Only Yours

24. I'll take care of It

Tamina

Clearing my throat, my cheeks warm under the sudden question, but the heat travels to my heart at the notion mum's all for Brandon. "Um, I'm fine with it, why?"

"Because I'm about to ask him, hey Brandon!" she cheers, causing everyone who walks by to stare at us, and my head to tuck into my shoulders.

My body locks into place at the sudden heat that replaces the sun, and his voice soon sounds close to my ear. "Ask me what?" His posture straightens against my back as he adds, "Hello, Mrs Rovers."

My eyes narrow on her, and she gives me the what? I'm being good look before turning back to him. "Hello, Brandon, how are you this fine day?"

"All's well, thank you, Mrs Rovers. How are you and Mr Rovers?"

She waves her hand dismissively. "Please, call us Gerald and Tricia. And we're fine, thank you; Gerald's visiting his friend for the day, so I've got time to let my hair down. . ." Her eyes fleet between us. "Speaking of, Brandon, would you care to join us for dinner?"

Swivelling in my seat to meet him, his lips pull into a small smile. "That sounds wonderful, I'll make sure to clear my schedule; when were you thinking?"

I'm growing all warm and fuzzy at the interaction. Like a gentleman, he's being polite and calm with my mother, making sure to take everything she says into consideration as she lays out the plans. It's clear he's taking mental notes by the way his head slowly nods and his eyes squint in concentration. Mum, on the other hand, is chattering away as she asks about allergies, favourite foods, hates, and that he can wear whatever he likes. Shortly after, I'm rising to my feet at the sight of mum doing so, signalling the union has come to an end, and it's Brandon's time to whisk me away for whatever importance it is.

Question one will be what, and the second will be why, and then hopefully it ends with us in a warm embrace on my sofa like last night.

"The weekend? But I'm not sure which day." Mum rolls her eyes for a quick beat. "I've got to wait for my boss to get off his rump and put me to work," she explains with a light chuckle. "Anyway, I'll let you two love birds head off, I'm going to make the most of the house to myself!"

Chuckling at her antics, we share a quick hug before she bids us another good time and how she's looking forward to seeing us on the weekend. After we separate ways, Brandon takes his usual spot at my side and makes sure to guide me by the small of my back before his fingers intertwine with mine.

"Hey," I whisper.

"Hello," he replies, gently, and my heart skips a beat in my ribcage. "I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to stay as long as I'd originally thought, my love; duties call at work."

Nodding back the disappointment, the next words to leave my lips are, "That's fine, what did you need to talk about?" Remembering the topic mum and I had been chatting about, guilt niggles away at me as I say, "I've actually got to talk to you about something as well."

His brow cocks. "Tell me what you need, first."

Brandon's tone is firm and open to discussion, just not negotiating. Now that I've said it, he's not going to want to move on to his topic unless I've stated my predicament.

Itching the inside of my wrist, my eyes fleet to him for a quick second whilst my free hand comes up to shield the sun's gleam before the words rush out. "Brandon, do you have any jobs going at your agency?"

He doesn't say anything straight away, and that's fine. When it turns into a minute, that's when it wasn't I didn't expect him to keep silent—a no, sure, but now I'm swarmed with doubt and my brain can't think of anything to make up for the lack of conversation.