Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jasmine quickly checked her appearance in the rearview mirror of her car before getting out. Slinging her huge bag over her shoulder, she cast a quick glance at Maxwell’s Range Rover parked nearby.
She let herself into the building and waved at Keisha, who was already at the front, setting up before patients arrived.
In her office, Jasmine placed her bag on her desk.
She wore a sage pantsuit today with a white blouse underneath and straightened her blazer, preparing for her morning routine, which hadn’t changed despite the tension between her and Maxwell.
After pouring herself a cup of coffee in the break room, she began her rounds. The first stop was Maxwell’s office.
“Good morning,” she greeted him.
He was standing at the file cabinet in his white coat—handsome, his full beard freshly trimmed, his curly black hair cut low. He must have gone to the barber this weekend.
“Good morning,” he returned.
“How was your weekend?”
She tried to keep their conversation as normal as possible, but their interactions were still awkward. They danced around each other like newborns with two left feet.
“Eventful. I went to see my parents and spent time with my nieces and nephews watching Zootopia for the gazillionth time.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his exaggeration and the tiredness in his voice. She had missed their easy, playful banter and lately had left his office as quickly as possible when she did her rounds. Maybe they were getting back to a better place.
“How was your weekend?” Maxwell asked.
“Eventful, as well. I went over to my sister’s house and spent time with my niece and nephew.
On Sunday, we convinced my older sisters to go to an afternoon matinee with us.
Then we went out to eat. It was nice to spend time with them.
Even better that I didn’t have to pay for the movie or my meal because they still see me as a kid they have to take care of. ”
“Being the youngest has its perks. Ask me how I know.”
“How do you know?” Jasmine knew his statement was rhetorical but was genuinely curious.
“The car I drive? A gift from my oldest sister. I didn’t pay for my condo, either. Since you did research on my family, you know that one of my brothers is a real estate developer.”
“He gave you the condo?” Jasmine asked.
He nodded. “He didn’t want me to worry about living expenses while I was working a regular job helping people.” He shrugged.
“I got a movie ticket and dinner. You got an expensive SUV and a home. We are not the same. Are your parents planning to adopt, per chance?”
He laughed, his white teeth brilliant against his toasty brown skin, his eyes lighting up—because of her. Emotion tugged at her abdomen, and she had the ridiculous urge to burst into tears. Tears of relief. Tears of happiness. She had missed their camaraderie more than she realized.
“Not as far as I know, but I’ll give them a call and let you know for sure.”
“Please do.” Jasmine didn’t walk away, hesitant to leave the warm feelings being around him created.
“You have lunch plans?” Maxwell asked suddenly.
“N-no, I don’t.”
“I’ve been meaning to try the catfish place your dad talked about when I first started. Do you know where it’s located?”
“I know exactly what you’re talking about,” Jasmine said, her heart beating fast with excitement, as if it were about to burst out of her chest.
“We could go there for lunch. I don’t know where it is, so you can navigate.”
All he had to do was plug the address into his GPS.
“No problem. I’m good at navigation,” Jasmine said, fighting her smile.
“All right. And we can talk about a few things while we’re at lunch.” He spoke with determination then.
“Sounds good.”
Jasmine left Maxwell’s office, her heart racing out of control as she walked into her father’s office.
“Morning, Dad.”
“Hi, Jay.”
As she and her father talked, she kept thinking about what Maxwell said. What ‘things’ did he want to talk about? And how was she supposed to concentrate on work between now and lunchtime?
* * *
The Catfish Cabin was a frame building with a hand-painted sign, tucked behind a plaza not too far from the office. The familiar scent of hot oil and their famous cornmeal muffins hit Jasmine’s nostrils the moment she and Maxwell walked through the door.
They placed their orders at the front counter and took a table number with them when they went to sit in a booth near one of the windows looking out at the parking lot.
“How did your father find this place?” Maxwell asked, looking around. “It’s kind of hidden.”
“He didn’t find it, actually. I did. There used to be a nail salon back here, and I came a couple of times since it was near the office. I happened to stop in here one day and try the food. It was so good I told my dad, and we had one of our lunch meetings here. He’s been hooked ever since.”
Maxwell sipped his iced tea and wrinkled his nose. “Goddamn. I’m leaving here with high cholesterol and diabetes.”
Jasmine laughed at his reaction. “What did you expect from a place like this?”
“You’re right. I’m sure the food is hella good though.”
“Believe me, it is.” She unwrapped her silverware from its paper napkin. “So, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?”
“I did.” His face became serious. “I did what you asked and met with the last three women that I hurt.”
“When?” Jasmine asked, shocked.
“This weekend.”
Before she could reply, the waitress arrived with their meals.
“That was fast,” Maxwell said, looking over his order of catfish, hushpuppies, and fries.
Jasmine had chosen the whiting platter with fries and coleslaw.
“Can I get y’all anything else?” the waitress asked, hand on her hip.
They shook their heads.
“We’re good. Thanks,” Maxwell said.
“If you do, just holler.”
Jasmine picked up her fork. “I can’t believe you met with them already. I just made my request to you last week.”
“I didn’t want to wait.” He made the statement in a direct way, his slumberous dark eyes locked on her.
Heat crawled up her neck. “How did the meetings go?”
“Two out of three went well.” Maxwell picked up a hush puppy with his fingers. “The first woman slapped me. In public.”
Jasmine’s mouth fell open. “She slapped you?”
“In the middle of a dog park. I can still feel the sting in my jaw.” He flinched as if reliving the blow and rubbed his cheek.
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“Don’t be. I’m fine,” he said, speaking in a matter-of-fact voice. He wasn’t looking for sympathy. He seemed at peace with the result of his meeting. “She burst into tears a few minutes later and cried on my chest.”
“She was emotional,” Jasmine guessed.
Maxwell nodded and popped the hush puppy in his mouth, his eyebrows flying higher as he chewed.
“Good, isn’t it?”
“Damn good,” he agreed.
Jasmine spread tartar sauce on her fish. “You said the other two went well?”
“Better. They were awkward but insightful.”
“You’re not sorry you met with them?”
“I’m not, and I understand why you asked me to do that. I learned some things—from all three women. Not only about them but about myself.”
“It’s not easy to apologize.”
“You’re right, and I didn’t expect them all to accept my apology. But they did, and I don’t take that for granted. They didn’t have to.” He hadn’t eaten another bite, all his attention focused on her. “We had a deal.”
“Yes, we did.” Her meal was practically forgotten too as she anticipated his next words.
“You owe me a dinner.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I was thinking Friday night, if that works for you.”
“I’m free.”
“You are?” He said, sounding surprised as he steepled his fingers. “I’ve been thinking about something. I know Nicholas isn’t technically your boyfriend, so should I assume you won’t be telling him we’re having dinner together?”
“Don’t concern yourself about Nicholas. He and I aren’t seeing each other anymore.”
Maxwell didn’t even try to hide his delight. His face lit up in a wide grin.
“You don’t have to be so happy about it,” Jasmine said, fighting her own smile.
“Yes, I do. He wasn’t the right man for you.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because you’re sitting across from him.”
If it was possible for her stomach to drop and soar at the same time, that’s exactly what it did, as if she were on a rollercoaster with dangerously high loops.
Reaching for her sweet tea, she was aware of the heat that climbed up her neck again as he watched her without looking away.
That was the maddening thing about Maxwell Santana. He never looked away. He was so direct and upfront. Boldly staring.
Few men would dare be so blunt, and those who were would then try to turn the statement into a joke, to downplay what they had said.
Not Maxwell. She hated how good it felt and hated that she was already counting down the hours until Friday night and imagining what she’d wear. She’d probably have to buy something new because right now she couldn’t imagine wearing anything in her closet.
“We’ll see if you’re the right man,” she said.
Maxwell sipped his drink, watching her over the rim of the glass. “Does seven on Friday work?”
“Works for me,” she agreed.
“Good.” He picked up his fork, a secret smile on his face, as if he’d won something. As if he suspected she was a goner.
The terrifying part was, she suspected she was too.