A Year Later In New York City
"Yes, chef, there are three beef tenderloin all-day," Carlos yelled from the other side of the kitchen.
“Thanks Carlos,” she said back at him while continuing to sauteed shrimp in the skillet. The kitchen was pure chaos but in a good way. If that made any sense at all.
Business was booming and getting better than ever. Tara knew that it would take her and Angelo a while before there restaurant, Versatile Kitchen, was popular. But as the months went by somewhere down the line things changed and everyday was packed with people. From locals to travelers who heard about the restaurant. This was what she waited her entire life to do. To have the most talk about restaurant with amazing food in the country.
In Malibu, her restaurant was a success and with the help of Nathan, her and Angelo opened up another restaurant here in New York City. Life was great!
Just like her life seemed to be nothing but perfect right now, Tara wanted today to be perfect as well. Looking down at her watch that was on her wrist, she cursed loudly and handed the skillet to her saute chef.
She began to take off her chef jacket when a pair of hand covered her eyes.
"Guess who?" Said the voice behind her.
Turning around with a smile, she looked up at him and tilted her head to the side. “How many times do I have to tell you its not safe to play games in the kitchen,” Tara reprimanded him.
Shrugging his shoulders he stepped closer to her. “Did you forget you have a prior engagement at 6 oclock?” She watched as his hand made its way to her left cheek, stroking it gently. She closed her eyes and reached behind her to take her apron off.
“I’m so sorry,” she pleaded. “I lost track of time.”
Nathan’s parents invited them over once again for a family dinner. She honestly thought they were all up to something because it was the fifth time this week. His father, Donald, had been out of the hospital for have ten months recovering from his sudden heart attack. He was talking small steps to recovery and with the help of his family and Tara, he was going to get back to his old self. Of course there would have to be changes in his lifestyle as well.
Although Donald and and his wife Janine thought of Tara as family, she tried to not overstep her boundaries when it came to family problems and issues.
All in all, things were going great and it was all because of the man standing before her. Tara was apprehensive when it came to giving Nathan a chance but she was glad she did when he asked her after running along the beach that early morning.
Flashback....
When she stepped out on her deck in her Nike shorts, top, and running shoes, Nathan was already waiting for her with his hands on his hips.
“Are you ready?” He asked with a sexy smile.
Without saying a word, she nodded her head and plugged in her earphones that was connected to her Galaxy s3 on her arm. Soon, Janelle Monae’s Tightrope was playing in her ear. As she focused on the music and her breathing, she tried to put the person that was running next to her to the back of her mind.
“Some people talk about you
Like they know all about you
When you get down they doubt you
And when you tipping on the scene
Yeah they talkin’ about it
‘Cause they can’t tip all on the scene with you
What you talk about it
Talkin’ about it
Although the music flowed the the speakers her mind began to disobey her. The one thing that she couldn’t get out of her brain was the fact that he was next to her. Jogging... She noticed that he suddenly had a change of heart but why? They way he took care of her last night in her intoxicated state. He could have easily took advantage of her or even just dumped her back at her at her home across the hall.
But he didn’t. Nathan made sure she was safe and comfortable laying right next to him at night. His loyalty to her wasn’t part of their agreement. As his personal escort, it came with no feelings, not strings, or anything for that matter. So why was he being nice. He just wanted her to fulfill his needs and although the only thing that was scratch off the list was being publicly seen with him, Tara knew that it was a matter of time to be sexually involved with him. Was he just being not to get in her pants.
“Of course he is,” she scolded herself mentally.
Was it her right to get angry at that fact? She did agree to the proposition. She did sign her soul to the devil, or was that statement taking things too far. What she didn’t expect was for her feelings for him to grow in the process. Nathan was using her and she was doing the same for the sake of her restaurant and Angelo. He deserved succeed just as much as she did and it was would be in vain if she didn’t think of Angelo when she had to make business decisions.
Feelings?
As she began to run faster down the coast of the beach, she stole a glance at him. Her music forgotten and her heart beating erratically. Her organ already concluded how she felt about Nathan it was just waiting on her brain to catch up so they could all be on on accord.
Thirty minutes later of running in one direction, Tara picked up speed but Nathan caught up to her putting his hands on her waist to stop her. Unplugging her earphones she looked up at him.
“What is your problem?!” She yelled at him, out of breath. With her hand on her hips she waited for him to answer.
“No what's wrong with you?” He turned the question back over to her. “You wake up in my bedroom freaked out. You sprinted out of my house without a word being said and then when you finally come out of your house you don’t acknowledge me.”
“I did acknowledge you!” She retorted.
“A nod doesn’t count Tara,” he snapped. “So what’s going on?”
Tara waited a couple of seconds before she could form her words. Part of her knew what she wanted to say but the other part wanted to shut up and not say anything.
“Why the change of heart?” She questioned him. When he didn’t respond, she continued, “you make sure I’m safe and well in my drunken state. Being nice and respectable and-”
“Isn’t that what I guy is suppose to do for his girlfriend!”
“That’s the thing, I’m not your girlfriend!” She shouted. “I’m your whore!”
Nathan’s eyes went wide. “We haven’t even had sex and don’t call yourself that again.”
“But we will sooner or later,” she told him.
“What if I want you to be my girlfriend?!” He argued. “Maybe I want to forget about me begin a dick and forcing you into this damn agreement.”
“You didn’t-”
“I did,” Nathan sighed. “And I’m sorry if you feel that I was treating you like a whore but I want to change that. I want you to give me a chance Tara. I know how you feel about me.”
“You don’t know shit,” she mumbled to herself but she heard loud and clear.
He stared at her while walking towards her.“You call me everyday up until my dad goes into the hospital, you see if I’m ok. Simple signs to show me and prove that you have some feelings for me and you do care.”
“I was just being nice,” Tara countered.
“You like me and I like you,” he explained to her. “Us fighting about isn’t going to solve it. Just give me a chance.”
Tara thought she was going to sink into the sand. Her feelings for him was known by the both of them but she couldn’t stop her mind from blaring out warning signs. Or were they? She didn’t want to be played and use at his expenses. A chance was what he want but could she give him one. She honestly knew she could but she was so scared of the outcome if things went south.
“One chance?” She asked him.
“One chance?”
It was then that she had a leap of faith. “One chance Nathan Phillips,” she told him, “and if you so much as think about hurting me, I’ll go Lorena Bobbitt on your ass and cut of your dick!”
Nathan tackled Tara into the sand and kissed her hard. And if it wasn’t for a older woman telling the couple that there were children at the beach, Nathan would have taken her right then and there.
“So does this means you're my girlfriend?” He smiled, walking hand in hand with her back to their homes.
“I guess it does,” she smiled back at him.
Tara was proud of herself for taking that leap of faith and giving him that chance. Nathan proved to Tara that she made the right decision every day and it warmed her heart.. He was a true gentleman and and loving boyfriend. It wasn't until a couple of months ago that he professed is love to her. When he did, it stunned Tara. They had only been going out for a couple of months but that still didn't stop her from saying that she loved him to.
"Well my parents cancelled dinner to give us a break from them," Nathan laughed.
"Your parents are sweetheart," she told him and was so glad that they cancelled. "I have to get back to work."
"No, let's go home," he said.
"You been out there," Tara pointed at the door connecting the kitchen to the crazy room of people waiting to be served, "I can't leave just yet! Just give me a couple more hours and I'll be him in-"
Before Tara could finished, Nathan decided to cut to the chase and do what he came to do. The real reason why he cancelled dinner and interrupted the kitchen flow.
"Excuse me!" He shouted, breaking everyone from doing what they were doing. When he finally go everyone's attention and glanced back down at Tara who was looking at her employees.
She shook her head. "What?!" She exclaimed. "Get back to work! We don't have time-"
Grabbing her hand, Nathan pulled her closer to him. "Calm down Tara," he chuckled. "There's something I wanted to ask you for these past couple of days and I could never figure out the perfect time or where. I want them to be a part of this moment."
"Nathan what are you tal-"
She was cut off when began to lower on his left knee. She heard the gasp of many people around her and she could help herself from joining in.
"No he wasn't," she told herself.
"Tara, I love you with all my heart," Nathan began.
"Yes he is," Tara's brain concluded and her heart raced a mile a minute.
"A was a jerk to you when I first met you, treated you badly and was straight up cocky. I was a player and I definitely wanted you for the wrong reasons in the beginning. But over the year I got to know you for have great you are inside and out. You are my soul mate, made me become a better man, and without you my world would be incomplete.
"When you smile, I get goosebumps all over my body, when you laugh my heart wanna tremendously! There is no other woman on this God given planet that I would want to spend eternity with other than you."
Tara couldn't stop the years that started to form in her eyes and fall down her cheek. She paid close attention to him when he dug in the the front pocket off his get slacks and took out a small black case.
When he opened it, she covered her mouth with her hand in awe. The ring was beautiful! Tara told Nathan that she didn't want any more expensive gifts from him but this was different. Oh yea, it was expensive but this was the best gift off then all.
"Tara, weekly you marry me?" He asked with loving eyes.
Every word he spoke-she believed and for that she already had her answer by the time he got down on one knee. "Yes," she whispered.
"Yes?"
"Yes!" She repeated loudly.
Her employees clapped and cheered around them while Nathan took the ring out the box and slid it on her ring finger. He couldn't help himself from picking her up and twirling her around.
When he finally sat her down, Tara looked at the ring and shook her head.
“How much was this ring?” She asked curiously. She couldn’t stop herself from asking
“For you,” he said, kissing her on the lips. “Priceless.”
With that, he kissed her again, but this time with more love and passion.