Chapter 37
Audrey
“Hey, I am so sorry,” I told Max as I scurried towards the table he was occupying.
We’d texted over my break about plans to have appetizers and drinks with his cousin and his wife.
I agreed, but underestimated the turn the end of my shift would take.
I ended up leaving later than I was supposed to due to some emergencies that rolled through.
Then, I still had to take a shower and put myself back together.
Although I wasn’t terribly late, I felt bad about having to meet them there instead of riding with Max.
“Don’t apologize,” Max said, rising from his seat to kiss me. “It’s fine.” Wrapping his arm around my waist, he motioned to the other patrons at our table. “Audrey, this is my cousin, Adrian. I think you met him once.”
I nodded, recognizing the name more than the face. Max used to talk about him all the time when he first moved in. “Hello,” I greeted him.
“And this is his wife, Kiara.”
My gaze went to the beautiful woman sitting beside him. “Hi! I love your hair!”
Her polite smile grew as she patted the curls of her boho braids. “Thank you!” She replied, a southern drawl dripping off of her voice like honey. “I love yours too! Your curls are so pretty!”
I scooted into the booth to sit across from her. “Thanks! I put a lot of work into them.”
“We were just talking about you,” Max said.
“Oh, really?” I looked at the couple across from us. “Whatever he said, I promise it’s not true!”
Adrian raised a brow. “Oh, so you’re not the girl he’s been drooling over since middle school?”
“Hey, I never said I was drooling,” Max corrected.
“Sounded like it to me.”
I shook my head at them. “Okay, so his words might be a little true.”
“And, you’re a doctor, right?” Kiara asked. “How are you liking the medical field?”
“Depends on the day. I work in the emergency room at a pediatric hospital, so I see everything from broken bones to life-threatening trauma.”
“Is it hard to keep calm in those more dire situations?”
“It was at first,” I admitted. “I cried a lot during my intern year. But, after a while, you learn to compartmentalize and deal with it later.”
I glanced at the boys and noticed they’d gone off in their own conversation. Turning back to Kiara, I asked, “What do you do?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I own a soul food restaurant called Sunflower Soul.”
“What? No way! My dad owns a restaurant too!”
“Oh, cool! We’ll have to stop by one of these days and check it out!”
“Yes, please do! I’m sure my dad would love you just from your accent alone!”
“Is he from the South too?”
“Yeah, he’s from Alabama.”
“Oh, he was just one state over. I’m from Louisiana - just outside of New Orleans. Have you always lived here in L.A.?”
“No, I went to college and lived in Pennsylvania for a while, but L.A. has always been home. But, back to your restaurant: how’s business going?”
“Business is good,” she said with a nod. “We have two locations, and we’re opening a third in the spring next year. I never thought it’d become such a staple in the community, but I’m grateful for the success. It’s been a hell of a ride, that’s for sure.”
“That’s amazing, though. I’m glad everything is working out so well for you.”
“Yeah, you as well.”
“So, you already know how I met Max. May I ask how you met Adrian?”
“At a club after my grand opening. I was celebrating with my friends and he bought me a drink and we danced and I puked on him.”
I couldn’t hide my laugh. “You didn’t!”
“Well, my vomit didn’t get on him, but I did…I puked in the stall and he held my hair.” She laughed at the memory. “I was so embarrassed and my friends pulled me out so fast that I didn’t even get his number.”
“How’d you reconnect then?”
“He popped up at my restaurant and, you know… An interesting plethora of events unfolded from there.”
I laughed at her expression, a mix of exasperation and fondness as the memories crossed through her brain. “Well, now that you’ve got the business and the marriage, what’s next?”
As I was asking the question, a shade of green suddenly washed over her face. Kiara masked the discomfort with a smile as she held up her hand. “One second,” she told me. “I’ll be right back.” She tapped Adrian to let her out from the booth and hurried down the hall towards the bathrooms.
“Is she alright?” I asked, casting a glance at her husband.
His creased brow mirrored mine. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “She was feeling sick on the flight here, but we thought it might’ve just been the turbulence.”
“I’ll go check on her,” I told him. I slid out of the booth and followed Kiara’s path.
Coughs and gags greeted me as I walked through the bathroom door. “Kiara?” I called.
“I’m alright,” she called back. All reassurance went out the window when I heard her cough again. This time it was coupled with the splashes of contents falling into water.
I followed the sound of her voice into one of the stalls.
Kiara hunched over the toilet, her arms trembling as she gripped the rim
Wordlessly, I grabbed the ends of her braids and held them back behind her neck.
“Thanks,” she murmured before jerking forward again. Behind her head, I could see she was throwing up bile.
“Have you eaten anything today?”
“I ate earlier, but I threw that up too.”
“Nausea isn’t common for you…is it?”
“No. For some reason, I just puke whenever I meet new people.”
I laughed. “How long has the nausea been bothering you?”
“A few days. At first, I thought it was just anxiety about the trip, but…” She trailed off, picking her head up. “Oh, shit,” she muttered.
I almost laughed at the groan she let out. “Guess that answers my question, huh?” I picked a few pieces of toilet paper off the roll and handed it to her. “Should I say congratulations now or later?”
“You can pray for me,” she said, accepting the tissue.
“Why? Max idolizes him, so he must be an alright guy.”
She curled her lips in disbelief. “That man is crazy as hell. Don’t let that nice guy act fool you.”
I didn’t hold back my laugh. “Well, in that case, I’ll send you all the prayers and all the thoughts.”
I helped her out of the stall and waited as she washed her hands.
“Can you promise not to say a word of this to the boys?” Kiara asked as she dried her hands. “I need Adrian to act like he’s got some sense for the duration of this trip.”
I pretended to seal my lips. “If he asks, we’ll say you caught a stomach bug.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
We headed out the bathroom and back into the hall. The lounge had filled with more patrons while we were inside, taking up some of the previously empty space.
I took Kiara’s hand and began to lead her through the small crowds.
As we were walking, someone accidentally bumped into us. I looked up at the culprit and found myself staring up at a familiar face.
“Carter?” I asked, pinching my brows. I almost didn’t recognize him at first with the dim lighting hindering my vision.
He flashed a small smile. “Oh, my bad, Audrey. I didn’t mean to bump you.”
“It’s fine.” I tried to sidestep him, but another man appeared at his side, blocking my way.
“Oh, so this is the infamous Audrey?” He asked. The lust in his eyes as he took me in made me nauseous. “No wonder Lawson and Guerra were fighting over you. You’re one fine little lady.”
“Thanks…” I was trying to be polite, but I was ready for the conversation to be over.
Kiara must’ve sensed the shift in my energy. Her grip on my hand tightened, and she stepped forward, trying to move us along. “Excuse us,” she said, her voice warm but firm.
“Ooo, and who’s your friend?” Carter’s friend asked. His eyes shamelessly raked over Kiara’s voluptuous curves. “Don’t tell me you’re taken too.”
Kiara’s lips twisted. “You need to move. Now.”
“Don’t be like that,” the man said, reaching toward Kiara. “Where’s that good ‘ol Southern Hospitality?”
Kiara took a step back to avoid his touch, but there wasn’t far she could go without leaving my side. Her grimace deepened as his fingertips connected with her cheekbone.
Before they could even move an inch across her face, a hand abruptly grabbed them.
Our eyes widened as Adrian appeared, practically out of thin air, and twisted the man’s hand behind his back.
He shoved him up against the end of the corridor leading the bathroom, smacking the man’s face against the wall with a loud thud.
The man yelped as Adrian twisted his wrist at an unnatural angle.
“Adrian!” Kiara yelled, a mix of irritation and relief in her voice. She tried to move towards him, but Carter was already stepping forward with his hand raised, prepared to defend his friend. “Adrian, look out!”
Adrian turned his head just as Carter swung.
In an instant, Max was between them. He ducked the punch with ease and countered with a sharp right hook to the man’s jaw.
Carter stumbled back, blinking through the pain. “Damn,” he said as he rubbed his jaw. “Your reflexes are quick as shit.”
Unamused, Max gripped him up by his neck and pinned him against the wall. “Didn’t I tell you to stay the fuck away from my girl?” Max demanded. “You trying to get your ass beat again?”
“Just trying to get your attention,” he said with a shrug. “My boss has a bone to pick with you.”