Loving Montie (Breathless 4)

“And he’s in town because?” Her sister inquired again, now brushing the red flakes off her blouse onto the floor.

“He’s in town on business and it doesn’t matter because… are you going to pick that shit up before you leave?” Eve asked perturbed by her sister’s audacity.

April ignored the question and continued her interrogation. “What kind of business?”

“Well, you remember six months ago when our company was bought out by Clearview Corporation?” Eve asked as she went and pulled the dust buster off the wall and handed it to April. “He was one of the outside consultants they hired to help the transition go smoothly. I met him then. They contracted him to come in every three to six months for the first two years to help monitor how the change is affecting the workplace. I became friends with him because being the Director of Operations I had to convince him my job is important-or rather that I’m important to the company.”

“So why are you two going out?” April asked clicking the switch of the Dust Buster off and on.

“Did you not hear me when I said I’m trying to save my job?” Eve was irritated by her sister’s actions and questions. She was not going to admit that she was going out with this man because he was gorgeous and she was tired of being alone. Although she wasn’t one to mess with men in a relationship, lately the only men who came for her were married. At least Elijah wasn’t married. She had no intention to get involved with him, but one date wouldn’t hurt.

“Girl please, your job ain’t going nowhere,” April dismissed. “And, how you know he’s not married?”

“Didn’t I just tell you… look it doesn’t matter if he’s married, anyway. He’s a friend and that’s it.”

“Do you always run around worrying about what you’re going to wear with all your friends?” April grinned. She loved to get under Eve’s skin.

“Shut up,” Eve said, throwing a pillow at April and hitting her in the head.

She and Elijah had been flirting off and on for a while and she didn’t want to admit that the flirting comments he made did indeed get to her. She wasn’t sure what he was after, but tonight she planned to find out. She also wanted to play a little and didn’t see the harm in that.

Eve took out a pair of jeans and a white blouse and began to change. April lay across the bed and watched her sister dress.

“Well, how long has he been with this woman?” April pushed. She knew the type of man her sister attracted.

“I don’t know. The rumor around the office is that it’s been a while,” Eve answered as she buckled her sandals.

“You been involved in the gossip around the office? That’s not your style,” April teased.

Eve threw her sandal at her sister and it hit the wall.

April rolled over, picked it up and tossed it back to her. “Do they have kids?” she continued.

“Yes.”

April shook her head and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. As she got up and walked back into her room, she mumbled loud enough for Eve to hear, “You messing with a married man.”

“I heard you,” Eve yelled after April. “And don’t you forget to get this polish off my floor.”

At the same time the door to her sister’s room clicked, Eve heard a car pull up. She did the last check of her appearance and then ran and opened the front door. She watched Elijah stroll up the walkway toward the door. He was dressed in a gray fitted sweater and black jeans. He smiled when he saw her standing in the doorway.

“You know you have frogs out here,” Elijah said as he approached the screen door.

“Where?” Eve asked, closing the screen before he reached it. She was terrified of frogs.

“There’s one right there by the door.”

“Well, I’m sorry. You’re not coming in and I’m not going out until that frog is gone.” Eve wasn’t even looking at Elijah, but looking for the frog.

“You’re that scared of frogs?” He was amused by her reaction.

“What was your first clue?” She sarcastically glanced up at him and quickly returned to locating where the frog was.

“You wouldn’t have done well in that whole ‘let my people go’ thing with Moses, huh?” he asked, laughing. “Don’t worry. It just hopped into the bush.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, peeping through the screen door.

“Yes.” He opened the screen. “Are you ready?”