Cherry’s Jubilee (Lunchtime Chronicles: Season 7)

Chapter 16

Cherry

With each word that comes out of Daniel’s mouth, I can feel pounding in my head and blood coursing through my veins. I put my hands to my cheeks to calm myself.

“Our grandfather left this to me and Solange, and her mother wanted to sue us for it,” I hiss when Daniel stops talking. “This has caused so much drama, and now, Ashley wants to drag…”I take a deep breath and tell Daniel how my mom wanted us to give Ashley and Amira the building.

“I’m sorry,” he says. He pulls me to him, and I rest my head on his chest.

“I don’t know why they hate us so much, especially Karen. I’m over it and want nothing more to do with those people.”

“I get it, and Ashley is an employee. That’s it. We’re not friends. I was only at the party because my dad asked me to go on his behalf, but I’m glad he did because I got to meet you.”

“I’m glad too,” I admit.

“They’re jealous of you,” he says. “It’s so obvious. You’re beautiful and sweet.” I look up and smile at him. “And that smile,” he says. “I was a goner the first time I saw it. And you’re brilliant.”

“And your company wasn’t smart enough to realize it,” I remind him .

Instead of answering me, he takes me in a deep kiss. It soon turns passionate, and I straddle him on the couch. He lifts me and carries me to the bedroom, where we fall on the bed.

My eyes pop open to the sound of his grunting. He’s not in the bed with me, so I roll over to his side and look down. He’s shirtless and doing pushups in nothing but a pair of boxers.

We’ve spent every night together this week. He’ll drop me off at home or at my job in the mornings and come to my apartment after work. I’ll make dinner or we’ll go out. One night, Solange and Kirby invited us over, and we had dinner with them.

Today is Friday, and the weather forecast says it will rain all day. Even now, thunder nearly makes me jump. I lean over the bed and watch him as he works out. His back is like a wall of muscle, and I run my hand down his sweaty skin.

I squeeze between my legs and revel in the delicious soreness. I want him again, but my stomach lets out a loud growl. I groan and slide off the bed. It’s a California King made with mahogany wood. It’s elevated, and I nearly trip when I get off.

“I need caffeine,” I groan on my way to the bathroom.

“Me too. Make me a latte,” he yells behind me.

I grab a pillow from the floor and throw it at him. It hits him in the middle of his back, but he doesn’t flinch as he continues his pushups.

I plate our breakfast. Today, I decided on Mexican omelets with extra chorizo and jalapenos. Once they’re plated, he takes them to the table, and I make us another latte. When I attempt to sit next to him, he grabs me, and I end up on his lap. He wraps his arms around me before he plants loud, wet kisses on my cheek.

“Thank you,” he says. “This looks good. You’re an amazing cook.”

“I’m good at everything,” I say to him. “Unlike someone I know.” He chuckles as he picks up his fork.

“I thought I could cook,” he says in his defense. “I can’t. Get over it.” He kisses my cheek again.

“I just don’t understand how you can forget that you can’t cook.”

“Whatever,” is all he says.

A couple of nights ago, Daniel gave his chef the night off and said he’d cook me dinner. After putting all the ingredients on his kitchen island, he admitted he had no idea what to do. I ended up making us a meal.

“My parents both cook,” I say. “And they say cooking for someone is—” I stop before I say the wrong word. I take a sip of my drink while I think of something that conveys what my parents think without using their specific word. “Caring,” I say. “It shows you care for someone when you take the time to feed and nourish them.”

“Your parents are wise,” he says.

With me on his lap, we eat our breakfast. Even though we are both eating the same thing, he feeds me some of his, and gestures for me to feed him some of mine.

It’s been two weeks, and I’ve never been more content in a relationship. There are no games with Daniel, and we’ve spent every night together since the weekend.

“So, we’ll go to my office for about an hour. I have a meeting that I can’t get out of. We’ll leave right after,” he says.

I freeze on his lap. I’ve known about this all week, but now that the time has come, I’m nervous. I will never let him know that though. “You’re not scared, are you?” he challenges.

“In your dreams, Jubilee,” I toss back with a hair flip. I’m satisfied when it hits him in the face .

“Good.” He plants a greasy kiss on the side of my neck.

Once we finish breakfast, I start to clear the dishes, but he lifts me off my feet and carries me to his bedroom. When we leave the bedroom, I know his penthouse will return to pristine order. It will be like we had never cooked or eaten in the kitchen at all.

After getting dressed, I notice the rain has stopped just as the weatherman had predicted. The sun is starting to peak through the clouds, and I know it will be hot. Today is when I will meet the rest of Daniel’s immediate family at the home where he grew up.

His sister is in town, and his mother wants a family day; today is the day they can make it happen. According to Daniel’s father, he and his wife issued me a personal invitation. As nice as Daniel Senior is, I don’t think he’s used to being told no. The invitation was more like an order than a request.

As I pack my beach bag, I feel butterflies in my stomach. It went well the last time I met a man’s family, but that was different. He wasn’t the son of one of the wealthiest men in the country. He wasn’t set to inherit and run a conglomerate. He wasn’t white. We were the same age and were at the same stage in life. We were equals in every way, and I was confident when I met his family.

They liked me and it was mutual. That relationship ended because he decided to enlist in the military, and I wasn’t interested in a long-distance relationship.

This situation with Daniel Jubilee is entirely different. While I’m confident in most things, this one has left me uncertain. Daniel’s presence in my life was completely random and unexpected. I could never have predicted I would meet him, let alone feel a connection, but that’s what happened. Despite meeting and feeling comfortable around his father, the rest of his immediate family is different. He’s the oldest of five, and I don’t know how everyone else will receive me.

My phone vibrates on the bed with a text from my best friend.

Ginger: I need updates every ten minutes. Sneak pictures if you can.

Ginger: And stop worrying. They will love you. Everyone loves you.

Me: I’m scared shitless.

Ginger: As long as you don’t shit in your pants, you’re okay. If anyone upsets you, know one thing.

Me: What’s that?

Ginger: We ride at dawn!

She adds a bunch of weapon emojis, and I respond with a heart. Daniel comes out of the bathroom, dressed in a suit like always. He takes my bag, slings it over his shoulder, and offers me his hand.