Page 21 of Hired By My Rich Baby Daddy 2

“Did I hear you say something about Miss Marcell?”

We both turned around. Opal was coming down the hall with her purse on her arm.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said.

She laughed and put her hand on her hip. “Mmhmm. I knew something was going on between you two. That poor girl looked mortified. She jumped up out that chair so fast she almost hit the floor, and then you went running out behind her.” She raised her eyebrow. “Now, I peeked out the window first because I’m nosy. And when I couldn’t tell what was about to happen, I came out to check on you. That girl looked like she was about to cry, Mr. Love. So, what is going on?”

I shrugged, playing it cool. “She’s just somebody I used to know.”

Opal gave me a long look over the top of her glasses. She wasn’t buying a word of it.

“But what happened with the nanny position, though?” I asked. “You find somebody?”

“Well, technically, Miss Marcell removed herself from consideration.” She adjusted her purse. “But between me and you? She would have gotten that job. Hands down. Best interview of the day by a mile.” She sighed. “I do have a couple runner-ups I’m going to bring back for second interviews, though. Just to cross my T’s and dot my I’s.”

“Cool, cool.” I nodded slowly like it was nothing.

Meanwhile, my mind was somewhere else entirely, picturing Noree under my roof every day, in my kitchen, in my hallways, and my chest was doing something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Alright, I’m off for the day,” Opal said. “I’ll see you gentlemen tomorrow.” She started for the door and then stopped. “Oh, hi, Princeton! How are you, baby?”

I turned around to see my brother walking through the door. Opal hugged him and kissed his cheek, and they stood there talking for a minute before she headed out.

PB and I slapped hands and pulled each other in.

“What’s up, boy?” he said, then hugged Unc.

“Y’all want something to eat?” Unc asked. “I’m about to fix King his lunch.”

“Nah,” we said at the same time.

“Alright then.” He headed off toward the kitchen and left us standing there.

Me and PB walked through the house to my man cave, and soon as the door shut, he threw his hands up.

“Bruh. What the fuck is going on today? I ran into Noree’s sister.”

I stopped mid-step. “What? Where the fuck you run into her at?”

“Remember I told you I had something important to do?” He dropped down on the couch. “I had a suit tailored. She’s the one my team hired.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “And I ain’t say nothing to you, but I’m getting honored at an event in a few days.”

I was at the minibar pouring us both cognac on the rocks, and I looked back over my shoulder at him. “Nigga, what? Why you ain’t say nothing?”

I walked over and handed him his glass, then sat down beside him. “I wanna celebrate you the same way you always celebrate me. Anything important comes up, you tell me.” I took a sip. “Matter fact, can I be your plus-one?”

PB looked at me like I was slow. “Nigga. You Ozy Love. You wouldn’t be my plus-one. If anything, I’d be yours, nigga.”

We both fell out laughing.

“Man, whatever,” I said.

I sat back and sighed, staring into my glass. “I ain’t gon’ lie, though, bruh. I’m stressed. So much shit happened in the last couple hours, I don’t even know what to think right now.”

He tipped his glass toward me. “I’m already knowing.”

We sat there in the quiet for a minute, both of us sipping, both of us somewhere else in our heads.

“So, what’s up with Nourah?” I asked.