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“Who the hell do you think you—”
“How’s my patient?” Rhys asked, walking into the room and cutting her off mid-tirade.
“Fine,” Jess said sullenly.
At the same time Tony responded, “Grumpy.”
Rhys laughed. “I told you she wouldn’t thank you for calling in sick for her.”
“You were right,” Jess said.
Rhys took a thermometer out of the breast pocket of his doctor’s jacket and tapped Jess’s lower lip with it, silently encouraging her to open up. She allowed him to put the thermometer under her tongue, the three of them waiting quietly until the thing beeped.
He pulled it out and looked at the readout. “Ninety-nine point six. Looks like the electric blanket did the trick. Maybe too well.”
She shook off her anger, feeling bad about it. These men had done nothing but help her. “I feel much better.” Reaching down, she tugged on her socks before reaching for one of her boots. The quick movement left her suddenly light-headed, and she wobbled briefly. Something neither man in the room missed.
“Jess,” Rhys said, placing a steadying grip on her elbow. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just…moved too fast. Got dizzy.”
“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, in that soft-spoken manner that had her convinced he was a wonderful doctor.
“Dinner last night,” she lied.
Tony crossed his arms, scowling at her. “Jasper said you didn’t have any of the peanut butter crackers because you were too full from lunch.”
“I shouldn’t have taught that kid how to talk,” she joked, hoping it would lighten the sudden tension in the air.
Rhys gave her a kind smile. “Try telling us the truth this time.”
“I had a sandwich before my lunch shift yesterday.” After nine hours of deep, dreamless sleep, she felt too deliciously groggy to keep trying to match wits with these two.
“So you haven’t had a thing to eat in over twenty-four hours. Come on.” Tony crossed the room and reached out to her, and she placed her hand in his before she could consider her actions.
His hand was large, calloused—no doubt from construction work—and warm. Her stomach fluttered at his touch…and not just from hunger. She did an internal headshake at the fact something as simple as holding a man’s hand could excite her. She’d obviously been alone for too long.
Tony tugged her gently from the couch, taking her coat off and tossing it down on the coffee table before reclaiming her hand.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Kitchen. You need food.”
“No. That’s not necessary.” She was beholden enough to them and hated the idea of asking for anything more. “I’ve already overstayed my welcome,” she said, even as she allowed Tony to drag her to the kitchen, with Rhys following. “I’ll go wake up Jasper and we’ll get out of your hair.”
“Nope. You’re eating,” Tony said, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table and pushing her into it. “Nonnegotiable.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a bossy son of a bitch?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at him and trying to still that flutter that wouldn’t go away.
Rhys laughed loudly at her question as Tony leaned down, his breath hot in her ear as he whispered, “Every single person I’ve ever met.”
Jess harrumphed. “Well, good. At least you’re surrounded by honest people.”
Tony chuckled, and she felt her cheeks flush at the deep rumble. “Morettis are honest to a fault. Always telling you shit you don’t necessarily want to know.”
Jess and the other waitresses at the diner had spent countless hours discussing Tony Moretti and his long, sexy, coffee-colored hair. Lately, one of the waitresses, Joy, had started a weekly pool, where the girls all took bets on whether he’d wear it down or up in a man bun. Jess had to admit she was a big fan of both styles. It was currently tied up, and her fingers itched to pull out the hair band and watch it fall over his shoulders.
“Ain’t that the truth. So much honesty,” Rhys muttered, and Jess’s gaze traveled over to Dr. Beaumont.
