I nodded the affirmative as I placed an elbow on the bar, crossing my legs at the ankles.
“I should’ve known. One of the hottest restaurants in the city. Of course, it’d be owned by Xavier Grant.”
“You better act like you know.” We both laughed at that. “I bought this place two years ago and changed the name.
“Hence, the name Grant’s.” She nodded. “You named it after yourself? That’s not egotistical at all.” Sarcasm evident in her voice.
I chuckled at that. “Actually, I named it after my mother. Grant is her given name and she loves old school R&B and raised me on jazz. This place,” I swept my arm wide, around the dining space. “Is my ode to her.”
The look in her eyes softened as her smile grew wide. My chest puffed out a little bit from the look she was giving me.
“Are you here alone?” I had no idea why that mattered, but it did.
“Who, me?” she asked, at the same time Joel brought her another amaretto sour.
“Nah, the man on the moon,” I teased.
“Don’t get smart,” she shot back, and took a sip of her refreshed drink. “It looks like you’re not alone,” she stated, gesturing to something over my shoulder.
I turned to see who or what she was referencing. My eyes locked on Mariah mean-mugging the both of us. “I’m not here with anyone,” I explained, turning back to Chanel.
“Does she know that?” she asked, staring straight ahead.
“Not my problem if she does or doesn’t.” I shrugged. It was the truth. I came toGrant’salone on official business. Mariah had shown up on her own and had invited herself to sit at my booth. Not being one to dismiss female companionship, I’d let her stay.
“Damn, that’s cold. Ol’ girl clearly is interested.”
“Probably. But you never answered my question.” I pivoted the conversation back on Chanel.
Her eyes swept from left to right as if to say,Do I look like I’m here with anyone?
I chuckled. “And what is a beautiful young lady doing out alone on a Friday night?”
She shrugged. “I just came from dinner,” she explained, a hint of melancholy in her voice.
“Well, whoever it was with didn’t seem to have left you in the best of moods.”
She snorted. “You have no idea.” She sipped down the rest of her drink.
I found myself staring at the elegant slope of her neck as she upturned her glass. The thoughts that ran through my mind had me wanting a damn drink. A second later, Joel was over with another. I lifted my eyebrow to him questioningly. He shrugged and tilted his head toward Chanel before moving on. She must have told him to keep ’em coming. Wherever she was coming from must’ve had her feeling some type of way. I quickly dismissed the thought of man problems, reminding myself that it wasn’t my business either way.
“Excuse me,” she said, digging through her bag to get her phone that had begun buzzing. Her brows knitted into concern when she saw the number on the screen.
I stood up fully, knowing I should step away to give her some privacy, but something kept me planted right where I was.
“Anne Marie? What’s going on?”
The alarm in Chanel’s voice heightened my curiosity.
“Are you okay? Where’s Noah? Okay, okay.”
I could only hear one end of the conversation, but I knew something not good was going on.
“All right, listen to me, don’t move from where you are. I can be there in ten minutes. I’ll call you when I’m there,” Chanel instructed, her voice taking on a serious tone. She disconnected the call and dug around in her purse for her wallet. Pulling it out, she dropped some cash on the bar, presumably to pay for her drinks and tip Joel. “I have to go,” she explained, stepping down from her seat, but I had to catch her when she nearly tumbled. She was only wearing three-inch heels, so I realized those drinks must have been having an effect on her.
I tightened my grip on her arm. “You’re not driving, are you?”
“Of course, that’s how I got here.”
