Page 7 of Fast Lane

I push away from the door jamb I was leaning against as I watched her put on a show. “Don’t stop on my behalf. I was actually rather enjoying it.”

She rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Of course you were but hate to break it to you, Roscoe, this is not Red Hot.”

Red Hot is a local club… it’s kind of hard to explain but some nights it’s a strip club. Even the waitresses wear next to nothing. “I would never put you and Red Hot in the same sentence, Kosi.”

“Sure you wouldn’t.” She grabs a roll of paper towels and bends down to start cleaning up the liquid that escaped the bottle she dropped.

Her words sting slightly. “Look I know you don’t like me but I’m not that big of an ass. I’d never place a girl like you in Red Hot. And when I made that comment that wasn’t what I was thinking either.”

Kosi looks up. Uncertainty covers her face. Her hazel eyes hold my own captive. “I never said I didn’t like you.”

My head falls back in laughter. “You don’t have to say that, Kosi. I can tell.”

She shakes her head and stands up. “Roscoe, you frustrate me. I never said I didn’t like you.”

“Isn't that the same thing?” I ask as I cross the room and head towards the closet tucked away in the corner. Grabbing the mop, I wait for her answer.

“No, it’s not at all the same thing.”

I walk back to her and begin to mop up the liquid on the floor. She looks at the mop then me. “Why do I frustrate you?”

Kosi shakes her head and the smell of cherry blossom fills the small space between us. It smells like heaven on her. “I don’t think we should go there.”

My smirk falls into place. “I think we should. Maybe I could fix the situation if I knew what I did wrong.”

She sighs. “That’s the thing, Roscoe, you don’t do anything wrong. It’s just the way you’re wired—your carefree and do what you want attitude. I’m the opposite and that’s all there is to it. It’s like oil and water with us.”

As I stand there, staring at her baby doll-like face and listening to her sweet voice, my head gets a little foggy. To be honest, it always has been around her, but I knew she was so far out of my league. I’ve never considered anything with her. She’ll forever be my friend's little sister. “It doesn’t have to be.”

Kosi rolls her eyes. “It does but it’s okay.” I watch as her cheeks flush and teeth sink into her pouty bottom lip. After a moment of both of us not moving, and just breathing in the air around us—that seems to have an odd tension between us—she asks, “So how was the class?”

With her words she takes some steps back and the trance of the moment is broken. “It was good. Wyatt and I are starving and I’m sure you’re hungry too. I was going to order some pizza and wings from Wings and Things. Any requests?” For a moment she looks uncomfortable and starts to shake her head. As she does I remember her money and job situation. “My treat, Kosi.”

“That’s not necessary, Roscoe.” The phone begins to ring and she makes her way back around the desk. I was only asking to be polite. Kosi loves deep dish pizza with black olives, onion, and green chilis. While she’s on the phone I take a look around the place. The office area looks ten times better. Kosi must have spent all day cleaning in here. After I finish mopping the floor and Kosi books a person for a beginner’s class, I grab my phone and place my order through the Wings and Things app. We finish up at the same time.

“You did a lot of cleaning in here today.”

Kosi shrugs. “It needed it. No offense, and I wasn’t super busy and I didn't see any sense in sitting around here doing nothing.”

“You get paid for nothing,” I counter.

She nods her head. “Maybe, but I didn’t bring my book with me so I wanted to feel like I did something useful.”

“Lunch should be here shortly.”

“Roscoe…”

I hold my hand up to stop her lecture. “It’s the least I can do. This is just a temporary job for you and you already did so much more than my actual receptionist, who by the way has yet to show up or call. You deserve lunch.”

“Whatever you say,” she says, and goes back to writing the appointment on the desk calendar. Her words from earlier about this area being the first impression comes back to mind. I walk over to the desk and smile down at her. She looks up and eyebrows pinch together. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Earlier, when you were talking about this area needing a pick-me-up…” my words trail off.

Kosi nods her head slowly. “Yeah?”

“Could you make a list of things you noticed that might help it? It’s just a bunch of guys around here and we aren’t known for noticing these types of things. Plus aren’t you some big wig marketing person?” I give her the best smile and eyebrow wag I can.

She laughs. “Marketing executive, and yes I was that person, but I haven’t been in the last few months.” For a moment, silence settles between us. “I’ll make a list though.”

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