I nodded slowly, stroking my goatee. “I see. Well, you’re the new sheriff on the block. I’m open to see your way of doing things.”
“I’m not the new sheriff. We’re a team. Team EJ,” she said proudly with her fist out.
“Team EJ don’t do no corny ass fists bumping.” I held out my open hand, and she giggled, placing hers in mine. “We shake on it.” Her hand was so soft, I almost didn’t want to let it go. I thought she knew it too because she didn’t pull away immediately after the shake.
“You mind if I cook something for dinner?” She glanced toward the stove. “I can whip him up a quick snack for when he wakes up too.”
I raised a brow. “You sure? I didn’t expect to have you in the kitchen on your first day. But if you insist, do ya thang.”
“I don’t mind at all. I love to cook. What’s his favorite meal?”
“Oatmeal. But he don’t fuck wit’ nobody oatmeal but my mama’s. I won’t even tell you what he did to me when I tried to make him some.”
She stood from the island. “I’m up for the challenge. Any dinner requests? I mean, you gotta eat too, so you can give me something you both like for that.”
“Steak bites, mashed potatoes, and spinach.”
“Dang, you must’ve been thinkin’ bout that since last night,” she joked.
“I have.”
“Okay. Give me a tour of your cabinets and fridge, and I’m on it.”
It was a good thing that we were fully stocked with everything she needed because she was able to get started right away. I sat back, watching her wash her hands before moving about the kitchen like the house was her second home. She was polite, asking before she took out a pot or reached for something we hadn’t already set out.
We talked while she cooked, getting to know each other. The conversation flowed effortlessly. It wasn’t forced with meaningless words just to fill the silence. Thyri told me about her son being a star player on his high school basketball team with the potential of being in the league someday. I could tell she was proud of him.
“You have vanilla extract?” she asked while stirring the oatmeal on the stove.
“Cabinet on your right. What’s your backup plan if he don’t like it?” I questioned, as she mixed in a few drops of the vanilla extract.
She turned slightly with a smirk. “You hating already on my first full day?”
“Hey,” I said with my hands up. “I’m just saying EJ will spit that shit out if he not fucking wit’ it. He did it to me, and I ain’t looked at oatmeal the same since.” I shook my head, thinking back to the surgical clean up I had to do.
Laughing, she turned the stove off. “I don’t need a backup plan, Enzo. I got this. Trust me.”
Her laughter did something to the room. The only way I could explain it was the feeling of a void being filled, oddly enough. Hearing my phone ring from the living room, I got up toanswer it. Seeing Aura’s name on the caller ID, I took the call in my room.
“What’s good?”I spoke, closing the door behind me.
“Work,” he replied. “You busy?”
“How long is the job?”
“Are you busy?”he repeated.
“Does it matter? You called for a reason. How long is the job?”
“A few hours. Meet at the diner in an hour to go over details.”
“Copy.”
Ending the call, I grabbed my personal phone to call my mother. I knew she was gon’ get on my ass about the last minute call, but I needed her.
“Daddy,” I heard EJ call out to me.
“Here I come, E.”
