Page 24 of The One He Desires

“In due time. Now, what’s in these containers?”

Journee grins like she’s holding onto a secret that can only be told if blood is shed. She doesn’t provide a verbal answer before she opens the first container, and the smoky scent of barbecue fills the air. My stomach instantly reacts with a growl at the thought of food nearby.

“Looks like my pop-in was perfectly timed. I hope you like pulled pork, cole slaw, baked beans, cornbread muffins, peach cobbler, and sweet tea.” Journee’s eyes aren’t on mine as she opens the containers to reveal the contents of everything she just named.

From the smells now heavily coating my office, there’s no doubt that this food is homemade. My stomach is like a grizzly bear that’s trying to protect its cub as I take in the spread.

“Wow. Is everything we're doing going to be a one-up situation? I brought you a BLT, and you brought the kitchen sink. You ain’t right, and how am I going to work after eating a sleep-inducing meal?”

Journee giggles as she covers her mouth and shrugs. My mind swirls with ideas on how to make our upcoming date memorable. Just doing dinner feels cliché, and after this lunch, I feel like I need to step up my game.

“This isn’t a competition, Sincere. I just didn’t want you coming for my boring sandwich.”

“Mm-hmm. I hear you. Are you off today? Where’s Sweet Face?”

“No. I'm working. She’s with my parents. Would you like everything or only certain things?” She pulls out plates before her eyes meet mine as she awaits my response.

I gently take the plates from her. “You cooked or catered or something. So, how about you tell me what you want on your plate?”

Journee smirks, providing context or a rebuttal to my implication as she tells me what she would like to eat. Once I’m done filling and handing her the plate, I move to doing the same for myself. Not only does it all smell good, but it looks like I might need to sneak in a nap. With my plate overflowing and on my lap, I say a quick blessing over everything and dig in.

“Oh, please give my compliments to the chef when you see him or her.” The baked beans dance on my tongue as the flavors instantly appeal to my taste buds.

“You’re welcome, Esquire. I made sure to stick a toe in those to give them an added sweetness.”

It takes every ounce of home training I have to keep the food in my mouth as I fight the laugh her words cause.

“Well, damn. Journee’s toe jam might be marketable. You did that.”

Journee’s giggles bounce off the walls, and I shake my head as I memorize the angelic sound. Something foreign spreads across my chest as it warms. The heat from sitting close to Journee isn’t the reason my body temperature is rising. But thankfully and respectfully, my dick stays calm and doesn’t make this experience an uncomfortable or creepy one.

“How has your morning been? When I couldn’t get you off my mind, I made an executive decision to let my manager handle the boutique and make you lunch. I had to share some with Jamarion’s greedy butt to get your location, though.”

Hold up! Hold up! Wait?

“Uh, I’m going to need you to run back the second part of your statements. I’m not sure that I heard you correctly and want to make sure that this sweet and tangy barbecue sauce isn’t affecting my hearing.”

Journee shamelessly licks the sauce from her palm where some has fallen as she shrugs like her words aren’t serious or record scratch capable. In all of my years and time spent in this office, this moment feels like something I need to catalog in my memory bank. I’m also still hopeful that Journee’s perfume will outlast the food aroma.

“I don’t have an explanation. I enjoy talking to you, so I decided to do something about it.”

“I’m glad you did. But rest easy, we would have talked today even if you didn’t show up. I too, enjoy talking to you. Although I’ll admit that seeing you in person is so much better.” I wink as I finish what’s on my plate.

“Touche, Esquire.”

The rest of our lunch is seamless as our conversation flows without pause. Journee’s pop-up confirms my desire to pursue and date her. A woman with a sense of humor who brightens my day is someone I know will benefit my life. The more we talk, the more I want to see the light in her eyes and the smile on her lips. The hunger pains have left but have been replaced with something far more satisfying, and I’m not talking about the delicious food she fed me.

After our first date, I’m going to have to plan something for Journee, Sweet Face, and me. I want to determine whether our connections are a fluke. Sweet Face is a gem, and being with Journee means not forgetting about her. A woman with a kid has never been on my agenda or radar, but now mother and daughter have gotten under my skin. Both make it impossible for me to ignore.

Hello, Friday . . .

Sincere and I have been talking every day, which makes me very eager to see him again. I haven’t entertained a man of Sincere’s caliber, and it’s been refreshing and is giving me all the feels. Today is special because it’s our official date despite our impromptu lunch encounters. Sincere also has me curious about what he has planned, because dates that start in the afternoon but continue into the evening are foreign to me. The only information Sincere gave me last night was that I would need two outfits.

When I asked for more details, he said the first part of the date would require me to dress comfortably and casually, but no heels. The latter portion of our time together, I would also be relaxed, but if I wanted to put on stilettos, I could. I was lost but managed to pull two outfits together that should fit the unknown experiences. Both should give me a comfortable, stylish, and cute appearance for a first date. Nevertheless, I’m ready to spend some time with Sincere and see what he’s come up with for us.

“First, you come over here supposedly to spend time with my grandbaby, interrupting our tea time. Now, you’re staring into space like you’ve been hit by a tranquilizer dart. What’s wrong with you?”

Mom’s unexpected voice cuts into my thoughts, instantly reminding me where I am and what I should be doing. It also causes me to realize that I haven’t asked her about keeping Milan tonight.