𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗕𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗬

II.

     The smooth sound of Anita Baker's voice evaded Lauren's space as her mind went back to the events of yesterday. Seeing Eric and his wife looking as if they were happy and her childhood best friend getting married had her mind in a frenzy.

Eric and Lauren had met when she took on the job of planning him and his wife's wedding. She didn't expect the man to continue to communicate with her on the daily basis after having an in-person meeting with the couple. Her mind went back to the night after the meeting, when she saw an unfamiliar number calling her work phone.

It was Eric. She thought he had a question that he forgot to ask at the meeting, but when he started to talk about how beautiful she was in person she was caught off guard. Of course she told him that it was wrong, but he was persistent.

He sent flowers to her office almost everyday and called whenever he could. Lauren couldn't remember the last time she was properly courted by a man. That attention did something to her, it made her forget her morals.

Eric's appearance was a plus for her. His chocolate skin, full beard, and perfect smile had her in a choke hold.

Lauren reluctantly gave in and started to have an intimate relationship with Eric and that turned into her catching feelings. Lauren knew that she was somebody who didn't know how to have a casual relationship, but she didn't stand on her boundaries. She also knew it wasn't right to be intimate with a married man. Not to mention, one that she planned a wedding for.

She confessed to Eric that she had feelings and it backfired on her. He started to distance himself and told her that he didn't plan on leaving his wife. Lauren was distraught, she blew Eric's phone up and cried every day for a week after that.

Lauren told Camille that she needed a break from work and Camille didn't ask any questions. She assumed Lauren was burnt out from working so much.

Camille would chew her out if she told her and her mother would definitely tear her to shreds. Lauren let out a loud sigh before picking up her glass of wine off of the coffee table and taking a sip.

Pushing that to the back of her mind, her thoughts shifted to Donovan. She wondered who he was engaged to.

Facebook.

Camille ran to her room and grabbed her laptop from off of her bed before plopping down on it. She opened the laptop and keyed in her password. When she was in, she got on the internet and onto the website.

Camille typed in Donovan's full name. Donovan Wright, and instantly clicked on his profile. She strolled and strolled until she landed on a picture of Donovan and his fiancé. They stood side by side as Donovan kissed her cheek, her arm was extended showcasing the diamond on her ring finger. Her smile was wide and bright.

Torryn Ayers. She definitely wasn't someone that she was familiar with. She figured they had met in culinary school. The woman had skin the color of wheat. Her blonde hair had brown highlights and was pinned in a messy updo. She was a beautiful woman.

"Donovan and a white girl?" Lauren asked herself. She couldn't remember him ever dating a white women. She guessed things changed.

She scrolled down a little further and saw Donovan, his fiancé, and her dad together. Donovan and her father both had on chef hats. She scanned over  a caption that read: Two cooks and a beauty.

The father's uniform was different from Don's. She figured he owned the restaurant that they took the picture in. Lauren saw that Donovan made a good life for himself, she was proud of him.

                                     •••

Donovan swiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve as he prepared the order that was given to him. He started to plate the food before putting the plate and the order number beside each other.

He took pride in every dish that he served, and enjoyed satisfying his customers. Being a chef was a demanding career, but he loved every aspect of it. Donovan was the head chef at "Crave" and he ensured that he supervised, planned, and oversaw kitchen operations adequately.

Stepping away from his station, Donovan started to walk around the kitchen to start monitoring the kitchen. He was pleased with his coworkers.

"I see you over here putting in work." Donovan says to Jordan, one of his close friends.

"You know I'm always going to lock in when it comes to the desserts."

Donovan laughs at his friend. Before he could get another word out a deep raspy voice sounds from behind him.

"Donny boy! May I have a word with you."

Jordan side eyes him and gives him a "you're in trouble" look before going back to icing the cake he was making.

Donovan breathes out heavily and expertly makes him way into the back where the office was, not before praising the workers for the hard work they were putting in.

"What's wrong pops?" Donovan says as he takes off his chef hat. He looks at the older white man as he sits behind the desk.

"What's the hold up with the wedding planner? My daughter is getting impatient and my ears will fall off if I continue to hear her nagging."

"Uh, the planner that we agreed on didn't get back to me yet. I told her mother that I was interested. I even gave some alternative suggestions to Ryn-"

"Alternatives? We don't do alternatives Don.   Should I find an alternative to take over this restaurant when I retire?"

Don looks down before looking up.

"No sir."

"Alright then, get her on board." The man says sternly and goes back to what he was doing.

Don walks out of the office and goes into the nearest corner. He pulls out his phone and goes to the message thread between him and Lauren's mother, Regina.

She had sent him her number when he acquired about Lauren. He requested if she could get in touch with her and ask for him because of their history.

He now had to take it upon himself to get her on board. Hesitantly, Don clicked on the number. His eyes scanned the call button before he clicked on it.

He placed the phone to his ear, and listened as the phone rung.

"Pick up Lo."

TBC.