Latonya decided it was time to cut Jillian off before she gave her two cents again.
“Um, excuse me, but are you two done talking about me as if I’m not here? Can I get a word in edgewise?” Latonya said jokingly. “Is this how you two get on, when you get together? Telling all my business?” Trying to keep her tone respectful, Latonya thought she’d done a good job. She knew that they were just teasing her and she also understood their reasons. But she couldn’t help it if she loved the life she’d built with Carlton and little Carl and she didn’t like being away from her son.
“Business? Child, you don’t have any business. You’re too young to have some business, and truth be told, if I didn’t drag you out of the house this morning to be with us, then you would barely have a life outside of that husband and that little boy.” Jillian harrumphed before taking a sip from her tea and shot Gran a look that might as well have said, “Do you believe her?”
“Oh, but he is one fine, pretty little boy. My great-grandbaby is a handsome little fellow. Isn’t he, Jillian?” Gran sipped her tea, all the while grinning up a storm.
“Evelyn, you know you have never lied. The boy is adorable. And just as sweet as he wants to be. You ought to see him come into the kitchen asking me for cookies. ‘Miss Dillian,’ he says, ‘Miss Dillian, may I have cook-cook?’ And how can I say no to that precious little face?” Jillian took to grinning, too. One would never know that just a few minutes ago the two women were getting on Latonya’s case about spoiling the same little boy.
“Well, who can say no to that precious, sweet little child? I swear he is the most precious little baby.” As she puffed up like a peacock, Gran’s smile showed every single one of her teeth.
Throwing her hands up in mock frustration, Latonya smiled. “Oh, so, you all can spoil him, but I can’t be concerned enough to stay home with him while he has a cold?”
“Girl, please. You have a nanny. Pamela spends more time in the kitchen bugging me because you won’t let the woman do her job. Also, I could have taken care of him. Your grandmother and me. And you know old Mr. Harrington looks for any excuse to be around his youngest namesake. You have plenty of people to watch after that little boy.” Rolling her eyes at Latonya, Jillian gave Gran another one of her coded looks.
Latonya bristled at the mention of the elder Harrington. Even though he now pretended to at least tolerate her ever since little Carl was born, she knew he would rather see her gone. Any conversation she had with the old man was strained. She still waited for the day that he would give up his animosity toward her.
“Uh-huh, you act like you’re selfish or something.” Gran noted Jillian’s look and chimed in with her agreement.
“Fine. Can we change the subject? I’ll bring him over to your place more, Gran.” Turning to Jillian, she added, “I’ll spend a little more time out of the house so you can give him cookies, Jillian. Is that fine with the two of you?”
“Just so long as you don’t start taking advantage. You know how kids are these days. They act like we didn’t already raise them.” Jillian dashed out another one of her looks and sucked her teeth. “They start dropping off their bundles and expecting us to watch them. That’s exactly what happened to what’s-her-name. You know, she used to work for the Singletons. Anyway, her daughter just left her kids there and never came back.”
“Oh, yes, child. I heard about that. I can’t remember her name, either. Bright-skinned woman, right? Bless her heart. How is she going to take care of those children on her social security?” Primed to move onto the next item on their to-gossip-and-cast-their-opinions-about list, Gran chimed right in, not missing a beat.
Latonya excused herself from the table. As she walked to the restroom, she tried to figure out exactly why they even bothered to ask her to join them.
“Hey, beautiful. Long time no see,” a male voice called to her just before she reached the restroom door.
Turning, she saw her former colleague and friend Jeff Weatherby. Even though it thrilled her to spend time with her son, she sometimes missed interacting with adults.
“Hi, Jeff. Look at you! It’s so good to see you.” Giving him a heartfelt hug, she smiled.
Jeff let out a low whistle as he eyed her. “Look at you, girl!”
She glanced down at her smart designer dress and high-fashion stilettos. With her new layered haircut and makeup, she supposed she did look a whole lot different than she did when they worked together at Harrington Enterprise.
Jeff reached out and touched her cheek. “You look fabulous. Like a million bucks,” he observed.
She grinned and did a little half spin. The dress—a soft yellow raw-silk number—fit like a dream. It had a simple design, which she’d finally figured out she really liked. She found the dress and others like it at a small boutique named for the owner and designer, Frances. The simple-but-elegant clothing she found there allowed her to be somewhat comfortable in her new life.
Faking a pout, Jeff said, “I can’t believe it’s you. I feel like I hardly ever get a chance to see you anymore. What happened? You got married and forget about the little people?”
“No. But having a new baby has been work.”
“Oh, please, your son is two years old now and I know Harry Tres has enough money to spring for help. Or are you the only mommy in the neighborhood without a nanny?” Jeff teased.
“Yes. We have a nanny. But I like to spend quality time with my child. He’s at an impressionable age.” Latonya narrowed her eyes and huffed playfully, “Mind your business! You’re worse than Gran and Jillian.”
“See, I’m sure even they think you should get out and see old friends. Why don’t you come back to work? I’m head of the marketing division now.” He let out one of his most flirtatious smiles and stroked her cheek again. “So you wouldn’t have to worry about working for your husband. You know I’m too awed by you to give you a hard time.”
Smiling, she teased, “Yeah, I heard that you moved on up. You know if I was still on the job that would never have happened. That would be my job.”
“Yes, you were good. Then you married the boss’s grandson and went into hibernation. It was so quick, too. You broke my heart, beautiful.” For a moment he actually appeared somber. Then he let loose one of his fake pouts.
Laughing, Latonya said, “Stop playing. You know you weren’t fazed.”
“No kidding, I was. But I’ll tell you what. If you should ever decide to leave old Harry Tres, don’t forget to look me up.” Jeff stared at her intensely for a moment before cracking a smile and winking.
“You’re such a flirt! Get out of here. We’ll do lunch sometime, okay?” She patted her chest because it had been a long time since she’d laughed so hard. She didn’t realize how much she missed her former coworkers.
“How about next Friday?”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. I want to catch up.” He paused and gazed at her for a moment before continuing. “I miss you. Next Friday, you pick the restaurant.”
Excited, she agreed. “How about the Tavern at noon?”
“I’ll see you then.” Leaning in, Jeff hugged her and held her tightly before giving her a light peck on the cheek.
Smiling after him, she turned to continue her walk into the restroom and ran smack into the elder Carlton Harrington. Speak of the devil! Latonya wasn’t superstitious. But she knew that no good could have come from Jillian mentioning the man’s name earlier.
“Well. Isn’t this interesting. What are you doing out? Shouldn’t you be at home with my great-grandson? He is still sick, isn’t he?” The elder Harrington glared at her with thinly veiled contempt.
“No, Mr. Harrington—uh, Grandfather. He is feeling a lot better, so I came out for a little lunch and shopping with Gran and Jillian.”
“Jillian! Well, who’s with the boy?” he snapped.
