Chapter 8
I stood outside of Another Broken Egg, waiting for Denishia to arrive. It was slightly chilly outside, so I hoped she would arrive soon. I was a little early, because I was anxious to see her again. I needed to lay eyes on her. She didn’t sound so good the last time we talked. I could hear the sadness in her tone, although she was trying to hide it behind her professional voice.
A car pulled up, and when the door opened, she got out of the back seat. If she would have told me she needed a ride, I would’ve gladly picked her up. I made my way to her and grabbed her hand, closing the door for her. “Good morning, Denishia.”
“Good morning, Ezekiel. How are you this morning?”
“I’m good now,” I said, then slowly licked my lips.
I couldn’t help myself. She looked tasty as fuck. If I thought she was down, I’d eat her for breakfast. Her cheeks heated up as I asked, “How about you?”
She gave me a small smile as I opened the door and allowed her to walk in first. When I stood to her side, she said, “I’m okay.”
I slid my hand to hers and gave her a tight smile. She wasn’t okay, but she was trying to be. I could see that plain as day through her sad eyes. Maybe she was still emotional from the breakup. They’d been together long enough for her to be somewhat attached or comfortable. She was heartbroken. Sliding my other hand atop hers, I gently rubbed it between mine as the hostess acknowledged us.
“Good morning! Wow. Hello, Mister Wheeler. It’s a pleasure to have you here! A table for two?”
I gave the hostess a one-sided smile and nodded. “Good morning. Yes, ma’am, please. Towards the back, if possible.”
“Yes, sir.”
She grabbed menus and silverware, then led us to the back of the restaurant. Denishia’s hand trembled in mine as we walked. She seemed so tormented. When we got to our table, I pulled her chair out and watched her take a seat. Her jeans were hugging one of her most valuable assets, and that shit had my mouth watering.
Once I sat across from her, she gave me a closed-mouth smile, her dimples winking at me. Her full cheeks made them even more visible. I smiled back and asked, “How was the drive? Why did you Uber here?”
“The drive was cool. I drove the van. I didn’t want to drive that here, so I requested an Uber.”
“I could have picked you up.”
“That would have been out of your way.”
“Well, I’ll be taking you back to your hotel.”
“Ezekiel—”
“Naw. It’s not up for debate.”
She lowered her head slightly and grabbed the menu, nearly covering her face with it. I reached across the table for her hand. She hesitantly slid it to mine as I asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?” she asked, then looked away, avoiding my gaze.
“Because you look like you want to cry. Is your ex giving you a hard time?”
“He called me on my way here, begging me to take him back.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, then continued. “He appealed to my sensitivity, so I’m a little flustered. Although the breakfast is innocent, I feel like it isn’t.”
She pulled her hand away from mine. A frown graced my face, showing my confusion. “It doesn’t feel innocent, because you feel something for me. Instead of fighting it, you should act on it. You know how I feel. I’ve told you a couple of times now. Are you contemplating taking him back?”
She swallowed hard but didn’t answer my question. Damn. How could she go back to the man I met last week? That man seemed deranged and unhinged. The way he was in her place of business, yelling at her, had struck a nerve. I wanted to be the man to take care of her, do all the things her man wouldn’t do. His actions were abusive, and she was on the verge of forgiving him for his fucked-up actions.
“Denishia, why won’t you give me a shot? I mean, I know you just got out of a relationship, but I can’t let this opportunity pass me by. If I do, I may not ever see you again. I surely don’t want to become a stalker, but I’m not beneath that shit either when it comes to something or someone I want.”
She trembled slightly. I could see the goosebumps that appeared on her arms. I grabbed her hand again and simply stared at her as the waitress approached us to take our order. She looked like she was just about to clue me in on what was going on with her. After I ordered shrimp and grits and she ordered poached eggs, I brought my attention back to her.
“Denishia, I don’t really like repeating myself, especially when I know you heard and fully understood me the first time. Since you don’t know me well, I’ll make an exception this time. Let me soothe your doubts, fears, and heart, baby. Let me be the man to take away all the bullshit and replace it with respect, euphoria, and passion. I don’t just play romantic roles in movies. That’s really who I am, despite my aggressive nature.”
She cleared her throat and took a sip of her coffee. Her eyes were glossy, and it looked like a tear would drop any minute. She closed her eyes and said, “This is so hard, Ezekiel. I don’t know you. I’m willing to get to know you through phone conversation. I have no plans of taking my ex back. I was gone emotionally a long time ago. I think I told you that already. I’m just vulnerable right now.”
My confusion shown through my frown once again, trying to figure out what else could have her vulnerable. “Something else happen?”
“Yeah,” she nearly whispered. “My mom passed away.”
The tears she’d been restraining fell down her cheeks. My mouth opened slightly. That was the last thing I expected her to say. Her mother looked healthy and vibrant. I supposed appearances didn’t always tell the whole story. I prepared to stand from my seat until she lifted her hand. “Please don’t. I don’t want to call attention to us. I’m trying to put it to the back of my mind so I can focus on my job.”
“Denishia, the event planner could have executed your ideas. Why didn’t you call me?”
“This is my livelihood, Ezekiel. This could lead to so much more business for me. My mama is gone, but I still have to live… without her. After the funeral, life will go on. I’m doing what she would want me to do.”
“When will the funeral be?”
“Monday.”
“Where?”
“Antioch Baptist Church at ten.”
“I’ll be there.”
“No. Don’t alter your schedule.”
“I met your mom. Although it was brief, she was genuine and fun. Secondly, I need to be there for you. I took your sadness as you being heartbroken over your ex. I’m sorry for assuming.”
Damn. I didn’t know how she was still functioning. Had my mom died, I would be no earthly good to anyone for at least a couple of weeks. I wouldn’t care if they understood that or not. All I wanted to do at this moment was hold her in my arms. She fidgeted under my gaze. I supposed I was making her uncomfortable.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I really am. I can see that I’m making you uncomfortable, so we’ll talk about something else for now.”
“Thank you. I just don’t want to break down crying in this restaurant.”
I nodded, understanding her completely. “So, will you set everything up tonight?”
She gave me a small smile. “Just the stands and boxes. I’ll do the flowers in the morning.”
“Cool. I can’t wait to see what it’s going to look like. My mama is going to truly be surprised, and I can’t wait to see how she reacts.”
She smiled slightly, then took another sip of her coffee. “So what’s in the works for you?” she asked after setting her cup down.
“Convincing you to spend a little more time with me after this.”
Her cheeks reddened some. “I know you want to get to know me, but if we like one another, how will we proceed? I don’t like long-distance relationships.”
“I will sacrifice a lot if it means being with you, Denishia. I have a feeling you would do the same for me. I’ll buy a house in Beaumont and be home as often as I can. Of course, when I’m filming, I’ll be gone. Maybe you would be able to come with me sometimes. I will make us work, no matter the cost. You’re worth it. You’re a good person, and you deserve the world. I’m going to do my best to show you it’s attainable.”
She brought her hands to her face and huffed, then slid them down it. “I can’t fathom you want to do all that and you hardly know me.”
“Denishia, I know enough. So, can I spend time with you after this? Maybe an hour or two?”
The waitress returned with our food and refilled my water, then left. Denishia stretched her hands across the table, palms up. I smiled and rested my hands in hers. She bowed her head and said, “Thank You, Lord, for this wonderful meal before us. Bless it to nourish our bodies as intended. Also, bless the man seated across from me. His heart and intentions seem pure. If they aren’t, please remove him from my life. Help me to not be afraid to live. Put my mind at ease about being hurt and misunderstood. In Your son’s name, amen.”
She tried to pull her hands away, but I gently gripped them and said, “Lord, bless the beautiful woman seated across from me. Help her to know that I only want what’s best for her, whatever that looks like. If You give me a chance with her heart, I promise not to fumble it. Once You repair it, I promise to treat it like a rare treasure. In Your son’s name, amen.”
I continued staring into her eyes as tears trickled out of them. I could stare at her this way all day. “I suppose I better let you eat before the food gets cold,” I mumbled as I released her hands.
She smiled, and that only made my heart lighter. It wasn’t one of those closed-lipped smiles she normally did. She actually showed her teeth this time, and that shit had me stuck. Her smile was gorgeous. “Damn. Your smile is mesmerizing.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Thank you. So where will we go after leaving here?”
“I don’t have the slightest clue, but as long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.”
She smiled again, then began eating her food. She moaned slightly, and I bricked up something fierce. My mind had gone straight to the gutter without any hesitancy. My face had heated up as well. When she looked at me, she frowned slightly. “You okay? Your face is red.”
“I’m cool,” I said, refusing to tell her of my wayward thoughts.
If I did, she may have chosen to forego spending time with me. She was feeling vulnerable, and I didn’t want her to think I was taking advantage of that. When she gave me her all, it would be because of what I made her feel and how she felt about me, not about the fragile state her feelings were in. I would be a gentleman at all costs. We continued eating in silence, occasionally stealing glances at each other. I had to have her, so I hoped our prayers made their way to God’s ears.