Page 2 of Trial and Error

Reaching across the table, I give her hand a squeeze. “I know, and thank you for that, but I’m in no position to give him the stability he needs right now. He has his daughter to worry about, and I don’t want to lead him along when I’m not even sure what I want.”

The truth is, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to date Malik, and I’d be lying if I hadn’t been tempted to say yes to one of the million dates he’s asked me on, but I don’t think I can be what he needs right now. He needs someone who can step up for Asha and help him when he needs it. He needs someone who is ready to step into parenthood and I’m not sure that’s me.

Not now, at least.

“Maybe just hook-up with him and get it out of your system?”

A laugh passes through my lips. “This is your brother we’re talking about, and I know you like hearing about my sexcapades but this will be one you won’t want to hear about.”

She hums in agreement. “Just think about it.” I tilt my head to the side. “I think the two of you would be really good together.”

We both take sips of our drinks and relax in the silence between us and the hum of the people around us.

“So, I’ve been seeing someone,” Imani tells me as she twists her wineglass in her hands.

I gasp. “You sure kept that quiet!”

Smiling, she shrugs her shoulders, as if to say yeah, I guess I did.

“Tell me about him.”

At the mere mentioned of him, she lets out a soft chuckle and shakes her head. “He’s so lovely, Bids.” Imani speaks with a softness I’ve never heard her use before, and I watch as she drifts into her own world. “He treats me with such kindness and respect, and he makes me feel wanted every hour of every day. I’m kind of obsessed with him.” She sighs wistfully as she turns her attention back to me again.

I raise my brows. “Sounds like he’s been in the picture for a while…” She blushes. “So why am I only hearing about him now?”

The sound that passes through her lips this time is tense. “Things have been complicated for him.” I narrow my eyes, waiting for her to expand. “He was in the middle of going through a pretty rough divorce when we first started dating which made things hard, but now that it’s finalized we can start working on us.”

From the way Imani looks down at her hands, I know that telling me this is hard for her. There are never secrets between us, apart from this one, and from the way she’s fiddling with her hands, I know it’s been difficult for her to keep it from me.

“I’m happy for you, Im,” I tell her honestly. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

A blush coats her cheeks. “You’ve already met him, actually.” She clears her throat and looks away from me with a sheepish grin. Imani leans in closer as if what she’s going to tell me something scandalous. “It’s Adam.”

I blink. “Your boss Adam?” She nods. “I mean, good for you. He’s a smoke-show.”

Her shoulders relax as she laughs and a proud look blossoms on her face. “Right?” Just as I’m about to respond, her phone buzzes on the table and Imani reaches forward to see who the message is from. “Oh, it’s Malik.” She waggles her brows, and I roll my eyes. “He wants to come and join us. Is that cool with you?”

“The more, the merrier.”

I can’t fight the subtle and excited buzz that fills my belly at the mere mention of him.

Malik has his arm wrapped around his sister’s shoulders as the two of them throw back their third shot of tequila, and I wince at the sight.

Tequila and I do not get along.

Whatsoever.

I watch them in amusement as they each reach for a slice of lime, Imani gagging as she puts the wedge into her mouth. I turn my head and look over at Adam, who sits on the other side of Imani with an adoring smile on his face. A few hours after Malik joined us on the patio, the three of us decided to go to one of our favourite nightclubs downtown.

Adam called Imani, asking where she was, and when she told him he said he was on his way. I couldn’t remember what he looked like, but when he showed up dressed in a three-piece suit and a tote thrown over his broad shoulders, I immediately recognized his greying hair and stocky frame.

Malik bounced up from the stool he was perched on, holding out his hand and firmly shook Adam’s, and it dawned on me that this must be the first time they’re meeting each other based on the nervous and slightly uncomfortable grimace on Adam’s face. Imani gnawed on her lip as she watched the interaction, and I saw her shoulders sag in relief when her brother pulled Adam into a hug.

I met Adam at one of Imani’s Christmas parties a few years back. He had come to her apartment dressed in a tacky Christmas sweater and a pair of jeans with a rather expensive looking bottle of red in his hand. It was painstakingly obvious, even back then, that he had a soft spot for her, because according to Imani’s co-workers he rarely made an appearance at the Christmas parties they took turns hosting.

When he reintroduces himself, we swiftly fall into conversation. “Imani tells me you live in Briarwood. Have you lived there your whole life?”

Briarwood is a smaller city just outside of Vancouver and takes no more than half an hour to get to. “No, I moved from Edmonton when I was fifteen, but I’ve been there ever since.”