Maceo put his big hands on his ears and sang, “Na na na. Lo lo. No no no.”
“Really? Now you’re acting like a toddler!”
He removed his hands. “Sit, please.”
“Argh!” Still grinning, I marched over to the other crystal plate and dropped down. “Satisfied?”
“For now.”
He poured a glass of wine and placed it next to me. “Dylan okay-ed the bathroom renovation.”
“He did what?”
“I don’t go back and forth with business owners on jobs. He signed and paid. Talk to him if you want the job canceled.”
I sighed.
“Mainly, I’m obliging Dylan since he said, ‘Good. Maybe now Chrissy can stop putting all of that smelly lotion in my office and hanging her wet drawers to dry in the men’s bathroom.’”
I’m going to kill you, Dylan. One damn time, I wash a few undergarments in the men’s bathroom during closed hours while I’m paying the bills and you have to tell everyone!
“Can I call you Chrissy?” Maceo asked.
“No, I hate that name.”
“Why?”
“My sworn enemy in middle school was named Chrissy. She constantly stole my lunch money until I finally socked her in the eye. My brothers started calling me that to annoy me. Sadly, the nickname stuck. I’ll only take that mess from them.”
“Christine it is, then.”
I cleared my throat. “So Dylan paid for the new bathroom? How much?”
“I think I charged him a stick of gum. Spearmint.” He patted his pocket. “The gum is in here if you need to see it.”
“A stick of gum?”
“Your brother was very quick with the payment. It was fun doing business with him.”
A tiny sting hit my temples. I began rubbing them. Stress and aggravation throbbed in that area. All I needed was a big, metal bat, just something strong to hit the heads of stubborn men. My biggest problem was trying to figure out who I would hit first.
“So, if I remember correctly, you’re not interested in dating.” Maceo picked up a plate with pink lace covering it. Inch by inch he slipped the lace away as if he were gently sliding away panties.
Must he be sexual in every damn movement?
A large slice of cheesecake sat in the middle of the dish. Almonds and chocolate covered the top. Berries surrounded it. My stomach grumbled as he winked and lay the tempting dessert right in front of me.
“So, since I have no chance in having a romantic relationship with you,” he said, “I figured this moment could be a celebration of our new friendship.”
My fingers itched to pick up a fork and dig in.
I refused. “Friendship?”
“You can have friends, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then we’re just friends, nothing more. No sex or kissing, thrusting or licking.” He bit his lip as he stared at my jogging pants again. “Just buddies chatting on the roof as we eat delicious food.”
He extended his hand to me. “Deal?”
I stared at his fingers with skepticism. “Friends?”
“Only friends. The bathroom and replacement of pipes is something I would do for friends. I would expect nothing from them at all.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Too bad. I give gifts all the time.”
“To women?”
“To my friends.”
Sighing, I glanced at the cheesecake again, my mouth filling with saliva. “I don’t take huge gifts from my friends.”
The muscle in his jawline twitched. It was the second time I’d seen his confident shell crack. He picked up his own glass and took a large sip. When he was done, he composed himself. The shell returned. “You can’t afford what my company is doing for you, so take it.”
“I don’t have to take it.”
“But you will take it, trust me on that. You’ll take it all.”
“Why do I think you’re talking about something else?”
“Because you probably have a very nasty mind.” He pushed the dish with the cheesecake closer to me.
My mouth watered some more, but I gritted my teeth. “I can be your friend, if that’s really all you’re interested in.”
“Clearly, that’s not all I want from you. It’s just what I’m currently begging for.”
I gazed at the cheesecake.
“Here’s the deal. Friendship for plumbing work and a decent sized renovation. I have a buddy that owes me a job, the same guy that has women calling my phones and whispering nasty plumber jokes to me each month.” He laughed.
I didn’t. Suddenly, I didn’t like these women calling Maceo. Maybe being on the roof was messing with my head. Didn’t great heights affect a person’s brain or something?
“So your friend and you trade labor?” I asked.
“Yeah, we trade labor for payment.”
“Then I want to do the same thing. Let’s trade your labor for mine.” I picked up a fork and cut a small piece. “How about we say that you can have two big parties here on the club’s off nights.”
He frowned. “That would cost you money.”
“Not as much as the replacement of pipes or a new bathroom.”
“I’d rather just give it to you.”