Page 117 of Own It

We trailed the young black girl through the restaurant that was littered with waiters rushing around offering different cuts of meat. I’d never been here before, so seeing this setup was intriguing to me.

Once seated, Darron asked, “Ever been here?”

“I haven’t.” I shook my head before listening intently to him explaining the way things worked. “So we just keep eating until we’re full?”

“Exactly.” He grinned, leaning back just as our waiter approached.

We ordered some drinks—him getting an old fashioned while I got a lemon drop—and then he ordered for us to have every kind of meat, once I let him know I had no restrictions, plus some sides.

“I did what you said and didn’t eat a lot today, so I am starving. But don’t get upset with how I throw down with this food,” I said.

Chuckling, he replied, “I won’t. It’s best to come here hungry and if you eat all kinds of meat. Came with my sister once, and she only eats chicken—worst experience of my life.”

I giggled.

“So is this your favorite restaurant?”

“One of them, the other being Russell’s. Shocked I’ve never seen you there before.”

“I’m usually in the back, unless it’s Sundays and I have to work the bar for my bartender’s breaks and such.” I nodded, sipping the perfectly balanced lemon drop.

Our first round of meat options came around, so we opted to take a couple pieces of everything.

“What do you usually do on your off days, Kasia?” He ate some of the sausage.

“I typically take my daughter somewhere fun or to the movies or just anything with her,” I answered, leaving out that sometimes it was with Josias.

“Cool. Cool. And you said she was two and a half?”

“I did.” I smiled. “Good memory. You’re childless, right?”

“I am, until I get married. I don’t want any before.” He shook his head then froze. “I didn’t say that as a dig, just a true answer.”

“No need to explain. I understand.” I sipped more of my cocktail. “If I do have any more, it won’t be out of wedlock either.”

“Your child’s father, how is that relationship?”

“It’s . . . fine.” I laughed when Darron squinted his eyes. “I mean, we had a somewhat tumultuous relationship, and now we just co-parent.” I was starting to feel anxious again.

I didn’t want to talk about Josias, because then I would start to miss him and how easy it was with him. Anytime we went out to eat or anywhere, it was such a good time, ending with amazing sex that would have my bedsheets soaked with my abundance of orgasms. Josias would be perfect if it weren’t for his inability to be a one-woman man.

“How long ago did you break up?”

I nibbled on my lip, willing away the urge to lie. Thankfully, a man came around with some lamb to give me a little time.

Once he left, I confessed, “Like a month or so ago.”

“Oh . . .shit.” Darron’s brows were kissing his hairline as he set his drinking glass down. Frowning, he questioned, “And you’re sure you’re ready to date? I thought you didn’t have an ex you were still hung up on?”

“I’m not hung up on him.” I became defensive but took a breather to calm down. “This last breakup was like the final straw. It’s different. I think being older now, I see shit differently.”

“I get it.” Darron bobbed his head, stabbing a piece of lamb with his fork and shoving it into his mouth as his eyes swept the dining room.

My phone buzzing in my purse pulled my attention away from trying to decipher what he was thinking, and my heart thrummed in my chest seeing Josias’s name on the screen.

“One second, it could be about my daughter.” I fibbed, hopping up before Darron could approve and rushing to the bathroom to avoid the loud cacophony of voices, clinking silverware, and shouting chefs. “Hey,” I cooed into the phone but was met with loud voices in the distance.

It wasn’t distant enough for me not to hear, however.