Eager to answer, I power walk toward the rear of the bar. Since the calls keep coming in succession, I take two steps out the back door. I answer Camdyn on the third ring.
“Hey, Cam, is everything okay?”
“I’m so sorry to call—”
“Don’t apologize. I signed you up for babysitting duty without even asking.”
“Mia’s woke, crying. Says she wants you or Fruit Loops.”
“Dammit, she ate the last bowl this morning.” I groan. “Give Mia the phone so that I can threaten her.”
“Can’t do that. I’m her favorite uncle. She won’t sprout warts like a gremlin if I feed her this late, right? I’ll Instacart it.”
Amused, I reply, “You guys are so wrapped around her tiny pinkie, it’s a shame. Yeah, Instacart if you can. When it gets there, just give her five Fruit Loops. No more.”
“Five? If we’re being honest here, Mia’ll weasel me out of at least two bowls.” He begins to whisper, “I don’t have it in me to spank her.”
“Threaten to pop her hand.”
“But her hands are so—”
“Save it. Leith has already told me. Mia uses those little hands to sneak around all the time. I’m on my way. I’ll probably arrive when the sugar rush kicks in. Bye.”
When I turn around, Michie leans against the door, a half-smile on his attractive face.
“Don’t start no shit with me. Did I even get a tip after that lengthy therapy sesh?”
The smile blossoms across his full lips. “I’m the one who should be reprimanding you, Chevelle—”
“First of all, I’m a grown-ass woman. Second, I’m a mother.”
“I get it, damn.” He places an envelope in my hand. “Trouble brewing in paradise?”
“No,” I snap, sauntering inside the breakroom. “I’m happy. Leith’s happy. We’re all elated.”
Ignoring me, he says in a low pitch, “Why, oh why didn’t I steal you from him when you broke up years ago?”
“Michie, look on the wall. What does it say beneath, and I quote, ‘No cellphone out on the floor’? ”
His chuckle is a mellow, aged bourbon. “ ‘No workplace romances on or off the floor.’ I distinctly recall your attempt to hawk Justice off on me the other night.”
“I’m heading home.” I pat the envelope in my hand.
“One more thing. The guy left his card. Says he’d like to invest.”
“In my label?” I gush.
“In you.” Michie holds the business card between his fingers. As I reach for it, he smiles mischievously and pulls the card close to his chest. My uncertain expression reflects vividly in his wicked eyes. “Come back tomorrow night, Chevelle. Work formeagain.”
Chapter 38
Leith
The next afternoon,I’ve taken a break from searching out Douglas Yates by grabbing lunch from In-n-Out. At the wooden table that sits in my auld, wee kitchen, I’m about to knuckle down when Chevelle calls. Shutting my laptop, I gulp down the crispy fries and wash it all down with the whiskey I’ve been nursing.
Closing my eyes, I heave a guilty sigh, then answer. “Hey, hen.”
She’s gabbing my ear off about something, and for the life of me, I can hardly focus. I’m in the middle of living afeckin’lie. Placing the iPhone on speaker, I set it next to my laptop. My head falls back. I offer an “uhuh” or a thoughtful “ohh” every once in a while as a good husband would. Oil stains splotch the ceiling. The light fixture I never got around to cleaning after Chevelle’shunnercomplaints has ten more layers of dust.