CHAPTER 16

“Girl, I still can’t believe you got it! Who knew that my girl would be sittin’ on staff. Must be nice, huh?” Natalie said.

“I’m not gonna lie, it feels pretty good,” Yolanda said.

It was after a long day of work and Yolanda and Natalie were at another one of their favorite restaurants, Willie’s Grill & Icehouse. It was small and conveyed the rustic feel of an old Texas icehouse, complete with outdoor seating, open garage doors at the entry, pool tables on the roof, and lively music.

“Ladies, are you ready to order?” their waiter asked. He was wearing a typical Willie’s uniform: a blue T-shirt with blue jeans, and wore his hair in tight neat cornrows.

“Yes,” Natalie said, opening her menu. “I’ll have your hot buffalo wings for an appetizer, and your full rack of Texas barbecue ribs and a double order of onion rings—no, make that french fries,” Natalie said, handing him the menu.

“And you, ma’am?” the waiter asked Yolanda, his voice soft and feminine.

“Um…” Yolanda said, scanning her menu. “I’ll have what she’s having,” she said finally.

Giving her a weird look, he took her menu and left.

“People act like I can’t eat or something.”

“Why are you saying that?”

“Did you see the way he looked at me? Like I was crazy for ordering all that food. Just watch, I’m gonna tear that food up.”

“I’m well aware of your appetite. Don’t worry about him, he don’t know you like I do.”

“That’s the thing, nobody really knows me. They just immediately start judging me and try to figure out which eating disorder I have.”

Natalie reached across the table and yanked on a bright blue rubber-band on Yolanda’s wrist, giving her a loud smack.

“Ouch! All right, I get the point,” Yolanda said, rubbing her wrist.

“Now let’s start celebrating your new job promotion and stop whining about things we can’t change.”

“Okay. Yesterday, Maxwell was showing me around my new office and I started crying and we locked eyes for a minute,” Yolanda said.

“Oh no. Yolanda, not again,” Natalie moaned.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Please tell me you are not falling for your boss—”

“Technically he’s not my boss.”

“Girl, it was cool when you just thought he was cute, I mean everybody at work does. But I hope you are not seriously considering—”

“No! Girl, please…”

“Good. I was hoping you didn’t try to get promoted for a man.”

“Whatever. That’s not true. I really did want to move up for me. I’m not like you; not every decision I make involves a man.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means just what I said. This has nothing to do with Maxwell. Sure he’s nice looking, but it’s not going to interfere with my work.”

“You don’t have to get so defensive all the time,” Natalie huffed.

“I’m not getting defensive, I just—”

“Look, everyone who knows you knows you fall really hard. I just don’t want to see yourself doing the same thing you did with Russell.”

Yolanda twirled the straw around in her margarita.

“He still bothers you, huh?”

“No, what bothers me is other people who think I’m not over him. Trust me, Russell is in the past. I don’t give him a second thought.”

She’d die before she told anyone how she saw him leaving Macy’s a couple of weeks ago. He was with his mother and, when she saw him, she stopped dead in her tracks, not sure what to do. She didn’t have to think long. He made the decision for her. He looked up, recognition flashing, and then he gave her a look that begged her not to come over and speak. His eyes begged her to just leave him alone, to let him enjoy this moment with his mother and to not ruin it. To forget him. To move on. She nodded and kept moving until she could get to a seat and bawled her eyes out in the shoe department, not caring if anyone saw her, not caring who saw her. He doesn’t love me anymore. She was faced with the question that everyone woman with a broken heart had to ask: Did he ever really love me?

“Look, I wasn’t trying to ruin the mood. We’re here to celebrate, so let’s celebrate! Girl, I’ll be right back,” Natalie said, standing up. “That beer is running straight through me.”

Yolanda watched Natalie walk to the restroom, her big hips swinging with confidence. She wished she could feel as good at her size as Natalie felt at size 24.

“Excuse me, miss?”

The most famous words sung by legendary Luther Vandross was now being asked to her. “Can I Take You Out Tonight” was one of her favorite songs and now this gentleman was asking her the chorus of the song.

Yolanda turned around and saw a pair of the most beautiful dark eyes she had ever seen.

“Can I ask you a question?” he asked, his voice smooth and rich as honey. She knew this guy was gonna ask for her number. Calm down. Smile at him.

She looked up at this gorgeous man, gave him a smile, and answered in a low, throaty voice, “Sure, ask me anything.” She could almost hear Luther singing, “Can I take you out tonight?”

“Does your friend have a man? She’s beautiful.”

Yolanda’s smile vanished and her heart started beating fast, but for a different reason: the familiar sting of rejection and the stab of jealousy. But mostly she was hurt and embarrassed for thinking this guy, or any other man, would want her.

“Yeah, she has a husband.” As soon as the words left her lips she felt bad for lying.

Disappointment washed over his face. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure! I’m her best friend, so I would know. Now step,” Yolanda said angrily, cursing herself for being so upset and cursing him for not wanting her.

He stomped away, shaking his head. Yolanda pulled hard on another rubber band. The sting didn’t help her stinging ego.

“Who was that fine man?” Natalie asked, sitting back down.

“Nobody,” Yolanda said quickly.

“Well what did ‘nobody’ want? Was he trying to talk to you?”

“I can say for a fact he was not interested in me.”