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“Shiloh, baby, I know you don’t want my help, but you don’t need to drive this truck anywhere else until somebody changes this radiator.”
“I can’t just leave it out here. My uncle is supposed to call me back about having somebody to move it.”
“I can have it towed to my shop.”
“Ugh, I can’t afford this. I already need to work to replace the money I had to shell out this past week. Now my truck wants to act up again.”
“Can you let me worry about the cost?” I asked her.
“Even if I wasn’t worried about that part, I need my truck to work so that I can make money in the first place.”
“Do you need to have the engine running to operate the food truck?”
“No. It’s a different setup.”
“Well how about you open in the shop’s parking lot for a few days while I make sure it gets fixed? And before you try to refuse my help, I don’t think you’re in a position to argue. I’m not trying to have you owe me. I’m just trying to help a fellow businessperson. We can worry about the cost later.”
“How long do you think it will take to fix it?” she questioned.
“Not long once we get the part in. I have to put in the order Monday morning though.”
“I hate this,” she whined.
“I know. Just think though, at least you can keep working.”
“Why would you let me crowd up your lot with my customers?”
“Because I understand that you’re trying to run a business. How else are you going to pay me for my services if you can’t work?”
“You got a point there.”
“Plus, I gave my cousin and his girlfriend my cinnamon rolls. I need to get some more after the way they ate them up.” I grinned.
“Thank you, Quinton,” she said, smiling softly.
It was good to see her smile. Something about the way her eyes shined when she smiled made my stomach flip. Then again, it could have been the food truck pulled pork. Either way, I felt good. I liked knowing that I would get to see Shiloh again.
“Come on out of this heat. I need to call my tow guy so we can get your truck moved to the shop.”
She didn’t put up a fight as she followed me to my truck and got in on the passenger side. After calling and confirming that someone could pick the truck up within the hour, I put my phone down and turned to her.
“Can I drop you off somewhere?”
“I was going to call my friend or my sister to get me, but sure.”
“I like you better when you’re not arguing with me about everything,” I teased.
She laughed but wagged a finger in my direction. “Don’t push it.”
She didn’t have to tell me that. I fought every instinct in my body that wanted to pull her closer. I wanted to pry, ask how she started baking, know what she liked and disliked. Most importantly, I wanted to ask if she had a man.
Shiloh had already proven to be elusive. I had to pursue her with caution. Besides, I had already learned my lesson about women. Shiloh was fine as shit, but this wasn’t about that. First and foremost, it was about making sure another small Black business owner was able to do what they had to do to survive. Then, immediately after, it was about getting closer to a fine-ass woman.
5
Shiloh
I didn’t know what in the world possessed me to trust a man who had accused me of being a bad mother. Maybe it was because he had offered his services on more than one occasion. Maybe it was because he had actually come through for me when I was completely helpless.
