Page 20 of His Secure Embrace
“Where do you see yourself in ten years?” I asked.
“Married. A couple of kids running around. Retired and spending my life being a family man. How about you?”
He glanced at me before he placed his hand on my thigh. I wrapped my hands around his arm and basked in the warmth of his touch.
“I see myself married, thriving in my career, and living each day in my purpose.”
“Do you see yourself making content still?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t think so. I hope within the next couple of years, I will have a team who does all the work while I’m more hands off.”
He nodded. “I can see that happening for you.”
“How many kids do you want?”
“However many God sees fit to bless me with. I grew up in a small and closely knit family. My sister has a kid, but I think I want at least two or three.”
“Whew. I was an only child, and I don’t have any friends with kids or siblings with kids either. I don’t really have any experience with family shit. Me and my parents barely talk. I kind of just go with the flow of life. I know I’d be able to tap into my maternal skills when the time comes. I’ve always been a kind and caring spirit, so it shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment. I said all of that to say, one or two is ideal for me, but I also don’t mind seeing what God has in store for me.”
He listened intently. We ended up talking about a lot of deep topics. Kids, marriage, family, friends, life, and more. It was nice to pick James’s brain and see where his morals and principles were. A lot of mean hated to engage in serious conversations. So many people were in surface level situations with no realsubstance or depth. Everything was one dimensional. With James, it was multifaceted. The ride seemed to fly by because we were engaged in such an exhilarating conversation. When we pulled up to the restaurant, the valet greeted us. It was a high-end establishment. The Michelin star type with ten courses. The kind that appealed to all the senses.
“Reservation for Hill.” James spoke with the hostess.
“Right this way, sir.” The woman escorted us to a table in the center of the restaurant under a large, shiny chandelier.
“What can I get you guys started with? We have red wine, champagne, or other spirits. We also have some fine mocktail alternatives.”
I opened the menu and looked over the options. The prices on the menu made me choke on air.
“Can we get a few minutes to look over the menu?” James asked.
The hostess nodded. “Your server will be with you shortly.”
She disappeared and left us to look over the menu.
“Have you been here before?” I asked.
“Nope. It came highly recommended by my coworkers though. Are you not feeling the menu?”
I shrugged. “Honestly? Not at all. This isn’t my vibe. They’re charging an arm and a leg for the presentation of the smallest portions known to man.”
“Would you like to go somewhere else? I know a couple of alternatives where we can have some fun, get full, and enjoy each other’s company.”
“Yes, please.”
“I got you. Let’s go.”
After pulling out three crisp hundred-dollar bills, he stood up and helped me out of my chair. We walked hand in hand back out the door and retrieved his car from the valet.
“I’ll pay at the next spot,” I offered.
He raised an eyebrow. “Why would you do that?”
“You spent who knows how much to secure the reservation and then dropped another three hundred dollars. I don’t mind paying for the next event to help ease the financial burden.”
“There are no financial burdens. Money ain’t ever been and never will be an issue for those I love.”
My heart nearly beat out of my chest. James loved me. We’d only been talking for a few weeks officially. I know he told me he loved hard and fast, but this was a new milestone for us.
