Page 12 of Lennox Lane

“Thank you, because the next man who asks who hurt me is getting embarrassed,” she added.

“Speaking of interviews, we need to discuss the Vogue opportunity,” Cadence reminded Lane.

Yet another reminder of just how phenomenal Lane was. It wasn’t easy to land a Vogue cover or interview, but the way she strategically put the spotlight on Cadence, had brands lined up to work with her. KC and Cadence had been presented with an opportunity to do an intimate photoshoot with Vogue. The interview is built around music, marriage, fatherhood, pregnancy, and the way Cadence had become a public figure in her own right. The proposed feature title sat at the top of the deck in elegant serif font:

The Concrete Heart: Love, Legacy & the Reeds at Home

Nova read it aloud and immediately clutched her chest. “That is disgustingly cute.”

Tariq nodded. “Sounds like KC gone be photographed barefoot in a linen shirt holding the twins and looking repentant.”

“Don’t hate because you don’t have range, nigga,” KC said, pointing at him.

“I have range, my range is refusing to be dressed in a Burberry button up like it’s a baby shower,” Tariq shot back as everyone laughed.

Cadence looked at Lane and asked, “What do you think?”

Lane tapped her stylus against the tablet. “I think it’s strong. Vogue loves domestic intimacy when it still feels aspirational. The family angle works, especially with your pregnancy, but it has to center you as more than Concrete’s wife. We’ll have them put an emphasis on your work, your voice, and your transition into this public-facing role. The love story is the hook, but your identity is the substance.”

Cadence’s expression softened. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

Lennox looked at Lane before he could stop himself. That was the part people missed when they got distracted by the mouth, the body, the lavender hair, and the attitude—Lane was strategically brilliant in a way that felt surgical. She could step into any room and find the weak point, the selling point, and the person everybody was underestimating within five minutes. She had built herself into a force and tonight she was letting Devin Halstead buy her dinner. The reality caused his mood to sour all over again.

Lane glanced at him. “Problem?”

“No,” he answered with contempt.

“Your face says otherwise.”

“My face isn’t on the agenda,” he quipped.

“No, but unfortunately it’s in the room,” she spoke, matching his sour energy.

Tariq made a strangled sound as Nova leaned toward Cadence. “I want them mic’d up one day. Just for me.”

Cadence tried to hide her laugh behind her water glass before telling Lane to behave and KC told him the same thing. He and Lane both pouted like toddlers as they both tried to convince themselves that they were behaving. Their eyes locked and for a brief moment, the room blurred around the edges, Lennox remembering a different version of her looking up at him from white sheets in St. Barts with her cheeks flushed and her hair mussed. He constantly yearned for her mouth that was soft from kissing him like she wanted to own him in every aspect. He remembered the way she laughed when he said something stupid against her skin. The way she whispered his name when she stopped pretending she didn’t need anyone or anything.

He remembered too much as Lane looked away first, but not like she was retreating. She looked at him like she’d won. She could see the regret written all over him. The rest of the meeting moved quickly after that. Lennox contributed when necessary and kept the rest short—too short and everyone noticed. When the meeting ended, the girls decided to head out and grab lunch and share gossip.

Lane slid her tablet into her tote. “You always need gossip,” she said to Nova.

“And you always have some,” Nova reminded her.

“I keep an ear or two to the streets,” Lane laughed.

“Facts, you ain’t ever brought us stale tea,” Nova laughed as she agreed with Lane.

Lane smiled, but her eyes cut briefly to Lennox. “Some people should learn from that.”

He caught her snark but he refused to respond to it, especially seeing that his lack of response shocked Lane. She expected another round of verbal jousting but all he gave her was an annoyed facial expression as silence stood between them like a referee. Lane’s fiery nature cooled as she stood to leave.

“Enjoy your afternoon, Jackson,” she spoke with a smirk on her face.

“Oh, I will. You be sure to enjoy your evening, Lavender,” he responded using his nickname for her.

Her eyes narrowed with a tiny flicker of apprehension that only Lennox caught. Reading people and the things they didn’t say was his gift and it was no different with Lane. She could tell he was up to something by his farewell and that pleased him, because in the moment Lane was left to wonder as she turned and walked out with Cadence and Nova. He hated to see her go but loved to watch her leave as her hips moved with an attitude that felt personally directed at his peace.

Lennox watched until the door closed behind Lane. As if the click snapped him out his trance he turned to Tariq and KC, making both men burst out laughing.