Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
Renee
This is insane.
I knocked on the door to Ezra’s apartment. I was just going to see if he was okay and then go to work. It was just a friend checking on a friend. Nothing more.
“Yeah?” I heard from the other side of the door.
“Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I shouted through the door.
“Renee? One sec.” I heard some moving around and then a few minutes later, the door was opening to him in a hoodie and khaki shorts. “Come in, babygirl.”
Nervously, I stepped inside, fidgeting with my hands the entire time.
“I didn’t mean to intrude. I only wanted to make sure you were okay.” Something smelled good coming from the kitchen.
“No, I’m fine. Trust me, I’ve had drinking benders that have left me asleep for days. Though those days are behind me. If I could handle those, the bourbon was a cakewalk.”
“I see.”
“Yeah. Water?” he asked.
“No, thank you.”
“Grilled cheese?”
“Who says no to that?” I scoffed, following him into the kitchen area. There was an island in the center of the room where I took a seat while he went back to it.
“The key to making it crispy is mayo. And if you’re like me and still need that buttery taste, one side mayo, one side butter.” He handed me the one already on a saucer and he pulled out the ingredients to make more.
“I don’t want to inconvenience you, Ezra.” I spoke the words to him, but my eyes were on this delicious-looking sandwich.
“It’s nothing. Besides, I owe you.”
“For?”
“Leaving the water, Tylenol, and salted peanuts on the table.”
I grunted because I’d hoped he didn’t remember. On my way out, I’d remembered the salted nuts I had left over from lunch and left them there, so he’d have something to eat with the medicine.
“It was nothing.”
“No, it was everything. I didn’t have to move far to get what I needed. That was thoughtful of you. So now… I’m showing gratitude.” He placed a bowl of piping hot tomato soup in front of me. “Enjoy.”
I put my purse and backpack in the seat to my left. Then, I dug in.
“There’s no way this is from a can.” I pointed to the tomato soup. “It’s so good!”
“No, I made it myself.”
“Mmm… you can get drunk whenever you want if I get this afterward.” I was only half joking. The soup and sandwich were delicious.
“There will be no more nights like last night for the rest of the summer. I have to focus.”
Shortly after, he sat down to my right with three sandwiches on his plate. He took one off and placed it on mine. “Just in case you want another.”
“Thank you.” However, I was more than full from the first one and the soup. “Do you have foil or parchment paper for me to wrap it in?”
“I do. I should have something to put more soup in as well.”
I smiled. “I get spoiled easily, so watch it,” I joked.
“Noted.”
I blushed hard and my watch beeped at me, alerting me to the time. “Oh no, I have to hurry to work.” I stood up and gathered my things.
“Go. I’ll bring your lunch to you a little later on.”
“Are you sure?” I felt bad that I had to rush off. I hadn’t expected to sit down for lunch when I stopped by.
“I am.” He nodded. “I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you, Ezra.” I rushed from his apartment and speed-walked to work, making it in record time.
“You were almost late, Renee,” one of my co-workers called out.
“I know, right?” But I wasn’t and that’s all that mattered. I hadn’t ever been late before, and they often teased me about it.
“I thought we were going to catch her slipping,” Luna said with a smile.
“Never,” I joked back. But the fact I’d let Ezra distract me was very telling. I’d have to watch myself around him.
When Ezra came inside the restaurant, he wore a fitted red shirt and black denim shorts. His sneakers were red, white, and black, and the entire outfit made him seem even more intense. He came in with a cooler bag over his shoulder looking much too good to be dropping off lunch.
“Hey,” I said when he neared.
“I didn’t know what time your break was, so I brought something to keep it warm.” He tapped the cooler, and I smiled.
“It’s slow at the moment, so it’s convenient for me to take it now.” I checked with Cherry, who was my co-worker for this shift, and she waved me off.
We went over to one of the tables that was more private and out of sight. Ezra immediately pulled out containers of food. There were sandwiches, soup, salad, and he’d even put in some flavored water. Was that a cookie?
“Ezra, you didn’t have to do all this.” Really, he didn’t. I accepted it and wouldn’t turn a crumb away. However, I was overwhelmed by his generosity.
“It’s your lunch. Isn’t that what you said?”
“Yeah, but…”
“Then, enjoy.”
“Are you not eating?” I asked not seeing enough to share.
“No, I have dinner in the oven.”
“Oh?” I said between bites.
“I had a craving for roast and potatoes.”
I groaned. Was he trying to torture me with food?
“You know, I wish I had more skills in the kitchen. My mother sucked at it and always kept store-bought foods available. I didn’t know anybody who did cook.”
“It’s never too late to learn,” he encouraged.
“True. Where’d you get your skills from?”
“My mother and my grandmother. They both cooked really well, but it was my mother who taught me that cooking good food didn’t need to be so complicated. Sometimes cheating was okay.”
“Explain.” My grilled cheese sandwich was still very warm and gooey. It was hard to not appreciate that.
“If I’m craving chicken salad, I don’t have to go roast a chicken for hours. There’s nothing wrong with using an already baked one from the store and seasoning it to my liking.”
“Got it!” I nodded before trying the Cobb salad. He’d even put the ranch dressing in a separate container. “Mmm…”
Ezra chuckled, but I didn’t miss the heat in his gaze. “What are you doing when you leave here later?” he asked.
“Probably watching my show to finish the season out,” I admitted unashamedly.
“Or you could stop by and have dinner with me.”
The fork slipped out of my hand, and I choked on the lettuce I’d just put into my mouth.
“Renee!” He stood up, but I put up my hand to stop him.
“I’m okay.” Coughing still, I was fine. His suggestion was the only thing caught in my throat.
“I didn’t mean to make you almost die,” he joked.
I coughed harder and glared at him as I tried not to laugh while choking.
“Sorry, not sorry,” he exclaimed.
He handed me the flavored water, and I accepted it gratefully. A few swallows had me back to normal and trying to think of a way to avoid more of his questions.
“I can’t,” I said simply.
“Why not?”
“I can’t get mixed up in anything with you, knowing that you were with my friend for years.”
“Last I heard, you stopped talking to her right after we got together. Is there any coincidence in that?”
“No,” I said, but I hadn’t thought about it that way. Did I stop talking to her for that reason?
“Are you friends now?” he asked.
“No. She said some things I can’t forgive her for. I think we’re best not being friends.”
“Then why does it matter?”
“Because.”
“Because… I can guarantee you she’s not above doing the same thing if she were in your shoes. She can’t be trusted. Regardless, this isn’t about me and her, this is about me and you. I’d love to get to know you a little better to see where this goes. There’s no rush in any of it. You’re not the only one who needs to take it slow.”
I swallowed, trying to process what he was saying. I wanted to, but fear kept creeping up my spine, telling me it was wrong. I didn’t want to listen to it. He’d made valid points, but at the same time, he had to present things that way if he wanted me to consider it.
“I need to think about it,” I said with a heavy sigh.
“And that’s okay. Tell you what. If you decide to stop by, I’ll be there. If you don’t, there won’t be any hard feelings. We can always do it some other time.”
“Promise?”
“For sure. Slow, remember?”
I nodded, grateful he’d provided me with an out if I needed it. I did need to discuss this with somebody I trusted. I couldn’t go into this with guilt wracking my subconscious. I needed a clear mind if I decided to.
“Deal. We’ll see how it plays out,” I said before going back to my food.
“We will.” He winked at me, and I smiled back.
No pressure.