As Khari sat in Footlocker, watching his little sister pick out the shoes she wanted to gift everyone for Christmas, he thought about what he was gonna give to his employees at work for their Christmas party this Friday. He had two secret Santa's and out of luck he got Armani and his newest receptionist, Clifton. He already knew what Amani liked, he's known her for the past 2 years. She loved makeup, especially lipgloss, she also loved Bryson Tiller, so he thought to get her all access passes for his next show that was coming up in January. For Clifton he thought to get him some AirPods and a new laptop, he made beats and loved music so Khari was for getting him the best equipment possible to make his music.

"Khari, I'm done!" His 13 year old sister Nevaeh called out to him as she held boxes of shoes that were as tall as her.

"Damn, some of these better be for me too." He joked as he whipped out his black card and handed it to the cashier. The cashier and one of the other employees helped bag everything up, next handing them the bags.

"Thanks big head." Nevaeh said.

"You're welcome. You hungry?" He asked as they walked pass a jewelry store catching his attention.

"Yeah." She said not paying her brother any mind.

"Hold up Vee, let's go in here real quick." He said walking in. He saw a diamond white gold tennis necklace and immediately thought of his mother. She was back in the hospital and this time she may never get out, her clock was ticking and Khari was having a change of heart, yeah he still didn't like her too much but it's his mother and he had some love for her. "Yo, how much is this one." He pointed to it, asking the clerk.

"Ah man, she's expensive." The man said, he gave Khari a look as if he knew Khari wouldn't be able to afford it which caused Khari to get annoyed.

"I ain't ask that, how much is it?" He asked sternly, crossing his arms.

"6 thousand." The clerk said.

"That's it? Mannn." Khari dragged out. Khari saw from the corner of his eye Nevaeh had a smirk on her face, trying to hold in her laughter because she knew her brother and she knew he hated beginning judged. Khari took out his card and gave it to the man. The man swiped the card and saw Khari was able to make the payment.

"Would you like it gift wrapped?" The man said embarrassed.

"Ha, you salty." Nevaeh laughed. Khari nudged her to shut up.

The man wrapped the box and Khari and his sister left the store, getting food and going home.

"Yo, you not about to eat all the damn fries." Khari reached for the fast food bag as they walked into his fathers house.

As Vee and Khari calmed down their bickering over their food they turned to see Langston, Courtney and Jean all sitting on the big sectional in their spacious living room.

"Hey pops!" Vee greeted happily, not realizing the vibe in the room was dry and somewhat depressing.

"Vee, go, go upstairs." Khari demanded handing her the bags. Nevaeh didn't question why she just ran up to her room.

"Son.-" Jean started.

"I get it, I don't need to hear it." Khari said as a tear began to fall. Langston stood and went to comfort his brother. He pulled him into a tight hug, holding him like he would when they were younger and Khari would cry after his mother yelled at him. Langston, always knew his mother was cruel towards his younger brother he just never said anything to her because he believed she wouldn't listen to him and his feelings and thoughts were invalid.

Jean stood and walk over to his son consoling him as well. Khari was starting to believe that him and his mother were getting better, right when he was believing so, it was too late, she was gone just like that. Khari sobbed, crushed at the news. He couldn't stand his mother but he did love her and he knew she loved him, he just wished he could've told her that one last time.

Friday night came and Khari was still processing his mother's death. He still was in shock and disbelief. He hasn't talked to Langston since the news was broken to him and he wasn't really pressed on hearing from him. He knew how his brother was when it came to deaths, especially close loved ones.

Khari stood in his bathroom looking in the mirror, making sure his hair was brushed and he looked good. He tried to make his face look less sad but trying to do so just made him even more upset. He was trying to wipe away the pain he felt and it currently wasn't working. He even tried writing some new pieces but nothing worked. It was like his feelings were pulling him down and eating him alive. He just couldn't deal with the heartache.

He walked out of the bathroom and looked over his outfit. He wore a a navy blue turtle neck with dark grey jeans and his plaid orange and navy blue trench coat. He slipped on his shoes and headed out the house.

As he pulled up to the rooftop Airbnb he rented out for the night. He gathered the gifts he got for his two friends and walked inside seeing everyone socializing and enjoying themselves, some people brought their significant others, some to show off and some to just have company. He even invited some business friends and even some of his own friends to join. Khari sat the gifts down and went to get a drink. As he sat at the bar sipping on his drink he couldn't help but think of all how his father was feeling, the mother of his child, his first wife, first love, died and he couldn't do anything to help her. All the money he had in the world he couldn't buy a cure and Khari felt the exact same way, he was rich, loaded at that and he couldn't buy a way to save his mother. Khari got out of his daze by being tapped on the shoulder, turning around seeing Armani in a black fitted dress, her curly hair lied perfectly on her shoulders.

"Hey." Khari said coming back to reality, sharing a smile with her.

"Aww, come here." She said pulling him into a hug. Armani was one of his closest friends at work, until Kiara came, he had a pretty close relationship with the both them, he looked at Armani more as an older sister since she was 2 months older than him. "I know babe, I'm here if you need anything, you know I got ya back." She said holding him tighter.

"Mani, I'm fine. I promise." He chuckled. She gave him a look knowing he was lying but Khari shook it off and started looking around the party for Kiara. "You saw Kiara?" He asked still searching.

"Yeah, we came together, she's in the bathroom right now." Armani told Khari. They talked for a little longer and then went their separate ways. Khari continued to socialize with his other colleagues. As he made business deals he saw Kiara in the corner typing rapidly on her phone, she looked annoyed from where he was standing. But he stopped paying attention to all of that and saw how good she looked. He didn't know what it was but it seemed like her style was changing. He liked it but sometimes it didn't look like she enjoyed it. Especially now, she sat in a brown ribbed body con dress, she paired it with some gold jewelry, she looked beautiful in Khari's eyes and he just wanted a closer look.

"That's sounds great, but if you'll excuse me, I have something to tend to. Here's my card, give me a call and we can discuss more." Giving the man a pat on the back and a smile as he walked over to Kiara.

"Wassup." He said sitting beside her. She looked up from her phone giving him a warm smile.

"Hey. You look nice. I mean you always do." She complimented.

"Thank you, thank you. You look beautiful, I mean you always do." Khari exchanged the compliment but this time a tad bit flirty. Kiara smiled and thanked him, going back to her phone typing rapidly again. She sent one last text and sat back and sighed in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Khari asked.

"These damn salesmen, I'm trying to find a space for a photo studio but these people want a damn arm and a leg and my heart for this shit. Then this one is being difficult, they're so annoying."

"You're leaving the magazine?"Khari suddenly got sad, he didn't want her to go, her and Armani made him happy and ready to come to work everyday.

"How much is it?" He asked. Before she could answer Armani got on the mic and began to announce that it was time to reveal everyone's secret Santa.

"Don't worry about it." Kiara informed him as she stood and began walking to the gift table.

Khari followed behind her and grabbed the gift bags he brought to give to his friends.

He walked to Armani who luckily was with Cliffton. He handed them both their bags and they opened it being surprised at their gifts. They thanked him, especially Armani. He got her two tickets to the show and she was extremely grateful. Kiara walked behind him, tapping his arm, next giving him the bag.

"I wonder what you got me." He smirked. He dug into the bag pulling a long rectangular box, unwrapping it and opening a box revealing a diamond Cuban link bracelet.

"Kiara, you didn't have to." He smiled, grateful for the gift she got him.

"But I did so, I hope you like it." She smiled.

Khari laughed at how demanding she was. "I do, I appreciate it. Thank you." He smiled down at her. They shared a long stare at one another, next having Armani break them apart.

"Girl, I'm sorry, I have to go early, you want me to take you home now? My little brother let the dog out and now he running around the damn apartment building looking for her."

"Yeah we can go now." Kiara said in disappointment, she really didn't want to go.

"It's good, I can take you home." Khari offered.

"You sure?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah. It's no problem." He shrugged.

"Okay, call me when you get home sis." Armani said giving them both hugs goodbye and rushing out.

"You want a drink?" Khari asked.

"Sure." Kiara shrugged next following him to the bar. The two drank and talked. Khari took this time to get to know more about Kiara. He learned she lived with her grandmother majority of her life, her favorite color is blue and why she got into photography. She even told him the first time she saw him.

The night began to get late and people were beginning to leave. Khari wrapped up one more business deal, this one more about his publishing company. He began working on it in the beginning of the year but lost focus of it when his magazine began to sky rocket. As he shook hands to finish his deal he walked over Kiara who was talking to someone.

"Sorry." Khari excused himself as the two women spoke. "You ready?" He asked Kiara.

"Yeah. Let me just go get my coat." She said hopping down from the barstool, next walking off.

"You two are a beautiful couple." The women spoke.

"Who?" Khari asked confused.

The women laughed thinking he was joking but Khari was seriously confused on what she was speaking about. "You and the young lady who just left. She talks about you highly. It's cute." The women said, next being met with the man Khari spoke with earlier during the party, putting together that they were together.

"Oh, no, no." Khari started but being met with Kiara.

"Ready." She said linking her arm with his.

"Cool. Uh, let's go." He said looking down at their linked arms. Something about it just felt right to him. He proceeded onto walking off with her in his arms. He opened the car door for her next getting in and driving off.

"I'm hungry. You?" Kiara said.

"Yeah, I ain't really like that food there, those caterers played me. What you wanna eat?" He asked her.

"Kind of want a chopped cheese." Kiara said as she looked forward at the road.

"You for real?" Khari laughed a bit as he glanced at her.

"Yeah. I know a 24 hour place." She said, next giving him directions.

Once they arrived at the small corner store in Harlem, they both walked in ordering their food and racked up on snacks and drinks. They walked up to the counter.

"Ayy, Kiki." The man behind the counter greeted her with a warm smile.

"Hey. How you been?" She asked him as she pulled out her wallet.

"Nah I got it." Khari said taking out his wallet.

"Yeah, Big Baller got it." The man encouraged causing Kiara to laugh.

"No it's good, I got it." She said putting the ten dollar bill on the counter before walking off to get their food after she was called.

Khari took the 10 off the counter and slid the man a 20, he covered his mouth with his index finger basically telling him to not say nothing.

"Thanks Ock, ima see you later." Kiara said walking in front of Khari.

They got back in the car and pulled off. They stopped at a park near Kiara's apartment and ate and talked.

"So, Mr. Big Baller, how'd you get this rich?" Kiara asked.

"I worked. Even though my dad was already wealthy he made sure I worked for what I wanted, then once he realized I could do it and graduated college, he gave me the magazine. He retired and handed it down to me."

"Are you gonna pass it down too?" Kiara asked.

"Hopefully, I wanna keep it in the family, if I can find someone to help me do so." He shrugged.

"What you mean? I know damn well, Khari Sage Francois isn't having problems in the relationship department."

"Yeah, he actually is." He said taking a bite of his sandwich. "Every time I tried giving myself to someone, they always wanna deal with just the millionaire part of Khari, not the man, Khari." He said speaking about himself in third person.

"You're not that bad really, you're cocky as hell sometimes and you throw your money around. That's why they do it, they think that's all to you. But it's not, show people differently." She said biting into her's.

"I do not throw my money around." He defended.

Kiara looked around the car and realized that she was no longer sitting in his Mercedes, she was in an Audi.

"Khari, we're in an Audi! I'm pretty sure nothing was wrong with your Mercedes." She spat.

"It was time for a change." He laughed causing her to roll her eyes. "What?" He asked.

"How many cars do you even have?"

"Here?" He asked.

"What do you mean, 'here' how many other places do you live?" She asked shockingly causing him to laugh.

"I actually live in Atlanta, I'm just here to help the business a little, I'll be going back though. I have 3 cars back home. G wagon, Lexus and another Audi sport." He told her.

"You trying to pay the rest of my college debt?" Kiara joked.

"How much are you at?" He enquired.

"Khari!" She lightly hit him in the arm.

"What, What I do?" He asked confused holding his arm.

"You know you just proved my point, you throw your money around." She informed him.

"You right." He said. "You ready for me to take you home? I believe it's pass your bedtime." He joked causing her to roll her eyes.

He put the key in the ignition and backed out of the parking spot and drove her home. The car was silent as he took her home and he couldn't help but admire her as he glanced over at her. He pulled up to her apartment building and parked. He watched as she gathered her things.

"Thank you, I enjoyed myself and Merry Christmas Khari." She smiled.

"No problem, thank you for the gift, Merry Christmas Kiara." He said as he looked down at his wrist. They gave each other one last stare, this time there were no distractions. Khari leaned in slowly, closing his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Kiara asked anxiously.

"I, um, I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Good night, Khari." Kiara said quickly getting out of the car and walking into her apartment building.

"Shit." Khari said to himself before driving off. He got home and got into the shower. Next getting in bed, turning on Netflix. He hoped that nothing would change or become awkward now, whenever he saw Kiara. He just hoped he didn't ruin anything good.