Malik was happy that Nova decided to stay. He did not feel bad about tricking her to get there. Outside of stalking her and showing up wherever she did, he had no other options.

She looked amazing, dressed down, but so on brand for her. She did not need to be glammed up in designer clothes, or tight dresses. Jeans and a loose-fitting shirt, her twists pulled off her face in a ponytail. He could not tell if she was wearing makeup, her skin was always smooth and flawless. That was one thing he loved about her.

Her skin. The glow. The rich ebony skin, so opposite of his pale skin. He wanted to lay naked next to her, their skin creating a contrast that would look like yin and yang. Artwork, or something more precious. Soulmates.

"I'm not even hungry now," Nova said pushing away her menu.

"Because of me? Nova, let's just start this all over, like we just met, and do things over."

"Yeah!" Davina said, jumping in. "Like you two are on a blind date. You just now met each other for the first time. You look at each other for the first time, and what do you feel? Attraction?"

Yes, he said to himself. He was always attracted to Nova, even before he developed feelings for her. He thought she was beautiful, but she never saw the beauty in herself. And it wasn't that other guys were not trying to ask her out, he kept them away. He should tell her that.

"Nova, I think you're beautiful," he said to her, playing along. "Nice to meet you."

Nova grunted and signaled for the waiter with her hand.

The waiter was at their table with a touchscreen tablet. "You all ready to order?"

There restaurant was only half full, and everyone else seemed to be on dates. Davina said Noelle picked the place, but to him, it did not seem romantic enough. He could tell his sister was already smitten by Noelle because she kept blushing.

"No food for me, but I would love a mango peach margarita...and keep them coming!"

He raised his eyebrow at Nova, and she gave him a stank face back. He chuckled and ordered a Vanilla Russian with an extra shot of Absolut. If Nova wanted to get turnt, he could match her drink for drink.

"You want to share an appetizer with me?" Davina asked Noelle.

"Yeah, long as that's not all you're eating."

"Heck no! I like to eat! But I have cut out red meat. I have to watch what I eat cuz a girl gotta stay in shape."

Noelle chuckled. "I'll watch your shape. You look good."

"Well girl, we can't all be naturally thin like you. You can share this Artichoke-Spinach Fondue with me. And then I think I will try the shrimp po'boy with the side Caesar salad."

"Ooo yes, a girl after my heart. You love seafood as much as I do?"

"I make the best fried catfish! I'm going to have to invite you over next time I make it."

"I'm there. Give me the ahi tuna wrap and fries."

His sister and Noelle were getting along fine, but Nova would barely look at him. He wanted to order something to eat too because he was starving, but if Nova was not eating, he wouldn't either.

"You sure you don't want to order something, Nova? It's on me."

"I'm good."

As they sat there waiting for their drinks, he stared at Nova trying to get her to make eye contact with him, but she had her head in her phone, scrolling through it. How could he make this right if she didn't even look at him? What could he say?

He looked at his sister, but she was busy chatting it up with Noelle and they were ignoring them. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.

As soon as Nova's drink came, she gulped down half of it. He took a small sip of his. Nova continued to drink hers as if it was water. She signaled the waiter back over.

"Get me another ready." She pointed to him. "He's paying."

"Nova, shouldn't you slow down a bit and eat something?"

"Not you trying to tell me what to do. Go tell your baby momma what to do."

Nova was taking it too far, now he was upset. "See, now you're just being childish."

"Fuck off!"

"Hey!' Davina finally jumped in. "The two of you...blowing my high. Damn! Y'all were besties in school, what the hell happened? You know, Noelle?"

"Hell no."

Davina snapped her fingers at him. "Did you fuck her and leave her?"

His sister and her mouth. Thought she knew everything but she was dead wrong here. It was the opposite.

"I'm not here for this!" Noelle stood up. She grabbed her drink and finished it off. "Noelle, I came for you because I thought you needed me, but you and Davina...perfect together, why didn't I see it? Kudos to you both but I'm not a third wheel...or fourth at that."

She glanced at him before turning away just as the server came with her other drink.

"Aaa! Might as well!" She started to guzzle down the drink right there, spilling some.

He jumped up and went over to her. "I can't let you leave like this."

"Didn't I say fuck off?"

"Malik, she lives just down the street. Walk her home. She's a lightweight for real," Noelle said.

"Walk me home? I'm a grown woman, I can walk a straight line." She pulled away from him and headed out of the restaurant.

He took out his credit card and gave it to his sister. "Pay for whatever ladies, enjoy your date."

He followed after Nova before she did something stupid to harm herself, or worse, someone came to harm her. She was standing outside, looking at her phone.

"Which way is your place?"

"You really don't need to-"

"Don't even argue with me Nova, I'm walking you home. You're a little drunk and you're a female walking the streets at night."

"It's safer here than some places." She walked off down the street and he walked beside her.

Downtown St. Louis looked a lot different than it did ten years ago when he used to run wild in the area. They were just beginning to develop everything in revitalization areas making downtown more livable than just workspaces. The Washington Loft area was one of those areas. A few blocks from the Riverfront. In walking distance of most downtown attractions. Not far from where they grew up together.

He wondered if that was why Nova lived there.

They walked silently, he did not know what to say to her. She would not listen to him anyway. He could not believe she was still mad over things that happened ten years ago.

"Why are you still here Leek?"

At least she was talking to him now. And for that, he had to tell her the truth.

"For you," he said. "And my son." When she did not say anything, he went on. "I met him for the first time. Nova, it was weird seeing someone look like me but not even know me. He thinks someone else is his father and the mother won't allow me to tell him who I am."

"Starchima always was evil."

"What? You think...no, no..." While he and his off-and-on girlfriend were always hot in the bedroom, she was on birth control and that never was a fear. He used condoms...sometimes, with other girls. He just wasn't always prepared and he regretted that now.

"She's not evil anymore? Why wouldn't she let him know you're his father after all these years?"

He didn't even know how to tell Nova that someone else was his son's mother. He knew she knew he slept around, but admitting this to her now could only hurt his chances of keeping her in his life. He had to be honest or else Nova would never want him.

"No Nova, Star is not my son's father. Her name is Aida and she lived down the street from my mother. When I went over there I would hook up with her. A few days before...that last day at your graduation party, she told me she was pregnant and she thought it was mine. I didn't believe her of course, and then you...we...well, that happened and I just left. I know that shit was fucked up. To you, to her, to my son."

"I was stupid and immature. I should have stayed. Fought for you. Begged for you. Anything you wanted, I should have stayed and been with you. Then I would stay and found out it was my son and I would have been in his life from the start. Nova, the boy looked at me and didn't know who I was, and if his mother has her way, he never will. I have Davina helping me try and fight this. I want to be a part of his life."

Nova didn't say anything for a moment. He was ready for another "Fuck off" from her.

"I'm sorry you're going through that Leek. I'm glad you're trying to do the right thing."

"I missed nine years of his life, so yeah, I want to be there for the rest. I'm here to fix my mistakes."

"I was a mistake."

He stopped her by grabbing her arm. "The mistake was leaving you, Nova. I should have told you how I felt about you and we worked that shit out. I'm not sorry I didn't sleep with you that night. I wanted more for us than that."

"Like what?"

"Everything." He pulled her close to him in his arms, so happy she did not move away. "I missed you, Nova, I want us back to where we were...and more."

She bit her lower lip. "Leek, I have a confession."

"Tell me."

"I knew you were in Atlanta. I saw all of your movies. I've been following your career over the years. But it was a coincidence running into you...I mean, it felt like fate I guess."

He grinned. That made him happy. As much as he wanted to kiss her right there, he needed to take things slow. He pulled away from her. Things looked better for them now that she was at least talking to him. He did not want to do or say anything to mess things up.

"Want to come upstairs with me? I feel bad you didn't get to eat and paid for my drinks."

Oh, hell yeah!