If she didn’t know Becky well she’d swear this was staged. But Becky didn’t trust Bryce or this whole surrogacy thing so she knew her interests were solely for Lateisha.
“I don’t know, Beck. I’d have to spend forty hours a week with this guy.” Lateisha cocked a thumb at Bryce and instead of being irritated, he chuckled.
“You wouldn’t be working for me. You’d be working for John. He’s on the fifteenth floor and you wouldn’t see me at all. Hardly,” Bryce added, looking at Lateisha hopefully.
Well damn, they did have a pretty good point, and Lateisha did hate working at McDonald’s. Even though she knew this was a ploy by Bryce to control her life while she was carrying his baby, she also knew she would be a fool to turn down a great opportunity.
“Fine,” she said stubbornly, her chin jutting out a bit, “I’ll do it. But on one condition.”
“What’s that now?”
“You can’t tell me what to wear, or eat or do while I’m working there, especially since you won’t be my direct boss.”
Bryce nodded, “It’s a deal.”
They shook hands and Lateisha stood to leave. She had a feeling this wasn’t going to go as smoothly as she planned.
*****
Bryce watched Lateisha leave before he stood.
“Thanks for getting her on board. I appreciate it.” Bryce turned to Becky just before he walked out.
“I didn’t do it for you. I still don’t like what you’re doing here and how you’re taking advantage of her. But Lateisha needs a more stable, better paying job no matter w
hat. Just don’t hurt her or I’ll hunt you down like a dog,” Becky flashed a large smile and practically pushed Bryce out of the apartment.
Scratching his head he descended the stairs, wondering if Lateisha was at the bus stop yet. She shouldn’t take the bus alone at night in the city, it wasn’t safe. Bryce stepped into his Town Car and told Gerry to drive down the street to the bus stop. Sure enough Lateisha was perched on the edge of a bench looking at her phone. Probably surfing social media or whatever the kids called it.
Bryce asked Gerry to stop at the curb and rolled his window down. “Fancy meeting you here.”
Lateisha snorted and approached his window. “You need a better line.”
“That I do. Can you please get in the car and ride home with me. I hate you sitting here alone in the dark waiting for the bus.” Bryce motioned to the car.
“I’m not alone,” Lateisha gestured towards the likely homeless man curled in a ball at the end of the bench.
Bryce shook his head. “Fine. Do what you want. I don’t know why I even bother.”
Bryce rolled his window back up and Gerry began to pull away.
“Wait! I’ll go with you. But only because I’m exhausted and I don’t think this bench is big enough for the both of us,” Lateisha said, again gesturing towards the man.
She climbed into the limo and pressed against the door when it closed. Bryce got the signal loud and clear. She wanted him to leave her alone.
*****
Lateisha bolted from the car before Gerry had even put it in park. Being trapped in a car with him for fifteen minutes was too much. Now she knew why he was avoiding her.
“Lateisha!” Bryce yelled from the hallway after she stepped from the elevator.
Lateisha turned but kept walking; she didn’t want to talk to him about anything right now. There was too much of a risk that she could ruin everything.
“I’m really tired,” she fake yawned while opening the door to the penthouse and slipping inside.
She almost closed the door and locked it behind her but Bryce would think she was crazy. Shedding her jacket by the door, she hung it in the closet quickly and took off towards the hallway that led to her room.
“Please wait,” Bryce said, this time he sounded defeated.