
“No, and neither are you. And don’t tell Shonda either because that’s her husband and she will not keep her mouth shut.” Kendrastepped toward her cousin menacingly. It would be too much to expect Shonda to keep something from her husband that involvedhis best friend. Kendra would never ask that of her.
“Okay, okay. I hear you.” Lani held up her hands in surrender, but Kendra wasn’t convinced. While Auntie Mack could take asecret with her to the grave, Lani would be the reason for the funeral.
“Are you really going to be able to keep your mouth shut? Tell me that I can trust you, Lani.”
“Come on, Keke, you’re my cousin. Of course you can trust me.”
Kendra eyed her dubiously. “Okay, I’m just saying.”
“I won’t let you down, I promise.” Lani’s emphatic expression made her nod in acceptance.
