The shower had stopped and I wanted to get one next.
Dewayne's cigarette smoke clung to my hair and clothes. I was exhausted and ready to put this night behind me.
* * *
I woke up before anyone else and collected Cage's and my dirty laundry and headed to the washroom downstairs to get started on it. Cage had crawled in bed beside me last night and we'd gone to sleep without many words. He didn't get up and leave all night which meant he was resting up for a reason. Today had to be a game day. And his uniform was dirty as were all my clothes and most of his jeans. I added bleach to the water and threw his filthy dirt stained uniform in by itself. Luckily, there were three washers and dryers down here and all three were empty. Many of the apartments had their own so rarely did I come down here and find someone else using them. It made laundry time go so much quicker. Once I got all three machines going, my phone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket, I glanced down to see it was Tawny. She never called me and when she did it was never good.
"hello."
"Where are you?"
"At Cage's."
"Figures. Listen I need a sitter for tonight. I have a date.
Larissa is asking for you. If you keep her then you can stay the night. I probably won't be home until the morning anyway."
"I've got work Tawny."
"Shit. Fine. If I have to pay a sitter then don't come back here this week."
"I wasn't planning on it."
"What you've finally shacked up with Cage? Just like our Mama."
"No Tawny, YOU are just like our Mama. I'm still a virgin and you have a kid and no husband. Do the math sister."
"Whatever. Bye."
The call ended. I felt sick at my stomach at the thought of Larissa being left overnight with some sitter. There was no telling who Tawny would get. I dialed her number back.
"What?"
"After work I'll come over and keep her overnight. Don't get a sitter for all night."
There was a brief pause.
"Okay, fine. What time do I tell the sitter you'll be here?"
"I work a double but I'll get someone to switch with me so I can leave by eleven. So tell her eleven thirty. I may have to walk."
"Fine."
She hung up again.
If it wasn't for my niece I doubt I'd even talk to my sister.
There was no love between us and I wasn't sure why. When we were little, I tried so hard to gain her approval, but nothing I did pleased her. It was as if my being born ruined her life. Who was I kidding. My mother acted the same way.
My birth had not been cause for celebration for anyone in my family. Some days I imagined getting on a bus and leaving this town behind. The memories weren't good. At leaving this town behind. The memories weren't good. At least most of them weren't. I could fit my life into one suitcase. The only person who would miss me would be Cage. Well and Larissa until she forgot I existed. Just starting over anywhere else was so tempting. Eventually Cage would see the wisdom behind my leaving. He'd be free of his need to protect me. I'd make new friends. Maybe find a decent job and finish my education.
"Deep thoughts?" Marcus's voice startled me and I jerked my gaze up from the cement floor to stare up into sleepy green eyes.
"Hey, what're you doing down here so early?" He shrugged and sat down a basket of laundry on the ground beside him.
"Well I thought I'd get some laundry done before I fixed breakfast. But it appears all the machines are in use," his tone was teasing.
"Oops. Sorry about that. I didn't think anyone would need them so early."
"That was my thought too."
I let out a small laugh and fiddled with my thumbs while my hands fisted nervously in my lap. Did he know I'd run out like a jealous idiot last night?
"So, you left me last night." His tone didn't give anything away.
I tucked the hair acting as a wall between us behind my ear.
"Um, yeah. Sorry. I was tired and needed some air." He didn't respond right away and I prayed my breathing was normal because my heart was doing a strange little fluttery thing.
"I would've taken you home if I'd known you wanted to go." Because he was one of the good guys.
"You were having fun. Your friends obviously miss you. I didn't want to ruin your night. Cage was coming my way so it worked out okay."
A small frown touched his lips and I turned my eyes back to the cement crack in the floor I'd been staring at before he'd arrived.
"I was enjoying your company too. I'd looked forward to taking you home."
Okay now the fluttery thing my heart was doing had turned into a full blown pounding.
Had Marcus Hardy just insinuated he was upset because he didn't get to take me home?
"Oh," I responded. What else did I say to that?
The first washer stopped and I jumped up and made myself busy with putting the load in the dryer.
"Washer is free," I announced smiling back at him.
He stood up and instead of waiting on me to move out of the way he crowded me back against the washer and sat his basket on the closed washer beside it. I lifted my eyes up to his to say "excuse me," but the heated look in his green eyes stopped me. A small gasp left my mouth.
"I don't think I'm making myself very clear Low," he'd lowered his voice and the effect made goose bumps break out over my body. "I was only interested in one person at that bar last night. I only came to see one person," he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and softly caressed my earlobe before tracing the line of my jaw. "I was there for you."
The husky whisper in his voice made it hard for me to take a deep breath. Instead, I was making small little pants.