Page 64 of Senior

“That was her,” I said, plucking with my nails. “Always had to tell you exactly what she thought of you. I guess I can see where Deuce gets it from.”

“You think I ruined you?”

I looked over at him. “No. I have always had free will when it comes to you. You would have supported whatever direction I wanted to take my life in.”

“Facts. You ever told her you still got your degrees or the fact that you have several businesses in your name?”

I chuckled. “Nope.”

It wouldn’t have made a difference if I’d told my mother any of that. She would have found a way to diminish my accomplishments because I didn’t do it her way. I had a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s in business administration. No, I’d never had a traditional job in my adult years, but I didn’t have to because I was the boss. I owned commercial spaces that I leased to other people for their business needs. I also owned a laundromat, a carwash, an apartment building, and invested in several franchises along with stocks.

Guess who taught me all that?

My man and his mama. To look at Ms. Rebecca, you wouldn’t think that sweet, cookie baking, home-cooked meal making grandma was once a savage in these streets. She was a smart woman and about her money. She taught me all about credit, capital, and keeping a rainy day stash, not to be sneaky, but to be secure.

While she loved her sons and her husband, she always told me to never let what a man brings to the table be all you had to eat. Stanley may have taken care of me financially, but if he’d decided to stop at any point, I would have been good. One thing I’ve taken with me my entire adult life was managing my money. Between myself, my baby daddy, and my son, I had more than enough.

“When we get married, I’m gonna have to go by her grave and let her know everything I said came to pass.”

I playfully smacked his arm. “Shut up, Stanley.”

He chuckled as he pulled up to the valet of a new rooftop restaurant that just opened a few weeks ago. From what I knew, it was hard to get a reservation here because the guest list was exclusive. I’d never been to a restaurant where the maximum seating capacity was fifty people. I was even more surprised when we stepped off the elevator and the restaurant was completely empty aside from the staff and live band.

“Are we the only people here?” I asked, looking around.

“Yes. I wanted you to have an exclusive experience.” He pulled me into his chest. “Plus, I knew you were gonna look too damn good tonight. Nobody gets to lust after you but me.”

I playfully rolled my eyes. “We know you’re thirsty for me, Senior.”

He grinned. “Parched… dehydrated… cotton mouthed, baby.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as a young woman approached us with a smile.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dillinger. We have anxiously been awaiting your arrival. My name is Kasey and I’ll be your server for tonight. Might I say, you two look amazing. That dress is stunning.”

I blushed. “Thank you.”

“You are most certainly welcome. If you don’t mind, follow me so we can get you two seated.”

She motioned for us to follow. Senior kissed my hand before pulling me in front of him. We followed Kasey to the only table that was set in the middle of the room. It was decorated with a candle, rose petals, and an ice bucket housing my favorite wine. Senior pulled out my chair. Once I was seated, he pushed me in and took his own seat.

Kasey clasped her hands together. “So, there are no menus tonight. Mr. Dillinger crafted a special menu specifically for you two.”

My head snapped in his direction. “Did you now?”

He nodded. “Go on and tell her what we’re having, Kasey.”

“For your appetizer, we have crab cakes with lemon aioli. Your entrée consists of a perfectly grilled garlic butter Porterhouse steak with a Parmesan cream sauce, our famous four cheese macaroni and cheese, rice pilaf, and collard greens with a slice of our sweet, honey cornbread. For dessert, we have a decadent chocolate cheesecake. If you give me a few minutes, I’ll bring the crab cakes right out.”

Kasey left us with a smile. Senior grabbed the wine to pour us some. My stomach growled as I thought about the menu for tonight, but more than that, this meal felt familiar as hell.

“Why do I feel like I’ve had this exact combination of food before?” I asked.

“You don’t remember?”

“Not a clue.”

“I’ll give you a pass because it’s been over thirty years. This is exactly what you asked for your first meal after you give birth to our son. You were nursing him on the right breast and going ham on that damn food.”