Page 59 of Mending Me
Everyone gets food except for Connie.
Conrad:
Fuck you Malcolm *middle finger emoji*
I’m always in for food I don’t have to pay for.
Kolbi:
Hank, you bringing Bailey tonight?
If that’s okay with everyone, she asked me this morning at the gym if she could come.
Malcolm:
Fine with me. I never say no to having a beautiful woman around *smirk emoji*
Kolbi:
Fine with me brother.
Conrad?
I watched my screen, waiting for his reply to come in. When he hadn’t answered my text after a few minutes, I texted him again.
Conrad? Hello?
Conrad:
Fine. If everyone else is fine with it I’m fine with it.
Malcolm:
That response definitely makes it seem like you’re fine with it.
Conrad:
Fuck you, Malcolm. I said I was fine with it so I’m fine with it.
Kolbi:
Okay, you’re fine with it brother. We’re all fine if she comes, Hank.
I chewed on the inside of my lip, trying to dispel the irritation building in my gut. I couldn’t understand why Conrad was so bent out of shape about her coming to campaign night. All she ever did was sit in the other room, read, and occasionally get herself something to drink. My fingers hovered over the keyboard on my phone before replying.
Okay then Bailey and I will both be there. On time.
I added on the last part to make a dig at Malcolm and hoped Conrad would see it as a peace offering. My phone buzzed once more.
Malcolm:
Okay now Hank also doesn’t get any food either. Kolbi, tonight we feast.
I pulledup to the curb outside Bailey’s building twenty minutes before we had to be at Kolbi’s. Her living around the corner from him had proven convenient because on the campaign nights she didn’t attend, I would stop by her place afterwards if she was still up to steal a kiss or two under the streetlights. While we could have walked, she was coming back to my place afterwards so I offered to pick her up.
When I kicked down the kickstand of my bike and lifted the helmet from my head, I looked up to see her running towards me. My core warmed as she got closer and I took in her signature smile. She was wearing a pair of light washed denim jeans that hugged her ass in a way that should be criminal and a bright yellow top that complimented her short golden hair. She had half of it pulled back and when she waved at her doorman, I noticed a pale pink ribbon tied in it. Once she was close enough to me, the scent of vanilla and honey flooded my nose.
“Hey there,” she grinned, resting her hand on my leg as I still sat on my bike. I hadn’t even had enough time to stand up to say hello to her before she had reached me. Her bottom lip was tucked over her teeth as smiled at me.
