Page 39 of Rhet

She’s drinking something in my ear.

“A week is like thousand days to God or something like that,” she retorts

“What? No. Look, this is important. Please, Pen.”

I’m greeted with silence. I need her. Pen is my hacker best friend. She didn’t even go to college. Yet huge companies come to her for coding. Others come for some dubious hacking.

“Wenny Penny, please.”

She sighs. “You’re hiding shit. You didn’t even tell me about the job at Banner Freight.”

“How did you find out?”

“I met Ms. Helen at the deli. She told me.”

She sounds genuinely hurt. I didn’t want to involve her in this mess.

“I’m sorry about that. How about after church Sunday, we go out for brunch? We can talk then.”

“Okay, tell me what you need?” The clicking of her fingers over the computer keys comes over the phone.

“I need a number to Tarek Fairisles.”

“He’s cute. He’s a restauranter, and business owner. Does he have a girlfriend?” she inquires.

“I don’t know. Hello, I don’t even have his number.” I scrape my nails over the steering wheel leather.

“You’re so testy. Get yourself “The Womanizer” it’s a clit sucker thingy. Girl, it’s addicting, beware.” Pen chuckles.

I didn’t bother to ask her what she’s talking about. I’m completely focused on the task at hand. It takes her only seconds to get me the personal number for Tarek.

Mission Accomplished.

“I owe you big time.”

“Three huge bags of gummy bears and a coke will be fine. Bye,” she says.

“Bye.” I hang up and dial Tarek Fairisles.

“Fairisles.” The grovel in his voice sounds like he just got up. It’s nearly noon.

“Hi, this is Zeeta Woods.” Before I can finish, a car passes quickly in front of me, causing me to press my breaks.

“I didn’t get you pregnant too, did I?” He groans. What kind of friends does Rhet have?

“No. I’m Mr. Banner’s new P.A. He wants to come to your restaurant tonight at nine.”

“That’s fine. Why did he make you call? He could walk in, he has a table,” he moans.

That stinking son of a gun. After all that, he already had a table. I should get him more cheap coffee.

“Okay, well, thank you.”

I hang up and make my way to Cohen’s to pick up Rhet’s dry cleaning. Once I’m done with that, I call Caitlin, his date and make his arrangements.

The only thing left is to figure out how to get his freaking coffee to him at 5:30am when theScreamin’ Beanis closed. I make my way to the Screamin’ Bean. I wonder what’s so special about this coffee to him. I mean, it’s good, but it’s not life changing. I stand in line for a muffin and coffee for myself.

Then, I see it, bags ofScreamin’ Beanprepackaged coffee. I laugh out loud, the people in front of the line turned to look at me. I don’t even care.

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