six.
“Welcome to Mimosa Grill, did you have a reservation?” The receptionist asks Leon, his sister and mother.
“Yes, it's under Hunt.”
“Oh, the table full of beauties, yes! And they're adding three more!” She claps, making them laugh as she leads them towards the middle of the restaurant.
Zora stands once they make it to the table, smiling softly as the introductions start.
“Hello, ladies.” Leon greets with a smile that sends them all swooning.
“Hey, Leon,” they sing in unison, making Zora playfully roll her eyes as he laughs.
“This is my sister Eryn and my mama Tara.” He introduces, as they wave.
“And these are my sisters Neoma and Lovita, and my mama Pam,” Zora introduces, turning her attention to his mom, “I'm Zora, it's so nice to meet you.”
Pulling away from their mom's side to shake her sisters’ hands, she and Zora do the same. A warm handshake and smile eases Zora's nerves.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Zora. You are breathtaking. You all are!”
“Thank you!” Pam proudly says, standing to shake her hand, as well as Leon’s.
“A firm hand! I like you, already.” Pam says, earning another smile from him.
“The pressure's on,” he says. “A pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Likewise, dear. I've heard great things! And you,” she turns to Eryn, “aren't you just adorable!”
“Been getting that my whole life,” her twang makes Zora giggle, “thank you! It's nice to meet such beautiful people!”
Once they're all acquainted, they sit and fall into conversation.
“So, tell me Leon. What do you do for a living?” Pam asks.
“I work at a warehouse in Midland. We outsource from many retail outlets, it's pretty much like Amazon but a little wider in range.”
“Oh, okay! Keeps you busy?”
“Yes ma'am,” he chuckles. “It can be trying and tiring like any job, but I get my work done.”
“And Zora, what about you dear?” Tara asks.
“I work at a restaurant in Matthews. It's a quaint, family owned business. Delicious food, terrible customers… the usual.” She laughs, making them do the same.
“Working in food service can definitely be trying. I worked as a line cook for about five years, so I understand.” She says.
“Really? Oof, they put me back there for a day and I'm ready to burn the place down.” Zora shakes her head.
“That was the first thought on my brain for five years, honey.” She agrees, making Zora laugh again.
Leon smiles at the sight.
“She's also got a friend like the one that used to hang around you, ma.” He speaks.
“Oh— oh, you got a lil weasel followin’ you around?” She asks, making her mama look over at her as well.
“Zora, that boy's still bothering you?”
“I told you to let me kick his ass,” Lovita adds.
“Yeah, he still thinks he's being charming,” she snorts, “but man is he a pain in my side. And put your guns down, sis. Leon gave him the glare of a lifetime, so he's been keeping his distance as of late. Not sure how long it'll last but..”
“A non-verbal threat is new for you.” Eryn laughs, patting her brother's shoulder.
“Turning over new leaves, Eryn.” He responds. “Plus, as long as he keeps his distance, we have no issue. I wouldn't jeopardize Zora's job, either.”
“See? Blazing guns aren't always the answer.” Zora looks at her sisters, who just wave her off.
“Leon might be turning over a new leaf, but you're my littlest sister. I carry and he better relax.”
“She's a spitfire, too! I love it!” Tara smiles. “And, it's commendable that you've taken this off this pretty girl's hands, cause she shouldn't have to worry about some fool tryna push up on her at work.”
“Leon's a sweetheart. Plus he wouldn't let it go until I said he could choke him if need be.” Zora giggles, making both of their mothers shake their heads.
“Kids, am I right?” Pam looks at Tara, who nods wholeheartedly.
“This is why I'm graying, now.”
Good food and even better conversation continued, as the two got to share stories of childhood, family and everything in between.
Zora learned that Leon played baseball for a brief period in high school, until he started getting into fights and eventually got kicked off the team.
Leon had learned that Zora's artwork used to be posted on the walls and in the library of her elementary, middle and high school. She was somewhat of a celebrity.
“So, where did writing start for you?” Zora asks Leon.
“Well, I had gotten thrown out of most social clubs, due to my smart mouth and my mama suggested that I find other ways to get my feelings out, cause she was tired of getting calls from the school.” He looks over at her, catching her stare and choking.
“Gray, baby. Gray.”
“Anyway,” he shakes his head and turns back to Zora. “Eryn bought me a journal with her allowance because she wanted me to do better. I stalled for a while, because what was I supposed to write about? My angry teenager self wasn't with it, at all. But, I eventually came back to it with an open mind, and it's been like a dear friend to me ever since.”
Zora, as well as her sisters and mama, were chin-in-palm, listening to his every word.
“Wow…Tell me you paid Eryn back.” Neoma speaks, making Eryn giggle.
“He sure did! He's not the only ass kicker around here.” She innocently smiles.
✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿
The next week and a half was filled with more sharing from Zora and more earnest listening from Leon, a few more dates and a sorta surprise visit to her job.
They'd started sharing their work schedules, due to Leon falling in love with the food like Zora told him he would, as well as Zora feeling herself become safe in his presence.
Like he said he would be, he came strolling through the restaurant’s doors with an extra dip in his walk, making Zora’s mouth twist up, fighting off her smirk.
The flowers in his hand definitely made her jaw drop, her hand not being fast enough to catch it.
Leon being the teaser he is, he decides to poke a little fun once he makes his way to her.
“I thought you said brown girls don't blush! You look a lil red, baby.”
“Shut up,” she laughs, her eyes dropping to the orange poppies in his hand. The slight pout that forms on her glossed lips letting him know he'd chosen right between those and yellow lillies.
“For you,” he holds them out for her, leaning on the counter so she wouldn't have to look up at him too much. Plus he was crowding her space like she secretly wanted him to.
“They're beautiful!” She all but squeals, welcoming the flowers and kiss he placed on her lips. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. That was cute, you were tryna hide your face.” He laughs, sneaking another kiss.
“Stop it,” she playfully mushes him away. “I was shocked to see you with flowers. I'm so used to us picking them out together when we hit the shoppe, I wasn't expecting this.”
“Expecting the unexpected is something you're gonna get used to. Don't worry.” He assures her with a wink, making her turn away from him as her face continues to burn.
“Go away,” she drags out her words, earning a deep chuckle in return. His hand latches onto her free one, linking their fingers.
“I like your hair, like always.” He compliments the high, wild ponytail she was sporting today, pulling her gaze back to his.
“Thank you. It took me way too long to get it up like this, it better be cute.” She huffs, sitting the flowers on the counter behind her.
“Put your guns down, it's cute.” He jokes, earning an eye-roll.
“You're a little early. I've got about five minutes left.”
“I know. They let us out a bit earlier than usual, so I thought I'd come on this way to see you, since this was the plan anyway.”
“Makes sense. Was today any better?” She asks, referring to him and his coworker.
“A little. We spoke briefly, which is a start.” He shrugs, leaning up from the counter. “I'm gonna head to the bathroom right quick.”
“Okay,” she gives a soft smile, which he returns before walking down and around the corner.
Zora's expression quickly sours as Cory slides into Leon's place, leaning on the counter at the same time she moves away from it.
“Come on. Why we gotta be like this?” He asks, eyeing the flowers behind her.
“It's like you think I'm joking or something. Staying away from me didn't last long, like it knew it wouldn't.” She says, shaking her head.
“Who bought you those beauties?” He asks, ignoring her.
“Someone that's actually worth my time, Cory. No more questions.” She firms, shooing him away but of course his persistence keeps him planted.
“Damn, I'm not worth your time?”
“What did I just say??” She throws her hands up.
“For real, Zora?”
“Dude! I've spent the better part of my time here, warding you off like you're a demon. You're unbelievable.” She laughs.
“You know you can't resist this, baby.”
“See? It's like there's a blockage in your brain.”
“Ain't nothing wrong with me, girl.”
“I'm not your girl.” She snaps.
“You could be, though.” He says without missing a beat.
“No thanks,” she says with a shake of her head, just as Leon reappears, catching Cory way too close to where he shouldn't be.
“Look who we got here,” he says, causing Cory to break his neck to look in his direction, his cockiness about to turn on him.
“Oh, the one with the staring problem. Wassup flower boy.” He points, glancing back at Zora, whose stare could turn him to stone, had this been Percy Jackson and friends.
“You got two seconds to remove yourself.” Leon calmly says, watching the smug smile grow on Cory's face as he looks back at him.
“Ain't nobo—” the rest of his sentence got jerked up, right along with his collar, as Leon stares him dead in the eyes, definitely putting fear in his heart.
“I'm bein’ real nice. You don't want that ass whoopin’, I promise you.” He warns, keeping his collar in his tight grip.
Zora's eyes widen at the sight, and she's able to get her hand over her mouth to catch the laugh that threatens to kill their intense stare down.
“Leave Zora alone or it's gonna be way worse than this.” Leon's unwavering stare definitely did damage to Cory's self esteem, but he kept up the facade.
“Aight.” He holds hands up in surrender, that usual smug smile being replaced with a mean mug, little did he know it made him look just as pathetic.
“Apologize.”
Cory turns his head toward Zora, offering an equally pathetic apology, to which she nods in response.
Releasing his collar just as roughly as he yanked it up, Leon pushes him back towards the other side of the bar, away from them altogether.
“Go do your job.” He points, watching him disappear around the corner before he looks over at a very amused Zora.
“That boy relentless ain't he?” He laughs, back to leaning on the counter.
“Yeah! You bout pulled that boy out his shoes!” She lets her giggles run free.
“He was where he shouldn't have been. Had to come do damage control and save you from that fool.” He chuckles.
“My hero,” she hums, punching her number in the computer, finally clocking out for the day.
“Told you I got you.”
“You did. So whose place tonight?”
“Mine?” He suggests, and she agrees.
She lifts the counter’s side flap up, grabs her flowers and heads into the side room, grabs her bag off the hanger, and moves back in front of him.
“Alright, we can go now.”
✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿
“When's the last time someone bought you flowers?” Leon asks, sitting his takeout container on his coffee table.
“Are we counting the ones Cory has bought me?” She asks.
“No.” He answers quickly, making her laugh.
“It's been a couple years, then.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, besides the few dates I'd been on after I left my ex. And the last date I'd been on til you came along was… about two years ago, yeah.” She laughs, again.
“Wow. That makes no sense.”
“Well, in my defense, I am always walking around with my own flowers.” She jokes.
“You got me there,” he laughs, “but someone can always add to those, right?”
“You're right. It's a really sweet gesture.” She smiles, reaching for a fortune cookie.
“I'm glad you liked them. I wasn't sure what to get, but they jumped out at me. Plus, orange looks really good on you.”
“Thank you, and you did good. Orange's my favorite color.”
The amused expression spreads across his handsome face, making her laugh for the umpteenth time.
“I won't pat myself on the back, but..” he jokes, sliding a little closer to her, “you can't say I don't pay attention.”
“You're right, again. And now I kinda feel bad, cause I don't think I've got your favorite color right in my head… did that make sense?”
“It did,” he nods, “what do you think it is?”
“Green.”
“Correct.” He smiles.
“Really?” She asks.
“Yeah, I'm a hunter green kinda guy.”
“I knew it!” She smiles, pulling the plastic away from the cookie to crack it open. “Green looks really good on you.”
“Thank you, beautiful.”
She nods, looking down at the small piece of paper, softly shaking her head at what it says, folding it up.
“The love of your life will appear in front of you unexpectedly!”
Yeah, I sure hope so.
“What does it say?” He asks.
“You're not supposed to share what it says,” she says, popping half of the cookie into her mouth.
“There's rules?”
She nods, covering her mouth as she chews. “You're also supposed to burn it so it can come true.”
“Wow, you learn something new every day.” He chuckles.
“You're welcome!” She cheerily says, earning another laugh out of him as they settle back against the couch to watch another movie.
A couple chick-flicks later, Leon was reluctantly standing up to walk a sleepy Zora out to her car.
“If I didn't have to work in the morning, I'd crash on your couch,” she snorts, fumbling inside her bag for her keys.
“Hey, you still can. I could take you to work before I go in, you can come back and get your car after work. You get off at the same time tomorrow?” He asks.
“Yeah, I do. But I don't have any extra clothes.”
“You can borrow something of mine. What you need, a t-shirt? Shorts? I got you.”
“You really want me to stay, huh?”
“Hell yeah,” he answers enthusiastically, making her giggle. “I love your company.”
“Yeah, you're growing on me too.” She smirks, following him right back inside his apartment.
Ch 7
@blackerthings @sheabuttahwrites @soufcakmistress @twistedcharismaaa @unfriendlyblkhotti3 @awerkofart @abeautifulmindexposed @blowmymbackout @ghostfacekill-monger @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @thegifstories
89 notes
·
View notes