14. Tyson

Stuffingmy phone in my back pocket, I run up the stairs to get Issa. Changing from my suit so I’d be comfortable, I switched to a polo shirt and jeans. When I reach the door, I knock and lean back on my heels as I wait. A few seconds later, the locks are twisting, and a face appears in the crack.

Her hair is a large puff with curly tendrils falling in the back and two on each side in the front.

“Hey, come in. I just need to get my shoes.” She steps back, and I walk in.

With no intention of being disrespectful, I take in her frame. Issa is beautiful. Her dark mahogany skin is gorgeous and always manages to have a summer glow even though we’re the middle of winter. I walk in and close the door behind me. “No worries. Where’s Tyree’s ass?”

“Oh, he had to work late, so it’s just us.”

I nod and stuff my hands in my pockets. “Damn, I’ve been back for weeks, and I feel like I’ve spent more time with you than Tyree. His ass is always at work. I mean, not that I mind, you’re good company.”

Issa turns to me and shrugs as she slips on her boots. “Yeah, he’s always busy. Which is fine; gotta pay the bills, right? I won’t be offended that you basically said you’ve been stuck with me since Tyree is working.”

I can tell by the sly smile she tries to hide that she’s teasing me. We have the same sense of humor, and I love that she doesn’t take things too seriously.

I play along by pressing my hand to my chest and frowning. “I would never say such a thing. You’re quickly becoming one of my favorite people.” It’s meant to be a joke, an exaggeration of words, but as I say them, I find their truth.

“Please act like you know!” She laughs while pulling on her coat.

I follow her out the door, and she locks it behind us. I clap my hands together, making her yelp at the sudden noise.

“Sorry, but this is big. Are you ready for these dumplings?”

“I’m so ready.”

We make our way to the car, and I run over to open her door. She nods before slipping in, and I walk to the driver’s side.

The red glow of the restaurant feels more like a nightclub with the way it’s packed. I made reservations because I heard it was hard to get seating, so our wait is less than ten minutes. We follow the waiter to our table, and when we take our seats, he places the menus down.

“What can I get you to drink?”

“I’ll take a lemonade, and he’ll take…” she pauses and squints one eye, “a Kweichow Moutai.” I lean back, surprised she knows her Chinese liquors, and she winks. The waiter nods and takes off to fill the request, and I smile at Issa.

“Wow, how’d you know what to order?”

“Well, you’re pretty adventurous, and your palette is sophisticated, so I knew you’d probably appreciate it.”

“I’m impressed. It’s one of my go-to drinks.”

She cocks her head to the side, and a smile so sweet spreads her lips that my heart jumps. “Honestly, I just looked up the menu on my phone when you mentioned this place in the car.”

My laugh is hard and wild as I fall back. “Damn, well, I still appreciate it all the same.” I don’t drop my smile as I pick up the menu.

The waiter returns with our drinks, and we order. I convince her we should try a little bit of everything to get a full picture of the establishment.

“You don’t think this is too much food for just us two?”

“I don’t because, as we’ve already established, you can eat Chinese at any point. So what we don’t finish can be your breakfast, lunch, or dinner tomorrow.” I shrug while taking a sip of my drink, and she pauses her movements and tilts her head. It’s an inquisitive expression she does often.

“That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

“I doubt that.” I can’t imagine Tyree not saying sweet things to Issa. She has one of those smiles that is contagious. It pours from her and dares anyone to see it and not return the gesture. Tyree is a lucky man.

“Okay, so tell me about your family. Your sisters are in college, right?” she asks, and I’m nodding in agreement before she can finish.

“Yep, Adrian is a freshman, and Kay is a junior at the university. My parents moved here when they went off to college so they would be closer. It’s why I decided to set up a branch here.”

Being the oldest, it was always on me to set the example, so when my sisters both decided to pursue their education, I was proud of them. College isn’t for everyone, but there is something to be said for the exposure to different ways of life. Possibilities are limitless when you know there are options.

“If your parents are here, why are you still at a hotel? When is your place going to be ready?”

I laugh and shake my head. “I’ve outgrown staying with my parents. Even when I lived overseas, I stayed at hotels when I came back home.” I love them, but I definitely need my own space. I can’t wait to get out of this hotel, though. It’s like I’m never fully comfortable. There’s definitely nothing like having your own place.

“Are you doing a housewarming?”

“I can do that. I already know you love good food and drinks, so you can help me plan it.”

She laughs, and there’s that twist again in my chest. I clear my throat and take another sip of my drink. It burns all the way down, but I settle in that sensation.

“Oh, it’s giving no, but I’ll gladly come to eat.” She laughs, and I join her.

We talk, and sometime later, two waiters come over with large trays, unloading everything at our table. Issa’s eyes light up, and the sight is truly something to behold. I cut off my mind from completing that thought and clear my throat.

“Okay, what do you want to try first?”

“Now, Tyson, I was promised the best dumplings, and I want them dumplings.”

I pick up a smaller plate and use my chopsticks to divide them up. We got both pan-seared and steamed versions.

“Okay, this is the moment. You ready?” I ask. We both have a steamed one in our chopsticks, hovering around our mouths while we smile.

“Ready.” Just as she says the word, we take a bite. The flavor explodes on my tongue, and I nod with each chew.

“Okay,” she says and picks up another one to devour. They are really good, and this will probably be my go-to spot now that I’m home, but they still don’t come close to overseas.

“It’s good, but we still have to go to my place in London.”

“One day.”

“Yeah, one day,” I repeat, and we move on to the fried version, which is even more delicious. We try the chicken wings next, and those are gone almost as quickly as they were delivered.

She got the egg drop soup, and I wanted to try the hot and sour soup. Everything that touches my lips is fantastic. I definitely understand now how the place stays packed.

“You should seriously be a food critic or something. I could watch you eat all day.”

“See, that’s a cute idea, but no. I love food, but not on camera.”

We laugh and eat. I tell her stories about living overseas and the little things you take for granted, like snacks.

“I’m serious. I had my mom ship me my favorites because they didn’t sell them over there.” Nothing was quite like what I was used to, which was the best and worst part. Sometimes, I wanted the comfort of home in something as simple as walking into a chain grocery store and purchasing quality junk food.

“Wow, I bet the shipping was expensive.”

“It was, but I’d do it again for my favorites.”

Her phone buzzes, and she pulls it from her purse.

“Oh, wow. I didn’t realize how late it was. Tyree is already home.”

I sit back and release a breath. Right. “Damn, okay, let’s get this packed up.”

I call over the waiter and request to-go boxes and the check. We ate a lot, but we also ordered like a football team was dining with us, so we have a lot left over.

“I can’t take all of this. You take some.”

“Never, I promised you leftovers.”

“If you insist,” she says with a wicked smile, and my fingers tingle. I clear my throat and scratch the side of my head.

During the drive home, her phone is in a constant state of alerts as she texts.

“Everything cool?”

“Yeah, Tyree wanted to know what I was up to. I was telling him about the dumplings.” She smiles, and her joy is so potent it radiates off her skin. I flex my fingers on the steering wheel and clear my throat.

“I’m glad it was a win.”

“Oh, it most certainly was a win.”

We drive the rest of the way in silence, and I relish in the memory of good food with even better company.