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Lisa wasquiet when we rode in my car later. I didn’t say anything either, but her quietness had a distinct edge of tension in it. She sat ramrod straight, almost stiff against the seat. She was watching the road, but I had the feeling that her mind was far away.
Her distraction allowed me to watch her uninterrupted.
She’d changed.
I now just realized how much. It wasn’t just her body. It was her whole aura. I remembered her as a quiet girl who walked with a slight hunch and avoided eye contact with just about everyone. There was a cautiousness in her eyes, and during one conversation I observed her having with Carson, I could tell she was holding back most of her thoughts and overthinking every word before she let it leave her mouth. It was like someone had spent a while convincing her of her inferiority and telling her that she had nothing valid to say. And she’d believed them.
But this Lisa wasn’t like that. She was still nervous about sitting in the car with me and more than a little intimidated, but she didn’t slouch. Her nerves made her sit up straighter, and she glanced out of the corner of her eyes a few times. She still thought before she spoke, but she said her words without flinching or trying to take them back.
I liked the change.
I could tell the exact moment she became aware that I was watching her. She shifted in her seat for a few more seconds and then tried to ignore me, but my perusal was bothering her.
And then, finally, she turned to me. “What?”
I shook my head, trying not to smile. “Nothing.”
“You’ve been staring at me since we left. It can’t be nothing.”
“Does it bother you that I’m staring?” I asked, smirking at her.
“Obviously,” she answered, and I sensed the heat in her tone. “I’m wondering what other plans you’re thinking of cooking up. Maybe this time, you’ll want me to sign over my birthright too.”
I smiled because I sensed that she was truly irritated. This was interesting. “You know, this is usually the other way round."
“What is?”
“This agreement. You’re very disgruntled about accepting my proposal and do not want to be linked to me in any way. Usually, it’s the other way round.”
She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Let me guess. You’re used to women throwing themselves at you.”
“Pretty much,” I admitted with no conceit, and she rolled her eyes again. Seeing her reaction, I laughed and shrugged. “Just being honest. But I get the sense that you don’t like me very much.”
“You’re very astute,” she said, and I noted the sarcasm in her voice. As her boss, I probably shouldn’t encourage it. She should be slightly afraid of me, but I was enjoying this too much to tell her to cut it out.
“So what is it?” I asked. “What did I do to you?”
At this, she gave me an incredulous glance. “Are you kidding me?”
“No,” I replied.
She shook her head in disbelief.
“What? Is it about that night?” I asked. “Did you not enjoy yourself? Because I seemed to remember you did.”
Her face turned fiery with embarrassment, and she glanced away before I could say anything. “You know, you don’t have to keep bringing it up.”
“Why not…when you blush so prettily?”
“We’re here,” she announced loudly, ignoring me and pointing toward a small bungalow in the corner with children and parents loitering around. I turned into the parking lot, turned off the ignition, and stepped out. Attention turned to me, but I ignored them, scanning the crowd for anyone who could be my daughter.
I didn’t have to look long to find a dainty girl with pigtails who was looking right at Lisa.
The minute she saw her mother, her entire face lit up, and she jumped up from her seat.
“Mommy,” she screamed and began running down the stairs, racing to Lisa. Her dark pigtails bounced behind her, and her ivory skin glinted in the sun as she threw herself into her mother’s arms.
