Without Him

III

We get to the hotel, i put my luggage in the corner.

I'll go through that later tonight.

"Would you like to go out to a restaurant while we talk about the meeting?" He suggested. I didn't really care, although I am starving.

"Sure, do you have something in mind." I said as i look at him.

"Come on, i know a place that has good Chinese food." He left without waiting for me to say anything.

I huff quietly. I grab my phone, wallet and leave. Just in case i pay for it but more than likely he's going to insist on paying for the both of us. I don't even know this man so why am I being nice.

My life is well put together. My dream job, being happy. Having the best of friends and having loving, supporting parents. But there was something that was just missing in my life. I couldn't think of what that something is.

My parents always taught me to not let anyone dictate your future or make decisions for you.

Being the independent black woman i am, i don't take that lightly. I'm always trying to prove myself to people that i know what to do and that I'm not this dumb woman most people stereotype those who's black.

I snap out of my thoughts when i hear his voice, "You've been quiet this whole ride. Are you okay?" He asks concerned. My eyebrows furrowed a little.

Why is he worried.

I nod my head, "Yes I'm fine." Without saying anything else i get out the car and walk into the restaurant. I hear him approach, coming closer to me.

Kyle gets us a table and menus. I look through to see what i would like.

We order our drinks. He gets a sweet tea and i order a sprite.

I think i would like the orange chicken with rice and crab rangoon's. Those are one of my favorites.

"Do you know what you would like?" Kyle questions me closing his menu.

I nod, "The orange chicken with rice and crab rangoon's." I clasp my fingers together closing the menu. He nods and calls the waiter over to our table. He orders for the both of us. The waiter nods and leaves.

"What questions did you have for me?" I question him after i took a drink of my sprite.

He looks like he's thinking of something. "So how will this work." He asks.

"So I'm going to write down all the things y'all recommend, like any props or where y'all would like to take the pictures. Then whenever y'all decide a date, I'll organize it with all the details. I'll position y'all in order and take multiple pictures with different poses and one of each of y'all. How many people is taking the picture?"

He nods taking in all the information. "There's me, my parents, then my younger brother and younger sister." I nod and take a mental note in my head to write that down when I get back to the hotel.

Before i could say anything else our food comes. This looks delicious. The blackness in me starts eating the crab rangoon's without any chill.

I eat all of them seemingly without chewing. I look up to see he's already looking at me. I looked down hiding my face from embarrassment.

Thank god I'm black.

He chuckles, but noticed my embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed." He says and i look back up and him.

I gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry." He shook his head and we both started eating.

"How old are you?" I look up at his question. I raise my eyebrow.

"Didn't your mother tell you not to ask a woman her age?" I sassed him teasingly.

He rolls his green eyes, "Yes but i would also like to know." I cross my arms around my chest.

"How old do you think i am?" I want to see how old he would guess.

"Hmm, you look young so 25." I laugh.

"23." I tell him with a hint of a smile playing on my lips. I think i like that guess.

He nods, now it's my turn to ask. "Now how old are you." Our meeting is basically finished. I'm going to meet with the whole family tomorrow to discuss everything as a group. We're just enjoying the company and time.

He raised his perfect eyebrow. "Guess how old I am." He challenged me. Whatever age i say wouldn't be close i can feel it. I look at his face. His sharp defined jawline. His stubble on his face. His perfect eyebrows.

How old is he? I thought out.

"I would say 28." I definitely know that's not his age. But that's what he looks like.

He smiles, "I'm flattered really but no."

32 is my next guess but i want to wait till he says it.

"I'm 36." I choke on air.

36 what the fuck!

"What?" I question if i heard him right.

"What do i not look old or something." He playing this challenge out well.

My eyes widen, "No not at all, you look perfect." He raises his eyebrows at what i said.

It sinks in, if possible my eyes widen even more. "T-that's not I- I didn't mean that." I stuttered. Getting nervous each second.

He laughs, "It's quite alright." I nervously chuckled.

We both finish eating and he asks, "Are you ready to get out of here?"

I nod, pulling out my wallet he shakes his head. "I'm paying." I wanted to object but his face told me to not say anything. So i didn't.

He pays the cashier up front and we both leave. He drives me back to the hotel. It was a short drive back but i needed to write more details for this photoshoot.

We both get out and he walks me to my hotel room.

"I'll come get you tomorrow around 1 to discuss the plans with my family. Is that okay." He asks.

I nod, "Yes that's fine. I'm happy to meet the rest of your family." I smile towards him. In that moment i didn't realize that statement had s double meaning.

He nods, "It was nice meeting you Athena." He says my name in a different way that I can't pinpoint exactly what.

I smile and shake his hand, "It was also nice meeting you Kyle." I say with a hint of my Nigerian accent coming out.

He smiles and leaves as i open the door and close it.

I lay on the bed, today was eventful. But tomorrow will be even more eventful and chaotic.