He looked stunned for a second, and I was ready for him to make some snide comment in return. That way, at least I’d have a reason to feel the way I was feeling. Instead, he got a look in his eyes that I’d never seen before.
“Right. Just be safe driving and let us know when you get in, okay?”
I nodded and, not forgetting my manners, turned to Marjorie. “Thank you for inviting me. Dinner was wonderful.” I nearly choked on the lie. I hadn’t even tasted any of the roast duck and rice pilaf that we’d had. I’d remained in too much of a state of shock throughout the entire meal to taste the food.
I retreated to my car, feeling like the twelve-year-old little girl I’d just behaved like. As I started my car and pulled off, I tried to figure out what the hell made me act like that. By all accounts, my father had been upbeat and even welcoming toward me. Work was hardly discussed, and the few times it was brought up, it was Jason who’d been more irritable at my decision to work at a different law firm, not my father. I exited the gates that guarded their community and instead of turning right for the highway that led to my own condo, I went in the opposite direction. I had no particular destination in mind. I’d lied to Marjorie about having to stop at my office. Any files I needed over the weekend I could easily access from my laptop or tablet at home. I drove around for about thirty minutes, trying to figure out where I could go, when I remembered a restaurant Gabby and I had been to a few weeks prior was close to that side of the city.
Grant’swas a soul food restaurant that also had plenty of vegan options, which was why Gabby chose it in the first place. On Saturday nights, they had live jazz bands, but there was constantly music playing. I pulled into the parking lot, noting the number of cars. It was a Friday night, so I figured the place would be packed. Thankfully, there was a seat at the bar, which I opted for instead of a table.
“What will you have, beautiful?” the cute, young male bartender asked as soon as I sat down.
“An amaretto sour, please.”
“Coming up.” He winked at me, definitely turning up the charm to earn his tips for the evening. As long as he kept the drinks coming, his tip would be well worth it. I observed the nearly packed restaurant before turning back to the bar. The nineties R&B music playing in the background and low lights gave the place a calming and homely appeal. I bet many of the couples were there on their first or second date. It was a place people went to relax, get to know one another and eat good food.
“Here you go, beautiful.” The bartender handed me my drink.
I took my first sip and let the sweetness soothe the back of my throat. “Perfect,” I informed him.
He smiled, then walked away to prepare a drink for another customer. Aaliyah’s “At Your Best” came on, and I found myself thinking back to the evening I’d just had at my father’s. I stared off into space as the feelings of anger, resentment and loneliness attempted to bubble to the surface.
****
Xavier
I tucked my hands into my pockets as I gratefully observed another packed house. It was Friday night, one ofGrant’s’ busiest nights of the week. I made a mental note to discuss with my restaurant manager about adding live music to Friday nights as well.
“Xavier, are you listening to me?” Mariah purred lowly.
I directed my attention to the beauty in front of me. With Mariah’s milk chocolate blemish-free skin, a testament to her practice as a dermatologist, she was a looker. No doubt she garnered the attention of countless men.
“My bad, Mariah, what were you saying?” I questioned, tossing her a smile I knew relaxed even the most ruffled of feathers. I shifted closer to her in the booth.
“I was saying we need to go out again. You’re always so busy with one of your restaurants or traveling to open a new one.” She pouted.
“You knew I was busy before we ever got involved.” She also knew she wasn’t the only woman on my roster, but it was obvious she was vying for that coveted top spot.
“I did, but…”
Her voice trailed off to the recesses of my mind as I continued to peer out on the crowd, checking to make sure my wait staff was being attentive to every customer. This was my Friday night routine, popping up at one of my spots and simply sitting and observing how everything was running. I liked to keep my staff on their toes, so I never told anyone before I showed up. Micromanaging wasn’t my thing. I learned early on in this business, I needed to hire smart, capable managers and let them do their thing, but I still kept a vigilant eye on my businesses. It was still my name as C.E.O and owner ofGrant Restaurants & Enterprises. I wasn’t one to just sit back and let the money roll in. The restaurant and hospitality business could be volatile as all hell, and I wasn’t about to be caught slipping.
I let my eyes cast from one end of the dining area to the bar where something, or rather,someonecaught my eye. It was her profile. Despite her being completely across the room, I noticed Chanel sitting at the bar, drink in hand. From here, it looked like an amaretto sour she was sipping on. The short bob she was sporting hid part of her warm toffee face. I let my eyes skim over her. She wore a sleeveless, floral print sundress that stopped just above the knee. Extremely appropriate for the harsh Houston summer weather. Even with the flowy nature of the dress, it still highlighted her ample cleavage that tapered off into a small waistline. A twinge of guilt crept up in my stomach for looking at my best friend’s little sister the way I was. But when I looked back up at her profile and saw the way her jaw clenched, and her eyes seemed to be staring off into nothingness, I dismissed that thought. Standing abruptly, I buttoned my suit jacket.
“Xavier, where are you going?” Mariah questioned.
“Oh, damn.” I’d completely forgotten about the woman in front of me. “Sorry, Mariah. I’ve got to check on something. Order whatever you’d like and tell the waiter it’s on the house from me,” I grinned, patting her shoulder and moving on.
I heard her suck her teeth as I strutted away, but had other things on my mind. I greeted a few patrons and employees as I moved through the dining room. Although I wasn’t there every day, I made my presence known enough times in the two years I’d owned the place for everyone to know who I was.
Walking up to the bar, I greeted a few more patrons and nodded at Joel behind the bar. The closer I got, the more I could see something heavy was on Chanel’s mind. The tightness of her jaw and the way her lips were pulled back in a tight line said she was contemplating. The sheen of wetness in her eyes told me that whatever it was, it wasn’t sitting well with her.
“Twice in one week. I’m starting to think this is becoming a habit for you,” I stated, easing up alongside her. I should’ve felt bad for the way she jumped in surprise at my voice, but the truth is, I liked catching her off guard.
“Xavier.” She blinked as she pivoted in her seat to face me. Her expression morphed from the despondent look she’d just worn to a lighter one, but the sadness was still in her eyes. “As I recall, it was you who was at my place of work earlier this week,” she retorted.
“And now you're at mine.”
Her eyebrows rose as she looked around. “You own this place?”
