Page 18

Instead of arguing with her, I pecked her on the cheek and stood up. “I’ll call you later on today. Make sure you answer the phone.”
“I will. Love you, Tali.”
“Love you more, Gema.”
Stepping back, I closed her door and wrapped my arms around my body. My anxiety was peaking and the longer I stood there, the more my eyes filled with tears.
I was having that feeling like something bad was going to happen and I just couldn’t put your finger on it. Yeah, that’s what I was feeling in this moment. I didn’t want to be combative and tell my mama she couldn’t go; I mean after all, I did abruptly uproot her from her life and her home so, it wouldn’t be fair of me to do that. But God so help me, if Gema came back to me with a single hair missing from her head, I was gon’ beat the shit out of my mama and her husband.
I stood in the same spot and watched Joe Lee pull the car out of my driveway. The whole time I stood there, I prayed to God for him to watch over my granny and bring her home safe and unharmed. Now that I’d prayed about it, I had to let it go and give it to God. But Lord, I promise that was a hard task to do. I took a few more minutes to get myself together before spinningand heading back toward the house so I could get ready for my appointment.
“You okay?” Rossi asked the minute he stepped through my office door. When I made it in for the day, he was away from his desk, so he didn’t see me. Now that he had returned, it would take an act of congress to get his ass out of my office. And normally I would dismiss him but today I welcomed the distractions.
“I’ve been better,” I sighed.
“She’s gone?”
Rolling my head to ease the tension I nodded. “Yep.”
“Everything is going to be okay Tali.”
“I know Rossi. This is the first time we’ve been apart and I’m just… Having reservations,” I revealed.
“That’s natural. If that evil witch does anything to my Gema, we gon’ be suited and booted,” he sassed, making me laugh.
Rossi knew all about my disdain for my mama and exactly how close I was to Gema. I didn’t letanyoneI didn’t know on a personal level meet my Gema but one day she and I were out having brunch and Rossi just so happened to be in the same spot. I introduced the two of them and he had been smitten ever since.
“I can always count on you to make me feel better.”
Kicking his leg out dramatically, he sat down in one of my chairs. “Since you don’t have Gema to look after, what you say about us hanging out tonight?”
“Rossi,” I groaned. “I gotta get up early in the morning. Me and Law are supposed have a business meeting.”
Raising his eyebrow in interest, Rossi tucked his hand under his chin. “When did you start referring to him asLaw?”
“When he said Mr. Harvey was too formal.” I shrugged. “Not a big deal.”
“You do know thelastdirector was his girlfriend, right?” Rossi questioned.
“Well,thisdirector ain’t,” I clarified. “I don’t do workplace relationships. Hell this,” I pointed to him. “Is as close as it’lleverget. We’re gearing up to working on this lavish idea of mine.”
“Ummhmm.” He eyed me suspiciously. “You be careful with that one. He’s smooth as butter. Talk you right up out ya’ drawers.”
“See… Just when I was going to agree to hang out with you tonight, your mouth has ruined it.” Pointing at the door, I ordered, “Get out.”
Rossi laughed and stood from the chair. Tucking an imaginary piece of hair behind his ear ,he swore, “I’ll be to pick you up around seven.” Roaming his eyes up and down my body he added, “Dress yourage.”
“Out, Rossi.” I giggled.
Grabbing my phone out of my desk, I pulled up the Life360 app and tracked Gema’s location. Ain’t no way they thought I was sending her away without knowing where she was at all times. With the location showing them at Betty Jo house, I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Now that my heart was returning to a steady pace, I busied myself with work.
Law had messaged me to let me know he would call when his driver was out front. Apparently not only had he spoken with the guy Poppa referred him to, but he was able to secure a meeting with him for later today. I was excited for the meeting, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous as shit. This was a big deal. I wanted nothing more than for it to come to fruition and the way Law and Poppa talked, it would. With this being my idea, it leftme wondering what my future looked like at the youth center. Would this involve me taking on an even heavier workload? Not that I minded because I was fully capable, however, with Gema in the equation, I had to figure out how much time I would be spending away from her. Law asked me to be patient and have faith in him and I guess until he gave me a reason to feel differently, I would grant him that.
At three o’clock on the dot, I was ushered out of the building and into the waiting blacked-out SUV that sat parallel on the curb in front of the youth center. When Rossi called to inform me that my ride was outside, I wasn’t expecting Law’s personal driver to be standing by the entrance waiting on me.
The entire time we had been in the truck, Law had been on the phone conducting business while I sat there trying to figure out exactly what he did outside of owning the youth center. I mean apparently whatever it was it kept him busy seeing as every time he ended one call, another one came through.
I tried to keep my eyes off him but it was hard, especially with the way the tailored royal blue suit hugged his frame. The first two buttons on his white shirt were undone, leaving his chocolate chest on display along with gold rope chain secured around his neck.