different. “Think again, honey.”
“Don’t ‘honey’ me, dickhead. You’re nothing but a big child.”
He didn’t want to get into a shouting match with her. In fact, he couldn’t understand why she didn’t see his problem with what she had done. “Right, because calling me names is so mature.”
“It’s a lot more mature than what I really want to do.”
“What, take the knife out of my back and stab it into my heart?” Because that’s exactly what she’d done, although he’d never let on to her how deeply she’d hurt him. He’d trusted her with Cami, and his heart.
“As if you have one.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.” Annoyed beyond belief now, Jonah came around the island and faced off with Tisha, who had moved from the table and stepped toward him until they were a few short feet apart. “Why would you agree to work for her? Why, Tisha?”
“I did it for you, you idiot.”
Startled by her declaration, he stared at her in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I wasn’t trying to defend ReShaunda. I was trying to find out what she was up to.” Tisha took a step forward and jabbed her index finger in his shoulder. “Despite what you obviously think, I’m not stupid, Jonah. I know she’s not asking me to do her hair because she’s knocked out by how nice Cami’s hair looks.”
“Oh.” His anger deflated as quickly as his shame rose and he had to resist the urge to rub his shoulder. He felt like an ass. Much as he supposed Tisha had declared him to be.
“Yeah, oh. She wants info from me. What kind, I don’t know. But I’m sure she wants something. And she’s just as big of a fool as you are for thinking I would give it to her.”
“I didn’t…”
“The hell you didn’t.” Tisha shook her head in disgust. “Really, how stupid do you think I am? If I were plotting behind your back, I wouldn’t have told you about it. I would have just done it and you would have been none the wiser. But what do I do? I sit here with you and try to tell you about what happened, just to have you blow up at me without hearing the entire story.”
“Tisha.” Jonah closed his eyes for a few seconds and silently berated himself. Good lord, when had he turned into such an untrusting fool? Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and focused on Tisha. No longer did she have a look of anger, instead it was one of disappointment. If he had the opportunity to pick, he would have picked anger over the one she was leveling at him, hands down. “I…”
“Save it.” She held up her hand as if to ward off his words. “I didn’t have to grow up in a foster home to understand loyalty, Jonah.”
“Fuck.” Annoyed at himself, Jonah dragged his hands through his hair, contemplating all the many ways he wanted to kick his own ass. “I’m…I don’t know what to say.” Sorry didn’t seem as if it would cover it just right.
“Good, because I don’t want to hear it. Cami has an appointment on Saturday. Drop her off in front of the shop. She’s welcome inside. You’re not.”
“Tisha,” he groaned as she pushed past him. “Don’t leave. Let’s talk about this.”
She glared over her shoulder at him. “You don’t know how to talk, Jonah. Just accuse. Falsely, I might add.”
“Look, let me explain.”
“I’m going to give you the same opportunity you gave me to explain. Goodbye, Jonah.” Without sparing him a further look, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.
“Fuck!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. When that didn’t appease the rage bottled up inside him, he swept his arms wide across the island, sending the plates and silverware crashing to the floor.
“What’s wrong?”
God, could this get any worse? With a heavy sigh, Jonah dropped to his knees and began to pick up the mess off the floor. “Nothing’s wrong, squirt. Did you brush your teeth?”
“Yes.” Cami stepped tentatively into the room. “Where’s
“Don’t ‘honey’ me, dickhead. You’re nothing but a big child.”
He didn’t want to get into a shouting match with her. In fact, he couldn’t understand why she didn’t see his problem with what she had done. “Right, because calling me names is so mature.”
“It’s a lot more mature than what I really want to do.”
“What, take the knife out of my back and stab it into my heart?” Because that’s exactly what she’d done, although he’d never let on to her how deeply she’d hurt him. He’d trusted her with Cami, and his heart.
“As if you have one.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.” Annoyed beyond belief now, Jonah came around the island and faced off with Tisha, who had moved from the table and stepped toward him until they were a few short feet apart. “Why would you agree to work for her? Why, Tisha?”
“I did it for you, you idiot.”
Startled by her declaration, he stared at her in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I wasn’t trying to defend ReShaunda. I was trying to find out what she was up to.” Tisha took a step forward and jabbed her index finger in his shoulder. “Despite what you obviously think, I’m not stupid, Jonah. I know she’s not asking me to do her hair because she’s knocked out by how nice Cami’s hair looks.”
“Oh.” His anger deflated as quickly as his shame rose and he had to resist the urge to rub his shoulder. He felt like an ass. Much as he supposed Tisha had declared him to be.
“Yeah, oh. She wants info from me. What kind, I don’t know. But I’m sure she wants something. And she’s just as big of a fool as you are for thinking I would give it to her.”
“I didn’t…”
“The hell you didn’t.” Tisha shook her head in disgust. “Really, how stupid do you think I am? If I were plotting behind your back, I wouldn’t have told you about it. I would have just done it and you would have been none the wiser. But what do I do? I sit here with you and try to tell you about what happened, just to have you blow up at me without hearing the entire story.”
“Tisha.” Jonah closed his eyes for a few seconds and silently berated himself. Good lord, when had he turned into such an untrusting fool? Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and focused on Tisha. No longer did she have a look of anger, instead it was one of disappointment. If he had the opportunity to pick, he would have picked anger over the one she was leveling at him, hands down. “I…”
“Save it.” She held up her hand as if to ward off his words. “I didn’t have to grow up in a foster home to understand loyalty, Jonah.”
“Fuck.” Annoyed at himself, Jonah dragged his hands through his hair, contemplating all the many ways he wanted to kick his own ass. “I’m…I don’t know what to say.” Sorry didn’t seem as if it would cover it just right.
“Good, because I don’t want to hear it. Cami has an appointment on Saturday. Drop her off in front of the shop. She’s welcome inside. You’re not.”
“Tisha,” he groaned as she pushed past him. “Don’t leave. Let’s talk about this.”
She glared over her shoulder at him. “You don’t know how to talk, Jonah. Just accuse. Falsely, I might add.”
“Look, let me explain.”
“I’m going to give you the same opportunity you gave me to explain. Goodbye, Jonah.” Without sparing him a further look, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.
“Fuck!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. When that didn’t appease the rage bottled up inside him, he swept his arms wide across the island, sending the plates and silverware crashing to the floor.
“What’s wrong?”
God, could this get any worse? With a heavy sigh, Jonah dropped to his knees and began to pick up the mess off the floor. “Nothing’s wrong, squirt. Did you brush your teeth?”
“Yes.” Cami stepped tentatively into the room. “Where’s
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