11
THE HOSPITAL CAFETERIAbuzzed with the sounds of orders being placed, chairs scraping under and out from bistro tables, and muffled conversations. Thankful for the floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed sunrays to stream through the area, Solomon set his tray down on a round table. His colleague Ben did the same, flipping his chair around to straddle it while he watched Solomon eat the dismal meal off today’s lunch menu. It wasn’t the cafeteria’s fault Solomon had been born into a family that employed an abundance of spices with every dish.
“If you don’t like it, why do you still eat here?” Ben waved his hand toward the food Solomon pushed around his plate. “You are back at your outpatient clinic this afternoon anyway. Grab something on your way.”
“Because I sometimes enjoy the company.”
Ben raised his glass of cranberry juice in a toast.
“And because I’m lazy,” Solomon added with a smirk.
Ben nodded in agreement. “Traffic has been killer lately. So many new residents, without the roads to handle them.”
“Or the restaurant staff to manage all the orders.”
“Agreed. So we eat here.”
“And what eating plan is it for you this time?” Solomon liftedhis glass to his lips. For an experienced surgeon, Ben was fickle with his eating habits. Every month he seemed to experiment with a new diet.
“I’m back to intermittent fasting. I guess.”
“You guess?” Solomon shoved a forkful of pale broccoli into his mouth.
“The menu didn’t have any options worthy enough to tempt me, and I’m trying to cut back on fast food.”
Solomon swallowed. “What happened to Paleo?”
“Janene did.” Ben ran a hand over his dirty-blond locks. “She said buying cold-pressed everything and all the Whole Foods groceries were disrupting our budget.”
Solomon chuckled. “Maybe you wouldn’t have to worry about that if you just sealed the deal ... or terminated it.”
“Relationships are not contracts, bro.”
“Yeah, but they shouldn’t be treated so flippantly either.” Solomon turned his attention to the rubbery chicken breast on his plate. Boy, those were some self-righteous words he was giving his friend, considering his conversation with Kenya the other day. But in his defense, that initial date with Kenya was months ago, and he’d essentially ended things before they went further. And now he offered a safe in-between. For what, his paltry ankle therapy tips that wouldn’t be too different from what his colleague—heractualphysical therapist—would say? Yeah, what a hypocrite.
He should probably call this whole thing off. He made a mental note to talk to Kenya after her next physical therapy session. He focused back on his friend’s flailing relationship. “You guys have been dating for how long, sharing how much?”
“Don’t remind me.” Ben winced.
“Well, maybe someone should remind your old-man self that it’s time to settle down. Or time to let her go.”
“Ouch.” Ben reared his head back, stretching out his arms and back. “That’s something coming from you. I can’t even remember the last time you mentioned a significant other.”
“If I did have one, you wouldn’t know anyway.” Solomon scoffed.
Ben crossed his arms over the top of his chair. “To keep things private, right?”
“To avoid conversations like this.” Solomon took a bite of bland chicken. Where were the ground crayfish, pepper, and palm oil when he needed them?
Solomon continued chewing, hoping his pause would shift the conversation—well, the one that he started. But that didn’t seem to help the direction of his thoughts or the slight anticipation he felt thinking of that petite firecracker of a woman. In just a week he’d found himself looking forward to being in the same room with her. Kenya’s presence had broken up the mundane as he worked his way toward his certification. Not to mention the way she made him smile, easier to do around her than with most. And that was amid her dealing with an injury.
“So much for being private.”
Solomon refocused on Ben, his eyebrows raised over a smirk. “What are you talking about, man?”
“I’m seeing a look that I don’t think I’ve seen before. Is there something—or reallysomeone—you are not telling me about?”
“Neither.”
