“From Kimba after a bottle of wine. I’m sure she didn’t mean to tell me. Blame it on the alcohol and half an edible.”
“Oh.” I hate awkward shit like this. “Well then, you know that whatever happens between Kimba and me, which is our business and not yours, is not cheating.”
“Whatever,” she says, rolling her eyes and hopping up onto the counter. “Good luck with this throuple thing you’re doing with Ko and Kimba.”
“Throuple?”
“Yeah, it’s like the three of you as a couple.”
I bark out a laugh. “We are not a throuple.”
“A threesome?” She waggles her eyebrows. “The only threesome I’ve ever been in is me, Ben and Jerry, but I’m wide open.”
“Definitely not a threesome.” My smile disintegrates. “I only want Kimba.”
She closes her eyes and pulls her locs over one shoulder, the move I’ve come to realize means she’s about to lay something on the line. “I hope you know what you’re doing, my brother. Your son do
esn’t even know you and his mother are breaking up, and you’re already sleeping with Kimba.”
“And Aiko was already sleeping with Chaz.”
“Chaz?” Mona’s whole expression perks up. “The cutie who went with her on the trip? That’s who she’s hitting? Nice.”
I give her the most longsuffering look I can muster.
“I mean, sorry.” She covers her mouth, but I still see the grin peeking through.
“This isn’t funny, Mo.”
“You’re right. It’s not.” Her expression sobers. “Isn’t this all happening really fast? I mean, you just saw Kimba again two weeks ago.”
“I saw her at her father’s funeral.” I shove my fingers through my hair and drag them over my face. “I knew then.”
“Knew what then?” Mona’s eyes narrow and she frowns.
“That what was between us before—”
“When you were children, Ezra. You hadn’t seen Kimba since you were thirteen years old. Come on.”
“It doesn’t matter. I know it sounds crazy to you, but until I left Atlanta, I was closer to her than to anyone else. When we couldn’t find each other, yeah, we moved on. That happens when people grow up. They grow apart, but that closeness didn’t die. It was just…waiting for us to find each other again.”
“And you think she feels it, too?”
“I know she does. We didn’t exchange numbers at the funeral because she saw Noah and Aiko, and she knew if we stayed in touch…” I don’t finish that sentence. I don’t have to. The strip of Kimba’s dress in her hand completes that thought.
“Kimba would never cheat,” I say. “Neither would I.”
“I just want to go on record saying I still don’t think it’s wise.” Mona hops off the counter. “I think you should have given it a little more time. At least until Aiko’s back and Noah knows.”
“Kimba will be going back to D.C. by then. I didn’t want to wait. Aiko didn’t wait.” I give her the look that I hope shuts this conversation down. “I shouldn’t have to, either.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Kimba
“How do I look?”
Kayla studies me, running critical eyes over my hair and makeup, taking her time inspecting another of Lotus’ creations, a dark blue jumpsuit with wide legs and fitted, quarter-length sleeves.