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“I haven’t researched it or anything, but I wonder if there’s a hell of a lot more to be done in society to tackle this problem rather than simply taxing sugar consumption.”
“Oh, I’m sure there is, but surely every little part helps.”
“I don’t really think the parents who happily feed their children sugar-laden food will really blink at a slight increase in food. And adults happily throw cash at their addictions. They’ll yell and scream for a while, and it will possibly stop some, but overall, what does it teach people? I think it’s a bandage for a deeper wound in society.”
“Mmmm, I’m going to think about that a lot more,” she says with a smile. “You’re a smart man, Mr Hardy.”
I surprise her when I pull her close so our bodies press hard against each other. Her eyes widen as my face comes close, but I don’t kiss her. I rest my forehead against hers for a beat. “My lips are staying firmly over here, but I needed one last touch.” With a smack on her butt, I mutter, “Now go, before I lose the tiny speck of self-control I have left.”
After she leaves, I sit on the couch and rest my elbows on my knees. Dropping my face into my hands, I exhale my frustration. When I told her I had a tiny amount of self-control left, I was lying. Callie has no clue how much I want her. How could she when I’m only fully grasping the depth of it myself?
17
Callie
Luke: Come straight to the bar after work today.
Me: I see bossy Luke is in full swing.
Luke: Is argumentative Callie in full swing?
Me: Depends.
Luke: On what?
Me: What do I get out of coming to the bar?
Luke: Me.
Me: Oh how I wish that were true.
Luke: You might be surprised.
Me: Your lips are moving, but all I’m hearing is you can’t touch this. I’m not good at playing this game.
Luke: Let me introduce you to a new game, baby. Be here.
“Callie, have you finished that article yet? I need it within the next hour if it’s going to make the weekend edition.”
“Yes, give me about forty minutes,” I say with a quick glance up at my boss.
He nods. “Thank Christ, because I didn’t have anything else. Promise me what you’ve got is good because we’re running low on time to fix it if it isn’t.”
Fridays seem to be a stressful time for this office. Today has been one mad rush of “get me this” and “do that”. I give him a tight smile. “It’s good. Promise.”
He leaves me once he’s satisfied I’ve got the goods, and I go back to thinking about what Luke meant by his text. The next six hours can’t go by fast enough.
“Thank you, Callie,” Mrs Harper says as I hand her the groceries I picked up for her after work.
I smile. “No worries. I’m always here to help when you need it.” Even when I’m desperate to get to Luke because I promised I’d come over straight after work.
Mrs Harper called me half an hour before I was due to finish work, asking if I’d collect some groceries for her. As much as I wanted to tell her I had new games to go and start playing, I couldn’t say no. I would never do that to her. She relies on me because she has no family who live close.
“If you’ve got a moment to spare, would you mind coming in and changing some light bulbs, dear?”
I stare at her, wondering if there are any polite ways to say no, but nothing is forthcoming. Instead, I nod. “Sure.”
She leads me inside and shows me which lights need new bulbs—the bathroom one and the light in her bedroom. God, I would have been a bitch if I’d said no. Those two lights are necessary. I bet she’s been waiting to ask me, too. She’s probably already gone some time without them.
