Chapter Three | Asa
Chapter Three
Asa
I FIDGET WITH THE HEM of my shirt as I pace in front of the counter at the bistro. The rain’s come out of nowhere in the last five minutes and each second, I waste here waiting for Porsha to show up. Something could be wrong. The landscape has changed since the last time Porsha lived in Trinity Falls, and I worry she might find it difficult to navigate an area she might no longer be familiar with.
I’m surrounded by the chatter and clinking of dishes, nervous as shit at how this brunch date will go. I’ve never dated a woman with a child before and if I’m honest, I can’t even imagine how I could fit into their lives. Porsha and I don’t know each other anymore and though there’s a sense of familiarity between us, at this point in our lives, we’re virtual strangers. There’re so many questions I have. Too many to throw at her all at once, no matter how badly I want to know every detail about what her life’s been like over the past 10 or eleven years. I remind myself that I gotta be fucking patient.
I’m leaning on the lunch counter now, my legs hooked at the ankle. Every few seconds, I glance up at the door, hoping to glimpse her walking in. The rain continues, my chest rising and falling, anticipation building. I watch the drizzle pick up, clocking the downpour as soon as I hear the boom of thunder ripple through the sky and move toward the diner’s doors.
“Hon,” Mom calls to me over the chime of the bell over the bistro’s entrance. “Don’t worry. Porsha’s a capable girl.”
I stop in my tracks, frustrated, glancing over my shoulder. “I know, Mom,” I say, sighing impatiently.
“She’ll be here,” my mother assures me, while flashing an encouraging smile. She returns to the bustling of orders being taken and sent out behind the lunch counter.
The door swings open, and Porsha enters. She looks just as stunning as I remember. She has a striking presence, with rich, deep brown skin and dark chocolate eyes. But, there’s a hint of sadness in them that makes me want to protect her. Her face is beautifully structured with high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and full lips highlighted in bold color. Porsha’s hair is a crown of thick curls, styled in soft elegant twist. She radiates sensuality and draws me in deeper with her charm and undeniable allure. My heart leaps in my chest, but before I can fully take her in, my eyes scan behind her, searching for her daughter, my heart dropping when I realize she’s not with her.
I greet her with a smile as I walk over and wrap my arms round her sexy and voluminous body. Her body tenses as I resist the urge to lift her into my arms. Instead, I keep her at a respectable distance.
“Hi,” I whisper in her ear as she pulls away. She fidgets a little, then smiles.
“Hi,” she says. My voice is level, but my head—not so much. My world is spinning right now and all I can do is stare.
“It’s great to see you,” I say.
“Sorry for being late. It was a challenge getting here.”
“The rain?” I ask. She nods.
“Yeah.” I take her coat and hang it on the coat rack behind the counter as Porsha stands in the foyer admiring the Bistro’s interior. “It looks good in here,” she says. “I like the renovations.”
“I’ll let Mom know how much you love her taste.”
“Do that,” she smiles.
“Let’s sit,” I say, placing my hand at the small of her back and walking her toward a table for two.
“I’ll admit I got a lil’ lost. A lot of landmarks and buildings I didn’t remember ...” She laughs nervously as I pull her chair out. I can feel my mom’s eyes drilling through the back of my head. I turn to glance at her, and she winks at me.
“I thought you might get a little turned around,” I say, cutting my eyes at Mom, who interrupts me.
“Asa was concerned,” she yells from over the counter. “But then I reminded him how capable and resourceful you are,” Mom says with a smile.
“She did.” I take my seat across from her. “I was looking forward to meeting your daughter since she was knocked out in your arms last night.”
Porsha settles into her seat, a trace of regret in her eyes. “Sorry about that. She wasn’t feeling well this morning, so I had to leave her with my mom. But I didn’t want to stand you up.”
I nod, but I can’t help but feel disappointed. “Of course, I understand. I hope she feels better soon.”
“Me too. I don’t really know any pediatricians in town anymore. And it won’t be fun trying to find one on short notice.”
“I can help you with that,” I offer, a little too eagerly. “Anything, anytime. Just ask.” She looks at me, a faint smile tugs at the corners of her lips. “Thank you, that would be amazing,” she says softly, her voice filled with gratitude.
“So, your daughter. What’s her name?”
“Her name is Nia and she’s five.”
“Sweet. Love that,” I beam. “Where’s Nia’s dad—is he moving to Trinity to be close to her?” I inquire. Porsha chuckles bitterly.
“No,” she says, “he’d never. He enjoys being in a big metropolis. Thank God.”
“Why thank god?”
“Don’t really want him around, you know. Life’s been easier with him at a distance.”
“What? Is he a pyscho?” I ask, my brow creasing.
“He’s not what I thought he would be.” A frown set into her features.
As we peruse the menu and make small talk, I can’t shake off the feeling that this brunch is not what I had imagined it would be. Instead of reminiscing about old times with family and friends, we spend much of our time discussing life’s disappointments. Gray clouds that have seemed to follow us no matter what. “So, how have you been?” she asks, trying to steer the conversation onto more comfortable ground.Porsha’s smile widens as we talk, and I feel some of the initial tension between us ease. I tell her about my job on Trinity Falls’ search and rescue team and how I’d been on sabbatical for a year. I don’t go into all the grizzly details of my leave, but give her a tepid recount of the incident that still haunts me. A hiker found, one day too late, the remains mauled my what most believe was a hungry wolf or bear. I leave the morbid details at bay, only revealing that one of my searches ended in tragedy. Immediately, Porsha was sympathetic. And I think she took comfort in being able to comfort me. She softened when our food came, growing more and more at ease as we talked about how the town and region had changed. Change we both agreed was much needed around these parts. Despite the hiccup with her not bringing Nia, there’s still a chance for me to connect with her little girl. I remind myself that this is just the beginning, and I need to stay positive and show Porsha that I am serious about getting to know her and her daughter.
I sit in my quaint yet cozy mountain home, the warmth of the fireplace casting a soft glow across the room. The peaceful silence of the mountains is usually comforting, but tonight, my mind is restless and I hate that shit. Despite my leave from Search and Rescue soon ending and realizing I’ll have to transition back into my hero on duty role, my thoughts keep circling back to Porsha. The brunch date at the bistro was just the beginning, and I can’t stop thinking about her. I pick up my phone, my finger hovering over the delete button on the dating app Sable had talked me into joining. I’m considering deleting my profile on the Book Boyfriend Dating app and focusing solely on Porsha. Our connection is instant, like something out of a storybook anyway, and I want to pursue it more intensely.
But a part of me hesitates. What if I’m moving too fast? What if she’s not on the same page?
“Fuck it,” I mutter. I open the app, ready to hit the delete button, but a notification pops up. My heart skips a beat when I see her name.
Great news! We’ve found your match. Porsha is waiting for you!
I stare at the screen, a mix of disbelief and excitement washing over me.
She matched me. She’s on this app, too.
I smile to myself. Maybe she’s feeling the same connection I am. I quickly send her a message through the app, my fingers tapping out the words before I can overthink it and I hit send. I consider what this could mean for us. I decide to let things unfold naturally, for now. Both of us being on this app and coming up as a match for one another is some crazy shit, and it feels like another layer added to whatever this is between us.
Fate? Destiny? Meant—to—fuckin be? Whatever the hell it is, I have no intention of walking away from it.