“Excellent!” Roberta exclaimed. “It’s my dinner break, Mara, so I’ll just take the kids with me to Kentucky Fried Chicken.” She looked down at Billie. “You want chicken?”
“Chicken!” Billie yelled which meant yes.
“Billy?” Roberta asked.
“Sounds good,” Billy replied, slinking toward the front door, trying not to look like he was watching Mitch while watching Mitch.
Roberta grabbed Billie’s hand and said to Mitch, “Great meeting you.”
“You too,” Mitch replied.
“‘Bye Mitch!” Billie cried, moving away with Roberta and waving at Mitch so hard her hand was a blur.
“‘Bye Billie,” Mitch called to her waving, retreating form then his eyes went to Billy. “Later, Bud.”
“Later,” Billy mumbled and hurried after Roberta and his sister.
“I’ll just leave you in Mara’s capable hands,” Mr. Pierson said, his hand suddenly at my back giving me a none-too-gentle shove which made me take two steps in Mitch’s direction. Then he started moving away, saying, “Remember, two hour window on delivery freeing you up for the rest of your day.”
I watched his departing back at the same time I took a calming breath. Then I tipped my head up to look at Mitch.
“I think the coast is clear for you to go now,” I told him.
“Before you show me the Spring Deluxe?” he asked, the warmth back in his eyes and it hit me that he was teasing me.
That knife twisted even as it sunk in deeper.
“This isn’t funny,” I whispered.
His eyes roamed my face as the warmth left his. It grew thoughtful then he took a step toward me.
I stepped back.
He stopped and looked at my feet. Then he looked back at me and took another step toward me.
I stepped back.
He kept coming and I had to stop when the backs of my legs hit a mattress. That was when he got in close.
Damn.
I tipped my head way back to look at him. “Mitch –”
“Actually, that whole thing was funny,” he replied to my earlier comment.
“No, actually, it wasn’t,” I retorted. “Now, you don’t want to be around me and this is your chance to escape so,” I tipped my head to the front door, “go.”
It was like I didn’t even speak. “Except your friend saying I got called away from pizza. That wasn’t funny.” His head dipped closer. “You lie to your friends, Mara?”
I stared into his eyes and realized he wasn’t amused or teasing anymore. I didn’t know what he was but I knew he wasn’t amused or teasing. Not even close.
“I don’t often share my personal life,” I told him. “Now –”
“That’s because you don’t have one,” he told me.
I clamped my mouth shut and fought the tears that suddenly stung my nose because him saying that and knowing it really hurt.
Then I tried, “Listen, it’s only Roberta and me on the floor so I really need to get back to work.”