how pretty you were right away, actually, but I was in such a sour mood that I didn’t pay it much attention at the time… Let’s rewind. I lied. I am flirting with you… just didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. I need to clear that up. Anyway, go ahead,” he said dismissively, that trademark scowl back on his face.
“Go ahead with what?” She chuckled. “You just said all of that and expect me to continue on as usual?”
“Yeah, why not? I know you’re not married, but hell, you might be dating someone or have a boyfriend. Or maybe I’m not even your type. I know some people don’t believe in datin’ other races, race mixing. I’m not one of ’em. I haven’t done it often, but I’ve done it. I like what I like. So, am I your type?” he asked with a smirk. She couldn’t believe her damn ears. How quickly the conversation had turned. “You’re looking at me like I’m crazy. You must think I’m being inappropriate.”
“No, I don’t think you’re being inappropriate right now, but it did take me off guard. Also, how do you know I’m not married?”
“No ring.” He pointed to her finger.
“Maybe I just don’t wear it all the time.”
“No tan line for the ring. Even if you wore it just a few times a week, there would be an indentation or something.”
“Maybe I never wear it,” she teased, a big grin on her face before pursing her lips.
Am I flirting back with this man? I am! I have no damn shame tonight…
Doesn’t matter though, after tonight, we’ll probably only talk a few more times and it’ll be all business.
“Maybe you never wear it, huh?” His expression turned sly as he toyed with his fork. “Let me tell you something, Lauren. If I were your husband and you never wore the wedding ring I bought you, I’d be beyond angry. I’ll tell you why. I’d want everyone, and I mean every person on this planet, from the youngest to the oldest, from the richest to the poorest, to know you were taken. Off the market. To know that you were mine. I’d want each and every pair of eyes in the whole wide world to know that this woman right here,” he pointed at her, “was my other half, and there wasn’t nobody on this planet gonna take you away from me… ’cause I put a ring on it.”
Her nerves went haywire when he spoke those strong words, wrapped in a crooked smile. He was so ruggedly handsome, he made her insides turn to butter. Her stomach flipped and flopped like a fish in a pond.
“I also know you’re not married because in my father’s paperwork regarding your rental, he had you marked as single. Believe you me… I checked.”
She looked down at her feet, clutching the end of her napkin on her lap.
“Girl, you’re turning all shades of red.” He laughed real easy like. “Let me get back to the reason for us getting together tonight then. My father wrote out a list of things for me to take care of. Business things, mostly boring, usual stuff.” She nodded. “I would’ve thought he’d have someone else take care of this stuff. You know, someone he trusted – hell, at least knew – but then I realized he more than likely chose me because now I have the biggest incentive to get it done to his satisfaction.”
“I agree with you. That sounds like good motivation.”
“Seems he was a bit of a control freak, even in death.”
“Maybe you’re more like him than you think then.”
She tossed him a wink, but he didn’t seem amused for his scowl got more pronounced. His lips parted, as if he wanted to say something nasty and mean, to put her in her place, but he simply leaned back in his chair, his jaw firm.
“So, tell me about this list,” she probed.
“Bank stuff, the properties…”
“No, there’s more. You’re holding back.”
His lips twisted and his eyes sought a spot on the table.
“It’s a strange request.”
“All right. Well, what is it? I didn’t come here tonight to just help you and eat some mushrooms. I want to hear all the gossip and juice,” she jested, finally getting a grin out of him. “Well? I’m waiting.”
“You’re relentless.” He sighed. “Fine. He wants me give me and my mother a letter he wrote.”