EZRA
I sit at the bar watching Harlem stroll into the restaurant, was wondering when I was going to run into her, guess the time is now. She's wearing baggy clothing but she's still stunning, even without makeup. I take the last sip of my drink and walk over to her.
I take the seat in front of her, wondering what the hell I'm doing but doing it nevertheless. She looks up at me and it takes her brain a split second to come to the realization I'm actually here.
With her eyes wide she looks around the restaurant, probably wondering where I came from. I raise a brow "Harlem. Fancy meeting you here."
She looks at me suspiciously staying silent. "Not gonna speak to me?" I ask her smirking. She blinks a few times and clears her throat. "I want to ask you what you're doing here but I'm not sure I want to know." I smile.
"I came here for vacation with my friend. Then I thought of what I'd give the cast members for the play and came to the conclusion that a vacation seems like a good idea, I mean; since I'm already going there, no stress right?" I tell her
"Uh-huh." She narrows her eyes at me. Shaking her head, she goes back to whatever she was doing on her phone. I stare at her, everything I came here to do long forgotten.
She glances up at me and rolls her eyes and goes back down. Weird, you'd think she'd be interrogating me right now but she's not even giving me any attention. Not sure how I feel about that.
"You don't seem surprised." I tell her and she sighs and looks at me. "I'd be 'surprised' if nothing abnormal happened these two weeks, don't you think." She looks back at her phone.
I see, she's mentally prepared. I stay quiet and keep watching her like some creep. She narrows her eyes at me once or twice but keeps scrolling on her phone. Eventually, she sighs. "Are you going to keep staring at me?" she asks.
"It depends. Are you going to keep ignoring me?" she narrows her eyes again. "Don't you have anything better to do like, I don't know, work?" I cross my arms and lean forward. "I'm on vacation, I'm not allowed to work" she looks at me and sighs again, about to go back to her phone when her food comes.
She ignores me as she eats, looking around and occasionally texting. I realize I'm acting a tad creepy and decide to do something. I scroll through my phone but instantly regret because I ALWAYS have a huge number of messages from family, workers at the company, investors, random people, even the goddamn press. No idea how they keep getting my number. I see one from Ty asking where I am and I ignore it.
I look back at Harlem to see her quickly look away and go back to eating. I refrain from smiling, don't want her to know I caught her. She quickly finishes her food and the waiter comes to take her plate.
"The food payments are on the room" I tell her as she goes for her purse. She raises brow. "Really? I didn't know that." She says and I nod. She shrugs and drops her purse.
"Let's take a walk" I tell her. She looks at me like I've grown two heads. "Why?" she asks. Well, she didn't say no. Progress?
"You know; quick digestion, and helps set the mood for rest." I tell her.
"Suddenly a doctor" she mutters and I smile. "I have to use the restroom though, give me a sec." she goes and comes back a few minutes later and we walk out.
We move towards the beach area; there are few people walking around but it's dark already so not so much. I look at Harlem and she's walking with her arms folded staring at the sky. We walk for a few minutes in silence and I have so much to ask and tell her that my brain goes numb.
She sighs and we stop walking. She turns to me "I don't appreciate you giving me gifts in your predicament." I furrow my brows. What?
"You know; the gifts you sent. I don't appreciate them in your predicament." Oh, those gifts. I almost forgot.
I place my hands in my pockets and stare at her. She's finally talking to me. "What predicament is that?" I say as she kicks at a stone. She sighs annoyedly "Goddammit Roth. You're engaged." She says turning to me sharply. "Why would you be giving a woman that is not your wife gifts? It's not becoming, and it makes feel and look weird, like… like a side chick."
My eyes pop wide open. What is she talking about? I'm not…. Oohh, she doesn't know and can I just say; I've never been happier I didn't get married to Kandra than now. Best decision ever.
She's looking at me expectantly and annoyedly. Before I know what I'm doing, I take a step closer to her and smooth out the furrow between her eyebrows with my thumb; an action my mother always does for my dad when he's frowning. Her face contorts into shock but at least she's not frowning again. "The marriage didn't and isn't happening princess. For a long time now, it's been cancelled. Is that why you won't talk to me?"
I see the realization etch on her face "It was?" she scoffs. "Why didn't you say so?" she rolls her eyes and keeps walking. I smile and follow her closely behind.
"You didn't ask." I tell her and she stops abruptly causing me to narrowly avoid bumping into her. She turns and looks at me again. At this proximity, I can make out the beauty mark on her eyelids, the gold in her eyes and the cocoa butter scent radiating off her and I'm reminded how much of a gone man I am.
"Well at least I asked now. What happened that you couldn't get married?" she looks at me curiously but also like she knows and just wants me to say it.
"Kandra hurts people and she hated me. She only hid it well behind lust." I tell her truthfully. Her eyes soften and she looks down. "Sorry. You don't deserve that." She says and I smile and tilt her chin up. She looks shocked again that I'm touching her but I haven't even started.
"When she hurt you, that was when I knew. It was like I came to my senses and my whole being screamed at me not to progress, and I eventually didn't, even though with its own consequences. So, thank you, I narrowly missed a bullet. And I don't regret sending you those gifts even for a moment." I tell her brushing the hair from her eyes so I could take a better look at them.
Her breath hitches for a moment and we hold eye contact until she breaks it and looks away. I draw back to give her space and we keep walking. She doesn't say anything and that's fine. The fact she didn't is enough.
We keep walking and I say what I've been wanting to say for so long. "You should continue your career in acting. The play was spectacular; it was like watching an angel perform and I invited all those people because I wanted you to get at least one more opportunity after the play. I'm hoping you did?"
She slows down and turns to me and I notice she's smiling. I stare at the smile like a dog to bone. "Thank you, Roth. I do plan on continuing my career and I did get more opportunities, thank you again. Actually, thank you for the… compensation as well and the gifts, and for sponsoring Nexa stage, even for this trip. I appreciate the effort you put into everything, into me. Means a lot." She says and my heart thrashes widely in my chest.
I stare at her and swallow. Shit, what do people say when they're thanked? I rub the back of my neck and stare at her. She looks at me worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I am. Uhm, you're welcome. I just wasn't… expecting that but you're welcome. And congrats on that… yeah." I clear my throat and run my hands through my hair. She nods at me like I just spoke gibberish but she still wants to give me benefit of the doubt.
"Okay. Well, I have to head back in, I'm still slightly jet lagged." She points in the direction of the rooms.
"Yes, of course. Let me walk you" she looks like she might protest but she doesn't.
We walk back to her room which is actually just two doors down mine but I don't tell her that.
"So… goodnight?" she says. I nod speedily.
"Goodnight, Tamrin." She closes her door and it locks automatically, until then do I leave. I enter my room smiling and call room service. I lied about the food thing but that can be resolved.
"Yes, hello. Kindly put the whole food tab of room 103 on mine till she leaves. Thank you." I end the call and stay awake wondering when next I get to see that smile again.