Page 37 of One Good Reason

“She is,” Gema answered for me.

Tittering Law stood there smirking at Gema. His ass was eating this shit up. I mean enjoying it a little too much for my liking. “I thought we were on a strict schedule?”

“We are.”

“She trying to get you up out of here ‘fo I say something.”

“No. I’m trying to go,” I lied. Gema was right. There was no telling what was getting ready to come out of that mouth of hers with the way she was sitting there staring at him. The man was handsome, I would give him that. His looks were dreamy. The fact that my granny was seconds from drooling over him had me ready to push his ass out of the house.

“Where are your bags?” he finally asked. I pointed to side of the couch where my bags sat.

Slinging my purse across my body, I turned to Gema. “Remember what I said. Call if you need me.”

“I will Tali. Now, Mr. Harvey,” she called, garnering Law’s attention, “You be careful with my baby.”

“You got my word, Gema. She’s in the best care possible.”

“That’s all I ask. Tali, have fun. I love you.”

“I love you more, Gema. Mrs. Jessie, the number to the hotel is on that notepad in the kitchen. So is Law’s number just in case I don’t answer. If she wants to go anywhere or do anything, use that card. The cash is for you.”

“I got her Talitha. We will be okay,” Mrs. Jessie reassured.

After saying a final goodbye, I meandered out of the house with Law trailing behind me. When we made it to the truck, Baker was at the trunk waiting to put my bags in the back.

“Your grandmother is funny,” Law spoke the minute we pulled away from my house.

“Too funny if you ask me. I can’t believe she was flirting with you.”

“She wasn’t,” he denied.

“Thatwas definitely her flirting. I haven’t seen her look at a man like that since my grandfather.”

“Well in that case, I’m flattered,” he chortled.

“You would be.”

“I got a feeling I better be nice to you or Gema gon’ hand me my ass.”

“Oh yeah. Bertha don’t play ‘bout me.”

“Good thing I don’t plan on playing about you either.”

Lowering my eyes to the ground, a lopsided grin formed on my face.Is this man flirting?Clearing my throat, I looked up at Law. “What you mean by that?”

“I guess you’ll find out one day.” He shrugged.

“I don’t play guessing games, Lawton.”

“Then don’t ask for answers that you’re not ready to receive.”

“You’re an ass.”

“So, I’ve been told.”

Slouching down in my seat, I focused my attention on the window. This was gearing up to be long weekend. This had been the second or maybe third time Law had alluded to something that I wasn’t able to decipher. I wanted to call it flirting but I didn’t want to jump the gun. I hoped he wasn’t flirting; I wouldn’t know how to receive that shit.

Law was fine and extremely easy on the eyes, but I wasn’t crossing that line. I wouldn’t be the next notch on his belt. I loved my job at the youth center entirely too much to cross a line. Hell, if what he had going on was enough for his ex to quit after they split, I wanted no fucking parts of that.

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