Page 42 of Rude Boss 2

“I’ll tell Greta, Mauve and Ian, but I ain’t saying nothing to Jake.”

“You know he likes you, right?”

“Ew. No way. Let me let you go. You need some rest if you think that. Bye, girl.”

“Bye, Zee.”

I lie on the sofa, flipping through different social media apps on my phone, trying to occupy myself with something. Anything. I’m legit bored and it’s only three o’clock in the afternoon. My mind drifts from how my mom came so close to being seriously injured to thoughts of Essex and another unforgettable kiss that I can still feel on my lips. I think about him constantly now. I can’t believe how he’s inched his way into my life – into my mind. He’s become a fixture in my life. What in the world am I supposed to do with a man like him? Just play it out? See where it goes? And while I’m waiting, am I to expect him to change? To become a better person than the tyrant people fear at work? Or has he already changed? The man who sat with me in the waiting room and held my hand was the same man who helped me paint this wall. He was a man of compassion, empathy and generosity.That’sthe man who has me impressed. But then there’s another side…

Ugh, snap out of it, Quin.

I get up and stretch. It’s hot today – like ninety-five degrees. I wouldn’t leave the house if I hadn’t already told my parents I would bring dinner. I have no idea what to do with myself in the meantime.

That’s when I think about Ella. I haven’t talked to her in a while – didn’t tell her anything about mom being in the hospital. She’s at work right now, but I know she’d answer if I called. Do I want to disturb her?

Yes. I do.

I miss my friend.

I dial her number. She answers, “Well, hello my long-lost friend.”

“Hey, Ella. What’s up?”

“Same ‘ol thing—just a different day,” she answers. I can hear her typing in the background. “What have you been up to? Are you all set up at the apartment?”

“Yeah, I think so. I found some plush yellow rugs for the bathroom, the living room is pretty much done, my bedroom could use a little work, but I’m not too worried about that. All I do in it is sleep.”

“How’s the job going?”

“It’s going…I didn’t work today. The boss gave me the rest of the week off.”

“Ah, the perks of being the object of the boss’s affection.”

“Hush. He barely knows I exist,” I say, to throw her off, but she knows about the first kiss Essex and I shared and she told me he liked me. Am I the object of his affection, though? That may be taking it too far.

She says, “Girl, a man who goes out of his way for youverymuch knows you exist.”

“Well, I’m not too worried about that. I’m just focusing on mom right now. They released her this morning. She’s supposed to be home resting.”

“I’m glad she’s okay, Quin.”

“Yeah, she’s a little bruised up, but she’ll be fine.”

“I know you were stressed.”

“Ella, I was so scared—I thought she’d broken something. Why are parents so hardheaded?”

She chuckles. “And they think they’re grown, too. My parents just closed on a vacation home in the Keys.”

“Wow! Nice.”

“Yeah, I’m happy for them. They deserve it. When I’m their age, I hope I’ll be able to afford a vacation home.”

“Girl, please. We live in Florida. Even an apartment is like a vacation.”

“Really, Quin.”

“Yeah. Really. Think about it. We live minutes away from several beaches, the weather is nice all year round—what more is there to want?”

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