2. Noree Marcell
Iwas in the middle of my interview with Opal when the front door opened. The last person on this earth I expected to see was him.
Ozy Love was standing in front of me looking like he’d seen a ghost.
Hell, so had I.
My baby daddy… the man I’d spent almost two years trying not to think about, which was damn near impossible because I had a little girl at home who looked just like him.
And now he was standing right in front of me.
The same man I’d convinced myself probably used me as some kind of experiment. The famous singer who was used to women falling at his feet and probably found it interesting that the big girl in the room wasn’t.
Except I had liked him. Really liked him.
My eyes started burning.
Nope.
I gathered my things so fast I almost tripped over my own feet trying to get past him.
“Noree.”
I kept walking.
I heard him behind me, but I didn’t stop. I walked straight out of the house and into the hot Atlanta heat, rushing down the steps.
I dug through my purse for my keys. Then it hit me. Valet took my fucking keys.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
“Noree.”
Ozy caught up to me and grabbed my arm from behind, making me turn around to fully face him as I pulled away.
“What?!”
For a second, neither one of us said anything.
He looked me over slowly, and without thinking, I shifted my purse in front of my stomach. I’d put on some weight since having Oaklynn, and even though I’d gotten more comfortable with my body, something about him looking at me like that had every insecurity rushing back.
“What do you want, Ozy?”
All I wanted was to get in my car and leave.
He kissed his teeth. “You ain’t hear me calling you?”
“I heard you. I just don’t wanna talk to you. I want my car so I can leave.”
His brows pulled together. “Why you actin’ like this?”
I stared at him. “Please… just leave me alone.”
He looked genuinely confused. “Can we at least go back inside and talk?”
“No.”
“Noree.”
“I said no.” I held my ground, then looked away.
He reached up and touched underneath my chin, trying to get me to look at him.
I slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me, and can you have someone get my car, please?”
His expression changed, but before he could say anything else, Opal came outside, looking between us.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Ms. Marcell, but are we done with the interview?”
I forced a smile. “Yes. I’m sorry, Opal, but something came up, and I’m no longer interested in the position. I really hope you find someone for King. He seems like a sweet kid.”
Ozy frowned. “Hold up. You were here for the nanny position?”
I looked away.
“What happened to your teaching job?”
My heart started pounding even harder. “That’s neither here nor there.”
Opal looked between us. “Do the two of you know each other?”
“Yes,” Ozy said.
“No,” I said at the same time.
I glared at him.
“He’s someone I thought I knew.”
Ozy’s jaw tightened.
Opal stood there looking confused as hell. “I’ll give you two a moment,” she finally said.
“Can you have valet bring her car around?” Ozy asked.
“Absolutely.”
The second she walked away; I folded my arms.
“Can you look at me?” he asked.
I slowly lifted my eyes.
He stared at me for a second and started to say something, but I put my hand up.
“I’m not doing this with you.”
“Noree, I’m just trying to tal—”
“No!” My voice cracked when I shouted, and I hated that.
After that, I kept my mouth shut because if I opened it, I didn’t know what might come out.
Then I saw my car coming around the driveway.
Thank God.
The valet barely got out before I rushed toward it.
“Noree!”
I tossed my things inside, climbed behind the wheel, and shut the door. The second I pulled off, my eyes started burning.
I blinked fast, refusing to cry. When I glanced in the rearview mirror, Ozy was still standing there watching me leave.
Turn around.
My foot eased off the gas.
Girl just tell him! Tell him about Oaklynn.
My foot hovered for another second.
Then I pressed the gas.
No…not like this.