Adora: Nothing. I cooked and brought enough for you. I’m not going to let you buy me lunch every day. It’s been two weeks already and I’m coming to you today. My lunch is at noon.
Me: The drive is going to cut into your hour. I’m coming to you.
Adora: Too late. I’m already otw. See you in fifteen.
It’s beentwo weeks since our night together at the hotel and things with Adora and me are straight as hell. When I’m not dealing with construction at the new location, I have lunch with her at her job. They have a small break room in the clinic, but most days, we just chill in my ride or hers, eat, and talk. Real ass conversations about my life and hers.
When I think she should be pulling up, I walk out of my office to meet her. Trista and I make eye contact and she nods toward the half-empty vending machine. It’s time to refill.
“Place an order,” I tell her before I walk out front.
Terrance is spot checking a completed detail. Once he’s done, he marks the ticket on the window then blows the horn of the SUV. Peewee, a dryer and runner, jogs over to the SUV, grabs the ticket, then goes inside to get the customer. I step over to Terrance.
“I have a full detail about to pull up and I need you to handle it for me,” I tell him.
“I got you. What’s the ride? SUV or car?”
“Impala,” I say, then see Adora pulling in. We make eye contact and I wave her over. “This one.” I step toward Adora’s car and open her door. She gets out, looking sexy as hell in her scrubs and holding a large lunch kit. After grabbing the bag, I pull her in for a hug and she softly kisses my lips. “He’s going to clean your car while we eat,” I tell her.
“Do I need to take the booster seat out?” she asks.
“Nah. He’ll take care of it.”
“Well, here you go,” she says as she hands her keys to Terrance.
“What scent would you like?” he asks and her eyebrows raise.
“For when he’s done. Our dryers dispense scented refreshers,” I explain.
“Anything sweet and fruity then. You can pick.”
“I gotcha,” he says.
I lead Adora into the building and Terrance drives her car to the detailing bay. When we walk into the lobby, Trista smirks at me then clears her throat, begging for a damn introduction. I ignore her and she hops off the stool and rushes from behind the desk.
“Since he’s being rude, I’ll just introduce myself. Hey. I’m Trista,” she says to Adora while cutting her eyes at me.
“Adora. Nice to meet you. I love your braids. Where did you go?”
“On my living room floor,” Trista says with a laugh. “My little sister braids and she does my hair.”
“Does she braid other people?”
“Girl, she will braid whoever,” Trista replies. “She’s in high school and does it for extra cash.”
“I need my daughters’ hair braided. I can’t braid at all.”
“She can definitely do it. Are you on Skroll?”
“Yeah,” Adora says, then pulls her cell from the pocket of her scrubs. “What’s her user name?”
“Braidsbyjae, spelled J-A-E, all one word.” After scrolling her phone, Adora shows it to Trista. “That’s her.”
“Thanks. You just saved me.”
“No problem. If she doesn’t respond, just let me know. Looks like you might be around.” She smirks then nods toward my hand on the small of Adora’s back.
“I’m at lunch,” I tell Trista.
