Page 38 of Love Delayed

“Hey,” he called out.

I stopped and turned to him. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for everything, Zee. I know we have history––” he tried to say, but I cut him off.

“Marc, you’re welcome,” I replied, cutting him off. “We don’t have to ever revisit our past, okay? I don’t want to revisit us and what––”

This time, he cut me off.

“Okay, I understand. I understand more than you know. Goodnight, Zee,” he said, and I nodded.

“Goodnight,” I said and turned to head for the elevators.

I wasn’t over him, even when I tried to convince myself that I was. The last thing I needed to make my struggle even harder was taking trips down memory lane with Marcus.

Chapter Nineteen

Eliana

Not long after I finished eating the salad Ms. Chef Boyardee prepared for me, I received a call from Olivia, who was playing my mother’s role along with a man acting like my father in my scheme. Marcus, Zamora, and the cooking staff were still in their meeting to discuss the plans for the menu. Not wanting to take that call in front of Marcus’s mother, I stepped away from the table. I had a good idea of what the call was about.

“Hey, I can’t really talk right now. I’m with Marcus and his mom,” I whispered into the phone, hoping she would quickly end the call.

“Your father and I are at your place of business and will make a huge scene if you don’t get here with our payment,” she said. “We didn’t get our payment for the engagement party. It’s not cheap to hire a family, baby girl, and you owe us for four hours,” she said.

I didn’t need her reminder. What I needed was my money. I was waiting for my bank to release the hold on over sixty thousand dollars in personal checks from four clients who had made their final payments two days ago. I couldn’t pay what I owed until the money was in my account.

“I know, but today is Friday. The money won’t be available to me until Tuesday,” I expressed.

“Look, if we don’t get our payment by Wednesday evening, your fiancé is going to find out how his soon-to-be wife is a scam artist out for his money,” Olivia threatened.

“I hear you,” I replied, trying to keep calm. “You know I pay on time, but I can’t give you what I don’t have. For sure, when the money is released, I got y’all. You know I’m good for it.”

“Yes, I know,” she giggled. “I just love to see you squirm. Bring Marcus for dinner tomorrow. That one is on us. No payment necessary, sugar plum. Ciao,” she cooed and ended the call.

I took a few deep breaths to get myself together. I had to relax before I went back to the table. Marcus’s mother had a sixth sense, and I knew if I stuck around, she would detect something from my uneasiness. So, I quickly came up with an excuse to make my exit.

“Please forgive me, Mrs. Coleman,” I said, returning to the table. “I must run. I have a bride who is getting married tomorrow, and she has a zipper emergency with her dress. Please tell Marcus I’ll see him later.”

“Of course, darling,” she replied while standing up. “Go take care of your business. I’ll let him know when he is out of the meeting with his staff and Zamora.”

The way she said his ex’s name made me think she was rubbing Zamora in my face, but I didn’t give her any satisfaction of getting an attitude. Instead, I hugged her while rolling my eyes and then hurried outside to the valet to get my car. I needed to pay Rush a quick visit to see if he could spot me twelve hundred dollars until the following week…or until never. We were on this venture together, so it was time for him to make an investment, too. No way did I want to risk Olivia and the other hired help foiling my plans. But when I called Rush, he didn’t answer. So, I texted him.

Me:I need fifteen hundred ASAP. What you got for me?

Rush:I’m tight, baby girl. I can toss you nine today. What you on? Why yo’ nigga can’t sponsor dat?

Me:Look, don’t come sideways with me. I’ll pick up that nine in like two hours, so don’t play.

Rush:You betta come up in here with a slippery center and ready to swallow something, shawty.

I rolled my eyes.

Me:No time. Got a full agenda today.

Rush:Don’t come my way then. I got shit going on, too. So, if you not coming with head and monkey, I ain’t giving out no bonuses. I keep up the shit I agreed to with yo’ spot and weekly maintenance. So, unless you are squeezing me into your schedule, good luck with yo’ situation, El.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I yelled, proceeding to drive to my shop.