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“Since you whining so much, you can take it off.” I pulled the tie from her eyes. In front of us was the home I designed. There was a farm-style wrap-around porch that gave her all the feelings of back home. Just like I asked Priest had placed a bow that needed to be cut away at the entryway.
“Prince.” She breathed out. “Oh my God. Are we in Michigan? What is this?”
“This is our first home baby.”
“Oh my God!” She looked at me with those big beautiful brown eyes. The tears that clouded her eyes were the only ones I wanted to see her cry.
“Let’s go inside. Let me show you what I been working on for months.”
She pulled the ribbon away. “This is beautiful. Look at this porch.”
“Just wait until you see the inside.” I gave her a soft push, She went to the door and opened it.
“Surprise!!!” Everyone yelled.
“What?” Le turned to me again. “What are y’all doing here?” She sobbed as Satisa and Nesha came and hugged her. Priest and Pria were there with all the kids. So was my mother and I looked to the side to see a nigga hanging back a little. I surmised immediately he was with Nesha. I guess that explained the absence of Chaz.
All the women were caught up in squeals.
“Why are y’all here?” Le asked again.
“To celebrate you baby. Turn around.” Nesha said as I got down on one knee again.
“Prince,” Le breathed again. She started fanning her eyes.
“Le Monroe you mean the world to me. I can’t imagine life without you. When I was broken you showed me what love truly was. I will never run out of ways to say I love you. I want to ask you again today, in front of our family and friends, Alesha Monroe Montgomery, be my forever. Be my wife baby.”
I cut it off right before my words started to choke. I knew she would have been emotional but I felt myself losing it thinking of all she meant to me.
“Yes, of course, Prince.” She nodded and I slipped another ring on her finger. I wasn’t sparing any expense. I had another one made that would sit right below her yellow stone and compliment it. When the band was added it would make it complete.
“Ooh shit! Those Richards men all about two proposals and two rings!” Nesha called loudly and everyone laughed.
“That nigga got it from me. Priest wish he was this smooth.”
I pulled Le into my arms. I dipped her for a kiss and everything melted away. I would stay caught up in her world as long as she would allow me.
Lesha
Today was the day, and I was nervous beyond belief. I knew that I had everything, but I still found myself checking everything repeatedly. For the first time, I was standing alone. Prince was finalizing the details of his next project. After revamping the first hotel, he landed another deal for the next chain of them. It was nothing like a man with vision and execution to match. I gave him immense credit for teaching me so much. I walked with confidence now that I only dreamed of before. Now that I was alone and walking past my catering table, I was second guessing myself. Having to prepare to serve the 1500-plus people who were due to be here in less than an hour gave me more questions than answers. Did I make enough? Would they like the cuisine I pick out? This could take my brand to another level, and I wanted to make a good impression. No, I needed to make a good impression.
You got this. Don’t doubt yourself.
I chanted the words internally. The decorators were buzzing around putting their last finishing touches on the tables. Black-lined silk was laid on top of each table with beautiful red sashes to secure them. Each table was surrounded by eight chairs, and the ballroom was deep and long as the eyes could see. With such an exclusive event, I would have thought they would have chosen the table service option. It seemed to be the more regal choice not to have the patrons have to come througha buffet-style line. Don’t get me wrong, the options matched the beautiful ball gowns and tuxedos that they would be wearing, but I wasn’t so sure they would want to get up and come through a line.
Stop it!
This is what they paid for, and this beautiful spread was what I was going to deliver. I rubbed my hands down my dress as I went to the line to check all the food warmers for the twentieth time. There were ten covered pans that sat on top of the warmers on low heat. The seafood combos that the hotel ordered steamed when I opened the lids. I checked the bottoms once again to ensure nothing was burning, and just like I’d seen five minutes ago, everything was still as it should be. I was freaking the hell out. I wanted nothing more than to hear my man’s voice. That simple reassurance was something I craved, but I was trying to push myself past the need for outside validation. I would always have that from Prince but I needed to find that on my own as well. Today, of all days, I was struggling mightily.
“Ms. Lesha, come look at this.” When I heard my name from one of the serving staff I hired, I flew into the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s the sauce. It’s burned. I don’t know what happened because Alicia was supposed to be manning the station, but she was nowhere to be found. So what we have out there is all we have.”
“That won’t be nearly enough. Where did Alicia go?” I asked the ten-person crew that strolled around the kitchen. I was met with shrugged shoulders. Of course, it didn’t mean to them what it meant to me. At this point I wished I’d listened to Prince because an assistant would have been so helpful in this moment. They could have been monitoring my kitchen staffwhile I checked everything up front. My crew today should have been twelve, but two backed out at the last-minute. I was already prepared to jump behind the table and man a station. Two, if I had to, but we were going to be spread thin if we were down another person.
“Look, someone go to my car. I left some things there to help me make a new batch.
