Page 23 of So This Is Love

“I’m not upset, I'm just…”

I let my sentence trail off because I have no idea what I feel. Anxious? Nervous? Confused? Shit, all of the above? I take a deep breath and lock my phone, leaving him on read.

“I’m not upset because I’m not going to see him again,” I say.

“Why not?” Zara asks, confused.

“Because I,” I pause, grasping for a reason, any reason. “Just because!”

“Oh shit, you like him,” Zara says in a singsong voice.

“I do not! I don’t even know him.”

“Then give me one good reason why you don’t want to see him again. You’ve apparently been texting him for weeks. And ‘just because’ is not a good reason.”

“If you really don’t want to go then don’t, you know I will always support your decisions,” Zara says. “But I think you’re just scared of whatever this ‘thing’ is between you two. And you shouldn’t let that stop you.”

I let out a deep sigh, making up my mind and pick up my phone. I type a quick text.

me

What did you have in mind?

sonny

I was thinking brunch

***

I am still unsure about being friends with Bryce but even with all my reservations, I wanted to see him again too. So I agree to brunch because ‘if a nigga wants to wine and dine you, who are you to stop him?’. Zara’s words, not mine but she’s not wrong.

Bryce sends me the address and I look it up when I see it's a place I’ve never been to before in downtown Rosewood. Theweather has warmed up enough that all of the snow has melted so my train ride and walk to the restaurant isn’t bad.

He told me that it would be private and that I didn’t have to worry about anything, but my guard is still up when I reach the restaurant. I open the door and step in, expecting the loud hustle and bustle of other people eating and being served but I’m met with just the soft background music of the restaurant. The dining room is completely empty. Off to my right a couple of employees are talking and laughing while they roll silverware in napkins. One of them notices me and steps away from the group towards me.

“Laila?”

“Um, yeah,” I reply. “I was supposed to meet someone here, but I must have got the address wrong.”

“Nope you’re in the right place, follow me,” he says.

He leads me to the back of the restaurant to a secluded area. When we step through the glass doors, my breath catches. The room has windows on three of the walls and the roof, allowing tons of natural light to filter in. Plants and greenery are all over the room, in planters, hanging from the ceiling, climbing up the trellises against the walls. It’s magical. I’m sure the space is usually filled with multiple tables but today there’s only one, right in the middle and sitting in one of the chairs is Bryce with a big smile on his face.

The hostess leads me to the table before he leaves, telling us that our server will be with us in a minute. Bryce stands and walks around to my side of the table to pull out my chair for me and the act catches me off guard. A guy has never done that for me before. I unzip my coat and slide my arms out, hanging it on the back of my chair.

Bryce takes his own seat and just looks at me, his eyes locking intently with mine. My face heats and I try hard to stop thephysical reaction I feel from Bryce’s eyes on me, but my body decides not to listen.

“So, what do you think?” Bryce asks.

I take another look around, admiring the beauty of the room before I respond.

“It’s really pretty. I know you said it would be private, but I wasn’t expecting you to empty out the entire restaurant.”

“You stated your conditions. And I wanted to see you again so I found a way to make it happen.”

I check my nonexistent watch. “It's been like 12 hours.”

“My point still stands.”

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