“No, that word you keep using, habibti.”
“It means my love.”
“Do you make a habit of giving the women you meet pet names?”
“I usually know better, but I plan for you to be familiar very soon.”
“Humph, is that so?” I asked.
Nicholas opted for the booth across from me this time. He removed one of the containers from the bag and placed it in front of me before taking the other for himself. I doused my fish with a packet of hot sauce from the bag, then opened one of the containers of tartar sauce. I was excited to be having one of my old favorites.
I looked up, and my eyes were met with an unreadable gaze by the man I was still trying to figure out. His smoldering dark eyes made me uncomfortable, so I lowered my eyes back to my food. I could see his posture shift as he started to eat. With his eyes off me, I was able to relax a little bit. Why the hell was I nervous? I didn’t get nervous.
“What’s your daughter’s name, habibti?” he quizzed.
“Bella,” I answered without trying to hide my smile.
“That’s beautiful. It also means beautiful, which I’m sure you know.”
“Yeah, it only took a few days for me to settle on that name.”
“I’m sure it’s just coincidental that both of your names mean beautiful. You had never taken the time to find out what your name meant?”
I laughed a little. “That’s actually crazy. I promise I didn’t do it on purpose.”
He grinned. “I believe you.”
The rest of our conversation was surprisingly pleasant, as we ate and chitchat about everything and nothing at all. I loved hearing how involved of a father he was and how much he wanted to give his daughter the best of everything without making her spoiled and entitled. Slowly and surely, I fell under his spell a little bit at a time before I realized that I had eaten every bit of my food.
When I was done eating, he chuckled. “You put the mop game down on that plate.”
“I don’t play about good hot food. You have to eat fried fish while it’s hot.”
“I agree. I love a woman who isn’t shy about eating.”
“Well, you’re in luck. My daughter is the same way.”
“I’m working on getting Amira to eat more vegetables. We usually don’t have a problem with fruit, but we go to war about eating vegetables. Her mom doesn’t try to make her.”
“I hope my girl keeps her appetite. She’s sassy enough sometimes without me trying to shove a piece of broccoli in her mouth.”
That made him laugh. “Godspeed.”
“This was good. I know I need to get back home to her now though.”
“She with a sitter, or is dad at home keeping an eye on her?”
“Is that your roundabout way of asking if I’m single?”
“Not at all. I don’t beat around the bush. That’s my way of continuing our conversation. I’ve already established that I don’t care if you’re single. If your man didn’t have enough sense to put a ring on it by now, then he’s out of the game. I’m here now.”
I laughed before I could catch myself. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means what it means. If you have someone you’re entertaining right now, don’t get used to them.”
“Wow.”
I shook my head but never dropped my smile. Something about his blatant arrogance was charming. He was a walking red flag. I knew it was time to get myself out of there when I found myself giggling like a little girl.
