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He hated to break it to his aunt, but she was going to have to get in line behind him.
Then he mentally added Rhys’s name to that list as well, when his roommate reached out to ruffle the boy’s hair fondly. “We’re glad we ran into you and your mommy.”
Now that his stomach was full and he was warm, Jasper began squirming on the chair, uncertain what to do without his mother there to guide him.
“I have some crayons and coloring books down in my apartment,” Aunt Berta said to Jasper. “I keep them there for when the great-nieces and nephews come to visit.”
“What makes them great?” Jasper asked with genuine interest, prompting all three of the adults to laugh.
“So many things,” Aunt Berta said in response. “How would you like to come color me a picture while your mommy sleeps?”
“Okay,” Jasper said enthusiastically as he glanced at Rhys and Tony. “May I be excused?”
Rhys nodded. “Of course.”
“Such lovely manners,” Aunt Berta said, praising Jasper as he rose from his chair and accepted her proffered hand, the two of them leaving the kitchen, as if they were long-lost friends.
“Those two can’t spend any more nights in the shelters.” Tony wasn’t sure how he was going to convince Jess to accept their help, but she sure as hell wasn’t leaving until she did.
“I agree, but I don’t know how she’d feel about accepting financial help from us. Seems to be quite a bit of pride in that little frame of hers.” Rhys looked at his watch and cursed under his breath. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time to brainstorm options with you. I have a couple of patients coming in this morning.”
“You know…you could take Saturdays off occasionally.”
Rhys grinned. “I’ll do that. Just as soon as people stop getting sick over the weekend.”
Tony shook his head, well aware his words were wasted on his workaholic roommate.
“I need to get downstairs. You good here?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine. I’ve got some paperwork to do. I’ll hit the recliner in the living room with my laptop and watch over our patient, make sure she’s okay.”
Rhys nodded. “Text me when she wakes up.”
“I will.”
Rhys left the room as Tony remained at the kitchen table, lightly tapping his fork against the surface as he considered everything Jasper had told them.
Then he thought about Jess. He’d seen her nearly every Wednesday for years as she waited on him and Rhys, as well as his brothers and cousins, but apart from her pretty face and cheerful demeanor, he’d known very little else about her.
Hell, he didn’t even know she had a kid until this morning.
He hadn’t truly noticed Jess Monroe before today. She was simply one of a hundred people who crossed his path during any given day, their interactions straightforward, simple, never going any deeper than what was on the surface.
However, now that he had seen her, learned about her life, discovered bits and pieces of who she was, he couldn’t look away.
Wouldn’tlook away.
Because he wanted to know more.
Rising, he grabbed his laptop and quietly walked into the living room. Jess was still sound asleep, and he was relieved to see some color had returned to her cheeks. She was breathing slowly and steadily, getting the rest she desperately needed.
He refused to wake her up, and he didn’t care if she gave him hell for it.
Jess was exactly where she needed to be for now.
