Page 35 of Rude Boss 2

“Just say yes or no.”

After a long pause, I say, “Yes.”

She tries to hide a smile but fails at it.

“What about me?”

I send a smile her way and say, “Eat, please.”

“Ugh, you get on my nerves.”

“I’m sure I do.”

I start on my lunch. A few bites in, I say, “I’m glad your mother is okay.”

“Me, too. I was really worried. And she’s lucky, too. She has a bruise over her right eye. The nurse bandaged it. She didn’t need stitches, though.” She takes another bite of the sandwich then says, “And she lying up in the hospital bed talking about she can’t wait to get home and put that picture up. I told her I better not see her near a ladder. She gon’ mess around and get her butt whipped.”

I smirk. “You didn’t tell her that.”

“Yes, I did. She ain’t grown.”

“Actually, sheisgrown.”

“I’m talking in the sense that she thinks it’s okay to get up on a ladder. I should go over there and throw every ladder they have in the trunk of my car.”

Tickled, I say, “You can’t fit no ladders in that lil’ car you drive.”

She laughs. “I’ll make it fit somehow, even if I have to roll down the back windows and thread it through.”

I shake my head at the visual.

She releases a long sigh and says, “It’s been a long day and it’s only one-something.”

“I know, but it’s better now that you know your mom is okay.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” I stand up and say, “Let me go grab some drinks. Be right back.”

I check the drink selection and come back with two bottles of tea, placing one next to her carryout container.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She holds eye contact with me, smiles and shies away.

“What?” I ask, because I know there’s something.

She says, “I just—I was just sitting here feeling appreciative that you’re here for me. Thank you for doing this.”

I watch her sip tea. I love watching her because I can’t do it all the time since she’s not with me twenty-four-seven.

I say, “I must admit, when Greta first told me you were out due to a family emergency, I thought that was your test for me. You said you would interrupt my day. I just knew that’s what you were doing.”

“Oh my goodness…I didn’t even think about that.”

“I know.”

“I guess, in a way, I did interrupt your day, huh?”

---