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Chapter Twenty-Three
Letty
After Shades takes off to meet with Ace, I’m left alone, body still humming with pleasure. I take my time in a long, hot shower, letting the water rush over my body and loosen my muscles because they were tense. After the workout Shades gave me, I could use a ninety-minute-massage with hot stones and a weekend on the beach.
My face muscles hurt from smiling so much, but that doesn’t stop me from smiling like a fool, a smitten little fool. The hot water does its job, and twenty minutes later, I wrap a big fluffy bath towel around me and sprawl across the bed. It’s such a luxury to be able to lie around in the middle of a work day doing nothing. I feel good, like one of those kept women spending their days at spas and hairstylists.
The phone rings and vibrates on the bed beside me. I reach for it with a smile, wondering, okay, maybe hoping that it’s Shades.
“Hello?”
“Letty?”
I sit up taller against the headboard and take in a deep breath, the strong scent of me with Shades is intoxicating even now, hours later.
“Pastor Braden?”
“Yes, sorry. Were you expecting someone else?”
“No, I’m just surprised to hear from you. Is everything okay?”
He chuckles,but it’s not quite right. It sounds forced or like a put-on when you have to indulge your elders when they tell stupid jokes.
“I really need you to come in today.”
“I’m sorry Pastor Braden. I have a slight fever, and I’d hate for you to catch whatever I have. Can I help you over the phone?”
“No!”
My brows dip in confusion, and I slide to the edge of the bed, the good girl in me already planning an outfit to wear on my impromptu day off.
“What’s wrong? Why are you so upset?”
“I’m sorry, Letty, but I really need you to come into the church. Right away. As fast as you can get here.”
He sounds nervous, more than I have ever seen him. Even more than when those bikers beat up Shades in the parking lot.
“Yes, sure. All right.” I nod and push off the bed. I need something to wear because my granny gown is not office appropriate. “Is everything okay? You sound incredibly stressed, Pastor Braden. Can you at least tell me what the problem is so I can work on it on my way in?”
“No,” he snaps. “I’m sorry, Letty, it’s just that this would be better handled in person. I’ll see you soon,” he mutters and ends the call.
“Yep, see you soon,” I said to no one at all. I scan my closet in search of something to wear, but when I look at my clothes, nothing feels right. Not for the Letty I am now, whoever that is.
After minutes of indecision, I reach for a pair of dark denim pants that fit a little too snugly with a white blouse and red kitten heels. It’s a version of the me that I want to be, and I smile at my reflection because there’s one more thing I need to do.
“Hey Jordi, are you hungry?” I hold out a plate with a giant sandwich in the center, pickles, and potato chips on the side. “I made you a sandwich.”
His brows arch suspiciously. “You made me a sandwich. Why?”
I shrug. “Seems like this is a boring job, and if it were me, I’d be snacking nonstop on everything I could get my hands on.”
“You would?”
I nod, hoping my plan to soften him with a sandwich would work. “Yes. I keep a jar of cheese-stuffed pretzel bites in my desk at the church. They’re like little bites of pizza, and I love pizza.”
He nods to the door behind me. “You got pizza in there?”
“No. But maybe we can go get pizza…on the way to the church?” The question comes out full of hope, and Jordi’s smile gives me a modicum of hope.
