Welcome to Sunday Sips. I hope you enjoy this sample of Chasing After Love.
Nancy Redmond was pissed the second her cell phone dinged, signaling an incoming text. If she wasn’t in one of Chicago’s five-star restaurants on New Year’s Eve, she would have made a scene. Bright red lips pursed, she glanced around the dimly-lit dining room at the other patrons. Their faces illuminated by flickering candles on the tables as they chatted and dug forks into succulent meats, while sipping on wine. Meanwhile, her stomach made obnoxious noises because she was so hungry.
Blindly, her hand searched the inside of the clutch on the chair beside her for her phone. A soft gust of air blew past her lips. Just as she thought, Christopher had texted to cancel their dinner date. It was the third time this month he’d bailed out on her at the last minute. The first time she understood because he hadn’t remembered a school event he was supposed to attend for his six-year-old kid. Being that her dad had pretty much forgotten about her after he and her mom divorced when she was four, Nancy refrained from catching an attitude. Every child needed their father in the picture. That’s what she believed. Besides, she didn’t want to be responsible for keeping a kid and his father apart.
Though she was livid, Nancy couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. Her bestie, Daphne Turner-Collins, had praised her when she told her how mature she’d behaved and hadn’t flipped out on Christopher for ditching her.
“Look at you acting all grown up,” Daphne had teased.
Of course, Nancy couldn’t resist telling her to “shut up.”
The second time he’d texted to cancel on their date to see Maxwell three hours before show time, Nancy couldn’t bite her tongue. His excuse this time had been his baby’s momma, Ebony, had an emergency and he had to go to the rescue to watch their son. The chick had four sisters. Nancy found it strange that not one of them was available to babysit. This time when Nancy told Daphne about Christopher jumping ship, she did admit that his timing was suspect.
Before she could cuss Christopher out via text, the waiter walked up to the table.
“Miss, can I get you something to drink while you wait for your party to arrive?”
My Lord. Stephan the waiter was too fine for his own good. He wasn’t as tall as Nancy liked her men. But his flawless expresso complexion, heavily-lidded bedroom eyes and full lips made up for what he lacked in the height department. Her eyes discreetly, or so she thought, drifted to his feet. Nancy had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from groaning.
When she finally looked back up into Stephan’s handsome face, he was grinning at her, undressing her with his eyes. Heat fanned across her cheeks as she delicately cleared her throat. Somebody appreciated the effort she’d put into looking good tonight. Stephan and his fine self, for the time being, put her anger on simmer. His lingering gaze made her feel sexy and not rejected. Later for Christopher. A drink or two, something to eat and any excuse to keep Stephan coming back will keep the night from being a total bust.
“He’s not coming. I’ll be eating alone.”
Nancy hated how her voice slightly quivered the way it did right before you’re ready to cry. She wanted to jump across the table and wrap her arms and legs around Stephan when he murmured for her ears only, “He’s a damn fool. Sis, you’re beautiful. You deserve better.”
Yes, I do! “Thank you.”
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