Page 1 of Daycare Santa

Before

“What are you doing?”

Gina’s question was pointless, but she didn’t have a better one. Her best friend and her man were kissing, and it wasn’t a chaste one either.

This kind of kiss led to horizontal gymnastics, but Gina had trouble processing the bizarre scene unfolding in her office. The space she and Nichelle shared. The place where they ran their business,All Things Tasty.

As the off-white walls wobbled, then slowly settled, Gina supported herself by wrapping her fingers around the doorknob. For a few seconds, she focused on the snake plant in the corner to ground herself.

This cannot be real!

She changed her mind when her gaze returned to the couple in the middle of the hardwood floor.

Neither of them moved. Then Boyd and Nichelle’s eyes popped open, and they stared at each other as though their ears were fooling them.

“Yes. You. Heard. Me.” Gina gripped the doorknob and pulled in a breath that caused a sharp pain to stab her chest. She blinked, but only two things changed. Nichelle released her death grip on Boyd’s tie and he yanked his hand off her thigh.

They straightened their clothing in quick, jerky movements and avoided looking at Gina.

She swallowed to clear the painful ball from her throat and blinked away the tears that seared her eyes. Her hands curled into fists and she pulled in a breath before she spoke.

“Since there’s no explanation for this ... this betrayal, the two of you should go.”

Nichelle ran a hand over her short hair and shifted from one foot to the other. “What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said,” Gina straightened to her full five feet, eight inches and gestured toward the offending pair. “This.You.Unreal.”

“But I work here,” Nichelle protested.

“Shouldn’t you have thought of that before you kissed the man I’m seeing?”

“Sinceseeingis about all the action Boyd has been getting ...” Nichelle smirked, but didn’t continue.

“You have some nerve, considering the position you’re in.” Gina’s gaze swung to Boyd. “Andyou... what were you thinking? How could you? The two of you, in fact. You’re disgusting.”

“Gina, I—” He approached her with both hands outstretched and guilt etched on his narrow face.

She stepped aside as a million harsh words bubbled in her throat. Ignoring the shooting pains in her stomach, she said, “If you touch me, youwillregret it.”

Arms folded across her chest, Nichelle glowered. “This makes no sense. How will we work out the business details?”

“Get out.” Gina laced her fingers together to stop herself from wrapping her hands around Nichelle’s neck and squeezed the rest of her words past her lips. “You can come back tomorrow.”

Nichelle shook her head. “We may as well do it now. It was only a matter of time, anyway.”

“Oh, so you planned this?” Gina’s attention shifted to Boyd. “When were you going to tellmeyou wanted out? And to cheat withherof all people?”

“What’s wrong withme, of all people?” Nichelle stabbed the air with a manicured finger. “If you were taking care of his needs, he wouldn’t have turned to me.”

Tears sprang to Gina’s eyes again as she swiveled in Boyd’s direction. “If I wasn’t worth your patience, time, or energy, then you deserve exactly what you’re getting.”

“We still need to discuss our business.” Nichelle’s voice was low but insistent.

“Fine, we can do it now, but not withhimhere. This doesn’t concern him.”

Nichelle threw her next words in Boyd’s direction. “We’ll catch up later.”

His nod was curt, but he sighed and avoided Gina’s cutting look by turning away. When the door closed behind him, she asked, “Couldn’t you have done this in your office? Why did you have to take it here?”

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