Chapter Eleven
Zamora
As I sipped my wine while sitting at the bar, I begged my aching heart to stop racing. Seeing Marcus again made my stomach flutter, and I started having second thoughts about allowing him to put me up. I took a gulp, swallowed, and released a long breath to get my hormones and nerves in check. I focused on the beautiful jazz playing and the smooth Pinot Noir I was sipping on. Scanning the room, I observed couples who clearly loved each other. Or maybe they were just feeling each other for that night. The women wore bright smiles, and the men displayed looks of loving lust. It was good to see. I thought about when I would be out at a restaurant watching couples who didn’t even talk to each other while having dinner.
I’ve catered some events where I wanted to yell at people to put their damn phones down and socialize in the flesh. I have been to beautiful upscale homes where the husband or wife did their best to connect with their mate, only for things to turn into a full-blown argument because the unwilling partner would find something wrong with the person putting in the effort to make it work. It would always break my heart because most of the time, the person always trying typically ends up hurting the most in the end, such as with Evan and me. During our marriage, I thought I gave myself to him the same way I had given myself to Marcus. So why didn’t my efforts have the same good effect on Evan? The answer is because he ain’t me, Zee, I heard my mind say in Marcus’s voice.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Huh? Oh yeah…I’m sorry,” I answered, snapping out of my thoughts.
“You good, Zee?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I didn’t see you approach,” I said, then polished off the rest of my wine and placed my empty glass on the bar.
“It’s all good,” he replied, sitting on the bar stool next to me. “Are you ready to see your place?”
I smiled. “I am, but maybe you should give me the rate first so I can make sure I can afford to stay here. I have a new business, and when I started it, I didn’t know I would be getting a divorce and on my own,” I expressed, fighting back my tears.
“I’m sure. Look, you don’t have to worry about rates because I’m not taking a dime from you. Now come on, beautiful. Let’s go check out your new place,” he said, pulling me off the stool.
I thanked the bartender and followed Marcus to the elevators. After we stepped inside, he put the key in the slot and hit the button. I kept it together as we rode up to a familiar place. I had been on that elevator countless times when we were together. Finally, we stopped, and I already knew we were on the penthouse floor. I had chilled, danced, and watched more movies there than I could count––all with Marcus.
“Come on,” he said with an outstretched hand.
Placing my hand in his, I said, “Marcus, no, no, no. I need a room. I just need a corner…you know, a tiny space to regroup.”
“I will not take no for an answer, Zee. This place has been sitting empty for some time now, and it is yours for as long as you need it.”
“Marc, no,” I said again, looking around. “This is too much.”
Every shade was open, the beautiful view greeting me. Being there felt like a dream.
“As I said, no charge,” he added.
“Absolutely not. I have to pay something,” I countered.
“I have an idea,” he said, smiling.
“What’s that?”
“Teach my staff some new mouthwatering dishes. Oh, and help them with making over-easy eggs. Please, baby, please,” he said, playfully doing a scene from Do the Right Thing while chuckling.
“Over-easy eggs? If they can’t make that, they all need to be fired,” I returned with a little laugh.
“Exactly! I had to listen to a guest for damn near a half hour about how their eggs weren’t prepared right. So, revamp my menu with some five-star dishes, and your stay is rent-free.”
“I’ll agree to that if you can keep in mind that I have a catering business to run.”
“Zee, I’d never want you to put your business on the back burner. It’s no rush, just in your spare time. It’s time to improve the restaurant, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to trust to get the job done. So, do we have a deal?” he asked, both palms pressed together in front of his face like he was praying for me to answer yes.
I looked around at the furnished space with its breathtaking view and smiled. I needed this.
“Deal and I think your parents had great taste. I’d like to add my own touches if that’s alright with you.”
“Babe, you can do whatever you like to the place,” he replied, and I leaped into his arms.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I said, sniffling.
I didn’t want to cry again, but I was so grateful and happy that I didn’t have to stress about getting out of that house. He held me for a few moments until I relaxed in his arms.
“It’s going to be okay, you know,” he said and softly kissed the top of my head.
“I know,” I agreed while stepping back from his embrace. “I just have to push forward because life be lif’in,” I said, swiping at my tears.
He went over to the counter, grabbed a napkin, and handed it to me.
“Thanks,” I said, wiping my face.
“Would you like a quick tour?” he offered.
“Nah, not tonight. I’m exhausted. Besides, I’ve been here hundreds of times, so I pretty much know the layout.”
“Well, when my parents moved out, I lived here for a spell. So, the master is different, and my old room is a guest room now.”
“I’m okay with the guest room,” I told him.
“No, the master is nicer,” he suggested.
I nodded. “Yeah, but that bed needs to go just like this furniture. I don’t want to sleep in your love nest,” I joked.
“Nooooooo. There were no ladies in that bed.”
“Liar,” I teased.
“I’m serious. Do you think I wanted women to know I lived here? During that time when I was smashing, it was never here,” he defended with that sincere look I remembered.
Marcus was never the type to lie to me, even about small things.
“Okay, I believe you, man,” I said, and we both laughed.
Before leaving the suite, he promised to have the balcony cleaned for me in a couple of days since the housekeeping staff didn’t have time to do it before I arrived. The cleanliness of the balcony was the least of my worries. I had a place to lay my head and that was all that mattered.
Once we hit the bottom floor, he put the key card in my hand and walked me out. When the valet pulled up with my car, he gave me a long, tight hug.
“Thank you for everything, Marc. I’ve been through a lot and need this fresh start.”
“You’re welcome, Zee. By the time you get back, the old furnishings will be out of the way so you can have your way with the place.”
“I appreciate it. No disrespect to your taste in furniture, but I want a more modern vibe.”
“Hey, I get it. I’m not offended,” he responded with a smile.
“Good. Oh, and can you send me a screenshot of your current menu? I want to play around with some ideas.”
“Absolutely. I’m excited. I am sure you will come up with something amazing.”
“I know a lot of your old favorites, so I promise I won’t disappoint you,” I said while walking around the front of my car to get into the driver’s seat.
“Drive safely, and text to let me know when you get home,” he said.
I smiled and gave him a final wave. Forget about cloud nine; I was on cloud one hundred. I felt refreshed at the chance to get a brand-new start on life. I wasn’t sure how I would manage being around Marcus, but I would have to accept that our ship had sailed. He was now engaged to marry a woman who loved him just as much as I did.
The next couple of days, I juggled packing, overseeing my catering company, and coming up with new menu ideas for the hotel. By the end of the second week, I was completely moved out of Evan’s place. I was still unpacking and setting up the penthouse after the new furnishings arrived. I was adjusting better than I thought I would. Thoughts of losing my baby still brought me to tears, but I prayed my way through those moments of sadness.
The first night I slept in the master bedroom, I could have sworn I smelled Marcus’s scent, even though the bed was covered in brand-new linens, and he hadn’t slept there in years. The space that was once Marcus’ room and where I had lost my virginity was now a beautiful guest room. The room did not look the same with all the changes, but I could still remember the countless times we shared kissing and playing there. Some nights, I would go in there, sit on the armless chair, close my eyes, and let my mind go back in time with thoughts of all the moments we had in that space. It was where Marcus turned me into a woman, and it would always and forever be my favorite space.