Page 76 of Made to Love Ya

“You were right.”

I took a bite of my braised beef short ribs, closed my eyes, and I moaned.

“This is heavenly!” I complimented after I finished chewing.

“Glad you approve.”

“These were cooked with red wine, hmm?”

“They were,” Izael confirmed.

I immersed myself in the garlic butter and herb mashed potatoes.

“Smoked gouda.” I nodded my approval.

“Says the girl who always hated cheese in her mashed potatoes as a kid.” Izael chuckled and shook his head.

“When done right, it’s perfectly fine. I’ve come to learn that through age and wisdom,” I replied with a wink.

There were garlic-seared green beans with a lemon butter sauce, sweet potato spears, and braised collard greens. The food was so delicious that we stopped conversing. Other than the sound of the violinist in the corner, the only noise heard was the smacking of our lips and moans of appreciation.

“I could just lay down and sleep now,” I stated as I wiped my hands on the moist towelettes Izael handed me when I finished eating.

“Do you approve of the meal, ma’am?”

“I do. But I don’t want to write another review because this isn’t on your usual menu, and I don’t want it to be influenced by my relationship with you.”

Izael inhaled deeply, nodded, and then pulled his fingers through his beard.

“Would you consider stopping in here again of your own accord and writing a review based on a separate experience? You wouldn’t even have to tell me that you were coming.”

I considered that, and I believed that everyone deserved a chance to redeem themselves. However, I agreed with a stipulation.

“Okay, but you need to overhaul your entire menu and reconsider how your chef is preparing the meals. In the past, it felt like they were giving us meals that were previously cooked and then heated up in a microwave. They were bland.”

“Okay, okay. I get the picture,” he stated as he nodded at the violinist.

I watched as the violinist left the room.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to bash you in front of him.”

“It wasn’t that, Talia. Remember when I moved out, I told you that you needed time to reconsider our relationship?”

I nodded.

“I know that a lot has happened in that time since, and lately I haven’t been the most favorable person in your life. So, I know you probably didn’t consider my offer and was hardly thinking about a relationship with me, but?—”

I rocked forward and pressed a finger against his lips. “Shh…you’ve been all I’ve thought about since the moment that I walked out of that door at the magazine. You’re all I ever think about, Zae. When we were still seeing each other and when we weren’t, all I could think about was you. I wanted to be closer to you. I needed to be in your presence. Every waking moment of my day and every dream-filled night was about you. I had a hard time writing reviews, and my girls even told me they were bland. They needed a little extra seasoning.

“Zae, you are the seasoning in my life, and without that, my life is bland at best. I love you, and I have never stopped loving you since I first fell in love with you all those years ago. Yes, I was hurt over what I thought you had done, but when Asante told me what happened, it made sense.”

“So, you’re not angry with me about that anymore?”

“I’m disappointed that when you learned who I was, you didn’t come to me with it. I trust you, Zae, and that means that I trust you to do what’s right for our relationship at all times, no matter what you think my reaction might be.”

“You’re right, baby,” he replied and reached out and smoothed my eyebrows. “It’s my job to protect you and us.”

“And mine too.”

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