Loving Contrasts - Chapter 13.2

Chandler received a text from Inaya the very next day. It read: If you’re still interested and available, please join me for dinner @ my place this Friday @ 7pm.

“Is this some cruel belated April Fool’s joke?” He frowned down at the message. “She has to know that I’m still interested and available with all the songs I’m still dedicating to her on a regular basis.” Rather than let disturbing thoughts crawl up in his soul, nest, and reproduce, he called to make sure that she knew what his relationship status was.

“Well, hello there, tall drink of water,” Inaya said, flirting as soon as she came on the line.

Chandler smiled and relaxed in his sturdy wooden deck chair. “Hello back, sexual chocolate.”

She burst out laughing. “I see somebody’s been watching Coming to America lately.”

He chuckled. “Yep! That same somebody is calling to say that I’m still very interested in you and still very available for you.”

“Well, alllll-righty then.”

“Been looking at Ace Ventura much?” He laughed, tickled by her animated response. He loved how much more opened and relaxed she seemed.

“Guilty as charged. So I’ll see you on Friday at 7 o’clock then?”

“Absolutely!” Chandler replied, counting down the days already. For now he would enjoy the sound of her sweet voice again. “So I’m dying to know, what changed your mind about us?”

“You’re living to know, not dying,” Inaya amended.

“I stand corrected,” he replied, remembering how she was a stickler for positive confessions. “I’m living to know, what changed your mind about us?”

“Atta boy!” She chuckled. “As for what changed my mind, you, Mr. Gray Suit and Miss Dirty Redhead from the restaurant.”

“Okay, now you really have to expound upon that.”

“Well, for one thing, I realized how foolish it was to toss away the chance to have a happy and healthy relationship with a man that is as kind, considerate, and honest as you. Men like you are rare in any color and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Secondly, I realized that if I continued to hold your race against you, I would be acting just as ignorant as those people at the restaurant.”

“Nothing about you is ignorant.”

“True, which is why I spent the last few weeks researching the pros and cons of interracial dating. I studied the success rates and loving testimonials of interracial couples all over the world, many of whom got married and remained together for life. The talk I had with my sister helped, too. Kali helped me come to terms with the fact that it’s unfair to let my bad experience with one white man sour me from all white men, particularly one as gorgeous as you.”

“I am rather gorgeous.” Chandler grinned, appreciating that compliment and all that she’d done to reach her positive decision.

“Yes, and with a big ego, too.” She laughed. “I just hope I’ll be able to handle all your groupies. That Blair chick was waving her freak flag high in the air.”

“I’ll handle any groupies and ex-girlfriends that might try to come between us, so you can rest easy about that, princess,” he said in a serious tone.

Inaya moaned. “There you go, being sweet again.”

“No one is as sweet as you, brown sugar,” he flirted, becoming lighthearted again.

They continued to talk and laugh together for a whole hour. When Chandler finally hung up the phone, he prepared for bed humming love songs, which was something he never did.

“Tonight I’ll be the best you’ve ever had. I don’t wanna brag, but I’ll be…the best you’ve ever had,” he sang, quoting a line from a popular John Legend tune.

Wow! She got me singing love songs, too? I really must be in love, Chandler thought, chuckling as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

© 2014 by Suprina Frazier

Photo Credit:

http://redvinesandredwine.blogspot.com/2012/03/letting-my-freak-flag-fly.html

Video Credit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXvy8ZeCs5M