“Girl, you did it your way, and that’s what matters,” Gayle said. “I’m just glad we made up, and I’m here celebrating with you and Logan tonight. My actions were so dumb. I put my feelings before yours, Nikki. But you are glowing. I should have known Chef Yummy would win you in the end.”
Kenya raised her glass. “I want to make a toast to my sister.”
“She doesn’t have a drink,” Gayle said. ”Let me get her a drink first.”
“No, Gayle; I don’t want a drink. I want to be in my right mind for later tonight,” Nikki said bashfully, as she stopped Gayle from getting out of her seat.
Gayle laughed. “You go, girl.”
“Kenya, do your toast, honey,” Mimi suggested. “Nikki can pretend to have a drink in her hand.”
“Okay. As most of you know, I lost my baby sister years ago. She recently came back into my life. I thank God for bringing us together again. Nikki, I wish you all the best, all the happiness and all the love Logan will shower upon you. May God bless your union eternally.
Nikki couldn’t stop the tears from falling as they said in unison “Hear, hear.” When they clinked the glasses together, she lost it again. Tears of happiness were so much better than those of sadness.
“I have to fix my makeup,” Nikki said, “I’ll be back in a minute.”
As she started to walk across the restaurant, she looked up, and her heart dropped to her feet. Before her stood Barry Warfield. Damn, her father looked dashing in his black suit, shiny curls mixed with gray were freshly cut, and a smile plastered across his face. It still boggled Nikki’s mind when she thought about him and Judith together. How did it even happened? She concluded there had to be a lot of tequila involved.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” She asked as he moved closer to give her a hug.
“Where else would I be on a special occasion like this, Nikki?”
“How did you know?”
“I met your husband a couple of days ago. He is a very energetic person and loves you very much; I’m impressed with Logan.”
How did he do that without me knowing? Nikki looked around the room and saw Logan smiling at her. He had arranged for her father to be at their reception. Every second, she was falling deeper in love with him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t extend the invitation myself, Dad. With all you have going on with your other kids, I didn’t think you’d be able to make it.”
“Sweetheart, you’re my child too. Don’t ever feel there isn’t room for you in my life.”
“I’m a reminder of what happened, Dad. I felt the guilt for what Judith had done to your family.”
“You are not my guilt child, Nikki. What happened between Judith and I happened. And I can’t place all the fault on her. And it was thirty years ago. My wife is over it, and so am I. So stop shutting me out. When you do that I miss important events in your life; such as your wedding.”
He was right. She was the one keeping their affair alive. It was time to stop blaming herself for their wrong-doings. “Logan is a wonderful man. I love him because he makes things possible for me. He brought my father here tonight. Thank you for listening to him, Dad.”
Barry smiled. “You know a wedding reception is not complete unless there is a father-daughter dance. I’d be so happy if my daughter would share a dance with me.”
Nikki nodded because she was too choked up to talk. Wrapped in her father’s arms and swaying to the music, she now knew how Kenya had felt dancing with her father.
When the song ended, Barry whispered in her ear, “Honey, if you had told me about the wedding; you would’ve had plenty of family to fill a church and the reception. Honey, I would have been so proud to walk you down the aisle.”
She really wanted to cry now. “I’m so stupid for thinking you did not have time for me. Can we make it up somehow?”
“It’s never too late for us. For starters, I’m inviting you and Logan to Thanksgiving dinner at my house. It’s time you met your grandparents and all your crazy cousins. They can’t wait to see you again.”
She looked up at him and raised her brow. “My husband is a chef. I bet I can get him to whip up a few dishes.”
“I know. He is allowed to bring whatever he wants to make. We love to eat,” Barry said.
Logan walked over to them. “Everything okay? I see a lot of hugging and laughing, and I’m not part of it,” he said.
“We were talking about you so get in here,” said Nikki. She grabbed Logan and her father into a three-way hug. “I love you both so much and thank you for loving me.”
*****
After the party was over, Nikki was exhausted. She and Logan stretched out on the bed reminiscing about the party and the wedding. “I think everything went well tonight,” Logan said.
“It went very well. Logan, thank you for getting my father to come. I needed him there.”
“Yes, you did. And he’s a good man, and I think we’ll all get along great.”
“Um, Kenya told me something that caught me off guard.”
“What did she say to you?”
“Judith checked into a rehab center. She wants to clean up her life.”
“That’s good news, babe. Think you’ll be able to forgive her if she cleans up her act?”
“It would make me a better person if I tried to mend fences with her, huh?”
“Honestly, I think you’d feel like crap if you didn’t try.”
Nikki narrowed her eyes. “Logan… why would I feel like crap?”
“Sweetheart, something made her want to get clean. If she reaches out to you, take the opportunity to let her apologize. It will be a clean slate for both of you. You’ll get rid of the hate and she’ll have accept responsibility for what she did to you and Kenya.”
Nikki sighed deeply. “How about I think about it?”
“That’s better than nothing. My concern is your happiness. I don’t want any bad memories interfering with our lives. We only want good memories going forward.”
She took his hand in hers, playing with his strong fingers. “Speaking of memories; we haven’t discussed kids, Logan. Do you want kids?”
“One day down the line I’d like to have a kid. Nikki you aren’t…”
She nodded and smiled. “No, I’m not pregnant but I want a baby. A little Chef Sloan to keep us on our toes.”
Logan roared with laughter. “Really? He rubbed her stomach. “Whenever you’re ready to get pregnant, let’s do it.”
She was tickled pink he was so open about having children. Their kids would never be neglected or feel unloved. “I have other news? A school is interested in implementing my software as part of their learning curriculum. I thought I should talk to you before I make a decision.”
“Babe, that’s great! The decision should be yours. That is your baby.”
She raised her brow. “Logan, they are offering me a lot of money. More if I develop software for kids in middle and high school.”
“I’m proud of you, babe. Your dreams are coming true.”
“Yes, they are. I don’t know if I can deliver in the timeframe they want. My job comes first so I think I’ll have to decline.”
Logan took her hand. “Quit Brand and follow your dreams. I make enough to support us.”
“No. What if something happens to the restaurant or Ron decides to pull out to open his own restaurant?”
His lips curled at the corners. “I’m a hell of a chef—need I say more?” He traced his finger down the side of her cheek. “Put in your notice and start marketing your software. I’m your husband and vowed to be with you for richer and for poorer. And I want to support your dream even if it breaks us.”
He was so damn arrogant and she love it. “You are amazing and I love you so much. I am a lucky woman.”
He kissed her deeply. She felt it all the way down to her toes. When he broke the kiss, he rubbed his nose against hers. “Our kids will not believe how we met.”
She smiled. “I don’t kno
w what texting will be like in the future, but wouldn’t it be something if he or she met the love of their lives the same way?”
“Yeah, it would be. We can be trend setters.” Logan placed a hand on her thigh, massaging it lightly and said, “I love you, Mrs. Sloan.”
Nikki put her hand over his. “And I love you, Chef Yummy.”
Logan reached over and turned off the light. “We better make time for each other while we can.”
Nikki felt his weight cover her. She really and truly was in love. “Mmm, sounds good to me.”
Text 'Yes' if You Love Me Page 21
