Page 74 of Strictly Business : A Lesbian Romance

sounded more relieved than pissed. It was clear that the stress of trying to

handle everything was pressing down on her quite heavily.

Christina waited. She was sure Taylor was going to give her some

instruction, because at the end of the day she cared more about her business

than whatever dislike she had for someone, but a noise like a spaceship

went off out of nowhere.

Christina jumped, but Taylor just reached into her pocket and pulled out

her phone. She answered, cutting off the sharp zapping sound. Taylor’s

back was to Christina and she made sure that her eyes remained on the

acres of messy, sandy hair that the sun turned to gold, and not on Taylor’s

back, bottom, or legs.

“Amber. Hi.” Taylor’s cheerful voice soon faded into concern. “No. I

didn’t know. I’m sorry. No, I never would have sent her this morning. Geez.

I’m just at work, which is pretty far from the school, but I can leave now

and come get her. Yes. Thanks for calling. I’ll be there in around forty-five

minutes. Thanks again. Bye.”

Taylor spun, sending gravel flying underneath her heels. She studied

Christina so intently that Christina nearly blurted something,

just to dispel

the strange cloud of silence. “You ever had the chicken pox?” she asked.

“Um. Yeah. When I was a kid.”

Taylor nodded. “Good. That just makes a butt ton of people out there

that I have to ask then.”

“Uh— why?”

“Well, turns out that my daughter has it and she can’t go to school for

seven days. I can’t afford a babysitter for all those hours, so I’m going to

have to bring her here. I’ll have to talk to the crew out there. Anyone who

hasn’t had it is going to have to go home if she’s here.”

“Wait— what— you—” Christina realized she was stammering. That

was something she never did. She just couldn’t believe she’d heard Taylor

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