Page 18 of Reclaiming his Honor
He chuckled uncomfortably. “That isn’t a bad thing, Ellie. We get along.”
“No, I capitulate.” At his blank stare, she offered, “I give in. I let you control the conversation and I go along for the ride.”
“I know what capitulate means.” He closed his menu and leaned forward. “Are you saying I try to control you? Because I don’t feel that’s fair.”
“No, not at all. I’m saying I let you control me. That somewhere along the way, I decided you could be in charge, that it was fine with me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “So, what’s the problem?”
“It’s not fine with me. I want to fight.”
“Here?”
“Maybe, yes.” She looked around the restaurant, the overly nice restaurant with overly well behaved people. “Here, there, at home, it doesn’t matter.”
He closed his eyes. “You’re being ridiculous. Look at your menu.”
“Look at my menu?” She cocked her head. “I am not a child, Turner. I am trying to have a serious conversation with you. Don’t shut me down.”
“Lower your voice. This isn’t the place for an argument.”
“So what?” she said loudly, enjoying how the other patrons twisted in their seats to see her, how Turner bristled under their attention. She needed to see this, needed to see how he would respond. Across the table, Callie looked thrilled, while one side of Lewis’s mouth hitched up into a smile.
“This is an exclusive restaurant,” he hissed, glaring at Ellie and the children. “They’re going to think you don’t belong.”
“Oh, no you didn’t,” Lewis said in a low voice.
Ellie narrowed her eyes. “And why would they think that, Turner?”
When he didn’t answer, she got louder. “I said, why would they think we don’t belong,Turner? Might it be because we’re the only three Black people in the restaurant?”
He took his napkin off his lap and threw it on the table. “This is insanity. We’re leaving. We will continue this in the car.”
“We are not going anywhere with you,” said Ellie, shaking her head.
Callie held up her glass of water. “Buh-bye, Turner.”
Lewis laughed. “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out,” he said.
Turner held out his hand toward Ellie, a fierce demand presented as a kind gesture. “Let’s go. I mean it.”
She stood up, standing nearly as tall as he. “Goodbye, Turner.”
He stormed out of the restaurant, Lewis and Callie clapping in his wake. She plopped down in her chair. “Why the hell was I going to marry that guy?”
Lewis chuckled. “Because you were out of your mind.”
Callie hugged her arm. “Because you missed Dad.”
The waiter returned to the table. “May I take your order?”
Ellie passed him her menu. “Grilled cheese.”
“Grilled cheese,” said Callie.
Lewis nodded. “Grilled cheese, with crawfish.”
They ate their sandwiches in good-natured silence, Callie’s comment echoing in Ellie’s mind. Had she agreed to marry Turner because she’d been missing Mac?
