Page 17 of Calculated Kisses with a Scorpio
She hummed and switched the topic to our trip to the Botanic Gardens.
I thought she’d be all talked out, but no, there were still things left for her to inform me about. As I listened, I reclined in my office chair with a smile on my face. I hoped everything worked out because Finley had been my missing piece. There was no doubt in my mind that had we met sooner, we’d be married and working on baby number three by now. I was that confident in the connection between us.
I called her name to get her attention.
“Hmm?”
“My pops wants you and the family to join us for Sunday dinner after church. Do you think everyone will be available?”
“They should be, and if not, they’ll make themselves available. My family is a nosy bunch.”
I laughed because it was the same for mine. Karter and Kashia could have trips scheduled out of the country for Sunday, but they’d do everything in their power to be seated around the dining room table. It would be a fascinating night for sure.
Sunday
Service was over, and I’d gotten my weekly dose of soul restoration.
As always, I sat with my family, but there were a few times my eyes scanned the congregation for Finley. I thought I managed to be discreet, but my mother pinched me, and I knew I had been caught. She cut her eyes at me, and all I could do was smile.
Now that service was over, though, I needed to find Finley before she could slip out.
“I’ll meet y’all at the house. I need to go find Finley.”
“Sucker,” Karter said before I heard a smack.
“Watch your language. You know better.”
I laughed as I walked away.
Karter swore he was our mom’s favorite, so her chastising him probably had his ass all sad and ready to go cry in the car. I found her hovering near Pastor King as her family talked to him and First Lady Joy. I always felt like their names were made up but kept the comment to myself so my mama wouldn’t send me on an eternal vacation. As if she could feel me coming closer, Finley looked up and smiled.
My chest swelled at her reaction of me.
“Hey.” She looked up at me, her eyes scanning my face.
“Good morning, beautiful.” I couldn’t help myself as I kissed her temple. “You mind riding with me to my parents’ house?I have a feeling my mama and sister are going to hog your attention, so I’m trying to get in where I fit in.”
She giggled and nodded. “I can do that.”
I told her I’d go get the car and spoke to everyone before leaving.
As I moved through the vestibule, I felt eyes on me. When I looked up, I caught Camille’s eyes. She looked like she wanted to say something, but I never gave her the chance. I kept it pushing out of the church. In my mind, we had nothing to discuss. She’d played a stupid game and lost her good paying job behind it. Knowing that she intentionally targeted Finley disgusted me.
Not only that, but she also hadn’t been smart enough to put the bracelet up before calling the police.
“Kairo! Don’t you think we need to talk? You let me go without warning; that can’t be right.” She huffed as she got closer. “I don’t want to take legal action, but you can’t just fire me.”
I spun on my heels and looked at her.
“Actually, I can. Diamonds & Moore is an at-will company. You made us liable for a lawsuit, so you have no place as a store manager. Speaking of legality, my attorneys have the footage of what happened, so call whatever lawyer you need to. You’ll lose even more money, but I don’t mind doing this dance with you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”
“Kairo . . .”
I turned and kept walking to my car.
Camille threatening to sue me was comical. It was as if her brain refused to understand that she had been caught red-handed. I wasn’t sure what she wanted, but working for me again would never happen.
I climbed in my car, started it, and drove to the front just as Finley and her family exited the church.
