Page 54 of Messy Strokes (Wrecked Roommates)

“Penny?” he questions, his white, furry brow quirked.

“Yeah.”

“And who’s Penny?” Jos prods, not missing a beat.

“She’s, uh,” Milo hesitates, tasting the words as if they’re a foreign street food in China. “She’s my kid.”

“You have a kid?”

Clearing his throat, Milo shifts his weight from one foot to the other and presents Penny with a little more enthusiasm. “Yeah, man. She’s mine.”

Jos bends closer and drags his finger against a sleeping Penny’s cheek. With a smile, he stands back up, his tattooed hand slapping against Milo’s shoulder. “Congrats, man. This is amazing.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he returns. “I’m happy for ya.”

Milo’s smile turns sheepish. “Thanks.”

“And who are you, sweetheart?” Jos asks, turning to me. “You the friend from the car? Or the baby mama?” He cocks his head to one side. “Or both?”

My eyes almost bug out of my head before I cover up my surprise and offer him my hand. “Hi. I’m…” I lick my lips, surprised by the way my heart rate spikes at a simple introduction. “I’m M-Madelyn,” I finish, stuttering on my own stupid name.

Milo glances over his shoulder at me as soon as my name slips past my lips. But he doesn’t smile. He simply looks at me as if we’re meeting for the first time all over again. With an intensity reminding me of the first night we met. Like he’s peeling away another protective layer I’d wrapped around myself after we fell apart the first time, leaving me itching to put it back in place.

Unfortunately, I still haven’t figured out how.

Shaking off the feeling, I tear my gaze from Milo and look back at his boss.

Jos and I have never met. Milo always liked to keep his work life clearly separated from his…extracurricular activities. Since I fell into the box with that particular label, Jos and I never ran into each other. Until today.

“I’m Jos,” he returns, shaking my hand. “Nice to meet ya. I was kidding about the job when we were talking on the phone, but wearehiring if you’re interested.”

“Oh. Thank you for the offer, but Milo works here, so…”

“So, you’re against working with Milo?”

“Well, being his baby mama and all…”

He laughs. “Could be entertaining, though. Don’t ya think?”

My gaze shoots to Milo. “It’d be something.”

“You sticking around until we’re finished with the interview?” Jos prods.

I nod.

“Good. I think I’ll wanna have a little chat with you after.”

“Oh?”

“Mm-hmm,” he hums, his wrinkled brow quirking with interest as he leans closer to me and drops his voice low. “Ya see, Milo likes to keep his personal life away from the shop. But you, pretty lady, must be holding his interest.”

“Hardly,” I grumble.

“Oh?”

“Like I said,” I return, my voice syrupy sweet, “I’m just the baby mama.”

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