Page 39 of Daycare Santa
“Boyd?” She sighed, then went silent. When he was sure she wouldn’t answer, Gina spoke. “It was humiliating, especially since I caught them in the workspace I shared with Nichelle.”
She fiddled with her purse as she continued, “It’s like being stabbed in the gut and having the knife twisted, to lose a friend that way. It’s even worse when you realize the man you were with really didn’t deserve you. But actually, he did me a favor.” She smiled then. “Because I now realize he wasn’t right for me.”
Zack’s heart thudded in slow, hard beats as he said, “This may sound awful, but I’m glad that was the case.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, indeed. If you were still with him, I wouldn’t have turned your head.”
Gina’s amusement came through in her voice when she said, “Not in that Santa suit, you wouldn’t.”
“And yet here you are.”
They glanced at each other and burst out laughing.
Gina was the first to sober up and dab the corner of her eye. “You know what, Zack?”
He gripped the wheel and focused on the road, knowing instinctively this wasn’t the time to look at her. Her musing tone was a hint that she was about to admit something touching.
“I’m kinda glad you lost your girl. If what you’ve told me is true, she didn’t deserve you any more than Boyd deserved me.”
Chapter 16
Aside from catchingBoyd kissing Nichelle, meeting Eli was the next strangest thing that happened in the past few weeks. When she walked into the cocktail bar with Zack, Eli greeted her and immediately shook her hand. He shared the same good looks, including that full, glossy beard, and the warm smile. The only difference was that with Eli, the tingle was absent when they touched.
“So, you’re the woman who put me in trouble with Jamila and Zack at the same time.”
Gina’s gaze went to the woman who also sat in the maroon booth. She held out one hand, and they introduced themselves. “Sorry about that. I thought ...”
“I get it.” Her bright eyes twinkled in tandem with the diamond studs in her ears. “I thought the same thing, too.”
“On my part ...” Gina let her gaze swing to Zack. “Someone forgot to say he had a twin.”
“I didn’t get the right opportunity to tell you,” Zack protested as he claimed the seat next to her and took the menu Eli handed him. He moved the wineglasses out of the way and opened the menu on the table between them.
“We’re going to have the buffalo wings, lobster sliders, and seasoned fries. I ordered extra wings and fries,” Eli offered, then drank from his water glass.