Smoke in Love: Four20 Bae by Elle Wright

Author:Elle Wright [Wright, Elle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Elle Writes Books LLC
Published: 2024-04-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

So High

Alaiya

“What the fuck do you have on?”

I froze, my mouth wide open. “Wh—” I looked down, only to make sure my pants weren’t inside out or my shoes mismatched. “What are you talking about?”

“Laiya!” My cousin Dallas stalked over to me, circling me. “I love you, cuzzie, but you’re not going out with me looking like Florida Evans at James’ funeral.”

My little cousin, Blake, snorted, spitting out the water she’d just gulped down. “Damn. Damn. Damn.”

The room erupted with laughter as they broke out in a silly rendition of the Good Times theme song. I glared at all of my cousins—Blake, Bliss, Dallas, and Demi. “I should kick all y’all heffas out.”

Bliss walked over to me. “I’m sorry, Laiya.” She was my nice, sweet cousin. Full of cheer and love and encouragement. “But they’re right.”

My tentative smile fell. “Traitor.”

Bliss giggled. “It’s a party.”

“You look like work,” Blake added.

“No,” Dallas chimed in again, “she looks like she’s in mourning. All that grey.”

“That outfit is not it,” Demi said. “Especially since you just got the best news in court today.” The divorce was finalized, the judgment signed, and I was officially single. And because Demi was the best attorney, it was mostly painless.

The process was nothing like the movies. There were no courtroom outbursts, no veiled threats, no crazy drama. Just two people who had finally accepted that the marriage was over. And although Rod and I couldn’t make it work, I hoped that we could one day become friends again.

“I know.” My throat burned as fresh tears fell. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Bliss smoothed a comforting hand over my back. “Don’t cry, cuzzie.”

I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “I’ve been crying all day.”

“I know you’re not having second thoughts,” Blake said. “Not after everything you’ve been through.”

Each of my cousins had a little bit of Aunt Vicki in them. Dallas was bossy. She fixed shit for everyone. Blake was never scared to fight. Bliss’ heart was big, and she loved hard. And Demi—even though she wasn’t Aunt Vicki’s biological daughter—had picked up my aunt’s ability to read a room.

Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of friends. But finding Aunt Vicki had opened up a world of true friendship in the form of my cousins. They were younger, but wise beyond their years. And I was blessed to have them in my life.

Another tear escaped. “I don’t have any regrets about the divorce, Blake.”

“Good because I was about to say …”

“Be quiet, Sissy,” Bliss ordered her twin. “You’re not at work, and Laiya is not your client. She ended the relationship. Now, it’s up to me.” While they were both relationship experts, Blake helped women break up with their significant others and Bliss was the matchmaker. “When you’re ready to date again, call me.”

Dallas rolled her eyes. “In the meantime, no one died and⁠—”

“Technically, her relationship died,” Demi argued.

“Again, no one died.” Dallas tugged at my dress. “Is this wool?”

“Cashmere,” I corrected.

“Can you say hot as hell?” Blake fanned herself.

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