Page 86 of The Dating Prohibition
“Look at you talking about he’s getting into the family!”
“Well, I don’t want to overthink it or anything—” Lani held up a hand to try to slow things down “—but I have a really goodfeeling.”
“Well, I’m so happy for you, cousin, and if there’s anything that I can do to support you and Stanley, let me know.”
“Of course. But first, let’s get this car packed so we can get on the road, because you know damn well I’m no good driving long routes once it gets dark.”
“I fully expect that I’ll probably drive the whole thing.” Kendra eyed her cousin, knowing her passenger princess ass hadno intention of actually driving.
“Even better, because I brought snacks and I’m happy to DJ!” Lani exclaimed.
“Okay. Well, let me just get this in here. Hmm.” The box wasn’t going to fit in the back of the SUV at all, so she openedup one back seat passenger-side door and shoved the box on the floor behind Lani’s chair. She grabbed their luggage and laidthat across the back seats, setting her purse on the floor behind the driver’s seat.
“Okay,” Lani said. “I’ve got snacks, we’ve got our iced coffees and water, we have our music and a charger.” Lani ticked thelist off on her fingers. “Are we forgetting anything?”
“Do you have some sunglasses?”
“You. Are. Brilliant! How did you know that was what was missing?” Lani ran back into her room to grab a pair from a drawerin the closet. “Okay, that’s it.” She threw her tote bag in the back and set a carton of goodies in the middle of the backseats so that she could reach it easily while Kendra drove.
“Let me say bye to Shonda and Logan and then we can go.”
Lani nodded.
At that moment, the two in question stepped out onto the porch. Shonda crossed her arms over her chest, holding her elbows.“Are you really doing this, sis?” she asked.
“I am, yep.” Kendra smiled. The closer she’d gotten to the move, the more at peace she’d become with her decision. It hurt to leave Ben behind, but at the same time, she knew that the excitement of getting her business off the ground wouldkeep her occupied until she had time to sort through her feelings with her therapist.
“Well, then, I’m excited for you, and I can’t wait to see what you build down there. You know we’re gonna be there for youropening, and we’ll be ready to cut up.” Shonda wrapped her arms around Kendra. “I love you, sis. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you. It means the world that I have your support. And I love you back.” Shonda clasped her hands, squeezing them gentlybefore Kendra turned to her brother.
He gave her that same tight-lipped smile he always did. “I wish you were gonna be closer,” he said gently.
“I do too, but I think I need the distance to do what I came here to do, and you’re only a phone call away and you know I’mgonna be blowin’ you up.” She grinned.
“I hope so,” he said, nodding.
Kendra stepped into his arms and squeezed him tight. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Listen, you’ve got this. I’m going to see you in a couple weeks’ time. And before that, you’re going to see me on FaceTimeon a regular basis,” he warned. “So no funny business, because I’m going to be checking on you.”
“Yes, brother. No funny business,” she parroted.
“But no matter what you need, you call me. Hear?”
Kendra’s eyes glistened. “Okay.”
“I can be down there if need be.”
“Come on now, don’t worry. Mom and Pop are not too far away and Auntie Mack is right there. I feel supported and Lani’s goingto connect me with some of her local friends, so I will have people.”
“Well, just remember who you had first.” They smiled at each other.
“Love you, bro.”
“Love you, sis.”
She kissed him on the cheek and headed to the car.
