All She Dreamed by Rhonda McKnight

Author:Rhonda McKnight
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Black Christian fiction, Black Clean romance, Clean romance, Black billionaire romance, Bennett family, Black Christmas story, Black Christmas books, Black Christmas romance
Publisher: Rhonda McKnight
Published: 2023-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Sienna loved Fontana’s Restaurant. It was the best in Forest Hills. She didn’t grow up eating here. Her family couldn’t afford it, but every time she rode past it in her parents’ cars or on the school bus, she dreamed of sitting at one of the tables with white tablecloths and real napkins. She imagined the menu had fancy dishes—big steaks, lobster, fancy potatoes with swirly designs on top, and all the things her childlike mind could conjure up.

It wasn’t until Ethan Bennett graduated from high school that she stepped into the place. She was only twelve at the time. Ethan and Lauren graduated together. Lauren’s graduation party was a part of a neighborhood block party. Ethan’s was held at Fontana’s. She enjoyed both, but Ethan’s was a dream come true.

And she’d been right about the atmosphere and the food. Rich people eating and drinking well like the bill didn’t matter. She looked from the left to the right at people at the bar and the people sitting at tables. Smiling faces, white teeth, laughter that filled their eyes. Well-dressed women with Birkin bags on the seats next to them. Men in the finest of suits, enjoying a Southern gentleman’s happy hour. Forest Hills was home, always had been, but now she was finally getting a taste of it.

Arthur stood when she reached the table. His smile was broad and welcoming. He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. She pulled back and their eyes met. She hadn’t felt what she wanted to feel in her gut—that wave that she felt when she saw Mason.

“I thought you were going to stand me up.” Arthur pulled her chair out.

“Why would you think that?” It was 3:02. They’d agreed to meet at three.

Arthur slipped into the chair across from her. He picked up his drink and took a sip. Scotch she supposed. That’s what he always had. She didn’t like it.

“I’ve been here for thirty minutes,” Arthur said. “You know me. I like to be early.”

Sienna placed her bag on the seat next to her. “When you show up early, you feel like everyone else is late.” She reached for her water glass and took a sip. “Surely, I’m worth waiting two minutes for.”

Arthur looked at her. He seemed amused, but he didn’t respond. “I ordered for us. You like the salmon, right?”

I like to look at the menu and decide for myself. “Sure, but I was planning to try a pasta dish.”

“Order again. Take it home if you need to.” He steepled his hands in front of him. “So, what has my lovely Sienna been up to while I’ve been gone?”

Before Sienna could answer the question, Arthur unclasped his hands. Sienna eyes followed one to the place she knew it was headed, his phone.

She updated Arthur on her life. He seemed to need it because he remembered nothing she had already told him. She wasn’t surprised. Sometimes he barely listened on Facetime and he wasn’t listening now, so she did what she always did.

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