Chapter 15
“Ouch!” Kara shook her hand out like it had been burned.
“Well, if you would have answered any of my texts we could be chatting outside of your workplace.”
“I have nothing I need to say to you.”
“We have tons to talk about, like how I gave all those letters to my mother.”
Her eyes flew to his in horror, “you did not.”
“Oh, I did. Told her all about my brother’s secrets.”
“Yeah, you should probably take that somewhere that is not my café,” Keshaun interrupted giving Royal an annoyed look.
“Why would you do that?” she rounded the counter furiously.
“Because it’s a hard burden for one man to bear on his own, to know these things.” He stared down at her grimly, “you did not need to send them back to me and tell me to read them. My memory is forever
tarnished.”
“Not my problem. His letters were the equivalent of a teenager writing in her diary. None of them were ever meant for my eyes. If I had to see them, so did you. Misery likes company, chump.”
“Did you just call me a chump?”
She poked him in the chest, “if the shoe fits.”
“I have pretty big feet.”
“Big mouth too,” she shot back.
“Wanna know what else I have that’s big?” He said flirtatiously as if enjoying their banter far too much.
“Ego? Pride? Sense of entitlement?”
He stepped closer so their toes were touching, “let’s take this outside where there isn’t an audience and I’ll show you.”
“Oh, do you mean in the penis extension?” she leaned her head back to look out the storefront at the sports car. “It is a big car.”
“Penis extension?” He growled, “I will have you know, there is no need.”
1/3
She looked him up and down, “I don’t know. You’re a big, buff guy. I feel steroids were part of your life at some point. Did they do some damage? Is that why you have the shiny shoes and fancy car? Does it make you feel better about yourself?”
“You are mean!” he huffed.
“Only to you. Everyone else, I get along swimmingly with.”
“Come on. Come talk with me. We can sit in my penis extension and talk. Ten minutes.”
“I’d rather not.”
“I’m not beneath begging. My mother told me to beg.”
“Why?”
“She wants you to spend Christmas with us.”
“Oh, hell no.” she backed away from him. “Is your whole family crazy or did it just filter down from your
mom’s side?”
“Don’t insult my mom!”
“She wants to invite a stranger to her house for Christmas.”
“You’re not a stranger. You’re a kind woman who made a huge sacrifice for my brother and his wife.”
She looked to Kara and Keshaun who were both eagerly watching the conversation. She was grateful the coffee shop had been empty because this was insanity.
“I don’t like you,” she folded her arms furiously over her chest. “I would not spend any holiday with a person I don’t like. Besides I wouldn’t leave Bram.”
“He’s invited too. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like me. We need to coparent together.”
100
“Not this shit again,” she grunted furiously shoving his chest, annoyed when his feet remained firmly planted and he didn’t budge an inch. “Stop with it. Just stop. If they had adopted a child, would you be hounding the adoptive family?”
“No, but I know they stole her from you.”
“They didn’t steal her from me!”
“Did they or did they not, promise you that you would be part of her life? Did they not lead you to believe they would be raising her where you would be able to see her day in and day out?”
2/3
She looked away, barely catching the breath which seemed strangely in short supply. “It is irrelevant.”
“I think it’s very relevant.”
“Hey guys,” Keshaun interrupted. “Customers are going to come in here and if they don’t paparazzi will. Why don’t you two take my office and talk this out?” When she appeared ready to argue he held up his hand, “as your employer I’m telling you to take your personal shit off the floor.”
“I wouldn’t have personal shit if your so-called best friend wasn’t such an ass.”
”
“Did she say she’s been looking at my ass? First my feet, then my ass. Next, she’ll be –”
“Not in a million years.” She cut him off. “Not ever going to happen.”
He stepped so close her back pressed against the counter, his eyes dark and focused. “We’ll see. Office
now.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Tough. Office or my car. Choose.”
“Ugh,” she shrieked and stormed through the swinging doors and headed to the office. The distinct sound
of Royal’s palm connecting with Keshaun’s in a loud high-five only infuriated her further. What was wrong with these guys?
