Page 75 of Daisy Chain
She gives a small smile. “Yeah, I do.”
“Then go for it. You’d make a cute couple.” And I mean it. I should have seen it from the start. Sally can be a little wild and carefree. Evan may come across more serious and settled, but it’s the perfect combination to balance them out.
Her shoulders droop on a sigh. “What if he doesn’t like me?”
“From what I’ve learned from Evan, he’s not going to sleep with a woman if he’s not interested.” It took multiple dates before we even kissed.
Sally’s eyes brighten. “You think he’s interested?”
“Oh, puleeze,” Natasha groans from the floor. “You sound like the girls at my high school. Just tell him you like him. Have more sex and live happily ever after.”
My eyes lock with Sally’s, and we burst out laughing. “She has a point,” I say.
“Who knew the kid was so smart?” Sally ruffles the top of Natasha’s blue hair.
“Hey.” She swats Sally’s hand away. “Can we please get out of this apartment? I want to take Remi for a walk.”
That’s what we came here to do. Natasha had called, complaining about getting cabin fever. “Sure. Giselle, would you like to come along?” I ask.
“No, thank you. I have some laundry to do. You girls enjoy the sunshine.”
We bundle Remi up, place her in a stroller, and leave the apartment. When we arrive at the bottom and step out of the elevator, Natasha’s foster father appears in the lobby.
Sally and I step in front of the stroller and Natasha.
“Tash, it’s time you come home.” He makes to move around us to get to her, but we block his path.
“I told you; I’m not going anywhere with you,” she snaps.
“The social worker’s been asking about you.”
“I don’t care,” she yells.
“Your mother misses you,” he pleads.
Behind me, Natasha scoffs. “Janice doesn’t give a shit about me.”
His face screws up with anger. “They’ll stop my money.”
“Natasha, get Remi back into the elevator,” I say over my shoulder. “I’ll deal with him.”
Bruce moves forward, and I hold out my hand, keeping him at arm's length. “Don’t come any closer.” I keep my eyes on Bruce in case he makes any sudden movements to get to Natasha.
“You little bitch. Think you’re a fucking princess living in this castle,” he calls out to her.
Natasha steps into the elevator. “You could only dream of living in a place like this. If you think I’d leave it to come back to your filthy shack, you’ve got rocks in your head. I’m sick of living like a slave and slapping away your filthy hands.” The elevator door shuts. The girl has guts. Good on her for standing up for herself.
“You need to leave,” I demand, feeling a little relieved that Natasha is out of harm’s way. Although I’m still nervous that Bruce is still in the building. Who knows what he might do?
He sneers as he eyes me up and down like I’m no more than a tiny ant he could squash under his boot. “Are you going to make me?”
I pull my phone out of my bag and wave it in front of his face. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the police. If I can’t make you leave, they will.” Or maybe I should call Kade. The size of him is enough to scare the coward away. If I call him, I’m worried he’ll do some serious damage to Bruce and get himself into trouble.
A sour stench of alcohol wafts over my face, and I have to hold my breath so I don’t gag. “I’ve done nothing wrong,” Bruce says.
“You’re harassing a minor.”
“They won’t believe you.”
