I took her hand and looked at her eyes, cola-colored and sparkling. “I’ll even sit through a double-header. Beer and dogs on me,” I said. I hated hot dogs. I hated baseball even more. But I’d suffer through both for Ari.
Ari squeezed my hand and smiled. “Awesome.”
We made our way out of the stadium, walking hand in hand, along the bridge toward the parking lot. Ari stopped abruptly.
“Be honest. How much did this cost you? How rich are you, Trust Fund?”
I laughed, then made a gesture with my index finger and thumb. “Just a little bit. But tonight, wasn’t about money. I just so happen to know a guy that could break into a multimillion-dollar stadium at night. That’s priceless.”
She pulled me closer, grabbed me by the shoulders, and kissed me. Ari deepened her kiss, finding my tongue eager and wanting. It was cold outside, but that kiss could have melted an iceberg. “Thank you for this. All of it.”
I smiled, tucking that loose curl under her hood. “It was nothing.”
When we finally reached my car, Ari sighed, turning to me. “Listen, if you did all this to… I don’t know, convince me to be with you or something. Porter, I still don’t think we should. We can’t risk it. I can’t risk it.”
I exhaled a plume of cloudy air against the cold stillness. My frustration with her apprehensions dug into me like thumbtacks in my palms. “Ari, do you really think I’m that manipulative? Seriously?”
“So, why’d you do all this?”
The wind began to pick up, the unseasonably cold chill making my eyes water. At least that was the excuse I had because they were tears. Tears at the fact that she still didn’t get it. She didn’t get me. “You were sad about your dad. And I thought instead of a sad memory, you could have a happy memory about Thanksgiving. I know he couldn’t see Truist when it was done but, you could. For him. Keep the tradition alive. There’s no ulterior motive here.”
Before I could say anything else, Ari clasped her hands around my face and kissed me so soft, so deep. I grabbed her waist and moved my lips in time with hers. I’d missed them so much. When she pulled back, my lips felt betrayed by the interruption. I looked at her eyes, red-rimmed and brimming with tears.
“You’re unreal, you know that?”
I didn’t respond. Instead, I opened the car door and waited for Ari to get in. I leaned down, staring into her face. “Do you know what I could go for right now?”
Ari looked up at me, blinking rapidly. “Uhm…what’s that? Don’t tell me you want…”
Before she could finish that thought, I narrowed my eyes. “Some more of your caramel pound cake.”
“Oh.”
“Oh, wait? You thought I was going to say sex, didn’t you? If I have to fight Des for the last piece, I will. I saw him eyeing it.”
Ari let out a riotous laugh that echoed all around us. “After tonight, I’ll bake your weight in caramel pound cake if you want.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Porter
I looked over my notes from Serrano Group regarding the corporate skyboxes for the stadium. I had put on a vinyl of Ella Fitzgerald doing Christmas standards as I pored over each detail. I needed something to put me in a good mood. Marco, the older playboy brother, had exacting tastes, sending over samples of Corinthian leather that he wanted for the seats to make sure our designs fit his aesthetic. I wanted to get this right before the holiday break. With the constant barrage of holiday parties, shopping for my family, and the upcoming construction bids looming, the final touches of this design had to get done.
As I hummed along to Ella’s voice, I heard a knock at my door. I looked up to see Todd standing in the doorway along with Ms. Gayle.
“Your brother is here to see you. I thought I’d walk him back myself.”
I groaned. It had been a week since his outburst at Thanksgiving and we hadn’t spoken. My voice mail was full of messages from my mother asking me to “put Todd out of his misery and call him back.” She’d also asked me to participate in an intervention that Kim was facilitating with a counselor. I agreed to do that; however, I refused to talk to him, the hurt still raw and palpable. He had embarrassed the shit out of me, in front of Ari no less. That was unforgivable.
“It’s fine.” I nodded toward Ms. Gayle, who left me alone with Todd.
“Still playing stuffy jazz as you work, huh? No Uncle Luke Christmas jams?” Todd said, trying to break the ice.
“What do you want?” My jaw tensed at the sight of him. I didn’t know whether I wanted to punch him or hug him.