Free Geek Chic by Lesli Richardson Page B

didn’t I call the cops?
    At a stoplight, she had to force her hands to let go of the steering wheel so she could flex her fingers. She realized how much they hurt from the steely grip she’d kept on the bus steering wheel today. She never drove like that. Driving usually relaxed her. Only during bad traffic, or bad weather, did she ever remotely stress out.
    Today, she could barely focus on driving, too aware of Mystery Hunk—
    Beck
    —sitting right there and watching her.
    And the way he smelled! Delicious, just like the other day. Not even a cologne, but as if it was his natural scent.
    She’d almost reached home when she realized she still had to go pick up Da’von.
    Oh. My. God.
    This was so unlike her. She didn’t even recognize herself.
    She got her car pointed in the right direction and focused on breathing. If she didn’t have herself settled before she got there, Lu’ana would notice and be all over her.
    Nami didn’t know if she had the brain cells, much less the will, to hide this new development from her sister today. And if she told her what happened, she would be insisting Nami called the cops or report him—
    Beck
    —to her supervisor.
    I don’t know where he lives. I don’t have his phone number. I don’t—
    She took a deep breath to short-circuit those thoughts. She didn’t need any of that information about Beck, because whatever he thought, no matter why she was reacting to him the way she was, there was no way in hell’s happy acres anything would ever happen between them.
    At the thought of that, she nearly burst into tears.
    What the hell is wrong with me?
    Somehow, she managed to get her emotions under control before she reached Lu’ana’s. Because they were eating at home tonight, Da’von was ready to go when Nami got there.
    He wore an odd expression. “You okay?”
    “Yeah, just tired. Long day. You ready?”
    “I’m ready, but you look…weird.”
    “Thanks a lot. Get in the car.”
    Lu’ana stepped out of the kitchen, concern on her face. “Nami, you okay?”
    She fought the urge to scream. “Just a really long-ass day. I’m tired, I want to go home, eat, and get a shower, so I can relax.”
    And collapse in bed so I can think about Mystery Hu—
    Beck.
    Lu’ana crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrows arched in disbelief. “Mm-hmm. You look a lot worse than just having a long-ass day.”
    “Every aggravating passenger on the face of the earth ended up on my route today. That’s all. Da’von, let’s go.”
    Lu’ana looked like she didn’t want to drop it, but finally stepped over and gave Nami a hug. “Call me later if you want to talk about it, you stubborn woman.”
    “Nothing to talk about, but thanks.”
    On the way home, Da’von stared at her.
    It uncomfortably reminded Nami of how Beck had stared at her all day while she drove.
    “ What ?” she finally asked.
    He slowly shook his head before facing front again. “Nothin’. I can tell you ain’t gonna talk about it.”
    “Because there ain’t nothing to talk about. How are your classes?”
    “Fine. Got an A on the programming test I turned in last week.”
    Finally , something to take her thoughts off Beck. “That’s awesome!” She didn’t have to fake or force her enthusiasm. “I’m so proud of you!”
    He stared down at his lap, something he’d done all his life when he felt embarrassed, especially by praise. “Wasn’t hard.”
    “I don’t care. This is why I rode you so much in high school, and why I still ride you now. So you can…” She wasn’t expecting to choke up. “So you can do what I couldn’t. All three of you.”
    “When are you gonna go back to school?”
    “I’m too old for that.”
    “No you aren’t. There are people in my classes way older than you. People go back to school all the time.”
    “That was seventeen years ago, I was in school. Nearly a whole life since. I wouldn’t know what to do. Maybe once I retire from driving.”
    “You won’t