York… alone. I’d been far too optimistic…
thinking I could convince Lilly to come back with me.
I
managed to get a cab after only five minutes and soon I was back at home… my
mother’s home. Only now, it didn’t feel right. Something had changed back in
Paris. Helping my mother out with her little family restaurant wasn’t enough.
I wanted more, much more. It was until I lost Lilly that I realized how stupid
I’ve been to expect her to give up everything she had in Paris to follow me to
New York without being married to me. I wasn’t yet ready, and I was still
thinking it’ll be like old times with us just dating and having sex with each
other.
Now
I felt like the biggest fucking fool in the universe, letting a woman like
Lilly go.
Walking
into my mom’s apartment, I set my suitcase down only to find another suitcase
sitting by the sofa.
“Mom,”
I called out.
“Bobby!”
Wearing loose fitting jeans and an oversized red sweater, she came out of the
kitchen to greet me. “I wasn’t expecting you until next week.” Her smile
turned sad, the way it always did when she realized her little boy wasn’t
happy. “What happened out there?”
“Nothing,
Mom.” Though I’d accepted Lilly’s decision, it was still too painful to talk
about, at least for now. My only consolation was that Rial really did seem to
be a good guy, a guy who really loved his girl and would treat her right.
“Did
you settle everything you needed to settle? Lilly’s father? Did she come back
with you?”
“Mom,
please.”
“I’ll
take that as a no.”
I
turned to her. She was going to find out one way or another, so it may as well
be from me. “Lilly’s in love with someone else now. With Rial… Rial King.”
“King?”
“That’s
right. Errol’s brother.” I glanced at the suitcase. “Are you heading off
somewhere?”
She
seemed reluctant to answer. “Like I said, I wasn’t expecting you. I thought
I’d get to see you in Paris.”
“You’re
going to Paris?” After an initial spark of anger, I realized I’d have the
place to myself. And Sam’s Restaurant. I’d have free reign.
“I
suppose you already know; I’m going to be a grandmother.”
I
nodded and smiled. It was kind of cool.
“I
want to go out and help Taryn… you know… shopping for baby clothes, getting the
nursery ready and whatever else she may need.”
At
that very moment, I didn’t really care why she was going out to Paris. I was
just happy that she was.
It
was only later that night, after she’d taken a cab out to the airport and I was
lying in my bed alone, that I allowed myself one last glimpse at my time with
Lilly.
I
got a hard-on thinking of the nights we’d shared. One thing I could say, sex
with her was terrific. I knew I’d lost a good one, but I was still happy for
her and wished her the best. I would always have Taryn to keep an eye on her,
and to let me know how things were going, although I wasn’t sure if that was a
good thing or a bad.
If
I was to get on with my life, I really had to put her and my plans with her
behind.
I
fell asleep thinking of her, but by the time I woke up the next morning, I was
a new man, ready to take on the world.
Or
at least Manhattan.
I
had a lot on my plate, and first on my list was taking charge of Sam’s. I
arrived bright and early, like usual.
“Hey,
Bobby. Good to have you back,” Vinny said from behind the grill.
The
morning rush had already begun and he was deep in it.
“Good
to be back. How are things going?”
“Everything’s
under control at this end.”
“But
we got a few deliveries coming in this morning, and no one’s gotten around to
taking inventory of the freezer yet,” Burton added.
“I’ll
try to take care of that.”
“Hey,
do you know an Allison… something?” Vinny said.
“Allison
Lincoln?” I said.
“Yeah,
something like that.”
“Yeah,
I know her.
thinking I could convince Lilly to come back with me.
I
managed to get a cab after only five minutes and soon I was back at home… my
mother’s home. Only now, it didn’t feel right. Something had changed back in
Paris. Helping my mother out with her little family restaurant wasn’t enough.
I wanted more, much more. It was until I lost Lilly that I realized how stupid
I’ve been to expect her to give up everything she had in Paris to follow me to
New York without being married to me. I wasn’t yet ready, and I was still
thinking it’ll be like old times with us just dating and having sex with each
other.
Now
I felt like the biggest fucking fool in the universe, letting a woman like
Lilly go.
Walking
into my mom’s apartment, I set my suitcase down only to find another suitcase
sitting by the sofa.
“Mom,”
I called out.
“Bobby!”
Wearing loose fitting jeans and an oversized red sweater, she came out of the
kitchen to greet me. “I wasn’t expecting you until next week.” Her smile
turned sad, the way it always did when she realized her little boy wasn’t
happy. “What happened out there?”
“Nothing,
Mom.” Though I’d accepted Lilly’s decision, it was still too painful to talk
about, at least for now. My only consolation was that Rial really did seem to
be a good guy, a guy who really loved his girl and would treat her right.
“Did
you settle everything you needed to settle? Lilly’s father? Did she come back
with you?”
“Mom,
please.”
“I’ll
take that as a no.”
I
turned to her. She was going to find out one way or another, so it may as well
be from me. “Lilly’s in love with someone else now. With Rial… Rial King.”
“King?”
“That’s
right. Errol’s brother.” I glanced at the suitcase. “Are you heading off
somewhere?”
She
seemed reluctant to answer. “Like I said, I wasn’t expecting you. I thought
I’d get to see you in Paris.”
“You’re
going to Paris?” After an initial spark of anger, I realized I’d have the
place to myself. And Sam’s Restaurant. I’d have free reign.
“I
suppose you already know; I’m going to be a grandmother.”
I
nodded and smiled. It was kind of cool.
“I
want to go out and help Taryn… you know… shopping for baby clothes, getting the
nursery ready and whatever else she may need.”
At
that very moment, I didn’t really care why she was going out to Paris. I was
just happy that she was.
It
was only later that night, after she’d taken a cab out to the airport and I was
lying in my bed alone, that I allowed myself one last glimpse at my time with
Lilly.
I
got a hard-on thinking of the nights we’d shared. One thing I could say, sex
with her was terrific. I knew I’d lost a good one, but I was still happy for
her and wished her the best. I would always have Taryn to keep an eye on her,
and to let me know how things were going, although I wasn’t sure if that was a
good thing or a bad.
If
I was to get on with my life, I really had to put her and my plans with her
behind.
I
fell asleep thinking of her, but by the time I woke up the next morning, I was
a new man, ready to take on the world.
Or
at least Manhattan.
I
had a lot on my plate, and first on my list was taking charge of Sam’s. I
arrived bright and early, like usual.
“Hey,
Bobby. Good to have you back,” Vinny said from behind the grill.
The
morning rush had already begun and he was deep in it.
“Good
to be back. How are things going?”
“Everything’s
under control at this end.”
“But
we got a few deliveries coming in this morning, and no one’s gotten around to
taking inventory of the freezer yet,” Burton added.
“I’ll
try to take care of that.”
“Hey,
do you know an Allison… something?” Vinny said.
“Allison
Lincoln?” I said.
“Yeah,
something like that.”
“Yeah,
I know her.
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