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“What masa are you using?” Rose asks.
“I’m not sure. I think it’s a generic brand.”
Rose nods in understanding. “Sometimes, the generic brands can do that. We have ours delivered daily, and the bakers make it from scratch. But a great brand is Maseca. Try that.”
“Thanks,” he responds with a smile and continues filming.
Rose finishes the plate, and we all taste the fajitas she made, making “oohs” and “aahs,” relishing in the deliciousness of it. Afterward, we head out to the dining area of the restaurant, deciding to take in lunch.
“Winston, that’s so cool that you cook,” I tell him while we sip on our drinks at the table.
The eating area of the restaurant isn’t terribly upscale. It’s sweet with a soft, pastel green and pink paint scheme, with hanging spotlights. It’s not large either. There is about ten tables total in the area. Rose isn’t making her restaurant super high-class like some other eateries in the area, but she does want it to feel exclusive, which is why she limited the number of tables.
“Yeah, I like it,” Winston replies. “Oh, and feel free to call me Winnie.”
“Winnie?” Stephanie’s eyes narrow. “Like Winnie the Pooh?”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Yeah, I got teased mercilessly growing up when other kids found that out, but it’s what family and close friends call me.”
I smile, glancing over at Stephanie. She’s not as annoyed as earlier, and she seems caught off guard. Or maybe intrigued is a better word. She’s staring at him like he’s a math problem she can’t figure out.
He stares back at us across the table, confused. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” I quickly answer. “You’re just … I’ve been so used to meeting you at those lunches. This new Winston … Winnie is different, that’s all.”
He shrugs. “I guess so.”
My phone chimes, and when I turn it over I see a text message from my mom.
Mama: Where are you, Cece?
“Ohmygod,” I hiss out before slapping my hand across my mouth. “I completely forgot I was supposed to meet up with my mom and brother for lunch today.”
Sliding out of my chair, I look down at both of them. “You guys, I’m so sorry. I have to go. I feel horrible since I drove.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Winston speaks up. “I’ll call my driver.”
“Your driver?” Stephanie gawks at him. “You actually have a driver?”
He glances at her, almost embarrassed. “Uh … Yeah?”
“You sure you don’t mind? Steph, is that okay?”
She eyes him carefully, then looks back at me. “I mean, you can come with me if you want. I’m meeting them over at Luther’s.”
Eyeing Winston yet again, she shakes her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll just hang out with Winnie.” She smirks, giving him a side-eye.
Where did that come from?I ask her with my eyes.
She lifts her shoulders, smiling. Maybe she’s finally seeing him as something more than the geek she keeps calling him.
“Okay, thanks, guys. Again, super sorry. Winston, stop by the club this weekend if you want. I’ll get bottle service for you and your friends or something.”
He laughs. “Okay, sure.”
I hurry out of the restaurant. Luther’s isn’t very far, but I still speed my Lexus through the streets, feeling horrible. My mom is always on the go with her business. When she and my father first got together, she was already a real estate broker, selling multimillion-dollar homes in the San Fernando Valley. Since then, she also runs the property acquisitions department for Mavin International. Between both positions, she’s constantly busy.
Plus, I love my little brother, Sebastian. Since I still live at home, I see him the most out of any of my family and have taken it upon myself to be almost a surrogate mother for him. In no way am I replacing our mother, but I know how busy both she and my father are. I help him with homework, play video games with him, and even attend school functions he has. I couldn’t imagine my life without him.
