Page 79 of One Hotlanta Night
“Come on. Let’s eat first.” She follows me into the kitchenette as I pull out a chair at our small table for two. “What do you want to drink, mi amor?” I ask, opening the fridge.
“Just some water, please.” The exhaustion in her voice hangs in the air. As I set a glass before her, she reaches for my hand, seeking my touch. It must be pretty bad; she has never been like this before.
“Hungry, mi corazón?” I ask quietly.
“Yes! Something smells amazing.” Her face perks up as she sniffs the air.
I return to the stove and pile her plate high with the seasoned beef and rice. “Tonight, mi amor, we have picadillo.” I place the dish in front of her with a flourish and she laughs.
“So what am I eating?” Her eyes peruse the dish.
“It’s ground beef with onions, peppers, olives… and a bunch of other stuff. Think of it as the Cuban version of spaghetti. It’s comfort food.”
“Soundsexactlylike what I need after the day I’ve had.” She hums appreciatively.
You and me both, baby. I dip a fork in the mixture and blow on it before offering it to her. She opens her mouth obediently, and her satisfied groan confirms that this meal was the right choice. Paquita used to make this for me on tough days, and I’m happy to meet my woman’s needs the same way.
I take a seat to her left, even though all I want to do is pull her into my lap and keep feeding her. “This issogood,” she gushes in between hurried bites. Her plate is halfway empty already and although I love that she enjoys my cooking, I wince at her hunger.
“Did you remember to eat today, mi amor?” Her blush confesses the truth. I’m going to start packing lunches for her just to make sure she has something ready at all times. Even restaurant food gets old after a while.
“Not really. Today was insane. Our dry goods vendor was late, and we ran out of paper towels and soap so I had to run to Sam’s Club during the lunch rush so we could stay compliant with health code. And the costs have gone up exponentially since…” She stops.
Everything has changed since the attacks. Nothing will ever be the same.
“Then when I got back, this one guy was harassing Claire about the price increase for the lunch specials. I was all ready to step in, but thank heavens Derrick was there for backup.”
“What an asshole,” I mutter and she nods.
“He sure was. I don’t even know why he bothers to come in anymore. I honestly think he has it out for Claire, or a crush on her or something. But that doesn’t give him the right to be such a dick.”
“What did Derrick do?” I ask, curious to see how he handled the situation.
“You should’ve seen it.” She grins. “He got all big and bad, puffing out his chest, and told him if he couldn’t behave himself in front ofmanagement, he needed to get the hell out of there.”
I smile along with her. Derrick’s athletic build makes up for his youthful appearance, and from what Vivian’s told me, his strong physique has helped them out with unruly customers more than once.
Women shouldn’t need to have a man around for protection at their workplace. But Vivian knows as well as I do how things run, especially in the South, and it can be handy to have a big guy around to back up a lady when needed. She’s told me Derrick is just that man for Claire; how he doesn’t overstep boundsand consistently refers customers and vendors alike back to her. When they see him and automatically assume he’s the guy in charge, he corrects them and steers them to the “boss lady”… and then stands behind the bar with his arms folded like a bodyguard. After meeting him a few times, I’m glad he’s around to defend our girls. Some regulars are cops and their presence is helpful, but it’s good to have someone who’s there all the time.
“How did their date go?” I ask.
“You know, I’m really not sure. She’s been kind of tight-lipped about the whole thing,” Vivian admits, chewing thoughtfully.
“You don’t think anything bad happened, do you?” I can’t see that being the case, but I don’t know Claire that well.
“No, definitely not. She just didn’t say much and has been kinda lost in thought lately.” That doesn’t sound like the Claire Vivian has told me about. “I’m not too worried. Sometimes she likes to process things before talking about them, you know?” She takes another bite. “The only difference is that Derrick has been even more watchful and protective ever since the concert… and that’s saying something. Not in a creepy way,” she reassures me when she sees my eyebrows lift. “Besides, he might be influenced by the way you kicked Trent out that night.” She blinks slowly at me as I realize her tease.
“That’s never gonna change, mi amor,” I tell her as I press a kiss to her forehead and caress her cheek.
She closes her eyes and the furrows in her brow even out. “Is it a bad thing to say I know, and I love it?”
“Never, my lady.”
“Even just the way you say that… my inner feminist just shuts up and wants more. You make me feel safe,” she breathes out.
I slide my chair closer to hers and pull her onto my lap, cradling her hip with one hand. Much better. “And you complete me. Don’t ever feel bad or like it makes you weak to need someone else. I’m here to protect you, to provide for you, alongwith loving you each and every day. It’s part of my job as your man, and I love doing it. Do you know how it makes me feel to know I’ve got you?” Vivian’s shoulders soften as I stroke her hair, holding her closer. She sinks further into my hold, and my heart soars at her contented sight. This is exactly how I want her to feel all the time. I’m just not sure how she’s gonna feel after what I have to say.
“Te tengo ahora y para siempre,” I murmur. At her questioning look, I repeat, “I’ve got you, mi amor, now and forever.”
