The sound of the sweet woman’s name brought a smile to Mandisa’s lips. “Sounds like Mama Indy is great with taking in strays. My mom was like that too. All the neighborhood kids came to her formothering.”
Mandisa had been an only child by birth, but the truth was she’d shared her mother with every kid in Brownsville who needed a positive mother figure in their lives. It had been frustrating at times, but the truth was, when she’d lost her mother, those same kids came back to help her grieve such a terrible loss. Kandi was proof that you didn’t need blood to be siblings, to befamily.
Mandisa glanced slightly out of her peripheral vision during the exceptionally long pause that followed Aaron’s last response. He wasn’t a man of many words, and that made Mandisa nervous. Did she fear Aaron? No. But the silence made her wonder just what was going through the stoic Native American man’s head as they made their way along theroad.
“Why are youhere?”
The direct, yet strange question pulled her out of her musings and forced her to turn her head in his direction. She was still trying to gauge if he was being a smart-ass or if she should take Aaron’s query seriously when he repeated the questionagain.
“Why are you here, Mandisa? Is it for Slade, or thedeal?”
She crossed her arms and leaned her head against the headrest, gauging how much of her inner Brooklyn to unleash before she opened her mouth. Depending on the severity of the situation, Mandisa could get Brooklyn loud and crazy in the blink of aneye.
“Is this the part where you tell me to leave your friend alone and never return to these partsagain?”
Aaron shook his head, his long curtain of midnight hair flowing in waves with each movement. “I have no power over whether you go or stay. I’m just trying to gauge your reasons for coming toHavenheart.”
She nodded, slightly impressed by Aaron’s candor. “Thetruth?”
She waited a bit while she gathered her thoughts. She was certain this was some kind of test—she just couldn’t tell which way she was supposed to answer his question. His face was impassive, giving nothing away to help lead her in the rightdirection.
Mandisa looked out the passenger window once more, watching the blanket of vegetation gradually pass by as they made their way into the city limits. She continued staring at the landscape, wondering why this simple question seemed so difficult for her toanswer.
Of course she was here for the deal. She’d be crazy not to try to win this bet with Slade. But there was more to it. The disappointment that filled her when she believed Slade had wanted only business dealings between them was proof of that. The zing of electricity she experienced any time he touched her also served as proof that this was more than just a business wager. Slade was more than just a business associate. She returned her gaze to Aaron and could see him give her a cursory glance from hisprofile.
Tired of trying to figure out the right thing to say, she simply spoke from the heart. “Both,” she answered. “I’m here for both Slade and thedeal.”
She could see the slight lift of the corner of Aaron’s mouth turning into a smirk as he processed her answer. The tiny gesture coaxed a matching smile onto her own lips as she accepted the truth of her statement. Yes, the money was a nice draw. Nevertheless, there was something about Slade that sweetened the deal evenmore.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Aaron’s voice boomed inside the vehicle. “An honest woman, and from New York City, noless.”
She should have told him to kiss her ass, but his smile and brazen reaction to her answer made her giggle. She curtailed her laughter long enough to look over at himagain.
“So I take it I passed whatever little test you were throwing atme?”
“Not so much as a test. More of a gauge. If you can admit to me that the money is just as interesting as the man, then I know you’re being honest. I know you’re considering him. That’s all that matters tome.”
She nodded in acceptance of his estimation. Aaron had no worries. Consideration of Slade was all she seemed to be able to do since she’d met him. Her mind, her focus should have been completely on business. Still, Slade was the only item on her brain’s agenda since she’d laid eyes on him in that lounge back inBrooklyn.
She smiled to herself as she thought of the people Slade surrounded himself with. First Mama Indy and now Aaron. Each of them so obviously dedicated to Slade it made a welcomed warmth spread throughher.
Mandisa gave another brief glance to the man seated next to her in the SUV. He’d pulled no punches, made it plain what the purpose of his question was. Truthfully, she couldn’t be upset about that. How could she? She knew there was a woman in Brooklyn who had and would do the same for her to anyone who appeared to be easing his way inside Mandisa’s circle. Sharing traits with her best friend, Kandi, was a definite way to earn Mandisa’s respect. If she wasn’t certain of it before, Mandisa knew it now—Aaron was someone she’d get along finewith.
* * *
Slade sat at the kitchen table reading his tablet and sipping on a cold glass of homemade sweet tea. He was about to scroll to the next page when the sound of Mama Indy’s voice halted hismotion.
“Was that your daddy’s car I saw out in the yardearlier?”
“Yes,ma’am.”
He took another sip and set the glass quietly down on a coaster. Many years of living with Indira Price had taught him to appreciate when someone else does the cleaning for you by keeping things tidy. This included picking up after yourself and keeping water rings from cold drinks off hertable.
“What did hewant?”
Slade didn’t look up from his tablet. He simply shook his head and answered, “He didn’t want anything,Mama.”
Slade heard the running water at the sink suddenly stop. Soon Mama Indy was sitting across from him at the small kitchen table. “Slade? How long you and me been doing thisdance?”
