Page 51 of Where Is the Love

We were at the Henderson barn, turning up as usual, until Uncle Storm interrupted the festivities with his bullshit. Uncle Marcus nodded in agreement since he was ‘working’ in office with Uncle Storm. They were gonna have a hot head and an ex-thug running Nome. This shit was gonna be a disaster.

Brixton sat next to me and put his arm around me. “Uncle Kenny invited us to dinner Sunday after church.”

“Okay.”

Brix, Uncle Kenny, and Uncle Jasper had gotten close. I was sure he and Lennox would become close before long, too, the more we hung out with them. We’d been going strong for the past three months. His gym was almost complete, and we’d broken ground on building a house. I couldn’t believe I was doing this shit with just a boyfriend. I’d always said I wouldn’t enter into agreements like that unless I was married. Brixton changed all that shit.

His gym had sold for nearly four hundred grand, and he was able to take the equipment as he’d hoped. He applied that money toward his loan. The stables were all done as well, and he had a steady stream of customers utilizing his services. The video shoot with Noah was next month, and I was beyond ready to introduce Brix to the country.

In the meantime, I was still living in Houston, and Brix was still living with his mother. I couldn’t wait until we had better living arrangements. He spent one day a week in Houston, and I spent the weekends in Nome, if I wasn’t working.

I found myself saying no to some offers now, just so I didn’t have to work so hard. That was where I messed up last time. I was so caught up with being independent, I didn’t make room for anything or anyone else. My independence was building an even taller wall around me, pushing everyone on the outside.

I’d spoken to Nate a couple of times to see how he was doing. He was having a hard time and had been allowing the memories Noah flooded his mind with to make him bitter toward his mother. The more Noah told him, the more he resented her. He felt like he missed out on so much, and I could understand how he felt. I told him to take a break from Noah’s memories of David and just live in his truth. He needed to come to terms with the way things were. He promised me he would do that.

Decklan and I were on speaking terms as well. I could be around him without feeling a way. So whenever he decided to come to town to visit Lennox, we’d speak and even hug and keep it pushing. It was a blessing that Brixton wasn’t a jealous person. He’d said,“If anybody can take you from me with me doing everything right, they can have you. I know I’m the shit.”

I chuckled and shook my head when he said that. He and Decklan actually shook hands whenever they saw one another and were on speaking terms. He hadn’t had to see Nate, and I didn’t think he ever would. However, if he did, I knew it wouldn’t be a problem. I’d found the right one this time. I could feel it in my heart. I no longer had to wonder where love was. It was right here at home. The place that had held the most memories of hurt for me, still held my future.

“Your uncle needs to sit his ass down,” Nesha said as she sat on the other side of me.

“I dare you to go tell him.”

“Hell no. So he can do me like he did Andrea at my wedding? No thank you.”

I laughed, thinking about how I set that woman up. That was what she got for talking about my family. Nobody fucked with the Hendersons without consequence. “Aston, I told you that pets had to stay outdoors today, especially that rowdy ass cougar you got.”

I laughed so loud. Vida cut her eyes at me and shot Uncle Storm the finger. Those two were always into it. Vida was Aunt Syn’s mama, and she was over fifteen years older than her husband. As I turned my attention back to Nesha, she smiled at me. I didn’t know what that smile was about, but I smiled back at her as Uncle Storm said, “Come on, Nesha. Don’t take long, because I have some other shit to address.”

Nesha rolled her eyes as she stood and went to the microphone. Lennox joined her as she said, “Hey, everybody. I just wanted y’all to know that we’re pregnant with the first Henderson great grandchild.”

Applause went up, but I noticed Jakari didn’t seem all that excited. I frowned slightly, then stood and went to him as Decaurey and Tyeis walked in. This was the first time they’d spent together since she’d come to town with me nearly four months ago. They seemed to be feeling one another, but she said they were taking it slow. She traveled just as much as I did, so their get to know you process was taking longer than normal.

I sat next to Jakari and grabbed his hand. My cousin was always happy. There was only one time when he wasn’t and that was when they found out about his punk ass daddy raping Aunt Syn and Nesha when they were little girls. “J, you okay? You look upset about something.”

He turned to me and slid his hand over his face. “She may not have the first Henderson great grandchild. This chick that was my lil dip told me she’s six months pregnant. I haven’t seen her in three months, so of course I hadn’t noticed that she was pregnant. I was there for one thing and one thing only. I fucked up somewhere, but I don’t remember fucking her without a condom. Seems like I would remember some shit like that, right?”

“Yeah, seems like you would,” I said, totally invested in what he was saying to me.

“Jessica Shawntel Monroe.”

I turned to the sound of my name being called with a frown on my face. When I saw Brix at the microphone, my eyebrows lifted.What the fuck was he doing up there?“Come here, baby,” he said.

My heart jumped in my fucking throat as everyone stared at me with huge smiles on their faces. When I got to him, he smiled. “I just wanted to publicly thank you for giving me a second chance to prove my love to you. Since everyone here knows of the challenges we had because of me being too proud, I figured I could say this in front of them. I wanted them to know how much I love you and how I promise to be everything you need me to be.”

That muthafucka pulled a box from his pocket and went to his knee. The tears fell from my eyes immediately as everyone screamed. I had a feeling this was what he was going to do, but his first statement had thrown me off somewhat. Everyone was screaming and applauding while Uncle Storm impatiently looked on.

“Jess, we have a lot of history. We’ve known one another since grade school and have been close friends since middle school. I always knew that I wanted you. Now that the time has come, I’m overwhelmed with joy. I want to make sure that this moment of our love is solidified by this ring. I love you so much, and I would be honored if you would be my wife.”

I smiled at him as I swiped at tears. “Yes, Brix. Yes.”

He slid the diamond ring on my finger then stood and scooped me up in his arms. For the moment, no one else was here—just him, me, and our love. I’d never been so happy in all my life, and I knew things would get even better.

“Jess, did you like my distraction?”

I turned to see Jakari standing there with a huge smile on his face. I hopped out of Brix’s arms as I frowned. “Distraction? Your ass was lying?”

“Mm hmm. You was so deep in my business, you never saw Brix walk to the mic. Nesha will have the oldest great grandchild.”