Ruin

81

Just the mention of another man's name alone is enough to get him acting out.

Funny enough, I think that's the exact reason why he's the first to come pick me up, this morning.

Imagine my surprise when this man had called, bright and early this morning, to tell me he'd be here to pick me up, at six-thirty.

Absentmindedly fiddling with the phone in my hand, I fold my lips to quell the urge to smile.

Keeping his eyes peeled on the road ahead, Lucas remains silent for a while then goes, "Taxi nuh run your route?"

I hiss my teeth. "Alright, this is what we're not gonna do."

He chuckles but it's humourless. "Who's this Shane bredda anyway?"

Wah mi tell yuh say?

I have a mind tell yuh sum'n weh mi know ago hurt up yuh head even more.

"My co-worker," is what I say instead.

Picking at the strands of his beard, he says, in the most deadpan tone, "A bare hombre work a your workplace it seems."

Jealousy ago kill tha bredda yah eno!

Believe mi when mi tell yuh.

If mi and him nuh deh and him a gwaan so, just imagine...

I internally scoff.

At his statement, though, I hiss my teeth, again, and roll my eyes which only serves to make him chuckle.

You alone find your attitude amusing.

"Not even ago answer yuh eno."

He shrugs. "Just curious."

I bet.

"Yuh nawh answer mi?" he asks when I still don't grace him with an answer.

Only when I've pleased myself, do I finally respond with a sarcastic, "Why? Are you seeking shares in the company, Sir?"

He shakes his head but remains silent.

The silence lingers for a while, until I break it saying, "By the way, when you come to pick me up at this hour to go all the way to Newport West, aren't you gonna be late?"

Unless that's where he's working today, too.

He smirks. "Yuh ever see boss late yet?"

I scoff to hide the smile which threatens to spread. "Alright, Mr. Hype..."

He chuckles deeply. "How yuh so uptight, today?"

How you so happy?

"Just a pull your legs, stills," he adds before I can respond. It's as if he could smell the attitude from afar. "I'm not going to the office. Was planning on handling other businesses, today."

Only now do I take note of what he's wearing: a white Bush jacket and dark fitted jeans.

I want to ask him what kind of 'other businesses', but I don't. After all, I don't think that's my place to ask, anymore.

"OK." I unlock my phone and open IG.

We continue to drive in comfortable silence. I keep my head buried in my phone; scrolling through my feed just to distract myself from the teasing fragrance of Lucas' cologne.

Speaking of, I need to remember to check the site for the cost...since his birthday is only a few weeks away, and I was thinking of getting him something nice.