“That’s nonsense.” I dismiss her warning with the wave of my hand and grab another wing, tearing off the breading with my teeth. This meal is heavenly. “Don’t be silly,” I add through my mouthful of food. “Let’s be optimistic, so our luck turns around.”
“I wish it was that easy.” She pokes at her half of the burger, lifts the bun, and wrinkles her nose. She sets it back on her plate, ultimately sliding the shared plate to rest directly in front of Bella.
“Is something wrong with your food?” I crunch through another wing.
“Nah, nothing’s wrong with it. I’m not a big beef person, especially when my stomach is nervous. I only ordered it because that’s what Bella wanted. The portions are big enough for us to share a meal here, and I didn’t want to pay for two meals. Not this week anyway. Not with my car breaking down and all.”
My brow furrows, as it doesn’t seem right that she’s not eating anything. I think back to when Bella said her mom was too poor to take her to childcare. I really didn’t pay much attention at the time, but I understand it’s got to be rough being a single mom in this economy. I wouldn’t want anyone to go hungry. I grab my bucket of wings and tilt it toward her. “Have some chicken.”
“It’s fine.” She gingerly swats the bucket away, but I notice her gaze lingering at the wings, betraying her true desire. “I’m not going to eat your food.”
“It’s not a big deal. We have like forty wings.” I offer her the bucket again. “You’re hungry, and your car isn’t here yet. You have time to eat a couple.”
She slowly shifts her focus to my bucket again. “If you insist. I’ll try one.”
I wait for her to take one and then set the bucket down, watching as she nibbles off the edge. Her eyelashes lower, as if she’s savoring each bit, and she sweetly hums, “These are good. Nice and crunchy.”
“I told you that you’d like them.” I can’t resist a bigger smile, and I reach into the bucket again. “Take as many as you want.” I’m grateful we stopped bickering, and since she’s going to help me with my conference, I’m going to try to keep her happy. If food is what does the trick, then she can have it all.
“That’s your food.” She covers her mouth as she speaks and shakes her head.
I can eat anything—my stomach is a tank—and I hate to see her not eat until she’s full. Before she has a moment to argue, I reach across the table, grab her half of the burger, and swap it for my bucket of wings. “Fair trade,” I assert. “You take my chicken, and I’ll eat the half of the burger that was going to go to waste.”
“No, that’s not fair.” She tries to reach across the table, but I’m slick. I pick up her burger, lick the top of the bun, then flash a mischievous smile at her. “And my germs are all over this now, so you can’t take it back.”
“You really didn’t have to swap food with me.” Traces of humor inflections flicker in the middle of her eyes, and my ego inflates now that I’ve cheered her up.
“No, I did not, but it’s the least I could do after I ruined your test.” I take a bite of the burger and chew for a minute before I add, “Plus, you called a truce. So, we are friends now.”
Her face stills as her gaze settles on mine. For the first time since we met each other, she allows herself time to hold my direct gaze. In an odd way, it’s like I’m finally really meeting her. Meeting her without distractions and errands. Just her.
I can tell she has stopped resisting when she retrieves the biggest chicken wing and moves it next to her lips. Before she bites, she says, “Thank you, Jackson.”
“Well, you might not be thanking me after you babysit Rigsby,” I mutter under my breath. “He had a surprise ferret this morning.”
A soft chuckle bleeps out of her lips, and she flashes me a pleading smile. “Well, at least I’ll have a full belly to deal with the rest of this crazy day.”
“So true.” I take another bite of the burger and check on Rigsby. He and Bella are still playing tablet games together, exactly like they weren’t supposed to once the food came, but they are both smiling and happy. I'm starting to understand whyparents love these tablets. It’s a moment of respite from the chaos.
I’m not taking that tablet from them.
I glance back at Kaci, who’s already moved on to another chicken wing, completely lost in her enjoyment of the food.
Apparently, she needs a break from the chaos too.
Her phone dings as she finishes a third chicken wing. She reads a text and immediately opens her purse, pulling out her wallet to count dollar bills. “My car is in front. If I don’t want to be late for my class, I really should leave now.” She thumbs through a stack of one-dollar bills and sets them in the center of the table. “This is for our portion of the bill.”
I gesture toward her money. “I’ve got it covered. You barely ate anything.”
“Let me pay for my share since we intruded on your lunch. But if you are sure you don’t mind watching Bella, I’ll gladly take the free babysitting.”
“I don’t mind, and I’m not arguing with reciprocal free babysitting." Knowing Kaci will be watching Rigsby during my press conference takes a huge load off my shoulders.
“Thank you,” she says with sincerity in her voice. “You’re really saving my life here.”
“Same.” I nod and add, “Trust me, the pleasure is all mine.”
She stands and takes a deep breath as she faces Bella. I take a moment to nonchalantly lean over, and in a clandestine move, tuck her money into her purse. It’s easy to do since the zipper is broken. I get a gentle whiff of her scent—subtle and sophisticated—exactly how you think it would be for a woman as strong and beautiful as her.
