AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Someone dropped this off for you.” The Marketing floor’s receptionist, Jean, came into Xolani’s office an hour or so later, holding a white bag. “He said he was from EV.”
Instantly, Xolani knew that it was from Barry.
She checked the bag after Jean left and found a plethora of over-the-counter cold medicines.
Aww! How sweet. Any thoughts of avoiding him completely disappeared, and she found herself reaching for a cell-phone. She called him.
“Yeah?” Barry answered immediately, his deep baritone sending waves of pleasure through her.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I got the meds.”
“I didn’t tell your receptionist my name.” It sounded like he was smiling too. “How did you know it was me?”
“I just knew.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked. Before she could speak, he added, “And don’t give me that crap about it not being that bad. How are you really feeling?”
“Just a little stuffy,” she responded honestly. “The worst of it happened over the weekend and Monday. But I feel okay today.”
“You should’ve told me.”
“Then what?” She joked, “Would you have brought me chicken soup?”
But he sounded absolutely serious as he said, “If that’s what you wanted.”
His serious tone was enough to make her sober up. She assured, “I promise it wasn’t that bad, and I had my brother to take care of me. I’m good.”
He paused for a few seconds, then asked, “Can I see you tonight?”
“Ye_ Wait! I don’t think so.” This time she wasn’t making up an excuse as she said, “I have to monitor a radio interview that’s being done by Gas tonight. I can’t meet up.”
“That sucks. What about tomor_ Ugh!” He groaned. “Forget tomorrow. Our division’s got that dinner with the Secretary of Transportation.”
They tried to negotiate a meet-up time, but they both had a busy week ahead.
“Let’s do the weekend then,” Barry suggested.
“Yeah, not this weekend.” Xolani explained, “I’m helping my brother move out.”
“Nooo.” Barry sounded just as frustrated as she was. “But I want to see you.”
“I do too, and I’m sure hanging out with you will be infinitely better than the hard labor Cam’s going to put me through.”
“Do you guys need an extra pair of hands?” Barry offered. “I don’t mind hard labor.”
The offer caught Xolani off-guard, and she didn’t know whether to accept it or not. Her common sense reminded her that she was trying to avoid him.
Since she couldn’t confess her intentions, she said, “That might not be a good idea. I have a cold. You might catch it.”
“Don’t worry about me.” He countered, “I have a great immune system.”
She searched her brain for another excuse not to accept his offer. But her baser senses took her mouth hostage and forced it to say, “Okay then. If you’re sure, then I won’t stop you.”
“I’m sure.” He paused for a beat, then asked, “So it’s a date?”
“It’s a date.”
THIS IS NOT AN ACTUAL date. Barry reminded himself of that fact over and over as he took the elevator up to Xolani’s apartment. It was also not a heavy pressure ‘meet my family’ event. Sure, he would meet her brother today, but that shouldn’t be an issue because he and Xolani were simply just friends.
