Next Man Up (Making the Score #2) - Tawdra Kandle Page 0,106
dressed up a little today, which was unusual; at The Food Jungle, most of the employees and volunteers wore jeans and T-shirts. But here was my gorgeous woman, with her hair pinned up into a smooth bun deal on the back of her head, dressed in a black suit that set off her coloring to perfection. The hem of the skirt hit just above her knee, and the jacket was just fitted enough to show off her curves without being blatantly sexy.
I whistled. “Look at you, baby. That’s one smokin’ hot lady there.”
She smiled a little as she set her purse down on the coffee table and leaned over to kiss me. “Hey. Sorry I’m so late. I’m glad to see Gia remembered to pick you up.”
“I set a reminder on her phone and texted her just to be sure,” I admitted. “I figured better safe than sorry.”
“Good thinking.” Zelda eased off her heels and picked them up with two fingers. “Just let me get changed, and I’ll start dinner.”
I studied her, frowning. “You look a little tired. Why don’t we just order something in? We could get Chinese food and eat it in bed.”
She sighed. “That sounds heavenly. Where’s Gia?”
“Where do you think? In her bedroom. Probably sleeping.” I wheeled after Zelda, following her into our room. “How did your meeting go?”
“Hmmm?” She twisted to unbutton her skirt. “Oh. Well . . . actually, it was more of an interview than a meeting, I guess.”
My forehead wrinkled in confusion. “An interview? For what?”
Zelda let her skirt slither to the floor at her feet and shed her jacket. I realized she wasn’t quite meeting my eye. “It was with Ag Direct. They’re a political action committee who work to represent farmers in Washington, D.C.”
Now I was even more lost. “Okay. So you met with them as part of your job at the Jungle?”
She shook her head. “No. I met with them because they’ve been calling and emailing me since before we graduated, trying to recruit me, and I decided I should listen to what they have to say.”
I didn’t know how to answer this. Zelda and I didn’t keep secrets. That was something that had been an unspoken rule between us since the days when we were only friends who slept together. Maybe this interview wasn’t a big deal . . . but it sure as hell felt as though she’d purposely hidden it from me. I was pissed.
But I knew that with Zelda, direct attack wasn’t going to work. Instead, I only nodded. “And? What did you think?”
She sank down onto the edge of the bed. “I think . . . I’d be crazy not give it serious thought. They have a lot of offer. It’s an amazing opportunity.”
“Okay.” I rubbed my hands over my thighs. “So why didn’t you tell me about the interview before now?”
She didn’t answer me at first, and when she did speak, her voice was strained. “I don’t know. I guess I thought maybe you might try to talk me out of it.”
“And why would I do that?” I was tensed, waiting for the other shoe to fall. There was something she was holding back.
“Because . . . I don’t know. It just seemed like you might.” She picked at a loose thread on the comforter. “If I took this job, some things might have to change. There’s travel involved. I’d have to go to DC now and then.”
“Uh huh.” So far, I hadn’t heard anything that was a deal breaker. “What else?”
“Well, the hours are going to be pretty intense at first. So . . .” She swallowed. “It’s probably going to be a better idea for me to live in the city, close to the office where I’ll work.”
Now this was a game changer. “We said we were going to look for a place over here, though.”
“I know we did.” Her voice rose an octave. “But I’m not sure I want . . .” She trailed off.
“Zelda. Babe.” I maneuvered my chair as close as I could get to her. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”
She straightened her shoulders and set her jaw. I’d seen that move before, and it didn’t bode well. “I think maybe I just need a little space. A little time.”
I knew it was coming. Maybe on some level I’d known it for weeks. It still jarred the hell out of me. “Time and space, huh? You want to tell me what the fuck that’s supposed