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Her co-workers didn’t restrict themselves to mooning over just Tony. Rhys was also pretty swoon-worthy in a clean-cut, tall, dark, and handsome way. A few months ago, he’d mentioned to her at the diner he was taking part in No Shave November, and he clearly hadn’t picked up a razor since. His beard was short and neatly trimmed and totally sexy.
Actually, Tony, Rhys, andallthe guys they ate lunch with were equally hot, and more than a few of the girls at work had offered everything from home-baked cookies to free haircuts to setting her up with some cute male relative if Jess—whose section they sat in every Wednesday—would trade them tables.
Tony walked to the stove, bending down to pull a skillet out of the bottom drawer. “How do you feel about grilled cheese and tomato soup? Made some for Jasper earlier and he scarfed it down.”
“I hope he wasn’t too much of a bother,” she said, suddenly sorry for being such a smart-ass. These men had spent the day watching her six-year-old while she slept as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“That kid? He’s awesome,” Tony said.
“He’s polite and smart,” Rhys added. “You should be very proud of him.”
Jess wasn’t sure why their praise caused her eyes to fill with tears. She blinked them away quickly, not wanting them to think she was a lunatic. Or any more of a lunatic than they probably already believed. “Thank you for taking care of him. And me,” she added softly.
Rhys grinned. “You made our sleepy Saturday a lot more exciting. And got me out of a five-mile run. Win-win all around.”
“Even so, I’m sure you had better things to do.”
Tony flipped the sandwich, her mouth watering as the smell of melted cheese and butter filled the air. Her stomach growled loudly.
When the microwave beeped, Rhys rose and retrieved a bowl of tomato soup, placing it in front of her at the same time Tony delivered her sandwich.
“This is a fun turn of events,” Tony mused. “It’s usually you feeding us.”
She picked up the sandwich and groaned in absolute delight when the first taste of gooey cheese hit her mouth. “Oh my God. This is so good.”
She polished it off in five quick bites, aware she was scarfing down the sandwich exactly like Jasper would. But she couldn’t stop. She was just so damn hungry. Once the sandwich was gone, she turned her attention to the soup.
“Glad you’re enjoying your lunch. So…what are your plans for the rest of the day?” Tony asked.
Jess paused, spoon midway to her mouth. She considered her response as she put it back in the bowl. “I was going to figure out how far the closest gas station is from here. Jasper and I can walk for gas and—”
“I already filled your tank,” Tony said. “Took care of that while you were sleeping.”
“You what?” Jess was inundated by gratitude and panic at the same time. She was touched that he would go to that kind of trouble for her, while wondering how in the hell she could pay him back. She never filled her tank, instead giving it ten dollars of gas at a go. “How…”
“Your keys were on the coffee table.” Tony grinned, and she tried to beat down the same arousal that struck every Wednesday when the handsome man gave her his order with that heart-stopping smile. “The tank’s full. So you can mark that off your to-do list.”
“I’ll pay you back,” she said. “Um…is Wednesday okay? I don’t have any cash on me right now.”
“You don’t need to pay me back. It’s on me.”
She refused to accept that. “I’m paying you back.”
Tony ignored her, pressing for more information. “So what else is on your agenda?”
She gave him a quizzical look, wondering why he was so interested in her plans. “I guess we’ll hit the public library to return some books, hang out there until it’s time to line up for the shelter.”
Tony scowled. “I don’t like the idea of you and Jasper staying in shelters, Jess.”
“It’s not that bad,” she lied.
He and Rhys exchanged a look she couldn’t begin to interpret. Until Rhys said, “If it’s a case of money, let us loan you some. Just until you get back on your feet.”
Jess was shaking her head before he’d finished the sentence. “No way. Absolutely not. I’ve got a plan.” A very loose, not fully formed plan. “I’m going to do a little research in the library and…” She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump that appeared whenever she thought about asking for help from social services.
“And?” Rhys prompted. “What’s the plan?”
She was too ashamed to mention her fear of losing Jasper. Now that she’d had some sleep, she wondered if there was any merit to it. She wished she felt comfortable asking them their opinion.
