It wasn’t until she was out of the car and they were walking hand in hand that she noticed Fitz’s security a few feet behind them. He realized that she had noticed them.
“They usually stay out of the way. They will allow us our privacy,” he said, clutching onto her hand.
The second they hit the door, the hostess immediately focused all her attention on him. “How are you, Mr. Pierre-Louis?” She gave him a smile bigger than the one on the Kool-Aid commercial. “Oh, what a beautiful lady who will be dining with you.”
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “She is gorgeous, isn’t she?”
“She is.” She nodded. “Right this way.” She whisked them off to the private room as quickly as Fitz had whisked Bianca out of Gypsy’s Lounge.
Real VIP treatment, she thought as she sashayed in front of him, after the host. Bianca made it her business to be sure her butt was shaking more than normal as he followed behind her to their table. As they were led off, up a few stairs and into the private room in the back of the restaurant, she noticed that they had passed a few rappers and reality television stars sitting in the dining room.
The ambiance of the back room was quiet, quaint. It could hold about twenty-five people comfortably on any given night. A man was there, playing a white baby grand piano. When they approached the table where they would be seated, he pulled out her chair for her and then took his seat.
“Thank you, Michelle.” He nodded, accepting the menu from her.
“No problem, Mr. Pierre-Louis. Jan will be your server for the evening.” She never let that smile leave her face as she exited the room.
“Snazzy,” was all Bianca would find to say as she looked over the menu and smiled at the man who played a few more songs for the next thirty minutes, until the music began to come over the speakers. The songs were perfect R & B picks. Song after song made her smile. “The music here is everything.”
“Yes, it’s my playlist.”
“Really? Now, how did you pull that off?”
“My father owns the place, that’s how.”
She tilted her head to the side and twisted her mouth in approval. “Very nice and exquisite place. I can’t even front.”
There was something about Fitz’s aura that inspired her. He was like her inspiration or something. She found herself wanting to be more polished when she was with him, and less aggressive and vulgar. She desired to act more like a lady—the lady that she always knew she could be.
“Have you ever eaten conch?” he asked.
“No.” Bianca furrowed her brow in distaste. “What is that? I’ve never even heard of it.”
“It’s comes from the ocean.”
“Should I order it?”
“No, not from here. Besides, they don’t even serve it. I know where we can get the best conch. Don’t worry. I will take you for some soon. In the meantime, have the filet or the halibut.”
They had a wonderful six-course dinner. The private chef had pulled out all of his stops for Bianca and Fitz. Once the dessert came out, she asked, “So, do you wanna get down to business?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Business?” He put his fork back down before he cut into his cheesecake.
“Yes, that’s why we are here, right?”
“Is that why?” he asked.
“I would guess so. We both know it’s not a date. You told me back at the club that you were not interested in ‘little girls’ and that I wasn’t your style, remember?”
“Is that what I said?”
“Pretty much.”
“Well, why can’t this be a social call?” he asked, drinking his tea.
“Because I’m sure you have a wife, a number one hooker, a few side chicks, and several jump-offs in your stable, just waiting for you to come home to them.”
He threw his head back and belted out a hearty laugh. “You get right down to the point, don’t you?”
“Well?”
“Honestly, I don’t. I live alone. Yes, I have a staff and security detail, but I’m really a loner. No wife, and definitely no hookers, because they want nothing but money. I watch them at my club all day, all night. No loyalty to nothing or nobody. Side chicks are just everybody chicks, and if everybody can have it, baby girl . . .” He never let his eyes leave hers as he made clear, “I don’t want it.”
“Okay, good observation.” She nodded her head in agreement.
He gave her a direct look. “I’ve been around a long time. Seen everything, so not at all moved by a big butt and smile. Never have and never will be.”
“Well, everybody got somebody.”
“You are right in most cases. So who is your somebody?”
“Well, I have a boyfriend back home. We are separated, for the obvious reason.” She took a deep breath and was on her third glass of wine. She had decided a few minutes ago that this would be her final glass. She liked how she was not too high but had a nice mellow buzz. Her thinking wasn’t impaired. It was just highlighted. “I’m here, and he’s there.”
“Why, may I ask, did he not come with you?”
“Honestly, he didn’t want to, and besides, let’s just say it’s very complicated and I’d rather not get into it.” She thought about Caesar and their love for each other. She wished so badly that she’d be able to get back what they had one day, but she knew deep in her heart that things would never be the same between them. Although their relationship meant everything to her, the truth of the matter was that it was a casualty in her bullshit-ass past of a life that she once had.
However, there was no denying her sense of loss. “But I do love him very much. In fact, he was, and is, my first real love, and we experienced so much together.” She shifted the conversation back to him. “And you? What about you?”
“Well, I’ve never had a shortage of women chasing
