Coming Home for Love

Chapter 4

I had been in the States for a week, and I enjoyed spending time with my family, especially my nephews. My brother-in-law had to have surgery, so my sister was home taking care of him.

My mother told me my sister needed to go to Taurus restaurant to do a write-up, but since I took her place, I went close to closing time to see how they would handle it.

I was seated promptly and had gotten my drinks just as fast. While I waited for my food, I texted Shannon to see what she was up to. There was a time difference, so I wasn’t surprised when she didn’t respond.

When I took a moment to look up, I froze, and my dick twitched.

The one that got away walked toward the table with a plate of food. We locked eyes for a second, but then she quickly turned the other way and hauled ass like she was being chased by a dog.

Wynter Williams . It had been a few years since I saw her, but I could never forget that face. I liked Wynter, and I hated the way things ended with us because we never officially ended.

I looked around the restaurant because it seemed like my mind was playing tricks on me. I didn’t expect to see her here.

A couple of minutes later, a woman who looked like Wynter came to the table.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gray. Our chef forgot to add something to the plate, but here is your meal.” She placed the plate on the table. “For the inconvenience, your next meal is free. That’s if you choose to come back.” She smiled.

I looked at the plate of food. It smelled and looked good. On the inside, I was smiling because it seemed as though Wynter had done well for herself, but I was confused about why she ran away like she didn’t want to see me or something.

“Thank you.” I wasn’t going to tell her if I would be back or not. Whenever I did reviews, I liked to keep them guessing.

“You’re welcome. Do you need anything else?”

“No, I’m good.”

A waitress had already served my drinks and refreshed my basket of bread.

“Okay. If you need anything else, please let me know. My name is LaShay, and I’m the owner.”

I could tell she was nervous, and I didn’t blame her, especially because of how her chef could be considered rude, but I wouldn’t hold it against her or the restaurant. Hell, I wouldn’t hold it against Wynter. I just hoped she’d come back to talk to me.

I nodded, and she walked away.

There was steam coming from the plate, so I took a moment to bless my food, then tasted it.

The different flavors melted on my tongue when I ate a piece of the meat. The smell was aromatic, and the flavor was perfect.

Regardless of Wynter reacting the way she did, I would give them a good rating because the food was just that good, and I enjoyed the vibe of the place.

Black linens covered the table, and each table had tealight candles in the middle. The gold sconces on the wall gave it an upscale look. Even the waiters and waitresses were dressed nicely in slacks and white dress shirts. Nobody had their shirts untucked, and they all looked clean. I didn’t need the free meal, but they would see me again.

I cleaned the plate and drank the wine that the waitress suggested to complement the meal, and it was a good choice.

Once I was finished, I called the waitress over.

“Did you need something, Mr. Gray?”

“Yes, do you mind getting the owner for me? I believe her name is LaShay.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be right back.”

I took a sip of water as I watched the waitress walk away. She had a fat ass, but I wasn’t there for that. I smirked when the owner came around the corner and caught me looking at her waitress.

“Yes, Mr. Gray,” the Wynter look-alike said when she approached the table.

“Is the chef okay?”

“Yes. I apologize again for that. She had a family emergency.”

I hoped whatever it was wasn’t serious, but I had a feeling she was lying. It wasn’t my business because, technically, Wynter didn’t have to bring the food out. In some restaurants, I never saw the chef, so I wouldn’t have tripped if I didn’t this time, either, but I was glad I did.

“Oh, okay. I hope everything works out. I’ll settle the check now.”

“It’s already taken care of, sir. Was everything to your liking?”

“Yes.” I reached into my pocket to get my wallet. The meal was free, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to leave behind a hefty tip. “Thank you. Please, send the chef my regards.”

I tossed a few twenties on the table and stood.

“Will do, sir.”

It was still funny to me how people my age called me sir. I understood being professional, but I preferred to be called my name.

I nodded, then walked away. I thought about Wynter as I walked to my truck.

As I turned the key in the ignition, I thought about the day I had to leave school.

I applied to a culinary school in Paris, but I wasn’t sure if I would get in, and that was the reason why I didn’t tell Wynter. I wanted to tell her, but everything happened so fast, and I broke my phone in the middle of moving.

I’d gotten caught up in the new school and the new country, and the time flew by, and I never got around to reaching out. Before I knew it, a year had gone by, and I figured I’d count it as a loss. I could have made more of an effort to reach out, but I didn’t. I really liked her, though, but I wasn’t trying to have a long-distance relationship anyway. I missed her, and I thought about her often and wondered what she had been up to. Now, I had my answer.

After seeing her, though, I felt we needed to talk. I was genuinely interested in finding out how life had been treating her. She damn sure looked good. She’d gotten thicker in the hips and ass. I remembered the first time we had sex and each time after that. Damn.

I wondered if she was single. I only had a few weeks in town, but I would fuck with her if it were possible. Even though Shannon wasn’t my girl, I had enough respect for her not to fuck around, but Wynter was different. She and I had unfinished business.

My parents weren’t home when I got to their house, so I made myself comfortable in my childhood room and did my write-up for the restaurant.

I would wait a couple of days before I went back to see if Wynter was there. This time, I wouldn’t give her an opportunity to run from me. I sat back in my seat and rubbed my beard. This trip had just gotten a little more interesting.