“Not simple, but it’s possible. Now, for the party . . . According to the emails, your coordinator planned to borrow props to fill the banquet hall. Since I don’t know any of these people, I’ll reach out to my folks for replacements. AWinter Wonderlandtheme is common, so it shouldn’t be hard.”
“Damn. You’re already on your shit. I like it.”
“You know I don’t play about my work. That’s why you hired me.”
Before we could continue with party planning, our food arrived. My eyes got wide when our server set the plates down, giving me a perfect view of the small portions. Even though we ordered different dishes, I knew there was no way we would get full off the crumbs.
“Before you start talking crazy,” I started. “Taste the food then give your opinion.”
“You better tell me something. You know I was about to go in over these bite-size portions.” He reached across the table. “Let’s say grace.”
I gave Loso my hands, and I shut my lids when he began praying. I giggled when he threw in a dig at the restaurant, and my cheeks got tight when he thanked God for my presence. The second the wordamentumbled from his lips, I reached for a fork, a plate of pasta, and cranberry meatballs. Hints of citrus touched my nose when I carried the fork to my lips, then butter soaked my tastebuds when the pasta melted on my tongue.
“Stop doing all that damn moaning. We both know it ain’t that damn good.”
Happy to prove him wrong, I swirled some on the fork and inched it toward Loso. A provocative smirk kept him from accepting the gesture.
“Taste it.” I poked out my bottom lip. “For me.”
As if I unlocked a vault, Loso’s heart shaped lips parted. A deep scowl painted his face as I filled his mouth, but when he started savoring the food, I spotted his hesitation melt away.
“Yeah, don’t front. You know it’s good.”
“No lie, it reminds me of Hawaiian barbeque. Sweet and savory. Nice combo.”
Though I had faith in my selection, I still appreciated that Loso enjoyed the food. The bill wouldn’t be light, and I wanted him to enjoy the meal he paid for. Happy with his reaction, I moved to feed Loso a piece of another dish, yet a roaring round of applause stopped me. I surveyed the room and saw a lady holding her chest as a man kneeled in front of her. She squealed and cried while nodding her head.
“Aww! They’re too cute.” I sipped from my straw. “What do you want the room to look like when you celebrate a milestone in love?”
“I can’t believe you’re asking me that question when you love to talk shit about mefucking different bitches,” he said, mocking my tone.
“I know a lot, but I don’t know everything. You could be the type of man that plans to get married at sixty. You only have a few years to go.”
Loso laughed at my corny joke as he caressed his beard. “That ship has sailed, baby, and I’m sure you know why. You’re just as ambitious as you are nosy.”
“Inquisitive,” I corrected him.
“Whatever you want to call it. Just stop faking like you don’t know what happened between me and Karmen.”
One of my shoulders flinched while I ran my finger over the rim of my glass. “I’ve heard things. What’s sad is, you’re more vocal about the woman youdon’twant than the one youdid. I’ve seen you with Melli more than I ever saw you with your ex.”
“You were a freshman in college when we started dating, so you weren’t around when she and I were together. I proposed the week of Christmas, and we were over before the new year.”
“Oh. So,that’swhy you despise Christmas.”
He tugged on the collar of his cashmere sweater. “Nah. It started when I was young. My big brother, Lucas, died on Christmas when I was young. It’s not that I don’t love the holiday. It doesn’t love me.”
Loso’s sharp stare slackened on the ends. I had always known him to be more firm than soft, yet a tenderness touched his face the more transparent he became.
“Well, I think it’s all about perspective. When I was young, the holidays reminded me that my mom would always put a man before me. At first, it bothered me, but once I realized her sending me away during the holidays allowed me to be with my siblings, I had something to look forward to.” I gathered air in my lungs. “It’s a blessing you’re here to honor your brother, and when it comes to the woman that let you get away, that’s her loss.”
“You really think so?”
I playfully lifted a shoulder. “I told you. I know some thangs.”
By the time we left the restaurant, it was close to 10:00 PM. Though we didn’t use much of our time to discuss the party, I felt confident the Bricks’ anniversary celebration would be everything they wished for. Since I left my bike and car at home, Loso insisted on waiting with me until my Uber arrived. We stepped into the night’s breeze, and I wasn’t surprised to see the downtown area littered with people. Music from a Mexican restaurant up the block met us where we stood, and the aroma of bell peppers and onions floating from a hotdog cart made me palm my stomach.
“Yeah. That shit smells good, don’t it? I knew those little ass plates weren’t enough.” Loso kidded as he pulled on his beanie.“I don’t usually eat this late, but tacos and tequila are calling my name.”
