Read Online So Different by Ruthie Robinson - Free Book Online Page B

going.”
    “Why am I going then?” he asked, exiting from the site.
    “The reason that all men go, at least initially: to see scantily clad women, bent over, rolling around the track, tits and asses showing, pushing and shoving each other. If they get into a fight, that’s like icing on the cake for your gender.”
    “It’s a sport, in case you haven’t heard,” Adam said.
    “Right,” she said, stepping away from his desk. “They don’t fight any more. Hate to disappoint you, but your next patient is waiting to see you, very patiently I might add, while you’re in here seeking pin-up material.”
    “Why do I put up with you?” Adam said, chuckling.
    “I work for the senior, and he told me to look out for you,” she said, grinning back.
    “I don’t need looking after.”
    “Sure you do. The line of women that come here is growing daily, and you couldn’t pick out a good one if your life depended on it,” she said.
    “I…”
    “Your ex, don’t forget,” she said, her hand raised, cutting off any rebuttals. “Although, if you’re going to see Mariah, maybe you’re growing up a little, learning to choose more wisely,” she said, closing the door behind her.
    * * *
    Third week in March
    Adam entered what was turning into to his second source of food, after his mother’s, of course. The Taco Post was packed with people this morning. Mariah stood at the front of the line, hair still red, she in a nice flowery skirt today, hoodie, and combat boots. What an odd choice in clothing she had, and different from the expensively garbed he usually dated.
    She spotted him and smiled. He smiled back and walked over to stand at the end of the line. His eyes trailed her as she strolled over to the wall to wait for her order. He hoped she wouldn’t leave before he’d had the chance to talk to her.
    “Breakfast,” he said, as he walked over to join her, five minutes later.
    “Yep. You, too, I see.”
    “Good food,” he said.
    “It is.”
    “I enjoyed watching you skate the other day. You are good, at least from my limited perspective,” he said.
    “Thanks. Talk to your dad?” she asked, smiling, eyes twinkling.
    “That was just plain mean,” he said, smiling. “He likes you.”
    “What’s not to like?”
    “I agree,” Adam said.
    They’d been standing side by side, but he turned to face her. She took a step back; he was something else up close.
    “So, Mariah, what do you do for fun?”
    “Don’t really have time for much fun,” she said.
    “Too bad. Are you seeing anyone?” he asked.
    “Besides my boo?” she asked with a chuckle. He laughed. “Ahh…no. I’m not.”
    “I was thinking that you and I should get together, hang out, hook up, whatever,” he said.
    “You do, huh?” she asked, her voice dragging her words out, as she smiled up into his face.
    “I do. I like the way you play, the way you push and shove,” he said, quietly, all sex appeal, eyes smoky behind his glasses.
    “Oh,” she said. Her food order number was called; she was relieved, because her mind had started to picture them, pushing and shoving.
    “That’s me, got to get back to work. It was nice seeing you again,” she said, nodding toward the counter, pushing away from the wall. She felt his eyes on her as she walked away.
    He met her as she came away with her food.
    “Call me,” he said, handing over his card. “My cell number’s on the back,” he added, giving her another one of his dreamy smile.
    She smiled back, took the card, and left. What to do with this? She knew what he was asking for, what he wanted from her. Been here before, usually most men weren’t that hard to shrug off. Of course he was different, had been from the start.
    If she had a quarter for every time some man after a match, caught up in the throes of whatever grabbed men after seeing women with tight and limited clothing pushing and shoving each other, asked her to go home with them, she’d be rich enough to buy the