Page 34 of Love Delayed
It had been a few days since I last saw Marcus, and I don’t know if I was more eager to share the new menu ideas or see him. I also wanted him to come up to the penthouse after the meeting to see what I had done with the place. I thought the changes I made were nice; I just hoped he liked them.
That morning, I woke up bright and early and took my time dressing. I was feeling much better, overjoyed to be out of the house that Evan and I had shared. He called me wanting to know where I was and how I found a place so fast, but I owed him nothing. So, he didn’t get any answers out of me. Evan was pretty much out of my system; I didn’t even miss him. As for the baby, I still had my moments, but I knew it would hurt less and less in time.
Wanting to make sure everything was perfect, I made it down to the kitchen an hour early. Marcus would get to sample each dish, and I hoped he liked the menu additions as much as I did. With twenty minutes left before he was supposed to arrive, I went upstairs to freshen my make-up and do a mirror check. I looked slimmer than just days ago, but I guessed it was to be expected since I was no longer pregnant. I fought back the tears, refusing to have another mini breakdown, and grabbed my chef coat before hurrying out the suite’s doors.
While the cook staff and I stood in the dining area waiting for Marcus, in came his mother.
“Mrs. Coleman,” I said, walking toward her with open arms.
“Zamora, how are you? It’s been a long time,” she said after stepping back from our embrace.
“It has, and it’s been a bit tough for me the past few weeks. But I’m okay.”
“Well, you look amazing,” she complimented.
“So do you, Mrs. Coleman,” I said.
Over her shoulder, I spotted Marcus. My heart dropped when I saw him walking in holding his fiancée’s hand. I blinked several times to make sure I was seeing right. After several uncontrolled blinks, my vision was no longer blurred. My eyes focused on the two of them as they inched closer to us. I wanted to run out of the restaurant, but instead, I got myself together and held my chin up.Why on earth wouldhe bring her?I wondered as I tried to keep my winning smile intact. I didn’t want either of them to detect my irritancies of being in the same room with her. Now that she was there, I couldn’t speak freely as I normally would. I would have to refrain from flirting with him and keep it strictly professional.
“The happy couple is here,” I said, nodding in their direction while wearing an artificial smile that I hoped hid my true feelings of disappointment.
Turning to them, she replied, “If that’s what you wanna call them, okay.”
“Hey, you two. It’s a pleasure,” I forced myself to cheerfully say once they were standing in front of us, hoping my greeting came across as genuine and not fake. “I’m so anxious to show Marcus what I’ve come up with for the menu. We’ve even prepared samples.”
“I’m more than anxious,” he replied, then turned to his mother. “Good morning, Mom. What brings you by?” he asked, pulling her in for a hug.
“Hey, son. I just wanted to drop in and see you. You haven’t made it to the last two dinners, so I wanted to see if everything was okay around here and make sure you aren’t working yourself too hard. Your father and I are retired, but we aren’t dead. We can help out,” she said with a chuckle.
“I know, Mom, and you can stay retired. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but nothing I can’t handle. So, no worries,” Marcus told her.
“I hear you. Just know your father and I still got your back, son.”
“I do, and you are just in time to sample our new menu.”
“Whhhhhaattttttt?! New items after a million years? I’d like that,” she responded, smiling.
“Yes. Please, have a seat, and we will get started,” I said, and they sat at a nearby table.
“Are any of these new items vegan?” Eliana asked.
I paused before speaking. “I’m afraid the answer is no. Marcus didn’t ask for vegan options. But now that you have mentioned it, I’d like to incorporate some options on the new menu. Is that okay with you, Marcus?” I asked.
“Oh wow, Zamora. That would be a game-changer. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before,” he said.
“Well, I ain’t vegan,” his mother interrupted. “But since this new generation of folks think vegan options will prolong their lives, I’ll agree with Eliana this time,” she said, half enthusiastic, giving me the feeling she didn’t care for her too much.
I nodded and then continued with my presentation. Marcus and his mother loved my new menu items. The other woman didn’t try anything; she just sat close to Marcus and raped the dish with her eyes. I wondered why a proclaimed vegan looked like she would break for a forkful of the samples that Marcus and his mother were enjoying.
Why did she even come?I thought the entire time, but by the time I served the new dessert samples, I no longer cared about Ms. Eliana. She sipped her cucumber and mint water while Marcus polished off the rest of the apple cobbler and ice cream.
“Now that was perfect,” Marcus said, putting his spoon down in the empty bowl.
“Thank you,” I smiled.
“Yes, Zamora, you have outdone yourself. I think the short rib and garlic mashed potatoes were my favorite,” Marcus’s mother added as she pushed the half-emptied dessert bowl forward. “This dish is also amazing, but if I dare finish it, I’d have to unzip my skirt,” she joked, and we all laughed.
Eliana, who didn’t seem as tickled as we were, gave a half-laugh, half-smirk reaction.