Page 63 of Book Bae

All three men were single, but unlike Micaiah, Mason and Xavier had never been married. Lance was currently divorced, but he didn’t speak on that subject for long. From the little teasing the men did of him, it was clearly a sore spot, and I didn’t think he was over his wife.

When they finished talking about their past and telling me all about Micaiah as a kid and teen, Xavier pointed at us. “This is a good look for you that I like. I can see this.”

“She’s definitely a lot more chill than either of the first three Mrs. Livingstones, pregnant and all,” Mason stated.

“She’s not to be compared,” Micaiah growled.

The three men looked at each other and then back at us. As one, they all replied, “Dayyuum!”

“What did you do to my guy?” Lance asked. “He’s always chill as hell. I see a protective nature in him that I’ve never seen before.”

“All right. Y’all met her. It’s time to get out,” Micaiah declared, standing.

“Oh, that’s how you do us when you’re really in love? Never saw what that looked like on you before,” Mason remarked.

Micaiah tilted his head sideways, pulled his fingers through his beard, and then looked down at me thoughtfully. “I do love her, and I’m not ashamed to admit that,” he stated, shocking the hell out of me.

“She got a sister?” Xavier asked.

“A best friend?” Lance remarked.

“I’ll take her mother,” Mason stated, causing me to spit out the water I’d been sipping on.

“Her daddy will—Yeah, time for y’all to get the hell on. You ain’t gotta go home, but you gotta get ya black asses the hell out of here.”

They all chuckled, but they stood, finished off their drinks, and one by one came to say goodbye to me with a hug.

“We’ll be back before that baby arrives. If this one act up, let us know, and we’ll kick his ass,” Lance declared when he pulled back from the hug.

“You’ll get your ass kicked,” Micaiah replied emphatically.

“Congrats on the little one. She’s already got a crew of uncles who are looking forward to spoiling her,” Xavier stated, hugging me.

“It truly is a pleasure meeting you. He’s a good man. The others broke his heart, but I don’t see that in you,” Mason whispered when he hugged me.

“He’s a good man, everything I’ve ever dreamed of. If anyone’s heart will be broken, it will be mine,” I replied, glancing at Micaiah, who was talking to Xavier and Lance.

“If it’s about the marriage thing, just give him time.”

I looked at Mason, and he gave me a firm nod. I exhaled, and he joined the other men.

“Wait right here. I’ll be back to take you to your room,” Micaiah ordered when he saw me preparing to leave the library.

I sat down on the couch and listened to the men teasing each other like a group of grown boys as they headed out of the library. I kicked my feet up and thought about what Mason had said both times, declaring that Micaiah was in love with me, and Micaiah professing it, and to be patient with Micaiah on the subject of marriage. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was right.

He knew his best friend better and longer than I had. I made up my mind that I would just love Micaiah with all my heart and take things between us as they came, no pressure, no stress.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Micaiah stated, walking back into the library a few minutes later.

“Hey, sexy,” I replied, nuzzling my nose against his as he lifted me into his arms and carried me back to my room.

He brushed his lips against mine on the way, and when he finally placed me in the bed, I spoke. “Love, Micaiah?”

“Yeah. Is that a problem?”

“No. Just unexpected. You’ve never said it—though you’ve shown it.”

“I’ll keep showing and proving it to you as long as there’s breath in my body. You know why?”