“Hey, when you’re the boss...” Elyse shrugged. A sly smile curved her lips. “So, how long have you known that delicious specimen of a man? I saw the way he looked at you. And you can’t seem to keep your eyes off him.”
“I don’t really know him. He comes in here every few weeks or so and orders a piece of the low fat apple cinnamon coffee cake and decaf vanilla chai tea. I assume he has business here.” Lexia was usually in the back whenever he appeared and, although he couldn’t see her, she never missed him. Just like always, Khalil Gray wore an expensive pair of track pants paired with an equally expensive fitted athletic shirt that showed off the lean well-defined muscles in his upper body. Clearly, he spent hours in a gym.
“Obviously you know him well enough to remember what he orders.”
Lexia laughed. “It’s not that hard because he’s been ordering the same thing for over a year. Anyway, what’s up?”
“I was going to call you last night, but I wanted to tell you this in person.”
Her heart started pounding in alarm and her hands moved rapidly. “What happened? Is Sheldon okay? Did something—”
Elyse reached for Lexia’s hands to still them, and then smiled. “My husband is just fine and there’s nothing wrong.” She placed a hand on her belly, then placed both arms together and rocked them back and forth.
Lexia’s eyes lit up. She jumped out of the booth and rushed around to the other side. “You’re having a baby!”
She nodded. The two women shared a hug. Once Lexia went back to her seat, Elyse wiped her tears. “The only thing that would make this perfect is if Janice was here.”
She squeezed her friend’s hand and they fell silent. Janice rounded out their trio. Friends since the age of ten, they’d laughed, cried and basically done life together. Janice and her two daughters had been killed in a car accident a year and a half ago, three months after Oasis Café opened. Janice’s husband, Cameron, had been devastated when he lost his high school sweetheart.
As if she’d read Lexia’s mind, Elyse asked, “Have you seen Cam lately? I’ve been so worried about him.”
Lexia shook her head sadly. “He usually comes around every four or five weeks, but I haven’t heard from him in close to two months.” The tragedy had taken a toll on him and in the end Cameron had lost everything, including himself. “I’m praying he shows up soon.”
She nodded. “When you see him, give him a hug from me.”
“I will.” Silence stretched between them again and she offered up a silent prayer for her friend.
Elyse slid out of the booth. “I’d better get back.”
Lexia came to her feet. “Thanks for sharing your good news. Give my congratulations to Sheldon.” She opened her mouth to say something else, but went still when she noticed Khalil through the window. Their eyes locked for a brief moment. He shot her a sexy grin and winked. Lexia’s pulse skipped and the back of her hand tingled with remembrance of their earlier encounter. Irritated that he affected her this way, she jerked her gaze away.
Elyse laughed and shook her head. “Should I be offering you congratulations, as well?”
She frowned. “No.”
“Whatever you say. We’ll see if you’re still spouting that nonsense the next time we talk.”
“Nonsense is right. Been down that road before and I’d just as soon not go there again.” Even after almost three years, the sting of her divorce still left a bitter taste in her mouth. They shared another hug, said goodbye, and Lexia went back to her office to finish her supply order.
Two hours later, she left her office and found a crowded café. Sam and the part-time server Lexia had hired were rushing from table to table as the chef barked out ready orders. She intercepted Sam. “What is going on?” The café closed at three and now, with an hour to go, the diner was more crowded than the lunch rush hour.
“There’s some big meeting going on at one of the companies upstairs and this was their lunch break.” Sam continued to the table carrying an armload of plates.
Lexia donned her apron and hairnet and joined the chef in the kitchen. She cooked, filled and carried plates. At two fifty-five, the last customers exited. She and Sam collapsed into the nearest booth.
“I really appreciate all the business, but my feet and arms are about to fall off,” Sam said with a groan. “And we still have to clean up.” Because they usually only had a few stragglers after two, they were able to clean up and prep for the next day, and be gone by three thirty. Today, it would take much longer.
Lexia chuckled. “Well, take five minutes. You deserve it.”
“I’m leaving now, Lexia.”
She turned to see Jayla with her backpack slung over her shoulder. “Okay. Thanks for staying a little later. You’re not going to be late for school, are you?” Nineteen-year-old Jayla Howard was a sophomore at UCLA, studying biochemistry. She had come up to Lexia after a food demonstration six months ago to tell her how much she had enjoyed the dish. The two spent several minutes talking and when Jayla mentioned needing a job to supplement her financial aid, Lexia had hired her to work four hours a day.
“Nope. Class doesn’t start until six, but I’m meeting my study group. I already texted to let them know I’d be a few minutes late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye,” Lexia and Sam chorused.
A minute passed and Sam said, “That Khalil Gray is one fine man. I can’t believe you didn’t give him your number.”
She sighed and leaned her head against the seat. “Sam, you know what happened the last time I gave a fine man my number.”
“I do, but he might be worth another shot. I Googled him. Want to know what I found out?”
Yes! “No,” she answered, hoping she sounded disinterested.
Sam laughed. “Girl, you’re not fooling me.” She pushed to her feet and braced her hands on the table. “You know you want to know. And, ooh, the photos. Sexy!” She pulled out her phone, tapped a few buttons and fanned herself. She held the phone out to Lexia.
Lexia ignored the phone and stood. “We need to clean up so I can go home. I have some recipes to work on.” The angle of the screen let her see just enough to know he was shirtless and it took everything in her not to snatch the phone and get an up close and personal view. “If you’re so interested, maybe you should give him your number.”
“I would, but he didn’t ask me. Besides, I’m already dating someone.” Sam glanced down at the phone again. “Mmm, mmm, mmm!”
She rolled her eyes and strode off. The temptation to see the photo was so strong, Lexia had to stop in her office and lock her phone in the drawer before returning to the front and starting on the display case. I am not interested in that man. His smiling face floated across her mind along with her body’s reaction and she groaned inwardly. The next time he came in, she planned to stay in her office, far away from temptation.
Tuesday morning, Khalil’s head came up when a knock sounded on his open office door. He stood and extended his hand. “Thanks for coming, Alonzo. And so early.” They’d been trying to schedule the meeting for over a week, and settled on seven this morning due to both their busy workloads. He gestured to the chair across from his desk.
Alonzo Wright gripped Khalil’s hand in a firm handshake, then sat. “Sorry it took me so long to get over here. Omar said you’re having some problems with your clients being overcharged?” Alonzo Wright had come highly recommended by Khalil’s pro football player brother-in-law, Omar