Page 32 of When I Thug You Like That

“What’s the best shit we got back there?”

Her brow raised. “Your cousin is the owner, Jay. All our shit is the best shit.”

Her response was Aura coded.

“Well, get me something,” I paused and glanced back over at Ms. Jai and her homegirl then turned back to Nori, “something that says, this shit is exclusive.”

Nori looked past me and nodded. “Oh, you tryna impress the hoes, huh?”

“These ain’t no hoes,” I corrected her. “These some respectable women.”

“Mmmhmm. If that’s the case, then I don’t know why they dealing with you. A male jezebel.”

I laughed. “Girl, just pour up some good shit. Two glasses. And make sure you ring me up for it. I’ll settle my tab before I leave. I gotta go to the kitchen real quick.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. And I’ll be adding my own tip.”

“That’s cool. Preciate you.”

My next stop was the kitchen to see what the staff had working that I could get my hands on. All of a sudden, I found myself wanting to make a lasting impression on Ms. Jai. Had to show her I wasn’t no regular nigga.

Walking through the kitchen doors, I looked around at the controlled chaos, in search of Aura’s head chef. I spotted her walking out of the cold case with a focused look on her face and a Saran Wrap covered tray in her hand.

“What’s good, Chef Ryan? What y’all got back here that’s quick?”

“Quick for who?” she asked. “Throw these Wagyu sliders on for me please, Mo,” she instructed one of the line cooks.

Like Enzo, Aura had an all-female staff that ran things. It was six of them in the kitchen, and they didn’t play about the food that went out.

“You need all that info?”

She stopped moving and turned to me with her hand on her hip. “Yes, I do. ‘Cause if it’s for you, I ain’t rushing. If it’s for a guest, I’m more inclined to see what I can do.”

“Man, y’all be treating me like anything up in here.”

She laughed lightly. “Boy, tell me what you want so you can get up outta my kitchen.”

“Aight. I need something good for two guests. It may or may not be their first time here. Either way, I wanna make a good impression, seeing as I’ll be personally hand delivering the food.”

“Hmm. I’m gonna assume it’s two women.”

My brow raised. “I look like the type of nigga that would be delivering food to some niggas, Ry?”

Mo laughed, and Chef Ryan shook her head.

“For tonight’s menu, we have Waygu sliders, spinach artichoke dip, crab dip, honey chipotle wings, and jerk chicken flatbread. Take your pick.”

“Lemme get the sliders and… both dips.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you. I’ll be back to get it.”

“It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

I went to leave when I heard her yell out, “Fire sliders and two dips for Jay.”

That meant get that shit done now in chef talk. I went back to the bar where Nori walked over with two wine glasses on a tray and a bottle of wine.