“I know just the place.”
We went to a place I love going to called Fogo de Chão on Piedmont Road. They operate under the service concept of espeto corrido, which translates from Portuguese as continuous service. So instead of ordering from a traditional menu, Fogo de Chão offers a prix-fixe system where guests can sample the entire menu, or just focus on their favorite items.
The menu features unlimited servings of fifteen different, delectable cuts of fire-roasted meats, a sumptuous buffet of gourmet salads and fresh-cut vegetables, and a variety of traditional and Brazilian side dishes.
“This is a very nice place, Chris.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“So how does this work?”
“They are going to bring us a two-sided disk to control the pace of their meal.”
“Okay,” Tyhedra said and looked at me curiously.
“The green side signals the Gaucho chefs to bring out skewers of meats to carve at the table. The red side indicates a stopping point. Turning back to green lets the chefs know to start offering the meats again.”
“I shouldn’t have come here with you.”
“Why?”
“Because we just met, and this is the kind of place where you come to make a pig of yourself. This is the place I’d go with my girlfriends, ’cause they already know what a pig I can be.”
I laughed as the Gaucho chef began bringing out skewers of sizzling fire-roasted meats, along with warm cheese bread, fried bananas, crispy hot polenta, and seasoned mashed potatoes. “I did ask how hungry you were.”
“And I am, so I am about to get mid-evil in here.”
For the next couple of hours, Tyhedra and I drank good wine—quite a bit actually—talked about our new business association, and sampled a variety of meats. I’ll say this for her, Tyhedra can put away some food. The longer we were there, the more I began to like her. She was interesting to talk to, very funny and my God, she was just so damn sexy.
I thought about what I said to Tavarus about my being able to have a professional relationship with a woman. So, here we are having a conversation about network infrastructure, routers, aggregators, repeaters, and other devices that control transmission paths, and I’m thinking about bending her over the table.
“You all right, Chris?” Tyhedra asked.
“Huh?”
“I said are you all right?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking about how I met you at exactly the right time.”
“You know I was thinking the exact same thing. I have a really good feeling abou
t you and I, Chris. I get the feeling that we are going to do great things for each other.” Tyhedra took a deep breath. “I’m very excited about the possibilities for us.”
After I paid the check, I asked Tyhedra if she wanted to go someplace else. “Have something a little stronger than the fine wine we’ve been drinking.”
“I’m going to take a rain check on that. I promised a friend that I’d meet them a little later this evening. So if you don’t mind giving me a ride back to my car.”
“No problem,” I told her, but it really was.
I drove her back to her car and we said a polite good night. “I know that we’ll be in touch soon,” Tyhedra said and got in her car. I watched her drive off and took out my cell as I got back in my car. I called CJ and told her how the rest of the day went, and then I called Ebony. “Be ready when I get there.”
Chapter Seventeen
Tavarus
For the past few weeks when I get home from work, all I’ve been doing is practicing on the trumpet. And if I have to say so myself, I’ve gotten pretty good, but I know I still need more practice.
I haven’t seen Tyhedra since the last time we went out, but we talk just about every day. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for me to call Kathy and make arrangements to go fuck her while Tyhedra was listening, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Even though we’re still talking, every time I bring up the idea of us getting together again, Tyhedra always gives me some reason why she can’t make it.