“Zyro down there making you…coffee?” One of her brows rose. “That coffee machine just sits there untouched until you came over.”
I didn’t respond immediately. I was fighting the little smile creeping onto my face.
Of course, Mahlia didn’t miss it, even when I attempted to turn my head.
“Mm-hmm. My cousin has you blushing soooo bad,” she whispered. “If he weren’t my cousin, I would have asked for the details because I knowsomething happenedlast night. Get up and let me see you walk. I can tell if you’re walking crooked or not.” She lifted a finger and twirled it around, telling me to get up and walk.
“Mahliaaaa,” I groaned out through a damn laugh that I couldn’t help. “It didn’t go that far,” I admitted. It was weird even talking to her about this because they were so close.
“How far...” She stopped talking, and her eyes grew three times their size. “He…” She made a V with her fingers and flicked her tongue through it.
“Bitch,” I squealed, falling over laughing. “I am not doing this with you. I’m not. I’m just not.” My face and body were on fire. I was so embarrassed, and this was Mahlia, my best fucking friend. My sister.
I stood. “I need to go get Ermias ready, and then we can go so we both won’t be late for work.” I tickled her side and walked out of the room with my bag.
“Oh bitch, don’t you forget about this damn bear.”
I snorted through a laugh when Mahlia ran to get it from the bed that I had fixed.
The scent of coffee filled my nose when I walked further down the hall. Ermias wasn’t in the room he had slept in, so Mahlia and I descended the black marble staircase.
I dropped the bag in the living room, then went searching for my son. I heard voices coming from the kitchen and started in that direction. Mahlia was no longer behind me.
A shirtless Zyro stood in front of his toaster, spreading jelly on toast. His head popped up upon seeing me.
“Good morning,” he spoke first.
“Morning,” I said back. I forced my eye to stay on his face, but it was really difficult with his chest and tattoos covering him on display. And then…and then there were those lips that were on my me not even twenty-four hours ago.
He lifted his chin a little, quirked a brow with a grin like he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Coffee’s fresh. Cups in the counter. Creamer in the fridge.”
“Mahlia said you never use your Keurig,” I said, jutting my head toward the machine. “You got up this morning and got me coffee and creamer?”
A tilted grin spread on his lips. “I did,” he answered. Zyro’s eyes roamed down my body and landed on my middle. As if he forgot Ermias was in the room with us, he cleared his throat and shook whatever images he had in his head away. “Homeboy wanted toast.”
“His favorite breakfast.” I moved past him toward the counter, picked a mug up that had his business logo on it, and began pouring my coffee. “Are you sure it’s okay to have Ermias at the shop with you. He just needs to be watched…”
“It’s fine.”
“But you probably need to catch up…”
“Eriss…I got this, baby,” he said with so much certainty.
“Ouuu Mama, big dawg called you baby,” Ermias teased, pointing with jelly and butter on his cheek.
“You get around Zyro and become so messy,” I laughed. “Eat so…”
“I got this. Brush his teeth. Change clothes. I got this.”
Mahlia appeared. “Chiiiile, my cousin ain’t playing no games.” She chortled. “He got this. Let’s go, bookie, and don’t forget that bear. You might want to sit in the car and sniff it on lunch break.”
I rolled my eyes. They were all ganging up on me.
Zyro swaggered over and removed the mug from my hand. He grabbed a tumbler from inside the cabinet, rinsed it out, and poured my coffee in it. He found the lid, rinsed it as well, and placed it on there before handing it to me.
“Y’all have a good day,” he growled out, looking directly at me.
“Well, it’s obvious you weren’t really talking about me, but you too, cousin!” Mahlia hollered out. “Be good, neph!”
