That’s all I get out before losing my lunch on Luke’s shoes.
Chapter 4
Luke
“Drink this.” I hand her a bottle of Sprite I bought from a vending machine back by the entrance. “Also nabbed you some soda crackers from the snack bar.”
“Thank you.” Her hand shakes a little as she accepts my meager offering. We’re in the cab of my truck with the rain lightly pelting my cracked windshield. “Nabbed as in stole?”
“Yes, Hazel.” For fuck’s sake. “I held the clerk at gunpoint and demanded saltines.”
“Sorry.”
Sighing, I hold out the small vinyl trash can I keep in my truck. She hesitates, then primly deposits the napkin she just used to wipe her mouth.
“Keep it.” I place the trash can on her lap. “In case you puke again.”
“Thank you.”
“And don’t worry. I bought the soda and the crackers with my own funds. Just six easy payments and you’ll own them outright.”
“I’m sorry, okay? Really, really sorry.” She sounds so pitiful I let up on her.
“It’s fine. Drink your soda. It’ll settle your stomach.”
I expect her to argue, but she doesn’t. Just lifts the green plastic container to her lips, sipping it slowly and swallowing. As she lowers the bottle, she winces. “I really didn’t mean that as a jab at your finances. I know you’re paid fairly. And you’re one of the few Spencer Development employees utilizing our charitable donation matching program.”
Of course she looked into my payroll. But she sounds impressed, so I decide not to make a big deal of it. “I’ve done the maximum pre-tax donation each month I’ve worked there.”
“I know,” she replies. “You donate to Kayley’s Foundation. They mentor teens headed down a bad path.”
“Kayley was the girl killed in the road racing incident.”
I can’t tell if she remembers I told her this back in the boardroom. She looks out the window, eyes glued to the spot where she just lost her lunch. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“About puking?” I hand her another packet of saltines. “Pregnant ladies puke. It happens.”
“I meant how I blathered on about sandcastles and charitable donations when everyone else was having a conversation about sperm.” With a grimace, she sips some more soda. “How did I miss that?”
“Beats me.”
“I don’t think my brain is firing on all cylinders.”
“Give yourself a break, Haze. They seemed charmed.”
“They seemed disgusted.” She rips into a packet of crackers. “Thanks for the diversion, though.”
“Diversion?”
“Your cover-up. That crazy story about donating sperm? I think they bought it.”
“Uh… They bought it because it’s the truth.”
Hazel blinks up at me. “What?”
“I mean, yeah.” Is this a problem? “Wasn’t easy landing a regular job right out of prison. Even with the sentence reduction, there’s still a felony on my record, so I had to get creative.”
“Sperm banks accept donations from felons?”
