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where to go. No money to get there if there was."
"Your parents?"
"My mama died when I was ten. Daddy was a roughneck. He dragged me from one oil field to another. When I got married at sixteen, he felt like he'd done his last fatherly duty and hightailed it to Alaska. Haven't heard from the lousy bastard since. So I was stuck with Todd.
"One night he got so mad, I thought he was going to kill me. He had threatened to before, but this time I think he meant it. Cage had given me his telephone number. I called and he came to get me. He took me to the hospital and paid the bill for having me fixed up. I stayed at his house for over a month after that. That's when folks started saying we were shacking up." She laughed harshly. "I wouldn't have been much fun in the sack. I was busted up real good.
"Todd was furious. He accused us of carrying on behind his back for months, which wasn't true. He drove to Mexico and got a divorce. That was fine with me. Only, then I really had nothing, and I knew I couldn't go on living at Cage's place.
"Cage talked some of his buddies into going partners with him and buying this apartment complex. He installed me as the manager. I get the apartment, plus a salary."
Jenny was transfixed by the tale. She read the newspapers, she watched television. She knew this sort of melodrama went on. She had just never known anyone who had actually experienced that kind of life.
Roxy met her stare levelly. "Cage is the best friend I've ever had. He was the first person in my whole life to care anything about me. I owe him everything, even my life."
She leaned forward across the table. "If he'd asked me to pay him back in bed, I would have. And probably would have loved every minute of it." She lowered her voice for emphasis. "But he never did, Jenny. I think he knew all along what I came to realize. If we'd become lovers, it would have messed up the friendship. And we both valued that more than getting laid." Her hand reached out to cover Jenny's. "You don't have to be jealous of me."
After long moments of looking at each other, Jenny lowered her gaze. "You misunderstand. Cage and I don't have … we aren't … it's not…"
"Maybe not yet," Roxy said intuitively.
Jenny would have had little doubt as to the future of her relationship with Cage if she could have seen him the night before in Roxy's apartment. It was downright comical. Roxy had seen men in every human condition, but she'd never seen one so lovesick.
Cage had sat on her floor, his back propped against her couch, staring into space, wearing the silliest expression on his face. He had talked about Jenny until Roxy had physically hauled him up and ordered him to go home, telling him that she was sleepy and if she heard Jenny's name one more time, she was going to throw up.
As much to divert the conversation away from her and Cage as to apologize, Jenny said, "I've been so rude to you."
"Naw," Roxy said, dismissing Jenny's apology with a wave. "Forget it. I'm used to being snubbed as a fallen woman."
"I like you," Jenny said bluntly, realizing that it was true. One knew exactly where one stood with Roxy. There was no pretense. She didn't put on airs and wouldn't let anyone else get by with it, either.
"Good," Roxy replied as if they had reached an agreement after days of debate. "Now eat the rest of this fattening temptation before I do. Your cute little butt can stand it, but my big fat one sure as hell can't."
Laughing, Jenny sliced herself another piece. "I promised Cage I'd eat to gain weight."
"He's worried about the baby."
"He is?" She tried to appear nonchalant but failed.
Roxy grinned. "He thinks you're too dainty to carry it. I assured him you would come through the pregnancy with flying colors."
"I'm not concerned about me. I worry about people punishing the child for something I've done."
"Forget 'people.'"
"That's what Cage says."
"And he's right. Are you glad about the baby?"
"Yes. Very," Jenny confirmed, her eyes shining.
"With his mama and his uncle Cage loving him, the kid'll have no problems," Roxy assured her.
"You never had children?"
Roxy's smile faded. "No. I always wanted kids, but Todd, he, uh … hurt me one time, you know? Ruined all the plumbing and it had to come out."
"Oh, Lord, I'm so sorry!" Jenny exclaimed in a soft voice.
