Page 112 of Prickly Romance

The silence goes on for so long that it becomes awkward.

Yet I cannot seem to hang up the phone.

“Is that it?”

“Yes.” I release a quick breath.

Later.

I will tell Dejonae how I feel about her when the time is right.

CHAPTER11

HEAD-BANGING IDEAS

DEJONAE

The reporter waitingfor me in the cafeteria is slim and pretty with tan skin, big brown eyes and a red-lipped smile. Her skirt and jacket are a bright yellow and the blouse underneath is black.

She looks like a fashionable bumblebee.

“Are you Dejonae Williams?” Her eyes widen when I draw closer. She blinks a couple times as if I might be a ghost.

“Yes, that’s me.” I extend my hand.

She takes it and laughs in shock. “I expected you to be older.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” I let my laughter ring.

“I’m Beverly Thompkins, reporter for the Financial State Magazine.”

“Dejonae Williams. I’m one of the instructors here at The Sazuki Foundation.”

She plucks a little notebook out of her purse and gives me a mischievous grin. “Oh, I heard you were much more than that.”

My heart smacks against my ribs. “You, uh… what?”

Did she hear about Sazuki walking me to class? Or that I went bowling with him and his daughter? Or that I think about him all the time to the point that it’s slowly becoming an obsession?

“Aren’t you higher in rank than all the other instructors? I was told you work closely with Sazuki.”

“Oh. Right.” I belt out a nervous laugh.

She chuckles along, but her sharp eyes are studying me closely. “What did you think I meant?”

“Exactly that,” I point to her. “Exactly.”

With a prim grin, she takes something else out of her purse. It’s a recording device. “Do you mind if I record us?”

“As long as you don’t mind if I do the same.” I set my phone on the desk next to her recorder. On the screen, there’s a running clock and a glowing red button.

Her eyes glint with amusement. “You’ve done this before?”

“My sister is a model. One of the first things she learned about giving interviews is the importance of having your own evidence.”

Beverly laughs. “Is your sister someone I would recognize by name?”

“Not yet. She’s still building her empire for now.” I put my arm on the back of the neighboring chair. “Before we begin, would you like to order something to drink?”

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