Page 34 of Stevie
“Yeah?”
“I like it when you call me baby.” I see the slight smile tug at her lips, causing my heart to skip a beat. I reach out, putting my hand around her cool one.
“I like calling you baby,” I admit, running my thumb over her knuckles.
“Brooks,” she whispers again. “I kind of like peaches, too.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Now I know the drugs are messing with you.”
She gives me a sleepy smile. “Can you stay with me?”
“Baby, I wasn’t going anywhere tonight. You’re safe.”
“No, I mean… stay with me forever.” She mumbles, and my body stills. She’s drugged. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.
I force myself to sound smooth and cocky, even though, on the inside, I’m anything but. “Careful Peaches, one might think you’re starting to catch real feelings.” Stevie’s head nods as she fades in and out of sleep.
“Not starting,” she whispers. “Already caught.”
Stevie
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Mama,” I sigh in annoyance as she and Baka continue to fuss over packing everything in the hospital room. “Y’all need to stop. I’m fine.” It’s been three days since my surgery, and I’m finally getting discharged. What was supposed to be an overnight stay lasted longer because of Brooks. I don’t know what the man said to the staff after the first night, but they were all overly, and I do mean overly, attentive and decided that I would do best to recover a little more here.
So now, I stink, I’m sore, and as soon as that fucker comes to pick me up and take me home, I’m taking shears to one of his plants for making me stay here.
Wait… home?That’s not right. It’sBrooks’house. Though, as much as I don’t want to admit it, his house is starting to feel like my safe place.
“Stefa!” Baka scolds while zipping up my backpack. “You leave your Mama alone!” I groan loudly but allow them to finish before I get into the wheelchair. I bite back a cry as I move to the chair.
Once outside, I see the massive all-black Jeep Wrangler waiting out front. I joke and say it’s meaner-looking than most Wranglers I’ve seen. Brooks went on a tangent once about it being some special “high altitude” something or other. I don’t know anything about vehicles, except that Brooks doesn’t have a Jeep duck, which bothers me to no end.
“Hey, Peaches.” Brooks walks over, ready to help me out of the chair, when Baka stands between us.
“Hmmm…” She hums as she studies over Brooks. “You having the sex with our Stefa, and you no come to say hi in the three days?” My face falls into my hand as Brooks looks like a deer caught in headlights.
“W-What?” He laughs nervously, looking at me for help.
“Baka! Brooks is trying to get me into the Jeep. Please let him help.”
“Ah yes, let him ‘help.’ He no buy the cow now, Stefa! You give too much the mlijeko! Now, he no visit!”
“Uh… Ma’am, I assure you, I’ll buy the cow.” Oh, sweet Brooks. Sweet, stupid, moronic Brooks. I know he thought he was helping, but he walked right into Baka’s trap. The old woman grins ear to ear.
“You hear Zora! Stefa marry the bear man! You all laugh at Baka. She crazy with the visions. Is this where the Americans would drop microphone?”
Someone, please take me away.
* * *
“Sorry,” Brooks winces when he hits a bump. I shake my head while hugging the pillow.
“It’s alright, hubby,” I smirk as he chokes on his own spit.
“Yeah, what the hell was that?” He asks, and I wave my hand dismissively.
“Baka is worried that I’ll be unwanted by men because I don’t have a uterus. And she insists you are the man in her vision for me. Plus, she likes your ass.” He laughs uncomfortably before pulling into his driveway.
