Page 36 of Sorry, Not Sorry
Delilah mentally shifted gears from the perilous path her thoughts were taking and returned to her discreet people watching. The restaurant was almost full, but the waiting staff – a grand total of two, as far as she could tell – didn’t appear under pressure and instead joked with customers as they distributed plates and bowls loaded with steaming rice, pounded yam, and piping-hot soups and stews. No one seemed in a hurry, she concluded, watching a waiter carry a pile of menus over to a table of eight people who had arrived before her and were only now, after two rounds of drinks, ready to order.
The restaurant had been Remi’s idea and with everyone busy in the lead up to Christmas and little else to do with her time, Delilah had arrived early. But after almost half an hour alone at her table surrounded by groups of people having a whale of a time, she was starting to feel awkward and more than a little self-conscious. Remi was running late, and there was only so much toying with her phone she could do. She briefly wondered if he intended to stand her up as revenge for her dumping him, but then quickly dismissed the idea. Not only was he the most transparent person on earth, but he, unlike her other exes, had sounded genuinely pleased to hear from her and had readily agreed to meet.
Delilah took a sip of the pineapple juice she had been nursing since her arrival and picked up her mobile once again to check if Remi had sent her a text. It was far too noisy in the restaurant to attempt to call anyone, and besides, other than Armenique, who was out with her new man, the only person she wanted to speak to was giving her a wide berth. Simply thinking about Salome set Delilah’s heart aching. Sal was more than a sister; she was her best friend and closest confidante. On the rare occasions they fell out, they always made up quickly and moved on. But this time was different. By attacking Farhan, Delilah had forced Salome to choose between her sister and her husband, and the day after Delilah’s argument with Farhan, Salome’s text asking her to stay away and give them space to sort things out had made it clear where she fell in the pecking order.
‘Hey, Del!’
Startled, Delilah looked up to see Remi in front of her. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed him walking in.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ he said with a broad smile. ‘I’ve been driving around for twenty minutes trying to find parking.’
Still clean-shaven and stocky with short natural locks, Remi literally hadn’t changed since the last time she’d seen him – the beige shirt with wide brown stripes he wore over his chinos was one she instantly recognised. She stood up and let him pull her into a hug, which she returned awkwardly. When she stepped back, he ran admiring eyes up and down her short knitted dress and knee-length boots.
‘You are looking good, girl.’
The open inspection was unnerving, and Delilah slipped back into her seat and gestured towards the chair opposite. He sat down and immediately leaned forward to look her straight in the eye.
‘I’ve been thinking about you a lot since you called, Del. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see you.’
While Remi’s friendliness made a pleasant change from the outright hostility she’d encountered with her other ex-boyfriends, his intensity was unsettling, and she tried to distract him by handing him a menu.
‘We should probably order. It looks like it takes ages to get served in here.’
He took the menu from her without breaking eye contact. ‘The food’s great, though. It’s a popular joint and they’re really chilled. You can hang out here, eat, and relax for hours without being hassled.’
Delilah dropped her gaze and made a show of studying the menu. Perhaps she should have been clearer on the phone about why she wanted to meet up because she definitely hadn’t come here to relax. On the flip side, Remi’s was the first friendly face she’d seen in days, and she was the one who needed his forgiveness.
‘Everything on here looks incredibly yummy,’ she observed, genuinely intrigued by the variety of dishes. She’d studied the menu at least three times while she was waiting, but she ran her finger down the list of options once again. ‘I was thinking of getting the jollof rice but maybe I should try the eforiro – I love spinach stew. What do you reckon?’
‘Go for it. It’s spicy but very tasty. I’m going to have the egusi soup with pounded yam. Should we order some fried plantain on the side?’
‘Of course!’ Delilah exclaimed. ‘What’s African food without plantain?’
Remi laughed and gestured to a passing waiter. After a quick exchange, he placed their order and when the waiter left, he leaned forward and shook his head slowly from side to side.
‘Honestly, Del, I can’t believe I’m sitting here with you,’ he marvelled. ‘I never thought I’d hear from you again. What made you decide to call me?’
Delilah shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. This was going to be a tricky conversation but while she was keen to say her piece and wrap things up with Remi, she was also ravenous and craving the meal she’d ordered.
‘I’ll tell you everything, I swear,’ she said quickly. ‘But first, why don’t you catch me up on what you’ve been up to. You were in Brazil recently, is that right?’
Remi nodded. ‘Yeah, my company has a branch over there and I travel every couple of months to check on my team.’
‘I’ve never been to South America but it’s definitely on my bucket list to visit one day.’
‘You’d love it!’ he raved. ‘The country’s amazing and everyone is incredibly friendly. Brazilians are such a diverse people, and their food is unbelievable. My team take me to a new restaurant every time I’m there.’ Remi grinned and tapped his fork on the table. ‘And it’s paradise for a plantain addict like you. There’s no shortage of the stuff.’
Their meal arrived surprisingly quickly, and Delilah tucked into her rice and the spiced spinach stew while Remi dug into his soup with eager fingers, expertly scooping up chunks of meat and fish. Whether it was the food, the wine he’d ordered, or the cheerful atmosphere in the restaurant, Remi’s soulful glances grew less irritating, and Delilah found herself relaxing and enjoying their friendly banter.
Remi finished his pounded yam and excused himself to wash his hands before returning to finish his soup with a spoon. When he reached across the table to spear a couple of slices of fried plantain, his shirt strained against his muscular biceps.
‘From the look of those arms, I bet you’re still a gym bunny,’ she teased.
Remi laughed and flexed his arm to show off an impressive bulge. ‘Yep, five days a week, no excuses.’ He chewed enthusiastically on a mouthful of plantain and swallowed. ‘I’ve always loved working out! Really gets the juices flowing and gives me a ton of energy. You know how it is – get into a habit, and it’s hard to break.’
Delilah nodded. ‘Tell me about it. I’m trying to break my own habits – and not necessarily good ones. That’s why I called you,’ she added impulsively.
‘Oh?’ He raised an eyebrow.
