Page 18 of Hired By My Rich Baby Daddy 2

I shrugged.

“Really? That’s what we doing?” She started laughing. “I ain’t think you were the clueless type.”

I smirked, looking down at her, and I ain’t gon’ front, I was taking her all the way in. She looked good. Real good. Better than I remembered, and I remembered pretty well.

“You look good,” I said.

“I know that Princeton.”

“So no thank you?”

“Thank you, PBJ.” She paused. “Actually, maybe I shouldn’t call you that. Because that was the name I gave a man I was interested in, who I thought was interested in me, who ran off and never called. And look, now here we are. A year and some change later.”

“My bad about that. Some real shit happened that night. I went through it with my baby mama’s baby daddy.” My jaw clenched just at the thought of that bum-ass nigga.

She waved her hand. “You know what, it’s cool. That’s not my business.” Then her voice softened up. “But I do wanna offer my condolences. I heard about your sister.”

I ain’t say nothing right away.

Reesie.

Thoughts of my big sis sitting in my truck, singing off-key with the windows down. Fussing at me about eating over her clean counters. The way she used to say my whole name when she was mad, Princeton Alexander, like our mama. King got her exact laugh, and he don’t even know it. Half the stuff that come out that boy’s mouth is her, word for word, and every time it happens, my chest does something I can’t explain. I keep thinking about what I could’ve done different.

The valet pulled up with a pink whip, and I snapped out of it.

“Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate that.”

“Of course.” She looked me over. “Well, you look good too. That suit I tailored for you is real nice. What’s the occasion?”

“I’m being honored.”

“Oh.” She pushed her sunglasses up on her head. “I had no idea.”

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “My company been doing alright.”

“Doing alright how?”

“It started off as just me. I was running security for my brother. Now Brentley Protective Group has a roster of returning clients, security details, drivers, armored transport, all that. Turned into something bigger than I planned. A multimillion-dollar company, for real.”

“Princeton.” She put her hand on her hip. “That’s a big deal. Congratulations.” Then she held her hand out to shake mine.

I laughed and put my hand in hers. “Really? A handshake?”

“Well, I know you ain’t expect a hug. I don’t know you like that.” She let my hand go. “I mean, I could’ve known you like that. But that’s a story for another time, right?”

“You still funny.”

“I’ma always be funny with a fat ass. Don’t forget that part.”

I leaned to the side and looked behind her, just for a second. “You know what? It actually do look like it got a little bigger.”

“I know, right!”

We both fell out laughing right there in front of the valet stand, and when it died down, I shook my head at her.

“Nah, but for real, a lot of time passed. I thought about you a few times though.”

“Well, that’s pleasant.” She smiled. “I thought about you too. But none of that really matters now.”