Page 91 of The Dating Prohibition
“Ow!”
“Sometimes you deserve it.”
“No, you’re right.”
Lani’s phone buzzed. “My ride is here. So, I will see you in another week and a half.”
Kendra nodded miserably.
“I’ll FaceTime you when I get home, and once you start getting the furniture and everything in and situated, you know, I wantto see everything.”
“I know, I know . . .”
“And more than what you’re showing on Instagram, because I know you’re trying to save some surprises.”
“I hear you,” Kendra replied, nodding along. “I promise.”
“Okay. Well, come here.” Lani wrapped Kendra tight in a big hug. “You deserve every bit of this, cousin. To celebrate, I wantyou to slow down and take notice of what’s happening around you. And I want you to relish in the fact thatyouare the reason your dreams are coming true.”
“Well, I had help,” she started to rebut.
Lani stepped back and glared at her. “Youare the reason your dreams are coming true. You wouldn’t have had help if you didn’t communicate what it was you were tryingto do and surround yourself with people who want to support you. You did that.”
“You’re right. Not blocking blessings... Compliments are hard,” Kendra laughed.
Lani pulled her cousin in for one more hug. “Okay, I gotta go.”
“Okay, text me once you get through security.”
“I will.”
Lani stepped out the door, and Kendra followed, watching from the porch. The driver stepped out of the car to assist Laniwith her bags as she sat in the back, grinning and waving through the window until they drove off.
As Kendra stood there watching, her phone began to ping with notifications. People were already RSVP’ing to her launch.One fear gone, at least people will be there.
Her mind wandered to BJ, and she wondered whether he would make the trip.
Chapter 24
For launch week, Kendra’s parents arrived from Savannah and Logan and Shonda took their first break away from the restaurantto drive down. Their new assistant manager was running the bistro so that the family and friends could come and support Kendrawith any final preparations. In a surprise move, Lani had been elevated to general manager upon her return to DC, and Shondaand Logan had been thrilled with her performance.
Lani and Stanley were en route, and Kendra was so excited to see so much of the family together again so soon. Everyone wasstaying at Auntie Mack’s house. Kendra had offered for some of them to stay with her, but they didn’t want her to feel pressure,because she hadn’t finished furnishing her apartment and Auntie Mack had more than enough space.
Kendra’s heart pounded as she stood outside the restaurant, waiting for everyone to join her. Porter Prohibition stood onthe corner of a busy waterfront street with overhanging trees providing a shaded canopy. The surrounding business owners hadbeen supportive and excited for her launch.
The next closest bar was a few blocks away, and she shared the block with a coffee shop, a candle store and a family-owned Italian restaurant that made some of the best raviolo Kendra had ever tasted. Across the street were a couple of office buildings, and Kendra imagined people coming over to have a drink after work and blow off some steam just in time for happy hour.
The balmy air caressed her face as a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees above her. She’d already gone insideto wipe down the counters one more time and turn on the lights. The neon sign above the awning read Porter Prohibition ina bright purple with the same style and font she’d used for the logo on all of her communications.
Since her arrival, she’d been sending announcements and promotional materials to local businesses and all of Auntie Mack’sfriends. As she’d met with people from the Department of Commerce, she provided them with flyers inviting them to the grandopening. Her plan was to do a soft launch with friends and family and owners of some of the most supportive local businesses.The grand opening would follow two days later, on Saturday.
Two cars pulled up, parking along the side street. The carriage house was luckily situated catty-corner from a public parkinglot that was free after six o’clock and on Sundays. Even on the busiest nights, patrons would have somewhere that they couldsafely park their cars.
As doors to the vehicles began to open, she smiled at the chatter she heard.
“There’s my baby girl.” Kendra’s dad grinned, wrapping his arms around his daughter.
“Hi, Daddy,” she replied. “I’m so glad y’all could be here.”
