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Imani

By Friday night, Imani was completely drained. And the sad part? Garrett's recent actions had left her confused and abandoned once again.

It made no difference that it was exactly what she wanted. His challenge to win her back, as well as his responses to her, were what mattered.

Imani gently traced her finger across the illuminated phone number. Andrew Fisher called, but she didn't answer. She should have, though. He invited her out, and she should have gone. But contrary to Garrett's expectations, Imani had no interest in playing with people's emotions. She didn't see any reason to date someone she couldn't love.

She didn't care to enter into a relationship with someone different. While having a dinner companion would have been nice, being the only single person in a group didn't bother her in the past. But tonight? Being the odd one out made her unhappy.

She grimaced as she parked her car behind Isaiah's Jeep.

Her brother had been planning this dinner party for weeks, and she had no reason to cancel other than being tired. She spent the entire day painting and redecorating her living room. Her back and shoulders hurt, so taking a hot bath sounded like the perfect way to relax. She quickly washed up and came here.

She grabbed the white wine from the passenger seat and slid out of the car, shaking her curly hair and shivering in the damp air. The atmosphere around the creek was always cool.

Isaiah and his wife, Bethany, never moved out of their small house. Originally a studio building, the stone structure was charming and had an expansive lot. The waterfront property, with plenty of forest on both sides, was ideal for raising a family, and it was only eight minutes away from town.

Imani spotted Isaiah's, Bethany's, and the Cunninghams' cars in the driveway. She climbed the porch steps and opened the door, hoping that the dinner party she was about to attend was actually small.

Sounds from the back of the house caught her attention. She looked in the kitchen, but it was empty. Her stomach growled at the scent of lemon chicken and roasted potatoes.

She casually removed her coat and hung it neatly. Then she straightened her black silk top. Imani considered buttoning the top of her blouse but decided to tighten her belt instead. Her black leggings were soft, vintage, and comfortable. This was as dressed up as she could get for the weekend.

Isaiah suddenly appeared with a precious bundle of brown curls and infectious laughter. Fiona Grace Washington was her father's shining star, and who could blame him? The two-year-old was incredibly cute.

He declared, "I thought I heard a car pull up."

"It's me," Imani said as she bent down to kiss her niece. Chubby hands grabbed her cheeks, and Imani laughed as she handed the wine to her brother and hugged Fiona. "You've grown five inches since I'd last seen you, sweetheart."

"It has only been two days, Imani."

"Which is two months in toddler terms," she replied, unsure of where her joke was going.

Fiona snuggled into her auntie's neck, and Imani's heart melted a little more. She gazed up at her brother. "Who else did you invite? I see Rhett and Addison's cars, but I don't recognize the other two."

Isaiah's smile faded. "Here's what happened. I intended to call you this afternoon, but work got in the way. Then I had to go to the store and buy diapers for Fiona. As expected, I lost track of time. Sorry about that."

Okay. She had lost her capacity to feel love and warmth. He appeared guilty, which wasn't a good sign.

"Tell me you didn't invite Andrew."

"Him?" Isaiah looked surprised. "Why would I invite Ian Fisher's son to my dinner party?"

"Because everyone is trying to set me up with somebody."

"Not me, sis."

She snorted. "So, who did you invite if it wasn't Andrew?"

Fiona squirmed, and Imani placed her on her hip.

"Ramón is here," he answered.

"Oh. Awesome." She beamed. "We haven't talked much since he arrived back in town." In the dim light, Imani examined her brother. There was something else going on. The longer they stared at each other, the more suspicious she became. She realized who was in the family room before her brother spoke.

"Garrett followed him," he confirmed, looking into her eyes. "He's in the family room with everyone else."

"What? Are we suddenly in a different dimension? You two have issues with each other."

Fiona began to whimper, likely due to the tension between the two adults, and Imani gave her brother a sly look while whispering softly into the little girl's ear.

"Working with Garrett doesn't mean I have to be his biggest fan. He wasn't on the guest list. Bethany had invited him," Isaiah explained. "We're working on a project in town, and I think it's time to put our differences aside."

"I just... I don't..." Confusion washed over her. "How did this happen? What project are you both currently working on?"

"That part is still in progress. You'll hear all about it later."

"Right." Imani's voice rose. She didn't care that she sounded like a shrew. "Your dinner party will blow up, you know."

"It doesn't have to. You said that Garrett's presence no longer bothered you. If I knew you were uncomfortable around him, I would have told Bethany to uninvite him. Trust me. I looked for a way out of this." Isaiah's eyes grew as sharp as a hawk. "Do you want me to kick him out? I can make that happen."

"Don't." Feeling like an idiot, Imani was quiet for a few seconds. "It'll be okay. I can ignore him."

After a gentle hug, Isaiah's gaze shifted to the family room. "Let's go in. If he bothers you, please tell me."

"I will."

"By the way, where is my little man?"

She chuckled. "Dylan is with Dad. He wanted some time with his grandfather."

Her brother nodded and proceeded down the hall. She hugged Fiona closer to her chest to calm her racing heart. Nearly every window in the large room faced the water. Comfortable furniture surrounded a huge brick fireplace. The pastel white walls with ivory accents beautifully complemented the combination of leather, wood, and stone.

Imani's gaze fell on Garrett, and her heart throbbed. Painfully so. It took effort to inhale. Didn't he have terrible hair days like most men? Why were his jeans so snug? Must his color be gray? This earned him the nickname "Gray." Everything he wore contained a hint of gray.

Garrett sat in the far corner, head bent, fully engrossed in a conversation with Bethany. Bethany Dixon Washington. She reminded Imani of Diana Ross from the 1960s. Bethany had beauty, intelligence, talent, and wit. Imani wanted to hate her and think she was not decent enough for Isaiah, but Bethany was the kindest, most genuine woman she knew.

Staring at him from the threshold, Imani felt a sharp, rapid heat in her veins, a sensation she was familiar with. She hadn't felt such a sensation in a long time. It was the same feeling she had when Courtney Hawthorne was all over him at the dance.

Irritation.

Just then, Bethany looked up, delighted to see her. "Imani! I see that Fiona is happy to see her aunt. Like always."

She nodded and smiled. Imani wished her smile looked normal, but it felt forced and small. No way would she let Garrett know his presence threw her off track.

As she gently rocked the baby, Fiona's laughter brought a sense of relief to her. Her ex stared across the room with a strange expression on his face. She looked away, relieved to see Ramón just a few inches from him.

Ramón gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. He whispered, "You should have another one."

Imani's head went blank for a moment, but then she understood what he was saying and shook her head. "Um, no. Not going to happen. I will not have another child until I have settled down and remarried."

He gently squeezed her shoulder. "I'm joking. You look great with children."

Imani looked at Fiona. The baby's brown eyes shone like jewels, and her plump brown cheeks were to die for. Fiona reached for her aunt again, pulling on Imani's hair and making the cutest babbling noises.

She felt something shift inside her, something sharp and painful. Imani faced her brother. "I think Fiona needs her daddy." Just as Rhett and Addison entered the room, she handed the baby to Isaiah.

"Hey, Addison," Imani said, walking over to the woman and offering a congratulatory hug. "I hadn't realized... um... how far along are you?"

The slender, red-haired woman glowed, and the man beside her was so excited that Imani almost burst into tears.

"Good evening," Rhett said. "Addison has entered her second trimester."

"Oh, wow. That's amazing. I'm thrilled for both of you," Imani replied as she gave them a light hug.

"We wanted to wait before telling people. I mean, after the last time." Addison's voice cracked, and Rhett put his arm around her waist tenderly, giving her comfort and support. Her last pregnancy ended in stillbirth, and losing the child she carried to term was heartbreaking.

"The pregnancy is going well." Addison smiled and gently rubbed her belly with her free hand. "So I have hope for the future."

"We are taking it slow," Rhett explained. "No sudden movements this time."

"I understand," Imani replied. "Take it easy and get enough rest while you can."

Addison smiled, gently touching her husband's forearm. It was a simple, intimate gesture. One that pierced Imani's heart.

She needed to get away from all the happiness. The room suddenly felt claustrophobic.

She inhaled and congratulated the couple again before facing her brother. "I need wine. Where is it?"

"On the table," Isaiah answered. "Don't drink too much tonight. Keep it light," he advised.

"Always." She then pushed past him, picked up a glass from the side table, and let Ramón fill it. "Keep going," she insisted when he was about to stop halfway. Garrett remained on the other side of the room, and he and Bethany resumed their conversation.

What on Earth are they talking about?

Ramón whispered, "So," before pouring her a generous glass. "It appears to be one of those nights."

She took a big gulp and winced as the drink rushed down her throat and made her taste buds burn. The silky smooth California Chardonnay was not meant for gulping down.

Garrett chuckled.

So did Bethany.

Imani did her best to maintain her composure. Watching her ex have fun with her family wasn't going to spoil the evening.

She asked Ramón, "What kind of night is that?"

"The kind that has us watching you." He stood next to her and followed her gaze.

She took another sip and raised her glass for a refill. "That sounds about right."

He lifted the bottle with a nod. "I was expecting a good time tonight."

"It can be."

"Not if I'm babysitting," he said, returning her gaze. "And I'm not referring to Fiona."

"I can handle myself, Ramón."

"You better."

Imani inhaled and looked at her glass. The wine took her mind off Garrett for a brief moment. All she had to do was get through tonight without being mean. However, doing so would be extremely difficult. Very much so.

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