Jahi grinned as he glanced up at the smiling face of his uncle, Amari Underwood. Taking the baby into his arms, Amari held him close as he watched his sister, Yara unpack the cutlery and kitchen ware he'd neglected to for the past weeks. Amari had only just settled into his own home with the help of his current friend with benefits, Payton Hinton. The four-bedroom space was way too big for him but Payton had managed a deal he couldn't refuse. He figured if he started a family, it would be their place and luckily enough they'd closed on it in time for him to accommodate his sister and her baby who'd shown up on his doorstep last week.
Of course, he'd taken them in, but he hadn't asked Yara much about it. He could see from her calculated movements and the way that she threw herself between motherhood and working that she was doing everything in her power to not stop and think or talk about it. However, she'd seemed to be calming down. This morning, she'd woken him up and declared that on her day off she would help him whip this place into shape and she had been a force. The kitchen was the last space, and she was quickly getting that together. Yara loved his home but even greater, she loved Nevada, so much so that she'd commissioned Payton to find her a home here.
Amari decided to take a seat with his nephew lying comfortably against his chest while he watched her. Shaking his head, he realized just how much of Aunt Denise's traits Yara had taken on, Denise would have never let him hear the end of it if she'd seen how he was living out of boxes.
"You know, you don't have to do this Ya?"
"Please" Yara waved her brother off "Amari, there's a baby in this house. He picks up everything and puts it in his mouth, it's better those things be put away."
"That's true but we both know that's not the only reason you're doing it. Ya, you're a workaholic and you throw yourself deep into work whenever you're avoiding your emotions."
Her shoulders slouched; she didn't want to talk about Jordan because there was nothing to talk about. He'd done what he always did, cheated, and lied.
"Amari there's no emotions to avoid. Jordan cheated on me and he's having a baby with someone else. That's two children he conceived while we were together outside of our son. To make matters worse, he wasn't going to tell me any of that and he was going to let me walk into a marriage that was never right from the start, even before his mistakes were exposed. Look, a part of this is my fault because I loved Jordan, but I wasn't in love with him and he obviously wasn't in love with me. What kept us together was Jahi but in the end, if we'd stayed together everyone would've been miserable."
Yara shut the cabinet and moved the last remaining box of their grandmother's special china to the side, Amari could put that away himself.
Opening her arms, she took her son into them and kissed his forehead while Amari took in everything she'd just said. He knew it was bad, it had to be if Yara had just upped and moved. However, this was bad enough to make him want to fly out to Utah. His sisters were precious to him, and he'd never admit it, but Yara was even more so especially after how she'd been there for him. Aya was his twin, his love for her was immeasurable but from the first day Yara walked into their home, Amari had a certain protectiveness toward her. She looked so fragile, and he'd vowed to never let anything break her. As they got older, she got tougher and would often ignore or resent his protective nature. Yara could handle anything that came her way, but Amari reminded her that she didn't and shouldn't have had to do it alone.
His face remained calm, but he wanted to break Jordan's legs. Even if Yara didn't love Jordan, he could see in her eyes that Jordan had changed something in her.
"Yeah, everyone would've because he doesn't deserve you or Jahi. Why the fuck didn't you say something the first time Yara?"
"I thought it was a one-off Amari, honestly, you should understand wanting to see the best in someone. Matter of fact you should applaud me because you know how hard it is for me to do that, to trust people like that."
"I do, and I'm sorry that you chose the wrong person, but Yara you should have told me earlier."
"I deal with things on my own Amari, you know this."
"And you don't have to, you should know that. Anyway, so what are you doing about LA then? All of you and Jahi's stuff is here. Are you going to go back?"
Yara shrugged before she began to rock as Jahi started to fuss. His mop of black curly hair brushed against her cheek, and she inhaled the sweet scent of baby as his tiny fingertips rested against her clavicle. Her baby was her point of sanity these days, the one good thing that came out of that relationship.
"I don't need to. Tina will spearhead things and the main office can be this one. My job is very flexible, so I'm not worried about that. The U-Haul pretty much brought my life here two days after I'd left."
"Yeah, Ebony's brothers and Elisa are real ones for packing up your apartment for you."
"They are, they also didn't want me to have any chance run ins with Jordan. Everyone was blowing my phone up when I sent out the cancellation notices including Jordan. It was too much, and I couldn't handle that."
"I want a chance run in with him." Amari gritted his teeth making Yara shake her head.
This was why she also didn't tell Amari all the details. He'd just settled the legal blunder that brought him here, he was back on track, and she didn't want an assault or murder charge to send him back. Uncle Gregory also was spared from the details of her broken engagement for the same reasons.
"That's not even necessary Mari. He's still Jahi's father so I've contacted him about co-parenting and what not. He usually diverts to us, and the conversation ends. I'm just securing all my interests because right now, Jahi is my world, and he does have a father that he deserves to know and make his own decisions about."
"I can't knock it. Just let me know when that nigga comes around so I can be here too. If he thinks he can do anything to you two, he's in for a surprise."
Yara smiled fondly at her brother's aggression. Amari the protector, as always. She bounced Jahi before she glanced at Payton's discarded scarf on Amari's counter.
"So, you and Payton are serious?"
The question was loaded. A month ago, Amari had made some realizations and one of them was that he was ready to settle down and start a life. His therapy had helped him a lot and Payton furthered the healing. She was a breath of fresh air and before Yara had come and he'd closed on this house, he'd been staying in hers. It started out as an animal attraction, pure instinct, and low inhibition but as time passed, he realized that she had a beautiful mind and spirit. Payton knew the horrible things he'd done, and she didn't judge him. She alone had dragged her out of the abyss his guilt had driven him into. He didn't think he'd find another person like that again. Her smooth dark skin and pearly white smile stayed on his mind.
"Honestly, I think she's the one Yara."
This stopped all of Yara's motions as she gently rested Jahi into his bassinet Looking toward her sibling, she couldn't help but smile at the serenity that crossed his face. Based on that look alone, she knew he may have been right.
"I can't believe it. I never thought I'd see the day." Her voice was light, humorous and Amari chuckled before he rolled his eyes at her.
"Shut up, I was actually planning on asking her to marry me, but she's been so busy trying to find houses for you. I'm sure she'll get you what you need but I wonder what she needs right now."
"You, at the end of the day no matter what is going on, I think Payton just wants to see you. Going home to someone slows things down, puts things into perspective." Yara's eyes were distant for a moment before she cleared her throat and sat next to her brother. Laying her head on his shoulder, she patted his thigh before she continued.
"Amari, I think you should ask her. You deserve happiness and she makes you very happy."
"She does, life out here has been what I needed you know? After what happened with Aya, I kind of lost my purpose and my will. Yara, I wanted to die honestly, so much guilt and regret. When I got here, Quincy and Lucas showed me around and Q introduced me to Payton, she's been through so much shit with me and dealt with so much of my crap. She didn't have to, but she insisted that she didn't mind. Payton made this feel like home, she took me out of a really dark place and if it weren't for her, you, Lucas and Quincy I don't think I would have made it through."
Yara fought her urge to spit when she heard Lucas' name. Amari didn't notice her disgust. She glanced at him softly.
"Aya is in your corner too Mari, she forgave you and I'm glad you finally forgave yourself. You're never alone. I'm glad Quincy's been such a good friend to you and that he brought you Payton, she seems amazing based on your words and my personal interactions with her."
"I know" that was all Amari said before he appraised his sister, her simple black jeans and black t-shirt. Her straightened hair was pulled away from her face in a messy bun, "He asked about you the other day actually." Amari mused.
"Who, Quincy?"
"No, I mean, Quincy asks about you every day but no, not him. I meant Lucas. He asked how you were doing since you know the whole runaway bride thing."
"I'm not a runaway bride, I never made it down the aisle and I've been fine, you know that."
"Yeah, I do but, he wants to hear that from you."
"Then he'll be waiting a long, long time."
Yara was matter of fact. Lucas Coly had burned his final bridge with her in Arizona and she didn't desire to rehash their chapter ever again.
"You two are something else. I told him that he was stupid for messing with you in the first place knowing how he felt about Aya."
Yara was dumbfounded at Amari's revelation. Looking up at him, he met her eyes with a facial expression that read somber seriousness.
"You knew?"
"Of course I did, who do you think gave Lucas that broken eye and bruised rib? We weren't cool for a long time after that but there was a lot going on. Aya was having Destin, you were picking yourself up and going to school. I was in school, but I was doing a lot of things I shouldn't have been doing. Yara, why do you think Lucas never called you back? He wanted to but I threatened him."
Yara blinked twice as she digested the information before she snorted.
"My hero," Her voice was patronizing but Amari didn't take offense, he knew deep down she really did appreciate him "How's Quincy?"
The question made Amari laugh. He didn't know who was worse, Yara running herself in circles to end up in the same spot or Quincy pining from a distance as he gave her space. The young man had messaged Amari as soon as he'd heard, and Amari advised him to be there but give her space. Quincy had done just that, he and Yara texted every day. Still, each time things veered into them, she'd shy away, and he would change the topic.
Amari had never seen two people who should have been together play so many games. The truth of it all was that Quincy had never stopped loving his sister and Yara had only told herself she didn't love him because when he came around, she wasn't ready.
"He's good, he's Quincy you know?" That wasn't enough for Yara but Amari meant to hold back "Maybe you should call him and ask him yourself." He finalized and Yara stuck her tongue out at him before she moved away and walked back to her room.
"Watch Jahi!" She shouted back and Amari chuckled. He glanced at the sleeping baby, then at his phone.
One day he and Payton would have their own children.
-
Yara tentatively scrolled through her phone. She took great pleasure in ignoring Jordan's calls and soon found herself going through the two new messages Quincy had sent.
I want to see you. Can I come over?
Say yes and you won't regret it , I promise 😉
She couldn't help the smile that came to her face at the emoji. She couldn't hold it off any longer, he knew, he asked, and she'd never answered. Maybe now she finally had something to give him. Tapping her phone, she thought before she typed a response.
Yeah, what makes you say that Q?
Just a hunch. Besides, I think you may miss me.
Nope, not even a little bit 🙃
Yara Underwood, I'm not playing with you today. I'll pick you up at 6.
Maybe I'll be ready, maybe I won't.
You will 😌
She grinned at her phone and laid back. Her head was in the clouds and her heart was dealing with a complication she wasn't familiar with. Jordan had broken something in her, she knew that. Still, she couldn't help feeling that Quincy was exactly what she needed. He'd always been right there.
Yara was so deep in thought that she didn't realize she wasn't alone. She didn't see Amari watching her, didn't even realize he was there until he told her what she already knew.
"He's in love with you, you know that right?"
-
As promised, Quincy pulled up outside Amari's home at 6 and Yara came out in a little black dress.
Taking one glance back, she waved to Amari and Payton who was holding Jahi in her arms. She hated going anywhere without him, but she didn't want to disrupt his schedule or have him out in the public. Besides, Yara didn't know why but she felt like tonight would bring something into her life and she didn't think she could balance the baby and the beating of her heart whenever Quincy was around.
"You look beautiful." Quincy hit her with his signature smile as he opened her door for her.
"I know, you're not so bad yourself."
Yara managed to return the gesture with a charming grin as she elegantly got inside his black Range Rover.
As soon as he got in and started the car, she was soothed by the tone of Lucky Daye's voice filling the vehicle. His single Over was playing, Quincy smiled as he watched Yara get into it.
"This your song huh?" He queried and she laughed before she began to sing the chorus. Her voice floored him, he was used to hearing her hum along to music, but he'd never heard her actually sing and he couldn't believe that she'd hidden this talent for so long.
He couldn't stop staring at her, he didn't know what to say really. He just knew he wanted to see her tonight and make sure she was alright. He wasn't mad that the music had swallowed any hope of conversation for the first half of the drive, he needed to sort out his thoughts. She scattered them so easily, one look at her long smooth brown legs made him swallow hard. Before he'd respected her relationship for her sake, her integrity, but now there wasn't anything tangible to stop him, just an invisible emotional barrier he wasn't sure that she'd put up again.
"Now you walking on a thin line
We been through it like ten times
I'ma put you in line
Yeah, I had you on an incline"
Yara sang as the song neared it's end and Quincy couldn't help but find irony in the lyrics. He glanced at her as they came up to a red light and the music faded.
"Where are you taking me Q?" she asked softly, and he only smirked.
"To the top of the world."
"No seriously, where?"
He chuckled at the way she looked at him. She had a small crease in her forehead as she scanned him.
"To the top of the world, Yara. Trust me, okay?"
It may have been a lot to ask given what she'd just been through. However, when he searched her face, he saw that she visibly relaxed. She nibbled her plump pink bottom lip before she looked anywhere but at him.
"Okay."
He did take her to the top of the world, a popular Las Vegas restaurant with dazzling views. She could see everything from their sky high dinner date and it took her a minute to stop marveling at it all.
Quincy sat opposite her, his posture as elegant as always and his focus trained on her. When they'd walked in, Yara had been greeted by a dozen roses on the table and an expensive bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with two crystal wine glasses next to it. They made small talk and ordered their meals. Yara decided on Grilled Icelandic Salmon while Quincy ordered Stuffed Roasted Lobster Tails. A comfortable silence engulfed them before Yara decided to break it.
"Just a dinner huh?" She surveyed him and he met her eyes with a soberness that was uncharacteristic.
"It's never just anything with you and you know that Yara." He cleared his throat before running a hand through his curly hair "You left him."
She didn't know if it was a question or a statement.
"I did, you said it yourself he wasn't right. He hadn't been for a long time and I knew that but I just, I was thinking about Jahi and I didn't want to be like my mother. My reasons were fucked up if I'm being honest but I didn't marry him and that's all that matters."
"It is." Quincy stated matter-of-factly before he sipped his glass of champagne. Yara didn't know why but for some reason she wondered if Quincy knew the extent of what Jordan had done. He had mentioned it to her when describing how he knew Jordan was unworthy earlier.
"Did you know that he cheated on me with Maranda?" Yara's voice was blank, she wasn't sure how his answer would make her feel. Did it matter?
Quincy looked away for a moment before he turned to her with a solemn expression.
"Ebony and I overheard but the pregnancy, no one knew about that."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
A searing pain ran up Yara's chest, it was disappointment. The two people closest to her had hinted at what Jordan was doing, but she'd ignored it. She couldn't be mad at them; it wasn't as if they hadn't told her anything. Even if they'd told her the full truth, she couldn't be sure that she would've left Jordan any sooner than she did.
"I did, and you still went back to him. Yara, when you have an idea in your head , you stick to it regardless of what anyone says. If I'd told you that Jordan was with Maranda, especially with me feeling how I felt and everyone knowing it, would you have believed me over him anyway? You rationalized so many things that made no sense with Jordan because you were hell bent on a family."
The insinuation stung, the natural response would probably include the woman siding with her fiancée but Yara was sure that she would've heard Quincy out. The fact that he didn't know for sure reflected how she'd made him feel. It was a consequence of her keeping him around and barely acknowledging how he felt about her.
"I know you better than that Quincy. I would've believed you."
"Yeah maybe, but would you have still stayed with him?"
Yara wasn't sure, she looked down at her hands and Quincy sighed before he sipped down the rest of the champagne.
"I'd like to think I would. I'm not proud of how I let Jordan manipulate me but Q, I haven't been in love with Jordan for a while now. Haven't been touched by him either..."
She didn't know why she included the last part, but it seemed to brighten him just a bit. He took her hand and kissed every delicate finger.
"Yara, the reason I didn't say everything was because you'd just had Jahi, and you were happy. Plus, as bad as I want you, I didn't want you like that. I didn't want to hurt you, so I told you what I felt you needed to know to figure out the rest."
She could respect that because she understood how complicated the situation was, navigating was often difficult.
"I knew what Jordan was doing Quincy, I just hoped he'd changed. He was never right, and I tried to make him right. When you force things, they never work."
Quincy laughed wryly.
"Tell me about it."
She didn't know why the comment stung. She hated to think he was insinuating something about them and he caught the insecurity in her eyes. It was only there for a moment but he couldn't miss it or forget it. He'd never seen Yara Underwood be insecure.
"Yara, my whole life I've played the field. I never went public with anyone, never made a big deal of any relationship and then I met you. You were the one person I wanted the world to know about. My mother loved you and when I'd lost her you had been there. Despite all your weird rules, in that time you had been there for me so I knew even more than I knew before that you were the one. I got up the courage to ask you, and you refused. It was bittersweet for me. My whole life I was afraid of commitment and then I met you. You were just like me and in the moment you rejected me I understood how alike we were Still, I never stopped loving you."
"You got engaged Quincy."
"So did you."
"Well, you did it first." Yara answered back like a petulant child as she crossed her arms across her chest.
"Because of you! Yara I'm 31 now. I wanted to start a family. I wanted to do that with you. When you turned me down, I tried to find someone else, someone better but I couldn't let go of you. You are all I want and that's never changed since the day I met you."
She wanted him too.
"Quincy, I just got out of one relationship. I can't just jump into another."
"Then don't jump Yara. Walk into it when you're ready. I understand that you need time and I'll give you that, but I want to be there for you and Jahi."
"What if I run out of time with you?"
"You won't."
At that moment the waiter brought out their main dishes and Yara felt the shift that she had been dreading. She couldn't fight her emotions for much longer, but she needed to pace herself. Quincy appeared to be perfect, and she couldn't mess up with him again. She also had a child she had to worry about.
Later that night, he walked her to Amari's front door and took her in one more time before he intertwined their fingers.
"I had fun tonight, I'm glad we got to talk." He told her honestly and she smiled at him.
"Me too. Thank you for being you Q."
"You make it easy. Just promise me that you'll take care of yourself."
"I will, you don't have to worry about me."
"I don't worry Ya, I just want the best for you."
She didn't know how to respond to that but the statement brought her peace. She had so many people to be grateful for in her life.
Silence reigned as they stood in place. He stared at her as if she was the sun, moon and stars. He felt that familiar tension rising and before he could stop himself he released one of her hands and wrapped his arm around her waist to bring her closer to him. He pulled her flush against him, and her free hand rested on his chest.
His scent was intoxicating her. As she breathed it in, she tried not to sway. They couldn't stop this no matter how much they tried to restrain themselves. They were crashing into each other.
"Quincy."
She whispered his name and he reveled in the way it sounded rolling off her tongue. Placing his forehead against hers, he searched her eyes for any sign of warning or desire to escape but she was so focused on him, so enamored.
He'd waited a long time to kiss her, too long so he didn't waste any more time before he placed his lips on hers and both of their heads spun.
Taking her other hand away from his, she fully gripped his chest as he locked her in against him. She could feel all the ridges of his body and it made her horny. She hadn't been touched in so long and he tasted like the warm butter cake they'd had for dessert. He felt strong and his embrace was firm as he lowered his hands to her hips and squeezed. Despite herself, she let out a small moan. He was Quincy, her Quincy and he was making her head spin.
Eventually they had to pull away for air, dazed and aroused. Reality seeped back in and she stepped back from him.
"Quincy, we have to..."
He placed another quick kiss on her lips to stop her before he stepped down from the porch.
"I know, but I had to do that. I have no regrets Yara, and neither do you."
He was right but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"Have a good night Quincy Brown."
"You too, my beautiful Yara Elizabeth."
His Yara...
She only smirked at him before turning the key and rushing inside her brother's home. She didn't see the longing way Quincy watched after her or the huge grin on his face as he pulled off but she didn't need to view it. She knew what this meant, what they meant and she knew they wouldn't be able to hold off for much longer.
Looking around at the empty living room, she surveyed Payton's purse on the kitchen counter and smiled before she soft shoed to Jahi's nursery where he was sound asleep.
Her perfect baby boy. Yara delivered a small kiss to his forehead as she fixed his blanket. When she got back to her room, her phone began to ring. It was Jordan Clarkson.
What did he want?