“Eat in. I’ll cook for you. Just let me know when you’re available.”
She leaned back and studied him. “You can cook?”
“Of course I can cook. How do you think I’ve been eating for the past fourteen years—going over to my parents’ house every night or existing on takeout?”
Serita elbowed him playfully. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I mean do you cook well?”
“That’s the same question in my book,” he said with amusement. “I offer to cook for you and this is what I get. Fine, I’ll just order some takeout.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. I want a five-star meal.” The last word was said on a squeal because he started tickling her. She slapped at his hands as she laughed hysterically, but his grip was too strong. “Okay, okay, I won’t dis your cooking.” Finally he released her and she hopped off his lap, still trying to catch her breath. “And I’m available on Saturday.”
“Saturday, it is.” Jeremy shut down his computer, stuffed the laptop and some folders into his bag and stood. “I’ll walk you out.” He reached for her hand. “I can hold your hand, right? Or is that against the rules, too?”
She glanced up at him. “Whatever.” But she couldn’t stop smiling.
Chapter 7
“You look like you made it through the first day just fine,” Gabby said as soon as Serita entered the condo.
“I did. Well, after I got over a major shocker about the owner this morning.”
“Oh, no. Is it something bad and will it impact your ability to do the job?”
“It’s not bad, per se, and it could have an impact.” Although Jeremy had promised her he would judge fairly.
“Girl, if you don’t just spit it out.”
“Jeremy.”
Gabby’s hand flew to her mouth. “He works there?”
“He owns it.”
“Well, damn. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Yeah, neither was I. By the look on his face this morning, he wasn’t, either.”
A slow grin spread across her lips. “And I don’t see one thing bad about it. All I see is job security.”
“That wouldn’t be fair.”
“It’s not like you’re unqualified for the job, Serita. You got the position on your own and you already like your boss, so it’s a win-win situation for both of you.”
“We’ll see. Let me change into something comfortable and we can go.”
“I’m thinking Arden Fair Mall because I’ve been craving those catfish nuggets from Delta Soul in there.”
“Sounds good to me,” she called over her shoulder while heading down the hall.
Thirty minutes later, Gabby circled the parking lot at the mall searching for parking. “I can’t believe all these people are here. It’s Monday at seven.”
“Maybe they all had the same idea as you. I think someone’s coming out a few spaces up,” Serita said. They ended up parking near the JCPenney entrance, which was in the center of the mall. “There are a lot more restaurants than what I recall.” She saw a BJ’s Brewhouse and Seasons 52. “And new stores.”
“The latest one is Alex and Ani, and I really don’t need one of those here. Hmm, we might have to stop in, so I can see what new bracelets are in.”
“Are we shopping or eating first?”
“We should probably eat first and then walk off some of the food, but tonight I want my meal to settle in real good.”
They burst out laughing. “Shopping it is.” They started at the jewelry store, since it was on the first floor and Gabby ended up purchasing two more bracelets to add to her collection and talked Serita into getting the rose-gold Path Of Life two-bracelet set. “This is exactly why I don’t shop with you.”
“You have to admit they’re pretty.”
“I’m not admitting anything.” She pivoted on her heel and strode out the store with Gabby’s laughter trailing. Serita hadn’t bought herself anything in a while. Her mother and Gabby always said Serita needed to spoil herself every now and again, but Serita’s practical self rarely did. “Where to next?” she asked when Gabby caught up.
“I want to go upstairs to Bath & Body Works to get another lemon mint leaf candle. I love the clean scent and it does wonders for eliminating that stale smell.”
They took the escalator up to the store and ended up staying for a good twenty minutes smelling candles and lotions, spraying body mists and trying out the different types of hand soaps from exfoliating to nourishing. She bought a few soaps for the bathroom she’d be using, as well as two of the smaller candles for her room. Once they had accomplished that, the two of them walked farther down the mall to the food court and ordered the catfish nugget meal and lemonade.
Gabby opened her container when the food came. “Look at all this. And they cook them the old-fashioned Southern way with cornmeal, instead of that batter.” She immediately opened some packages of tartar and hot sauces, mixed them together and dipped in a piece of fish. She popped it into her mouth, closed her eyes and moaned. “So good.”
Serita chuckled and tasted a piece. “Oh, my goodness. It is good.”
“You have to mix the sauces together and try it.”
She made a face. “I don’t think so.” The combination looked like a pink mess.
“Don’t knock it until you try it.”
“I’ll just stick with the hot sauce.” They ate in silence for a few minutes. “Have you heard from Jodi and where she’s staying?”
“That girl. She said something about staying with another friend. The thing is she was supposed to be saving up her money to get her own place. That’s why I didn’t charge her much. If she couldn’t handle the four hundred dollars at my place, I don’t how she thinks she can make it on her own.”
She shook her head. “That’s a bargain.”
“I know. I was trying to help her, and she had the nerve to tell me she didn’t understand why I was getting so upset about her not paying, since I’d been paying the full mortgage before she came.”
“That’s not the point.”
“I said exactly that and told her she wasn’t going to use extra water, gas, electricity and everything else for free. This ain’t her mama’s house.” She rolled her eyes and ate a french fry.
Serita laughed. She couldn’t believe Jodi. “I promise you won’t have to worry about that with me.” She had already paid her for three months, the amount of time Serita figured it would take her to find a place. She hoped to move by the start of the year.
Gabby patted Serita’s hand. “You can stay for free. I haven’t forgotten the semester you let me stay in your dorm room when my dad got laid off and I couldn’t afford housing. If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve had to drop out.”
She dropped her head and shrugged. “It was nothing.” Silence rose between them and they continued to eat.
“How do you think things are going to go with Jeremy?”
“I don’t know.” She sipped her lemonade. “I really like him so far. When I’m with him I feel like... I don’t know. Somebody different.” Thinking back, she realized her past relationships had centered around dinner or theater dates where they dressed up. Nothing as simple as taking a walk or talking for hours about everything and nothing. She had never teased with those other guys, or been so open and playful as she was with Jeremy.
Gabby angled her head thoughtfully. “I think there’s something about him that makes you feel free to be the real you, and that’s a good thing.”
“Maybe.”
“You’ll know one way or another because I don’t see him walking away from you so easily. He sounds like he might be a keeper.”
Serita’s mind went back to the moments in his office earlier when they had been interrupted by Chris. Jeremy had made his intentions quite clear and she agreed with Gabby’s assessment. Each thing she lea
rned about him only added to her attraction, and she didn’t think it would be easy to walk away from him, either.
* * *
“I’ve been so busy with work and making sure Randi is comfortable that we haven’t had a chance to talk about the woman you met in Madrid,” Cedric said, handing Jeremy a box containing metal scraps, nails and bolts. “How’s the long-distance thing working out?”
“Thanks for this.” Three times a year, Jeremy conducted a six-week robotics camp on Saturday mornings for middle school students to get them interested in pursuing the sciences. He set the box on the floor in front of where he sat. “It’s working out just fine because she’s not long-distance anymore. She’s closer than I ever hoped.”
“Are you telling me this woman just up and moved to Sacramento so you two could be together?”
Laughing, he said, “No. She actually grew up here and was planning to move back after her teaching contract didn’t get renewed. I got the surprise of my life Monday morning when she showed up as one of the four people I hired.”
Cedric shook his head. “I’m sure you both were happy about that.”
“Actually, she wasn’t. You know I told you that they’ll all be under a thirty-day trial and I’d keep the two best candidates. Serita is concerned about me giving her preference and wants her work to stand on its own.”
“And are you planning to give her preference?”
“I don’t have to because the woman is phenomenal. After the first day, Elena and Shane were singing her praises and all but told me I’d better hire her. But it’s going to be tricky. One guy I know will be out at the end. He’s been a pain in the ass from the moment he walked through the door.” Shane also worked on the surgery arm project and had complained about Wade trying to take over and make changes on parts that had already been completed. Wade had told Shane he needed to think outside the box. If it kept up, Jeremy would let Wade go well before the month was up.
“I know you’ll come up with a way to get it done. Do you think she’s the one?”
“I do. I just need to convince her.”
Cedric stared. “All these years, I figured all this talk about knowing your Mrs. Right when you saw her and falling in love at first sight was just that—talk. But you’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I’m very serious.” He had always held out hope that he would find the woman who was perfect for him, but was realistic enough to know that he might not find her all wrapped up neatly with a bow. Now, however, reality seemed to be lining up with his dreams. He picked up the box and stood. “I need to get going. Class starts in an hour.”
“You owe me for getting up at eight o’clock on a Saturday morning.”
Jeremy grinned. “Just helping you be prepared for what’s going to happen when the baby comes.”
“I just hope this baby gives us another couple weeks at least. By then, she’ll be thirty-six weeks and if she goes into labor, it should be okay.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“You can swing back by after class if you want. She should be up by then.”
His class ran from ten until one in the afternoon. “I’ll try to stop by tomorrow. I’m cooking dinner for Serita tonight and I have a few things to do before I pick her up. You know she was hassling me about not letting her drive over to the house, talking about it being a waste of gas.”
“Randi did the same thing when we started dating, but I didn’t care.”
“True that.” They did a fist bump. “See you later.”
The classes were held in the multipurpose room of one of the Roseville middle schools. Jeremy had gone to school in the district and when he approached his old principal—she had been a teacher then—about his idea two years ago, it had been met with enthusiasm. With her support, it didn’t take long for the program to take flight. The first several classes had been comprised solely of male students. Only in the last summer session did he have one female.
Today, as the twelve students filed in, he was delighted to see the same young lady, as well as three more. His thoughts shifted to Serita and he made a mental note to ask her to join him for one of the sessions. It was important to him that students of color see themselves represented in careers other than sports and entertainment—not that there was anything wrong with those careers. He just wanted the students to know they had other options, or could do both, if they chose. He knew seeing another woman in the field of robotics would go a long way in boosting their self-confidence.
“Hi, Mr. Hunter. Did you go on your trip to Spain?”
Jeremy smiled. Davon was one of his repeat students and always eager to learn. “I sure did. After class, I’ll show you a few pictures.”
“Cool.”
“Alright, everybody. Take your seats and let’s get started. We have a lot to cover.” He waited a moment for the students to get settled, then began with the introduction and the learning objectives. “Understand that this is not a time for goofing around. We’re going to have a lot of fun, but be prepared to work hard.” He met each student’s gaze before continuing. “There are some safety rules that are very important for you to abide by. I’m passing out a sheet for you to read and sign that says you understand and will follow. Anyone who does not follow these rules will be asked to leave the class.” Jeremy saw surprise on some of their young faces. He gave them a few minutes to complete the form, then started the class. He ended it with a demonstration of a few types of simple robots and a question-and-answer period. The class ended up running over by twenty minutes because of all the questions, but that didn’t bother him. Their bright eyes and excitement always made him glad that he’d chosen to do the class, despite the amount of work it took.
Jeremy took a few minutes to share some of his photos from Madrid and a couple of minutes from his presentation. “This is going to be you all one day and I’ll be in the audience to cheer you on.”
“Do girls get to teach at the conferences, too?” Briana had a sharp mind, but tended to be very shy.
“They absolutely do.” He scrolled through his photos and found Serita’s presentation. He had been so enamored by her voice that he’d recorded it. He held the phone out to Briana.
Her face lit up. “Wow!”
Yeah, wow. That was Jeremy’s first impression of Serita, too. A vision of them teaching together surfaced in his mind. He definitely had to get her to come to the class. “You can do the same thing. Just keep working hard and doing well in school.”
“I will.” She hurried off.
“Okay, let’s wrap it up. I know your parents have been waiting. I’ll see you all next Saturday.”
Once everyone had gone, he packed up and went grocery shopping. Serita had mentioned wanting a five-star meal, so he planned to give her one. He stopped at a local florist and picked out a bouquet with half a dozen pink roses and drove home to shower.
The drive to Antelope from his Roseville house took only twenty minutes and, by traveling the back roads, he didn’t have to bother with the freeway. When Serita opened the door to Jeremy, his heart started pounding. She looked gorgeous in a pair of tight jeans and a tan short-sleeved top that dipped low and emphasized the seductive swell of her breasts. Her natural curls hung loose and framed her face. “Hey, beautiful.” He placed a kiss on her lips and handed her the flowers. “These are for you.”
“Hi, and thank you. They’re lovely. Come in.” Serita stepped back for him to enter.
He followed her through the short entryway to the living room.
She placed the vase on the coffee table. “I need to grab my jacket and purse. Have a seat.”
Jeremy sat and watched her hips disappear down the hall. She came back a minute later with a curvy golden-skinned woman and he stood.
“Jeremy, this is my friend Gabriella. Gabby, Jeremy.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Gabriella,” he said.
>
Gabriella smiled. “Same here. You wouldn’t happen to have any other single brothers or cousins hanging around, by any chance?”
He laughed. “Unfortunately, I don’t. I’m actually the last one.”
“Pity.”
Serita shook her head. “She’s outrageous.”
“I’m not mad at her. You won’t know until you ask,” he said.
Gabriella gestured his way. “See, that’s what I’m saying. Thank you, Jeremy.”
Serita hooked her arm in Jeremy’s. “Let’s go. Bye, crazy woman.”
Smiling, she said, “You two have fun.”
Once in the car, Jeremy said, “I like her. Where did you meet?”
“We grew up together and ended up at the same college. I’m an only child and she’s like the sister I never had.”
“That had to be lonely sometimes.” Despite their two-year age difference, he and Cedric were close, and he couldn’t imagine not having the friendship that came along with being siblings.
“It was, but you deal with it.” She fell silent for a few minutes. “I thought you said we were having dinner. Four o’clock is kind of early to eat.”
“We aren’t eating until later. I just wanted to spend more time with you. The earlier we start, the longer I get to enjoy your company. Do you mind if we stop at the bookstore on the way? I ordered a book and it’s in. The bookstore is on the other side of town in Oak Park.”
“No, though I always get into trouble when I go into bookstores.”
“Same. We’re all readers in my family, but my library is probably three times that of everybody else’s.”
“I’d like to see that,” she said, facing him.
His gaze left the road briefly. “I’ll be happy to show it to you, once we get to my house.” They shared a smile and rode the rest of the way in companionable silence interspersed with conversation.
He parked in the lot adjacent to the building housing Underground Books and they went inside. He spoke to Mother Rose, the manager and store operator, and waited while she retrieved his book. She, as well as the Black-owned bookstore, was a fixture in the Oak Park neighborhood. Jeremy watched as Serita wandered around the store, stopping here and there to pick up a book. He walked over to where she stood. “Find anything?”
Her Christmas Wish ; Designed by Love Page 24
