To Each Her Own (The Swirl Book 1) by Sylvia Sinclair Read Free Book Online

sir.”
    Shasta then heard the office door open and close.
    As she made her way to her office, with all of her heart, she couldn’t believe how Tyson could have had the unmitigated gall to accuse her of seeing someone on the job, when he was fooling around with her.  She couldn’t believe how out of all of the places for him and his wife to be on Friday night, he saw her with Ramón.
    She stepped inside of her office and heard a funny laugh down the hall.
    She paused as the sound of Ramón’s Puerto Rican voice was clear.
    His voice made her smile inside.
    She frowned outside, wanting to walk over to him and tell him to watch out. But instead, she closed her office door, and locked it.

Chapter 5
     
    Downtown Atlanta
     
    That evening, Shasta closed out her long day, having managed to avoid actually speaking to Tyson Bain again, or Ramón, though Ramón had texted her to say hello. She replied with the same hello. And then his next text was:
    Ramón: Dinner 2nite?
    Shasta: Sure.
    Ramón: How’s the Highlander in Midtown. About 8?
    Shasta: See you then.
    She grabbed her purse and locked and closed the door to her office.
    Keisha had gone home an hour earlier. As Shasta placed a yellow Post-it along Keisha’s computer screen, reminding her to stock Shasta’s mini-fridge with bottled water, Shasta heard, “Where are you on your way to so early?”
    Shasta turned and saw Maya, smiling. She paid close attention as to the look on Maya’s face, wondering if the expression was real or fake. It was the exact opposite of the look Maya had given her when she closed the door to Tyson’s office. “Early? It’s after seven. Early for you maybe.”
    “Yeah, well.”
    “Anyway, I’m meeting someone for dinner.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yes.”
    “Someone, as in a date?”
    Shasta wondered if she dare tell Maya about Ramón. She remembered that Tyson knew, and then assumed Maya would soon know anyway.
    She stood a few feet from Maya. “Maya, listen.” She looked around and then turned, taking her office keys from her purse. “Come into my office please.” Shasta turned and stepped to her office door and unlocked it, then opened it. She entered and placed her bag along the guest chair, and then stepped to the desk and leaned along on the edge of it. “You cannot tell anyone what I am about to tell you. You promise?”
    Maya closed the door and proceeded closer to Shasta. Her face was dipped in question marks. “I do. Who is it? It’s not Conner is it? You’re not back with his crazy ass?”
    She shook her head. “Oh, no. Not even.”
    “Then what?”
    “Maya, the thing is that I have a new friend. He’s really nice. He makes me laugh. He’s pleasant. It’s really only been less than a week, and I’ve only seen him once. But tonight will be my second time. And, the thing is, I’m not really seeing him, seeing him. All I’m doing is meeting him tonight for dinner. Like I said, he’s fun.”
    Maya looked at Shasta like she needed to stop the prelims. She put her hand on her hip. “Damn, what the hell? You are rambling like your mind is going a mile a minute. Who is it? Are you dating Jay Z or somebody?” She then paused and gave a suspicious look. “Or is it that he’s a married man?”
    “Oh, no, Maya. He’s not married. Actually, you know him. It’s Ramón from here at work.”
    Maya’s eyebrows lifted. “Ramón? You mean mailroom Ramón?”
    “Yes.”
    Maya put her other hand on her hip. “But wait. Isn’t Ramón shorter than you?”
    “He is.”
    “And?”
    Shasta put up her hand. “I know what you’re going to say. Don’t.”
    “Don’t what?”
    “Don’t say that he’s black.”
    “I know that. If I did say that, it would only be because after all that we talked about the other night, you now turn around and get together with a black man, and you’re acting like it’s no big deal.”
    “Well, it isn’t.”
    “Shasta, it was a mighty big deal on the other night.”
    “No, it wasn’t. It