A Heart Not Easily Broken (The Butterfly Memoirs) by M. J. Kane Page B

something, and well, it’s hard to believe. She said tonight was the first time you’d brought a date to practice. Is it true?”
    He chuckled and glanced out the window. I saw a slight red hue appear in his cheeks. “Leave it to Jessica. Yes, it’s true.”
    I studied him in surprise. “Why? I mean, don’t you take girls to your shows to impress them? You’d definitely be able to get laid.”
    Brian’s head fell back against the headrest as he laughed. “I used to in high school and during my first two years of college.” He turned to face me. “I’m older now with goals and no time for games. When I invite a woman, correction, when I invite you to share an important part of my life, it means something.”
    “Oh.”
    “Which reminds me, do you have plans for the Fourth of July?”
    I had a hard time wrapping my head around his last statement and barely let out an audible “no”.
    “Good. I’d like to spend the day with you. There’s a barbeque at my parents’ house. It’s nothing major. We get together every holiday. I usually don’t invite anyone, but I want you to come with me.”
    Somehow I managed to find my voice. “You want me to meet your family?”
    “Yes, and I want them to meet you.”
    I tried to hide my discomfort. A flood of ‘what if’ scenarios ran through my head.
    What if they don’t like me because I’m black? What if I’m not pretty enough? What if nobody talks to me? What if…
    “Hey.” He reached over and pulled my face back to meet his. “Don’t worry. I promise you’ll fit right in.” He chuckled. “Believe me, the last thing they’ll be interested in is the color of your skin.”
    Oh great, now I was really nervous.
    Brian leaned over and kissed me. His cologne was all male and ignited primal urges in me, making it impossible to think. I sighed against his mouth.
    “Is that a yes?” he asked when our lips parted.
    I looked into my private blue ocean that was his eyes. It was impossible to say no to that.
     
     

Chapter 13
     
    I focused on the road as Ebony turned to me; she’d been asking questions the entire trip.
    “Let me get this right.” Nervousness was in her voice. “You have four sisters, right?”
    “Yes.”
    “And you’re the youngest?”
    I glanced over to see her expression. Priceless. “Yes.”
    She stared out of the windshield, probably contemplating another question to ask.
    I reached for her hand. “Don’t worry, they’re going to”
    “Love me. You keep saying that. But, Brian, you have four older sisters. I only have one, and she’s extremely protective of my brother and me. I’m the same with women my brother likes.”
    There was nothing else to say to reassure her. We were ten minutes away from my parents’ house.
    “How’s work? You’re helping take care of a monkey, right?”
    “It’s an orangutan. If you’re going to change the subject, at least know what you’re talking about.” She smirked.
    “See, it worked. How’s it going?”
    I listened to her go into detail about her daily work routine. Listening to her speak passionately about something she enjoyed made my day. Her enthusiasm reminded me of the way I felt about music. Women I’d dated before only talked about what they expected from me. It was refreshing to be with a woman with goals.
    “Oh, God, we’re almost there, aren’t we?” Ebony said when we slowed down to turn into my parents’ subdivision.
    “Breathe, Ebony, just breathe.”
    “Easier said than done. You’re not the black girl coming to the party,” she muttered. “They do know I’m black, right?”
    I sighed. “Ebony, let’s not do this now.”
    “That would be no.” She pulled her hand away and put her head into her hands.
    I ignored the comment and parked at the curb in front of my parents’ home. Ebony stayed rooted to her seat when I opened her car door. She stared at me with mixed emotions.
    “Do you trust me?”
    “Is that a rhetorical question?”
    I leaned in to kiss