“Say less. Are you busy now, though? If not, throw something on and head to my place.”
“I’m actually finishing up at the nail salon now, and then I can be on the way, babe.”
“Aight. Be safe, and I’ll see you soon.”
The first thing that came to mind was grilled lobster, asparagus, baked potatoes, and steak kabobs for dinner. My mouth watered just thinking about it. I would stop by Publix on the way in. Lyra loved her seafood, and I knew work had been hectic for her with the constant in and out, so a night in with some good food would be the perfect remedy. If things kept going how they were, she wouldn’t be doing much working after a while… if any at all.
No matter the time of day, Publix is guaranteed to be crowded,I thought as I drove. The store was close to my office, so it only took a few minutes to get there. After a couple of quick turns, within five minutes, I pulled into an empty parking spot. It was nowhere near the door, but it was fine. I didn’t mind the walk.
I texted Lyra before I got out of my truck to ask if there was anything she wanted or needed from there. I remembered she mentioned when we were at the winery that she had not been considered much in the past. I wondered why. I would just chalk it up to them niggas or whoever from her past who weren’t worthy of her time and didn’t truly understand how a woman like Lyra operated. I shook my head in disappointment at the men who called themselves true romantics but didn’t know how to do anything but talk their way out of a woman’s life.
I’d learned through the years that most women, if not all women, enjoyed being sought after, desired, and considered. But a vast majority of men lacked the basic, bare-minimum shit like giving and showing respect.
My phone vibrated in my cup holder. It lit up, and Lyra’s name popped up.
Lyra:
There is. I’ll take a Reese’s big cup, and a big bag of Albanese gummy bears. I’ll be leaving the nail salon in about thirty minutes.
Me:
Your wish is my command, beautiful. See you soon.
I stepped down out of the truck, grabbed a basket, and made my way into the store. I was still the old head who listened to Pandora radio. I didn’t care what anyone said. They always curated the stations to perfection. That was just my opinion.
Once I was inside, the first stop was the floral department. Immediately, an arrangement of roses caught my eye. They were different-looking, and I’d never seen any like them. They were multicolored, tie-dye specifically. The colors weren’t harsh, though. They were vibrant, soft, and delicate-looking, and they reminded me of Lyra. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a line, so I walked right up and removed the AirPods from my ear.
“Excuse me. Can I get four dozen of the multicolored roses, and can you place them inside of a vase?” I asked the floral designer.
“Hi there. Give me one moment to check in the back to make sure we have two extra dozen for you.”
“Thanks. I’m gonna go grab a few things, and I’ll be right back.”
I put one of my AirPods in and turned on my playlist. When I could zone out in a store like this, I was able to quickly get what I needed. By the time the third song was finished, I was pushing my cart back to the floral department. I wouldn’t stunt. Seeingthe four dozen roses in the vase like I’d asked had me damn near blushing myself. I knew Lyra would love them. They were as beautiful and vibrant as her.
“Thank you so much. These are really nice.” I spoke to the floral designer.
“You’re welcome. Come see me again. Ask for Sarah, the flower lady, if you don’t see me around.” She smiled.
“I will ask for you. Here. Take this.” I handed her a fifty-dollar bill since she was nice and arranged the flowers nicely for me.
“Oh no, sir, you’ll pay when you get to the registers.”
“This is not for the register, Sarah. It’s for you. Have a light lunch or coffee on me.”
I walked away, pushing the basket toward the checkout line. The lines were crowded, so self-checkout would have to do. I was in a rush and needed to get back to the house to marinate everything and get started.
After checking out, I headed back to the truck and loaded everything in. I pulled my AirPods out, cranked up, and drove home.
I unlocked the door and went straight to the kitchen. I laid everything out on the counter, then headed to my patio area to get the grill heated. To say I was nice on the grill was an understatement. My father made sure my brothers and I knew how to grill, and Momma made sure we knew how to fend for ourselves in the kitchen, too.
Once the charcoals were burning in the grill, I came back inside to roll up a wood and smoke it real quick. I didn’t know what the fuck Lyra was doing to me, but it was working because I was deep under her spell.
Three pulls, and I was already feeling lifted. Satisfied with how I felt, I put the blunt out. I went back to the kitchen and washed my hands so I could cook. The hot water and soap flowed through my fingers, ridding them of the weed particles. I was ready to get down on the grill. I took the steaks out and cut them for the kabobs. After, I tossed them in a bowl with butter and my special blend of seasonings.
I washed my hands again and would prep the other shit in a few. I pulled my phone out to check and see if I had missed anything. I hadn’t. I put my phone on the counter, and as soon as I did that, it buzzed.
“I’m pulling up.” Lyra spoke before I could say hello. I walked out the door to see her in. I always did. It was just my nature to protect by all means. Having a woman pull up and not meet her outside when she arrived was insane work.
