Page 35 of The Marriage Rebound

That last part probably would have the opposite effect from the olive branch I was trying to extend, but it’d slipped out before I could stop it. I was trying to let bygones be bygones and not dwell even if I still had hurt feelings—because a shadow remained anytime I thought about my biggest professional accomplishment—but my patience with her antics were being tested.

She chewed at the corner of her bottom lip and relaxed her stance. “I, um, we usually go to Mama T’s. So, yes, I would enjoy goin’ on a brunch date with you. Thank you for askin’.”

“You’re welcome. Let me change, because I’m pretty sure I can’t walk up in there in gym shorts and a T-shirt, then we can head out. Oh, and call Shae to let her know I’m not making it.”

A genuine smile lit up her face. “Okay, I’m goin’ to take Vuitton out then grab my shoes.” Her whole demeanor changed, and she was practically bouncing. So much so, she didn’t even react to my mimosa comment, which I was thankful for. Her giddiness to be going out with me made me feel good.

“Okay.”

On the ride over, she held my hand the entire time, explaining her favorite items on the menu. As she talked, I realized I didn’t know how she spent a lot of her free time when I was gone outside of keeping Phipps in business. But I learned that she and her friends apparently did brunch on the regular. They went to different places, but Mama T’s was their favorite spot. I knew she got lonely with how much I traveled, so I was glad to hear she had consistent company outside of Vuitton.

Luckily it wasn’t busy when we arrived. It helped that it was a weekday, and we were after the prime time, as Sasha informed me. We were able to get seated fairly quickly. The vibe was cool. It was like going to your rich auntie’s house. Jazz music played, loud enough to rock with it, but not so overpowering that you couldn’t hold a conversation without yelling.

I liked that the tables gave space so that each party wasn’t on top of the other. I hated going to restaurants where you couldn’t get up from your seat without bumping into the table next to you. I could see why Sasha and her friends enjoyed coming, and it was a place I wouldn’t mind adding into the rotation. I’d have to ask Tina if she’d been since she was the foodie of the group.

After we ordered, I took a sip of my OJ and willed myself not to say anything as she drank yet another mimosa. I wanted us to have a good day out, and she seemed to be in a better mood.

“So, I was texting with Mya earlier, and she was asking about our plans for Thanksgiving.”

“Does she want to come here?”

“Yeah, I got that impression. She’s doing a Friendsgiving before she and her friends go off to their respective families for the break.”

The server returned with our food. Sasha gave a little clap and danced in her seat when hers was set down and I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. We both thanked the guy, and he’d barely walked off before Sasha dug into hers.

“Mm. Mm. Mm. So damn good.” She wiped her mouth and smiled at me. “This is probably my fave thing on the menu. It never misses, but I think it’s hittin’ more because of my company today.”

I stretched my hand across the table. “Is that right?”

She nodded and intertwined her fingers with mine and started to smile, but bit the corner of her lip to suppress it as she lowered her gaze down to her plate. Damn she was cute when she pulled the shy act.

I lifted our joined hands to my lips and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Thank you for letting me take you out.”

Sasha flattened her palm against my cheek. “Thank you for askin’ me.” Her honey-brown eyes shimmered and I had to resist the urge to pull her into my lap and hold her.

After another kiss to her wrist, I turned my attention to my own food to keep myself in check while in public. It did look good, and my stomach grumbled in agreement.

Sasha frowned. “Were you gonna work out on an empty stomach?”

I pressed my lips together to suppress my own smile as I knew she was about to fuss at me. Shaking my head, I put my hands up in defense. “No, baby, I promise. I had a protein bar and was gonna stop by Just Juice for their workout smoothie that I like.”

She kept her eyes narrowed for a beat longer before she shook it off, then took another bite of her eggs Benedict. “If you say so.”

“Oh, so you don’t trust me now?”

“I mean, your stomach over there soundin’ like an angry bear—” She left the statement hanging, but pinned me with an arched brow and a smirk.

“Damn, it’s like that, huh?”

She dropped her gaze to my still-untouched plate then set her expectant attention on me. “Yes, ma’am,” I said with a laugh at her unspoken order.

My eyes damn near rolled back in my head when I took a bite of my fluffy Belgian waffle with powdered sugar and a berry compote. I’d never been a big breakfast food person, but between this and the cooking Sasha had been doing lately, I was becoming a convert. Silence descended over our table as we both enjoyed our meals.

“Okay,” Sasha said, picking up the conversation again. “Back to Mya spendin’ Thanksgiving with us. Big Mama enjoyed Mya so much last time I have no doubt she’ll be thrilled to see her again.”

“Really?”

Sasha lifted a shoulder. “Why do you sound surprised? Big Mama was Big Mama, and she and Mya . . . well, they just clicked. You know Big Mama thinks she’s thirty years younger than she is. Mya a hundred percent fed into that. They keke’d the whole damn time with Mya corruptin’ my grandma teachin’ her all the new hot lingo.”