I didn’t know if this guy recognized me or not, but I tried to remain relaxed as I sipped on my beer and looked up at the basketball game that was on.
“You lost, Mills?”
I smiled, then brought my eyes to hers. She was standing in front of me behind the bar resting her hands on the counter in front of her.
“Did you lose the card, I gave you?” I countered.
We had a staring match for a few seconds. Then she sighed asking, “What are you doing here?”
“I think that’s obvious, don’t you?”
She didn’t reply. She just looked at me. I mentioned before she lost weight, but she still was a beautiful woman, despite all the makeup she was currently wearing. I frowned inwardly. She was never the type to wear heavy foundation. In my eyes, she never needed it. Her beauty was natural and undeniable. Her high cheekbones and soft full lips that used to terrorize me were still there and were still wreaking havoc on my senses. I used to dream constantly about kissing her. And the fact that she gave herself to me wholeheartedly, I can’t get that out of my mind. I never could. I told her once before, “All I see is you,” and I wasn’t exaggerating. It’s just that circumstances had made it impossible for me to be with her.
Tonight, she wore her black shoulder length hair pulled into a ponytail, showing off that delicate neck of hers. I wondered if I remembered where her spot was along her neck. When I used to run my teeth over her spot then sucked, she’d cream instantly. It’s an ego booster for me, as you can imagine; all I had to do was touch her there, and it’s an instant waterfall between her legs.
“Hey, I’m talking to you. Where did you go?”
I blinked twice, three times just to gather myself. I couldn’t begin to tell her where I went, or that I enjoyed it. “I’m sorry, Ana. I was a little distracted.”
She folded her arms. “Yeah, I bet you were. You know I can read you like a book. I knew exactly what you were thinking. And you need to cut it out. You have a fiancée, for goodness sake.”
“What if I told you we broke up? Would it be okay for my thoughts to drift where they went?”
Her face softened, and she brought her hands back to the counter. “Are you serious? What happened?”
“I’ll tell you over dinner tonight.”
She groaned and rolled her eyes.
“Come on, what would it hurt?” I touched her hand with mine and squeezed. “I need my best friend right now. Are you going to deny me that?”
I knew I had her the instant those words left my lips. She blinked a few times herself, and then sighed.
“Okay, but not here, and not some froufrou place either.”
“I couldn’t begin to tell you what a froufrou place is. Whatever you want to do, I’m fine. Just tell me where to go.”
She shook her head and held out her hand. “Uh, no sir, you’ve been drinking it seems. I’ll drive.”
I smiled and reached in my pocket to hand her my keys. “That’s fine with me.”
We had a small talk while she drove my Audi. I asked her about her brother, Terrence, and she asked me about my residency. She drove to a TGI Friday’s off Route 75, and, after we placed our orders, she looked expectantly at me.
I sipped on my water and met her gaze.
“So, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” she asked me.
“In a minute… first I want to know what’s up with you.”
She leaned back in her chair and shook her head. “Um, we’re not here for me and about me.”
“Who said? I mean, Ayana, how do you expect me to spill my guts and you not do the same?”
“Well, for one, I don’t have anything to spill. And two, we didn’t come here for that. If you’re expecting me to spill anything, we might as well call it a night and leave now.”
I tilted my head and studied her. She was always blunt and to the point, but, with me, it was different; we were different together. The woman who sat in front of me didn’t seem like the woman I used to know. There was definitely something going on with her, but I guessed I’d figure out another way to get at the truth.
I sighed. “Okay, you win.”
“It’s not a matter of winning,” she told me, “There really isn’t anything to tell with me. Other than me working like crazy to pay bills, that’s all.”
I put my hands up. “I understand. Really I do.”
Our drinks came, as well as the chips and salsa I ordered. Once the waiter left, she said to me. “So what’s up with you and your fiancée? Why are you two not getting married?”
I shrugged. “She turned out to not be the woman I thought she was.”