“Everything is everything. You’re still doing pretty well, I see.”
“Yeah, busy as always.” There was a smile on her face and joy in her voice.
“Have you had time for lunch?” I asked.
“I ate some of that pasta that you ordered last night. It was delicious. Thanks for breakfast this morning again.”
“Always.”
“I’ve been trying to wait for a break in the flow of customers so that I could come over and thank you, Harlem.”
“For?”
“The way that you’ve been taking care of me since the opening of my shop, even before that.”
“It’s no problem. I told you that it was going to get crazy busy like this once you opened.” I glanced at her neck, and I saw thatshe was wearing the necklace that I bought her the day of her launch party. “It looks good on you.”
She fingered the necklace and smiled even brighter. “Thank you for this too. It’s not only beautiful, butit must really have superpowers stored inside because I can’t make it through a day without it.”
“Nah, you’re the superpower, Baby.”
“I doubt that.”
“Trust me. No other woman has ever had the power to bring me to my knees the way that you do. How I come for you, applying the pressure that I do, it’s nothing but that superpower inside of you drawing me in,” I replied with a wink.
“Speaking of superpower, can I take you out for dinner? I haven’t had a chance to properly thank you for all that you’ve done for me. You made sure I got my permit, held my hand through the storm, bought this necklace, and sent my breakfast and coffee to me daily. If that’s not enough, you follow me home every night to make sure that I got there safely, feed me dinner, and put me to bed. You’re chef’s kiss when it comes to a welcoming committee.”
I laughed. “I would be honored for you to take me out. Although you don’t seem to catch a break.”
“I’m actually leaving early today. I have plans to get out of here by five so that I can go home, shower, change, and I’ll be picking you up.”
“Nah, I don’t like the idea of you riding back home so late by yourself.”
“I’ll be fine, Harlem.”
“I’m sure you will, but that’s not the man that I am.”
“Please. Just this one time, let me do this for you.”
I sighed and thought about it. The petulant frown on her lips and the pleading look in her eyes made it difficult for me to say no.
“A’ight, but here’s the deal. If you insist on picking me up and bringing me home, you have to bring an overnight bag.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not driving home alone late at night. I don’t care what you say.”
She sighed.
“That’s the deal. Take it or leave it,” I declared.
“Fine.”
“Cool. Where are you taking me?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out, sir.”
I chuckled and caressed her cheek. “Okay. I see you.”
