Page 52 of Fever: Love In Scrubs
“How am I your favorite so soon, sir?”
He cupped my face and peered into my eyes. “Because you are. I really like you, Wynter. I enjoy spending time with you and getting to know you. I’m too old for games, baby. My player days are far behind me. If you learn nothing else about me, you’ll learn that I’m very intentional in the way I move with people I care about. And yes, I care…” He pecked my lips. “About.” Another peck. “You.”
I was over here grinning like a damn Cheshire Cat. This man had the ability to make me feel things I’d never felt before. I couldn’t help but to like him more and more, every time we interacted.
“Say you’ll come?”
I nodded as his pager went off. “Okay.”
“Good.” He checked the pager and placed it back in his pocket. “I gotta go, but I’m gonna call you when I get off.”
Leaning in, he kissed me once more before opening the door to leave. Ms. Levi gave him a side eye as he passed her approaching the door. He offered her a smile and kept it pushing.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to him, but keep it up,” she said with a soft smile. “You wouldn’t believe how many women here have tried to get close to that man but he’s always turned them down. He’s a good one. You hold on to those.”
“I’m learning that,” I said, looking around the room again.
“What do you think?”
“I think I can make it as festive as the rest of the wing.”
“Good. I can’t wait to see what you do with the place. We are so lucky to have you. Your references spoke so highly of you. They even pulled together some video footage from a few of your clients and they had nothing but good things to say about you.”
My hand flew to my chest. “Really?”
“Yes. You changed quite a few lives. Knowing how hard you went for your clients made this a no brainer. The interview was just a formality. The job was always yours.”
I blushed. “Thank you, Ms. Levi. I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
“I know you’ll make us proud. Now, if you’ll follow me, we can go over your paperwork and salary.”
I took one last look around the office before following her out with a smile on my face. Maybe Silver Run would become home after all.
“Don’t get in here and get beside yourself,” I jested to Jamari.
She rolled her eyes. “I know the drill, Daddy. No long nails, no over the top designs. Yada, yada, yada. You’ve only told me this every time we come here.”
I grinned. “Glad you know.”
We got out of the car and headed inside. After telling the receptionist what we wanted, she directed us to a pedicure chair. We got comfortable and I rolled up my sweats, so they didn’t get wet. Jamari picked out her colors while I relaxed with my feet in the water.
“Daddy, can I get this?” she asked, shoving her phone in my face.
I peered over at the picture. It was a simple French manicure with a couple rhinestone designs.
“That’s fine.”
“Can my nails and toes match?”
“Sure, Jamari.”
She beamed with excitement as she showed the picture to her nail tech. I chuckled to myself as I relaxed into my seat again. I noticed the smiles and stares from a few women across from us. It never failed. Every time I took my daughter out, I got the flirtatious glares or compliments from women about how they loved seeing a strong black father.
It was flattering, until it wasn’t at times.
Jamari talked my head off about school and everything under the sun as our feet soaked. It was good to see her in better spirits. Since she’d gotten that message from her mother, she’d been a little down. She felt bad about telling me what happened and I had to reassure her that she did the right thing.
Since then, Amandela hadn’t called or texted her. It had been two weeks, and she didn’t fight to see her or contact her. It was like she put on a show for me in that apartment, but according to social media, she was out living her best life, kid free. She’d been in the club and posting pictures with the Kevin nigga like nothing happened. When Jamari showed them to me, she broke into tears, feeling like her mother was happy to be rid of her.
