CHAPTER 45

Maxwell had fixed a wonderful dinner: grilled steaks, rice pilaf, and green bean almondine. And for dessert, apple pie with homemade vanilla ice cream. They ate while listening to Maxwell’s favorite jazz CD and sipped on red wine and laughed and talked all evening.

He liked talking to Yolanda. She was a good listener.

Maybe it was the wine, or the good conversation, but he was slowly starting to find Yolanda beautiful. I’ll admit that she’s got a pretty face. But her body…

His phone rang.

“Hold that thought,” he said, interrupting Yolanda’s story about her father’s latest remodeling job. He picked up the telephone on the end table next to the sofa.

“Hello?”

“Hey, boy! Where you been? You ain’t been around the restaurant lately.”

“Sorry, Pop. I’ve been busy.”

“Busy? Too busy to see your daddy? Doing all them haircuts got you hemmed up?”

“Pop, you know that’s not what I do anymore. I manage a salon…”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t remind me. When you gonna be a real man and get you a real job and work with me at the restaurant? You know I could use you.”

“Pop, I don’t want to get into this with you right now,” Maxwell said, mouthing I’m sorry to Yolanda.

She smiled and whispered, that’s okay.

“Well, anyway, I was just calling to remind you about the family reunion this weekend…”

“It’s this weekend?! I thought it was next month!”

“No, boy, it’s this weekend. I knew you probably forgot. You gonna be able to make it?”

“Yeah,” Maxwell said, mentally switching things around in his head. “Yeah, I’ll be able to make it.”

“Alone? Or are you bringing a special friend?”

Maxwell looked at Yolanda.

“Probably alone, Pop.”

“Boy, why you having so much trouble with the ladies? I know it can’t be because the way you look ’cause you get that from your old man,” he said, chuckling.

“No, I don’t have any problems in that department, Pop. In fact I was thinking about bringing someone,” Maxwell said, looking at Yolanda again. “I was trying to surprise you.”

“Well, that’s good, boy. Bring her around. I’m dyin’ to meet her. Come by the restaurant tomorrow so I can give you directions. Your Uncle Cecil is insisting on having it way out in the country.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Pop.”

“Okay.”

He hung up and looked at Yolanda. Her hair was in soft waves reaching just below her shoulders and her face was glowing from the wine.

She’s beautiful, just beautiful. Why can’t she be good enough? Why can’t I just take her and say that she’s with me. She’s my woman—

Maxwell couldn’t even bring himself to think it. Yolanda wasn’t his woman. She wasn’t his type at all. Never before would he have even seriously considered dating someone as thin as she was.

Then what is she doing here, man? You asked her over here, you could have just left her alone…

“You okay?” Yolanda asked.

Maxwell looked at Yolanda again.

He took a finger and slid it down her cheek. Her skin was soft and delicate. Like her. Be careful with her.

He liked her, plain and simple. At least with her, things were peaceful, uncomplicated. She would be a good companion on that long drive. A companion. That is all she is to me. Nothing but a mere acquaintance. I don’t like her. I can’t like her.

“You wanna meet my family this weekend?”

Yolanda smiled, her face lighting up.

He took that as a yes.