Chapter 10

 

 

On Wednesday, Titus was sitting at the kitchen table staring at a blank computer screen. It was the first time he felt his writing mojo this week. First time since Haven had broken up with him. Today, he still wasn’t himself but he was okay enough to write:

 

Cherokee Grill Gatlinburg: A Gem in the Mountains

 

With its upscale interior, delicious mouth-watering food and friendly, eager waitstaff, Cherokee Grill is a must for your mountain vacation! Whether you’re a family of six looking for a great place to have dinner or a couple seeking a romantic meal for two, Cherokee Grill is the perfect destination to feed your hunger. Some menu favorites are the crab cakes, steaks, rotisserie chicken and calamari. Cherokee also has a bar if you’re in the mood for wine or mixed drinks.

 

I had the pleasure of dining here recently with my girlfriend and her parents. What better way to get to know someone than over good food and pleasant conversation? We ate and talked and talked some more, all the while sipping on Raeburn Chardonnay and appetizers. We opted for the crab cakes and charbroiled shrimp. For our main courses, I ordered the heavenly baby back ribs and macaroni and spinach. (Side note: If you’ve never tried the macaroni and spinach, you have no idea what you’re missing. It’s a great flavor explosion you’ll want more of!) My girlfriend ordered the grilled chicken salad and her parents chose the southern-fried catfish. Everything was cooked to perfection, and no one had any complaints about their food.

 

Cherokee is the kind of restaurant that instantly calms the soul and satisfies the senses, welcoming openness and togetherness. I certainly felt this with my ‘new’ family – people who are down to earth, genuine and hard workers. The only thing better than the food here is the people you share it with. If you’re lucky enough to have those kinds of people, it only makes sense to dine at a lovely place like this.

 

He paused, unsure of which direction to take the article from here. Instead, he relived that night at Cherokee Grill. He wanted to propose to her with her parents as witnesses, but when he felt her vibe was off, he knew the timing was all wrong which sucked because he was certain of what he wanted. She wasn’t. And sure two-and-a-half months was a relatively short time to date before getting engaged but he was ready to take the leap with her.

He hadn’t heard from her on Monday or Tuesday and it didn’t look like he’d hear from her today either. He wanted to call, but he wanted her to have all the time she needed to think without him interrupting. If she was going to be with him, she needed to make that decision with a clear head.

 

* * *

 

Later that evening, he attended Adina’s rehearsal dinner. She wasn’t going to have one until their mother insisted and so there they sat in a private room in one of Greensboro’s fanciest restaurants.

On a Wednesday night…

Who has a rehearsal dinner on a Wednesday night?

Adina Cassidy. That’s who.

Titus looked over at his sister. She was all smiles. Happiness radiated from her. She was ready for marriage. He glanced around the table at the rest of the family. His parents. Vance’s parents. The bridesmaids and groomsmen. The joining together of two lives was a celebration that brought families together in a most joyful way. He thought his relationship with Haven was on that same path, but somehow they’d fallen off track.

After forcing himself to sit through dinner, he was on the way to his car when he heard Adina say, “Now, I know something’s wrong.”

Keys in hand, he turned to look at her. “You’re getting married in a few days. That’s the only thing that should be on your mind.”

“And it is on my mind, but so are you. I’ve been watching you tonight and you’re not yourself, Titus. What’s wrong? Is it Haven? Did you two get in an argument or something?”

He was hesitant, but Adina knew him too well for him to be elusive especially now that they were face-to-face. So, he told her, “She said she needed space to sort through some things.”

“Why?” Adina asked, concern showing in her worried gaze. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure. She said something about us not being compatible—”

“You two are beyond compatible. What in the world is going on? I have to talk to her.”

“No, Adina.”

“Why not? I can’t stand by and let this happen. Are you kidding me?”

“This isn’t your problem, sis.”

“But—but Haven’s supposed to be your date for my wedding and she’s supposed to be decorating the B&B for us. What’s going to happen now?”

“You’re panicking. Let me handle this. Everything will be fine.”

“She’s not coming to the wedding, is she? Are you even coming?”

“What kind of question is that? I wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything. You know that.”

“I know.” Adina closed her arms around her brother. “I love you and I’m worried.”

“That’s why I didn’t want to tell you—didn’t want you to worry.”

She released him and said, “Let me talk to her.”

“No. I got this. You know how relationships work. There are ups and downs. You broke up with Vance so many times, we knew y’all weren’t going to make it but now look at you two—about to be married in a few days. I’m proud of you, sis.”

“Thank you.”

“And don’t worry about me and Haven. We’ll be okay. She just needed a pause to think some things through. I’m being a gentleman and giving her that, but it won’t last long. I love her. I won’t let our relationship fall apart.”

“Aw…you love her.”

“I do. Now, you go and get ready for your big day.”

“Are you still heading up on Friday?” she asked. She was having a mountain wedding in Gatlinburg at a venue called, The Magnolia.

“Yes. I’m leaving Friday,” he responded, thinking about where he might stay. Nine times out of ten, it wouldn’t be with Haven which would be odd since the entire family was checking into the Bed & Breakfast after the reception was over.