Chapter 7
“I hope you know I’m driving,” I informed Avalon when we got outside. “It’s non-negotiable, baby.”
She rolled her eyes, but I didn’t miss the way her cheeks turned slightly red from my term of endearment.
“Okay.”
“Thank you. We can go wherever you want to, though.” She didn’t know it, but I wasn’t going to let her pay for my food either. I’d let her think she was until the check came.
I led her to my assigned parking spot, and she abruptly stopped when we got close.
“Koda, please tell me that QX80 isn’t yours.”
“Why, do you have some type of beef with Infinities?” I asked as I pressed the button to unlock the doors.
“No. I legit have the same one. Mine is white though. This is crazy,” she said while shaking her head. “First we have the same birthday, and now we have the same car.”
I rested my hand on the small of her back and led her to the passenger side, then opened the door for her.
“Seems to me like it’s fate.” I winked. “I guess great minds think alike.” I stood back so she could climb in the car, then closed it once she was situated.
I walked around to the other side and got in.
“Do you really think it’s fate, or just a coincidence?” Avalon asked me after I closed the door.
I pushed the button to start the engine and immediately turned the music down because I had it blasting when I drove to the hotel.
“The only thing it could be is fate,” I said as I buckled my seat belt.
Relationships might not have been my thing, but I did believe in fate.
To me, the way my parents met was fate. They were both at a party neither of them wanted to be at, and somehow, they managed to find each other.
Even Kairo and Mycah. He was determined to never mess with another one of his assistants, but Mycah changed all that when she walked in for her interview.
Avalon and I shared the same birthday, and we had the same vehicle. That was fate in my eyes. She would see it, too, one day.
“Maybe you’re right. I guess I should tell you where to go, huh?”
“That would help.” I chuckled.
She told me she wanted to go to Crickets. It was a restaurant that was about twenty minutes away. I pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward our destination.
“That’s crazy we both grew up here, but we never ran into each other. What schools did you go to?” I asked.
“For elementary, I went to Stokes. For middle school, I went to Sunrise Junior, and I went to catholic school for high school.”
“Oh, okay. That makes sense why I never saw you. We went to different schools. Were you not into any sports?”
We might have gone to different schools, but if she went to any of the sporting games, we would have potentially saw each other. The basketball and football games used to be packed. The whole school would show out for those two teams. I did some wild shit at some of them games too.
“I used to go to the baseball games. That’s my favorite sport. I love the All-Starz. I briefly dated Caleb West in high school.”
My head whipped over toward her. “What? What happened with that?”
“We were teenagers. He wanted to be a ho, and he cheated on me. I’ve seen him over the years, and we are still cool.”
I was surprised she was into baseball because I hadn’t come across many women that liked sports at all, especially not baseball. Caleb West was one of the top paid players in the league.
“I don’t need to watch you when he around, do I?” I cut my eyes toward her.
Her giggles filled the truck like it was the funniest thing in the world. Little did she know, I wasn’t joking. I was feeling Avalon, and I planned on making my intentions known while we shared a meal.
“Nope. In case you didn’t know, he still hasn’t settled down. I don’t want any parts of that. Did you play any sports?”
“No. I went to the games, though. The football games used to be something else.” I shook my head and chuckled.
Avalon shifted in her seat and faced me.
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say that if my parents knew what my brother and I did at those games, they would have banned us from going.”
“Tell me more.”
Avalon rested her head on her arm that she placed on the middle console.
She was tuned into my stories about how I used to fuck and get my dick sucked underneath the bleachers at the football games.
I fucked a few girls in the bathroom too.
I told her about a few fights I got into as well because some dude found his girl on her knees with my dick in her mouth.
“Yeah, you were a wild boy.” Avalon shook her head.
“Do you think you got all of that out of your system?” she asked just as we pulled up to the restaurant.
I might have been still doing some bullshit, but I didn’t need to mess with multiple women.
“For sure. I’ve had plenty of fun over the years, but honestly, after a while, it gets old.”
Having women pressure me into something I didn’t want to get into with them was getting tiring. Watching my brother start a family made me want to have that one day. Being around Avalon had me thinking about things I hadn’t thought about before. I could see myself coming home to her every day.
“I can see that.”
She looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn’t, and I didn’t push her. I watched as she unbuckled her seat belt, so I did the same. I got out, then walked around to open her door.
When she got out, she put her hand in mine, and we walked toward the door. I held the door for her, and we entered. The hostess greeted us, then immediately seated us at a table near the back.
“What made you want to come here?” I asked as I pulled the chair out for Avalon.
“They have the best truffle fries, and I’ve been craving some.”
I sat across from her and picked up the menu.
“So you’re saying I need to add truffle fries to the menu at the hotel?” I leaned forward on my elbows.
“No, Koda. There is no need to add anything. I love the food at the restaurant, but I like other places too.”
“I think I’m going to add them anyway. I’d rather you eat at the hotel so I can see you all the time.”
Adding fries was simple, and I was sure my chef wouldn’t have a problem with it. I had never seen Avalon there before, but now that I had, I wanted her at the hotel whenever she had free time.
The waitress came over to the table.
“Hi, are you guys ready to order, or do you need more time?”
It only took me a few seconds to look at the menu to determine what I wanted; plus, I had eaten there before. I looked at Avalon to see if she was ready to order, and she was.
“I’ll have the western burger with truffle fries and a cola, please.”
“And I’ll have the chicken sandwich with regular fries and a cola as well.”
The waitress nodded and took our menus. She went to walk away, but Avalon stopped her.
“He’s allergic to eggs, so please make sure the grill is cleaned properly before they make his food. Thank you.”
The waitress smiled and nodded again, then walked away.
Damn. I didn’t think she realized how that shit made me feel.
Avalon remembering that I was allergic to eggs and making sure the waitress knew that made my chest swell and my dick hard.
I’d been out to eat with women before who couldn’t remember that, and at times, it frustrated me.
I even had someone make something one time with eggs, and I had a severe allergy.
She was apologetic, but it didn’t help because I told her.
It didn’t matter the nature of the relationship; anybody I dealt with knew about my allergy.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” Avalon asked after she realized I was staring.
“Because I don’t think you understand how that just made me feel. I’ve had people over the years forget certain things I told them. The fact that you said something before I even got the chance . . .” I shook my head. “Just know that I appreciate it.”
“I’m pretty good at remembering important things.” She winked. “But I wouldn’t want anything happening to you, especially because I brought you here.”
“Thank you, for real.”
The waitress dropped off our drinks, then told us she’d be back with our food when it was ready.
“Of course,” she said, then took a sip of her soda.
I rubbed my hands over my pants because I was nervous about what I wanted to say to her. My heart thumped, but I ignored it.
“I feel like we’ve been building something, and I want to see it through. We can go at your pace, but I plan on dating you.”
Her quietness took my nervousness up a notch.
Avalon took a sip of soda again, then ran her fingers over her necklace.
“I have to tell you why I was so sad and why I was at the hotel in the first place.” She paused, and my mind thought the worst, like maybe she already had a dude.
I watched the rise and fall of her shoulders as she inhaled a deep breath, then released it.
“So, a year ago, my boyfriend died of a drug overdose, and it was the anniversary of his death. We used to go to the hotel every year for our anniversary, so it was my way of honoring him. That’s also why I’m afraid of loving again.”
I slowly blinked a few times. I wasn’t sure what she would say, but it wasn’t that. I reached my hand across the table and grabbed her hand. My thumb absentmindedly rubbed the back of her soft hand.
“My condolences. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Thanks. I was the one that found him.”
Her eyes watered as she told me the story, and I felt so bad for her. The waitress returned with our food, but she discreetly put it on the table because she saw how serious the conversation was.
I gently squeezed her hand as we sat silently for a minute.
“Listen, I’m not trying to pressure you. I can see the sadness you carry. I’m just asking for permission to take up a little space in your heart. I want to give you a reason for your light to return.”
A fat tear streamed down her face, and I reached over to wipe it away.
“Don’t cry before you can eat your fries,” I teased to ease the tension.
Avalon smiled, and that was all I wanted to see. Even through her sadness, her smile lit up the room.
“I didn’t expect to cry, but I wanted to tell you that. I’m scared, Koda.”
“I can understand that. Death is inevitable, but we are put on Earth to love one another. Finding love again doesn’t mean you forget the one you shared with him.
It’s just making room for another. I don’t know anything about him, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to be lonely forever.
And that’s not me saying that because I want to date you; that’s me saying that in general. ”
“You sound like my cousin. She thinks it’s just going to be me and my fish for the rest of my life.” She laughed as she removed her hand from mine, then picked up the ketchup bottle.
Since she seemed ready to eat, I prepared myself to eat as well.
“I’m just asking for a chance. Can you give me that?”
She chewed on her bottom lip for a minute, and my stomach flipped while I waited for her answer.
“Yes, I’m willing to give you a chance.”
The butterflies in my stomach relaxed, and my heart felt like it would burst out of my chest.
“Thank you.”
Avalon giving me a chance was all I needed. I knew I wouldn’t and couldn’t fumble her.
We spent the rest of the time eating and talking about some of everything.
The waitress had come over with the bill, and Avalon reached for it, but I stopped her.
“I told you I was paying for it, Koda.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled my wallet out. I handed the waitress my card, before Avalon could say anything else.
“We not doing that, baby. I got it. You will never have to pull out your wallet when we are together.”
She reared her head back. “Well, excuse me. I know when to put my independence away.” She giggled.
“Good. There is no doubt in my mind that you can take care of yourself. But as a man that’s trying to date you, I got you.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
When the waitress came back, I signed the receipt then got up. Avalon and I left the restaurant and headed to my car.
Before I opened the door for her, I slightly pushed her against it. She looked surprised but relaxed when I wrapped my arms around her waist.
I kissed the side of her mouth. “Thank you for being open enough to give me a chance.” Another kiss in the same spot. “Let me get you back to your car.” This time, I kissed her lips. I basked in it for a moment, then opened the door for her.
I had to make sure I did everything in my power so she wouldn’t regret her decision.