Page 25 of Shooting for his Heart
“Hell yeah, I love it,” I stated, not bothering to hide my enthusiasm.
“Thank you, Shawn,” she cooed, while my face warmed from hearing her call me Shawn.
Vonnie had religiously called me by my full name since the day we’d met. Even since she and Gia had been joining me on set, she still called me Marshawn. I didn’t mind it, but hearing the shortening of my name made me think that she was becoming more comfortable with me.
“Sheppard!” the hostess yelled, sticking her head out the door.
Holding up one finger to indicate I was coming, I linked my hand with Vonnie’s as I headed toward the door. Her tiny hand fit into mine perfectly as we followed the young girl to our seats. It was an instinct to grab her hand, but I didn’t want to make things awkward by letting it go before we made it to our seats. Even as we made it to our table, I was reluctant to release Vonnie’s hand so she could take her seat. I wanted her close. I craved her nearness even when she was only a couple of feet away from me.
“Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” Vonnie and I told the hostess simultaneously.
“You know what you’re going to order?” she asked, picking up her menu.
“There’s a baked fish entrée I was thinking about trying.”
“How adventurous!” She rolled her eyes, being sarcastic.
“What did you have in mind, Evil Knievel?”
“I looked over the menu before I came up here. I didn’t want to take all day trying to figure out what I wanted to eat. I was thinking about getting the boudin egg rolls for an appetizer and the stuffed pork chops and collard greens.”
“Oh, yeah… That does sound good. Have you ever tried boudin?”
“Not yet. I figured if I was going to try it, then this was the best place.”
“I can actually make boudin balls. The boys love them,” I revealed.
“Oh, well, I don’t have to order any. You can make some for me.”
“Well, you should try the real thing so you’ll have something to compare mine to.”
“You’re right. I need to make sure you know what you’re doing.”
The waitress showed up right on time and took our orders. Along with Vonnie’s boudin egg rolls, we got gator tail bites and drunken halloumi. I had never tried halloumi, but in the name of adventure, I decided there was no better time than the present. Once we ordered our food and drinks, the waitress was on her way.
“I wish I would have worn flats. My feet have been killing me.”
“I mean, I do love seeing you in heels.”
“You might, but my dogs are howling.”
I laughed as the waitress placed our drinks in front of us. I took a swig of my Cognac, letting the cool liquid burn my throatas it went down. Picking up my glass of water, I watched as Vonnie enjoyed her margarita. I took a swig of my water before continuing the conversation.
“You work hard. It’s nice to get cute sometimes, as you said.”
“Hell yeah. You already know, as a makeup artist, I know the importance of self-care.”
“You sound like Marshae. She’s always telling me I need to practice self-care.”
“And she’s right.”
“What does that even mean? It sounds like something for women.”
“Self-care is for anyone. It’s not just about getting your hair and nails done. It could be getting a massage, a facial, meditating, or spending time alone. There aren’t any specifics other than doing something you like to do to help you unwind in your own way. It’s really about just doing something for yourself.”
“When am I supposed to find time to do that between raising the boys and being on location for filming?”
