draw a salary and put the money back?"
"If you don't go give him the lay-off, I'll go fire him. The choice is yours, my friend."
Braden stared at him for a moment before offering, "I'll take the lay-off."
"You and Pete BFF's or somethin'? What's your problem?"
A moral call would be lost on Pat, so Braden decided to work and angle of his own.
"You're a business man, right?" Pat gave a suspicious nod as Braden continued, "If I take the lay-off, the money will get put back quicker and warehouse production won't be slowed down by losing Pete."
A wide smile spread across Pat's face as he agreed, "My man, that's why I like you."
Walking to the door, Braden asked, "It's a deal then?"
"Hey, you want to take one for the team. More power to you."
Giving Pat a short nod, he walked out of his office and down the hallway.
"Where are you going?"
"Didn't you hear, I just got laid-off." Braden sarcastically answered before heading out of the building.
~
Normally, Braden would have left straight from work and headed to Liv's but since she wouldn't be home for a few hours, he took the opportunity to pick up his clothes from Pheobe's Fluff and Fold laundry service and an eighteen pack of Dos Equis on his way to his apartment.
As soon as he walked in and set everything down on the couch, there was a knock on his door. When he opened it, Mina was right there on the other side with a soft smile.
Her brown eyes questioned him, while her mouth noted, "You're home early."
Opening the door wider to let her in, he replied, "I got laid-off."
"Oh no!" she blurted, swiftly turning around to face him as she walked in.
Closing the door, he assured, "It's not a big deal."
"My poor baby," she cooed, softly pressing her hands into his chest.
Braden considered the playful expression on her face, and hint of willingness in her eyes.
"It's okay, really," he replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket as it alerted him to a text with a light pinging sound.
Mina moved her hands from his chest and crossed them across her own, pouting, as he looked at his phone.
Biting the side of his tongue, Braden leaned his back against the door and smirked at his phone when he saw the text was from Liv.
L: Up for something new?
Glancing at Mina, he texted back.
B: Always.
L: Theme night.
B: Hope its Mexico. I already picked up Dos Equis.
L: Lucky Punk!
B: I'm gifted.
L: Ha! Later.
Laughing as he slid his phone back in his pocket, he noticed Mina wasn't humored at all.
"I'll just go so you can get ready."
"Don't be like that." Braden replied, gently wrapping his arms around her.
Shrugging in his arms, she stated, "I know tonight's her night with you."
"Do you have a problem with me and Liv?"
Mina's eyes softened as she shook her head, saying, "I'm not a jealous person. I just didn't realize that after almost a year with you, everything would still be the same as it was when we started dating."
"She's my friend." Braden shared, wondering why suddenly his Thursday night tradition was an issue.
Pretending like she hadn't just suggested he stop going to Liv's, Mina replied, "I know."
Slightly confused, he questioned, "So?"
"So you're just going to have to kiss me good enough to tide me over until tomorrow," she advised, pressing herself into him as she waited for him to comply.
Her lips were soft and warm as they moved effortlessly with his kiss.
Mina was sweet and kind, not to mention beautiful. She had big brown eyes and long brown hair that curled naturally against the sides of her face. Her body was lean and fit from her morning trips to the gym before work at the hospital. Admittedly he was attracted to women curvier than Mina, but what she lacked in curves she more than made up for in flexibility. What he liked about her most of all was that she was easy. Not in a sexual way, although he didn't exactly have to work for it, it was her personality. She was easy going. He wasn't in love but caring about her seemed to come as second nature
"If you don't go give him the lay-off, I'll go fire him. The choice is yours, my friend."
Braden stared at him for a moment before offering, "I'll take the lay-off."
"You and Pete BFF's or somethin'? What's your problem?"
A moral call would be lost on Pat, so Braden decided to work and angle of his own.
"You're a business man, right?" Pat gave a suspicious nod as Braden continued, "If I take the lay-off, the money will get put back quicker and warehouse production won't be slowed down by losing Pete."
A wide smile spread across Pat's face as he agreed, "My man, that's why I like you."
Walking to the door, Braden asked, "It's a deal then?"
"Hey, you want to take one for the team. More power to you."
Giving Pat a short nod, he walked out of his office and down the hallway.
"Where are you going?"
"Didn't you hear, I just got laid-off." Braden sarcastically answered before heading out of the building.
~
Normally, Braden would have left straight from work and headed to Liv's but since she wouldn't be home for a few hours, he took the opportunity to pick up his clothes from Pheobe's Fluff and Fold laundry service and an eighteen pack of Dos Equis on his way to his apartment.
As soon as he walked in and set everything down on the couch, there was a knock on his door. When he opened it, Mina was right there on the other side with a soft smile.
Her brown eyes questioned him, while her mouth noted, "You're home early."
Opening the door wider to let her in, he replied, "I got laid-off."
"Oh no!" she blurted, swiftly turning around to face him as she walked in.
Closing the door, he assured, "It's not a big deal."
"My poor baby," she cooed, softly pressing her hands into his chest.
Braden considered the playful expression on her face, and hint of willingness in her eyes.
"It's okay, really," he replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket as it alerted him to a text with a light pinging sound.
Mina moved her hands from his chest and crossed them across her own, pouting, as he looked at his phone.
Biting the side of his tongue, Braden leaned his back against the door and smirked at his phone when he saw the text was from Liv.
L: Up for something new?
Glancing at Mina, he texted back.
B: Always.
L: Theme night.
B: Hope its Mexico. I already picked up Dos Equis.
L: Lucky Punk!
B: I'm gifted.
L: Ha! Later.
Laughing as he slid his phone back in his pocket, he noticed Mina wasn't humored at all.
"I'll just go so you can get ready."
"Don't be like that." Braden replied, gently wrapping his arms around her.
Shrugging in his arms, she stated, "I know tonight's her night with you."
"Do you have a problem with me and Liv?"
Mina's eyes softened as she shook her head, saying, "I'm not a jealous person. I just didn't realize that after almost a year with you, everything would still be the same as it was when we started dating."
"She's my friend." Braden shared, wondering why suddenly his Thursday night tradition was an issue.
Pretending like she hadn't just suggested he stop going to Liv's, Mina replied, "I know."
Slightly confused, he questioned, "So?"
"So you're just going to have to kiss me good enough to tide me over until tomorrow," she advised, pressing herself into him as she waited for him to comply.
Her lips were soft and warm as they moved effortlessly with his kiss.
Mina was sweet and kind, not to mention beautiful. She had big brown eyes and long brown hair that curled naturally against the sides of her face. Her body was lean and fit from her morning trips to the gym before work at the hospital. Admittedly he was attracted to women curvier than Mina, but what she lacked in curves she more than made up for in flexibility. What he liked about her most of all was that she was easy. Not in a sexual way, although he didn't exactly have to work for it, it was her personality. She was easy going. He wasn't in love but caring about her seemed to come as second nature
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