It was after six when Talise left the salon with Cameron. Her hefty tips made the long day worth it. When she and Ace dated, she never scheduled eight clients. That way she could leave by one or two to be with him. Saturday evenings were always theirs.
Cameron checked the time on his phone. “Orinoco’s just reopened for dinner. Is that cool?”
Talise shrugged. She was hungry. Anything sounded good at this point. “Lois loves that place.”
“I know. It was voted the number one Latin American restaurant,” he said with a grin. Walking Talise to her car, he said, “I’ll follow you.” Cameron then jogged to his Audi, parked not far from the shop.
Shawmut Ave was a comfortable walking distance from Sassy Salon or less than a ten-minute drive from Talise’s apartment. She could best describe Orinoco’s unique décor as whimsical.
The South End neighborhood hangout was cozy. With limited seating, twenty patrons at best probably tipped its occupancy max. Choosing one of only three booths in the place, Cameron waited for Talise to be seated before taking his seat.
Moments later, a server appeared with menus.
“Do you know what you want?” Cameron asked her, since they both had been to the Venezuelan eatery before.
“The Beef Tenderloin Churrasquito, please. And can I get the salsa chimi on the side?” Instantly, she recalled a section in her baby book about spicy food. “Never mind, scratch that salsa.”
“I’m not that good. I need to look at my menu.” The server waited while Cameron scanned the choices. Quickly, he made up his mind. “I’ll have the Parrilla Caraquena and some fried sweet plantains.”
After scribbling their orders, the server walked away to do their bidding.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Talise anchored her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her linked fingers. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself. “Did Ace send you with a stake to finish stabbing me in the heart?”
He stared at her with the oddest expression.
She didn’t appreciate his scrutiny. “I’m not waiting all night. I can change my order to carry out.” Talise started counting down the seconds. She wasn’t bluffing. Tired, she wanted to go home and rest. The next morning’s work day at the airport would come all too soon.
“Talise, are you pregnant?”
Blunt and to the point. “Do you want to see my pregnancy results?” She lashed out and then apologized. “Sorry, you’re not your cousin. That attitude is reserved for him.”
Although he and Ace were cousins, a strong resemblance was detected in their facial expressions and proud swagger. Both men were tall, fit, and good-looking. Cameron’s smile brightened his smooth, honey-toned face, while the remnants of a small facial scar on his cousin’s rich chocolate skin seemed to add to Ace’s angular masculinity.
Talise was always attracted to dark chocolate men and considered Ace the “pretty boy” of the two. However, Ace wasn’t the only fine man she had dated. Over the years, Talise’s looks had garnered the attention of many attractive men. That would change once she started showing.
Cameron asked the question, and then seemed to be shocked by her answer. Stroking his goatee, he frowned. “Does Ace know?”
“Of course.”
“When did you tell him?”
“I found out on a Friday and told him two days later on a Sunday.”
“This past Sunday? Like almost a week ago Sunday?”
“Why are you repeating everything I say?” Talise had the strangest feeling she wasn’t going to like his answer.
“Ace relocated to St. Louis where his brother lives about a week and a half ago. I thought you knew,” he said hesitantly, with a grief-stricken look.
Slap! Talise emotionally felt the hit. She fought back a sinking feeling and struggled to regulate her breathing. She refused to faint. Ace had up and moved out of town? “Hmm. He didn’t mention that,” she heard herself respond with a shaky voice.
Rejected. Could she be any more humiliated?
Cameron leaned closer. He seemed concerned. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he hadn’t told you.”
“Ace is his own man. He does and treats people as he pleases,” she managed to say, blinking back the tears.
“Are you okay?”
Shaking her head, she couldn’t answer. Talise was visibly numb.
“I’m going to change our orders from dine-in to carry-out. You don’t look like you can eat right now, but I’m sure you’ll be hungry later.” His expression was grim as he summoned the server, paid the bill with a handsome tip, and requested their food be bagged to go.
I doubt it, she thought. “He left because of me?” What a drastic move. Was she that much of a threat?
“You are not in this alone.”
“I disagree, Ace … I … I mean, Cameron. I’m on a roller-coaster ride, and the conductor went home and left me hanging. I had no idea I meant so little to him.” How could someone fake feelings that way? She had questions that only Ace could answer.
“Do you need me to drive you home? Lois can drive me back for my car, or I could walk back.”
“I’ve changed my mind. I think I’m going to stay here and eat—alone. I’ll be all right.”
“Are you sure?”
He didn’t need to know she wasn’t sure. It appeared Talise Rogers wasn’t anybody’s concern anymore.
The server arrived with their carry-outs. Standing with his bag, Cameron reached into his back pocket and slipped out his wallet.
“Didn’t you already pay for our meals?”
“This is for you.” Cameron held out a fifty-dollar bill.
She didn’t have to make a comment. Her squinted eyes conveyed what she thought of his so-called generosity.
“It’s for my little Jamieson cousin you’re carrying. Put it in his piggy bank.”
Shaking her head, Talise refused. “My child and I aren’t charity cases.”
“One thing you should know about the Jamieson men. We’re stubborn. Ask our mothers,” he said, smirking. “You ain’t seen anything yet. I’ll be in touch.”
Nodding, Cameron walked away with the same bowlegged strut as his cousin. She thought Ace owned the copyright on it.