“Nothing.”
“You said you landed on your backside. You could’ve damaged your tailbone. Does it hurt to sit?”
“Not as much as your fussing does.”
“Deal with it,” Corinne retorted. “I want you to go see a doctor.”
“It’s just a sprain. It’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“Which one of us is one step away from a nursing license? You can’t dance in this competition on that ankle.”
“Um, I’m guessing this is a bad time to mention the orientation meeting is tomorrow night,” Tucker added.
Mama Pearl’s face turned mutinous.
“Don’t even think about arguing with me. No publicity stunt is worth hurting yourself. You need to see a doctor,” Corinne repeated.
“Fine,” Mama Pearl gritted out. “I’ll go to the doctor, and you go dance.”
The expression of absolute control slipped from Corinne’s face. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve already paid the sponsorship fees. Somebody’s gotta do it. If you’re benching me, that leaves you.”
“What about Darlene? Or Cindy?”
“Darlene has the rhythm of a fence post, and Cindy doesn’t have the flexibility. You do.”
“But—”
“That’s the deal, sugar. You want me to take the time to go have this total waste of time appointment at the doctor, you dance.”
Tucker very deliberately didn’t look at Corinne.
After a long pause, she huffed out a breath. “Fine. We’ll have to discuss my schedule.”
“Fine,” said Mama Pearl with an ornery hrmph. “Now both of you get back to work. There are still customers.”
Corinne glowered.
“What about the job application at the hospital?” Tucker asked.
She shot him a glare. “It’ll have to wait.”
“I can watch Kurt.”
One dark brow winged up. “You’re dressed for court.”
“I don’t have to be in until eleven. Seriously, he can hang out with me for the morning. Y’all can get things sorted here with Mama Pearl, and you can go get your application filled out before everybody else. Win-win for everybody.”
She stared at him. “How is that a win for you?”
“I like kids.” Which was absolutely true. “Let me help, Corinne.”
“Don’t look a gift babysitter in the mouth,” Mama Pearl ordered. “Soon as breakfast rush is through, you get on to put in that application.”
Corinne closed her eyes as if praying for patience. “Okay. Thank you. We’ll sort out the details before you’re done with breakfast.”
Tucker waited until Corinne and Omar were done fussing and had returned to their duties before pitching his voice low enough that no one else could hear. “Oh, you’re good.”