7. Talia
TALIA
Southern Seas has been calling me. The seafood market, café, and raw bar are located only steps away from the Atlantic. It’s surrounded by other restaurants like Ale’s Grill and Bar, Rooftop, Tahini, Sweet Milk, King’s Men, and Smoke ‘N’ Chill, and yet, it’s a separate entity that operates in a world of its own.
The restaurant attracts a mature, moneyed clientele and is a BYOB establishment. It was formerly a clothing boutique and has two levels with an outdoor patio on both floors. The concrete floors, red brick interior, and exposed pipes give it a warehouse look located on a shipping dock.
The rolling dock doors, which open in the front and back, allow patrons and bystanders to see from the front of the restaurant to its rear and the ocean beyond. The food left me with mixed reactions.
The barbecued oysters with smoky Uni butter were savory with a rich butter and smoky paprika flavor. The oysters were roasted to perfection, causing the mild, sweet taste to override the normal salty and briny taste. Chef G created a beautiful Neoclassic seafood salad that created individual layers of flavor that appealed to my palate with excellent execution using high-quality ingredients with an elaborate presentation.
The lobster thermidor was succulent, but the cremini mushroom and Sherry-laced cream sauce drowned out the natural sweetness. On the other hand, the scallops with potato pancakes melted in my mouth.
There was a long wait, and the restrooms weren’t as clean as they could have been. The servers were nice but extremely busy and not able to give the patrons the attention they deserved for the price they paid.
The saving grace for this restaurant is the excellent food and drink offerings minus the lobster thermidor. It gets three and a half chef’s spoons.
Chef’s Kiss,
T.
“I’m just waiting for my rap career to take off, and then I’m out.”
I stared at the light-skinned cutie with the honey-brown eyes and tattoos on his neck. He was sexy and good-looking as hell. A Chris Brown wannabe maybe. There was only one problem. The brother lacked ambition, and I couldn’t do that.
“So, you said how long has it been since you moved back in with your mom?”
“Uhm…it’ll be two years this December. I lost my job two years ago this Thanksgiving and moved back in then. Yep.”
He nodded like that was the coolest shit in the world.
“Oh. Okay,” I muttered.
“And what do you do again?”
“I’m in the restaurant industry,” I stated, twirling my frosted glass between my fingers.
I already had two of these drinks, and I didn’t need another one. Damon or Daniel or whatever his name was thought he was getting the poonani, but that shit wasn’t happening. Yes, I was a horny bitch. Yes, it had been six months, but hell nah. I wasn’t giving it up to some random. I was many things, but a ho I was not.
“You make good money. I know you ain’t working at no place like Burger King or McDonald’s.”
I squinted at him.
“Excuse me?”
“I mean…I’m just saying. I figure you gotta have a good job because you rocking the hell out of that Kurt Geiger purse and sandals. What’s that? About five hundred total? And them Tory Burch jeans hugging you, ma. Got your fat ass looking good as hell,” he stated, licking his lips. “I know them jeans ain’t hitting for no less than three hunnid. And that top is a Tory Burch too. I see the emblem. That’s about another three or four hunnid. What’s that? You rocking a muthafuckin’ eleven-hundred-dollar outfit minimum, baby girl. You must be clocking some dollars. Don’t matter how many bands you spent on it. Your ass looks good as hell from head to toe, and I gotta say it again…Them jeans look good on that fat ass of yours.”
I knew this nigga was lying because everyone knew that I didn’t have an ass. My backside was as flat as an ironing board. I was always singing a damn SZA song lamenting about my non-existent ass. Well, pre-BBL SZA anyway.
I pulled my drink to my lips and took the last sip as I watched Damon or Daniel turn away from me and watch another woman walk by us.
“Glad you’re good at math,” I remarked, grabbed my Kurt Geiger purse, and stood.
“Where you going?”
I didn’t bother to respond, but I stormed out of the restaurant and left him with the bill. I drove home frustrated over a wasted night.
I pulled up at my complex and dragged myself out of the car. I hoped for once that Izael wouldn’t be home so I could have a pity party alone. I had gone on the blind date that Eve set me up on to get over Izael. Unfortunately, when I opened the door, I saw Izael sitting on the couch.
He took one look at me, frowned, and asked, “What’s wrong, baby girl?”
I shook my head and placed my keys and purse on the foyer table as I headed deeper into my three-bedroom apartment.
“Come here,” he called to me and wiggled his fingers.
“I’m good, Zae.”
“Hey, let me call you back,” he said.
That was the first time I noticed he had his AirPods in.
“Don’t,” I stated, but it was too late.
He removed them from his ears, stood, and walked to me. When he grabbed my fingertips, I wanted to curl into his arms and have him make everything better.
“You been crying, Cinnamon?” he asked as his thumbs swiped underneath my eyes. A little gasp escaped my lips because he hadn’t called me that name since I was in high school. “What?”
“You haven’t called me that since I was in high school.”
He smiled. “Don’t change the subject. Why were you crying?”
“I’m just tired, Zae.”
“Of?”
“Men.”
“Come on. I’ve got something for you, baby girl,” he assured, then tugged my hand toward the kitchen.
“I’ve eaten dinner.”
“This isn’t about dinner,” he countered.
“Well, I don’t want whatever it is,” I whined.
“Hop up here,” he ordered and patted the counter.
I crossed my arms and shook my head. “I’m not getting up there.”
“What I tell you to do, Cinnamon?”
“You’re not my daddy, and calling me that sweet name won’t make me do what you tell me to do. You and Tahj always acted like?—”
He smirked, lifted me, and sat me on the counter. “I’m not ya daddy, and I’m not ya brother. Now, sit your ass here and behave.”
I crossed my arms and pouted some more as I watched him. He fixed me a gigantic bowl of butter pecan ice cream and sprinkled crushed walnuts and drizzled homemade caramel sauce that I made the night before on top.
He made himself a bowl, too, handed mine to me, and tugged my hand. When I jumped off the counter, he led me back to the living room.
“A’ight. So, you had a date tonight.”
“How did you know?” I asked before I spooned some ice cream into my mouth.
“I know what’s going on with you, baby girl. I pay attention.”
“To what?”
“You fretting about what outfit you’re wearing, your hair, your makeup, all the shit that you girls do to impress a nigga.”
“I didn’t know you paid attention.”
“I do. What’s this? The third date in the last week? What that nigga do to you?” Izael asked.
Over a bowl of ice cream, I told him all about my date tonight and ended in tears when I finished.
“Still don’t get why you’re crying. You came out the winner in this. At least you figured out that nigga wasn’t shit from the jump,” Izael stated and took my empty bowl from my hands and set it on the coffee table beside his.
“It was a reminder of how Ricky did me. He preferred Roshanda over me because she was smaller, had a big ass, and well, I couldn’t say prettier because that’s not true,” I admitted with a laugh.
Izael wiped my freshly fallen tears away and cupped my face. He ducked his head down a little, and my heart sped up, wanting him to draw closer to me.
“I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours, gorgeous, but you are a treasure for any man who’s lucky enough to catch you. I saw Roshanda, and she damn sure wasn’t prettier than you. She may have been a smaller girl, but she can’t offer everything you have to offer, Talia.”
I rolled my eyes.
He caressed my cheeks. “No. I’m serious. You’re so damn smart. You always were. You graduated school a year early, finished culinary school in two years, and instantly snagged a job at one of the top restaurants and most challenging kitchens in Atlanta. You’re not scared to speak your opinion. You’re feisty, strong, and stand your ground about your beliefs.”
Izael’s voice dropped to a sensual tone before he continued.
“And you’re so damn beautiful, Cinnamon. I call you that because of the color of your skin. Your entire face lights up when you smile—from those sparkling brown eyes to those plump heart-shaped lips.”
I didn’t know if Izael realized what he was doing, but his fingers traced my lips as he spoke, and his thumb pressed into the center of my bottom lip several times.
“Your body is a gem to be cherished. Your generous hips and curves are waiting to be touched, cherished, and explored. I love how thoughtful God was when He blessed you with all these curves on your body.”
My lips parted, and I inhaled a breath because I felt beautiful and seen for the first time in a long while.