Page 72 of That: Taylor & Brooks

“You ain’t gotta be here for this. It’s just business shit.”

She watched his face shift on screen. He didn’t want to talk, but she wasn’t letting up.

“Oh, so you can carry my weight, but I can’t carry yours? Nope. Try again.” Her expression shifted, those big eyes holding his without flinching. “And you know I got Jesus on the mainline. What’s going on?”

Silence stretched between them. His chest rose and fell his chest moved with the weight of something deeper than breath, but he didn’t argue.

“You crazy for that. But you don’t mind me venting to you?” He never wanted to be a burden to her, only a solution. But he was frustrated and liable to do something dumb if he didn’t calm down.

“Tell me what happened,” Taylor encouraged softly. She could see the tension in his forehead, the stress etched around his eyes. She didn’t like seeing him like this, and she was afraid of what that might meanfor whoever had him ready to burn the city down.

“The city’s trying to shut my bid down.” His voice came out clipped, bitter as unsweetened coffee. “Some backdoor bullshit. They wanna give my contracts to a company that don’t even know these streets or deserve the shit. White people shit, I swear.”

He exhaled harshly, dragging a hand down his face, feeling the day’s stubble rasp against his palm.

“I ain’t never asked nobody for shit, Tay. Never wanted to. Built everything I got brick by brick. And now, these motherfuckers just…” The words caught in his throat, anger making it hard to articulate the betrayal he felt.

“So, let’s fight them.”

He stilled. His eyes narrowed, searching hers through the screen, looking for the punchline.

“And how the fuck we supposed to do that? I got my lawyer on it, but no promises.”

“Together.”

The simplicity of her answer hit him like a physical blow. He should’ve known she’d check in. Their trip had changed things between them. Taylor was no longer just leaning on him. She was showing up for him, seeing him, reading his moods even through text messages.

Taylor was silent for a beat, her brow furrowing in thought. “Which company is it?”

“Premier.”

She clicked her tongue, recognition flashing in her eyes. “That raggedy-ass towing company with the F rating from the Better Business Bureau? I know the city lying with that one.”

Brooks huffed out a laugh, “Yeah, that one.”

“I know them,” she muttered, and he could see her mind working, connecting dots he couldn’t see. “The hospital uses them sometimes. And every time, it’s a damn disaster. We’ve had ambulances delayed because of them. Patients waiting for hours. Records of complaints thick enough to choke someone.”

Brooks straightened, the fog of rage beginning to clear as possibility dawned. “Say that again.”

“The hospital, Brooks. We have receipts. Complaints. Official documentation with timestamps, incident reports, everything. If they’re getting the city contract, that means they’ll be towing for first responders, which includes us. And that puts patients at risk. I don’t play that.”

Brooks’ mind was already working through the angles, the pieces falling into place. This wasn’t just about his contract anymore. This was about public safety, the kind of angle that even corrupt officials couldn’t easily dismiss if he made enough noise.

“Taylor.” His voice dropped low, urgent, the anger transforming into focused determination. “I never ask for anything, but you think you can get your hands on that paperwork?”

Taylor didn’t hesitate, her eyes flashing with the same fire he felt burning in his chest. “Brooks, please don’t insult me. Whatever you need, I got you. Give me an hour.”

For the first time since Jansen’s call, Brooks felt the stiffness ease. He’d spent so long handling everything alone, carrying the weight of his world on his shoulders. But the woman on his screen wasn’t asking him to calm down or let it go. She was rolling up her sleeves, ready to fight alongside him. That wasworth more than any contract.

“I appreciate you.”

“Yeah, now look at you just think if you hadn’t answered for me.”

“Ok you right, my bad.”

“It’s ok. Let me go handle this for you and I’ll be in touch,” she said ready to show up for him the way he had showed up for her.

“Bet.”

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