AllFreeNovel
Share Us
What on earth was their waitress doing parked outside on a cold winter’s morning?
Given the amount of frost on the windshield, it was a safe bet she’d actually been here most of the night.
“I’m o-k-kay,” she said through the closed window, though her chattering teeth and the weakness of her voice belied the reassurance. “I’ll l-leave.”
“That isn’t what we asked you to do,” Tony said gruffly. “Open the damn door.”
Rhys sighed. “Let me handle this, Tony.”
His friend considered the request for a moment before nodding his head just once. “Do it quick.”
Rhys didn’t take offense to the demand, used to Tony’s gruff manner. “Jess. We’re not going to hurt you. You know who we are. Please open the door.”
She didn’t move for a moment, and Rhys feared she’d refuse, start the car, and drive away.
Finally, with trembling hands, she reached for the door, unlocking it.
Tony opened it before she could, swinging it wide.
Jess flinched at the sudden gust of cold air.
“What are you doing out here?” he demanded, forgetting his agreement to let Rhys take over.
“That doesn’t matter,” Rhys interrupted when Jess’s eyes darted around, clearly looking for an escape. She looked like a kitten cornered by two big dogs. “Come on, Jess, we need to get you ins—”
“Mommy, I’m cold.”
Both he and Tony shifted their attention to the backseat as a small boy, who couldn’t be more than five or six, emerged from a huge pile of clothing.
“Mommy?” he whispered, his gaze locked on Rhys and Tony.
Jess, despite her shivering, recognized her son’s unease. “It’s o-k-kay, J-Jasper,” she said, unable to control her intense trembling, her voice weak, breathy.
Rhys’s concern grew. They needed to move her inside—but he now understood her reticence was due to her desire to protect the little boy.
“Are they bad mans?” Jasper whispered, his eyes fearful.
“M-men,” Jess instinctively corrected.
Rhys’s chest tightened when he realized—inadvertently or not—they were genuinely scaring the little boy and his mother.
Mercifully, Jess intervened quickly. “And n-no, b-buddy. Not at all. These men eat at the d-diner, where I work. They’re n-nice.”
Jasper studied them for a moment before a more pressing need than safety took over. “I’m cold,” he repeated.
“I’ll t-turn on the c-car so the heater…” Jess reached for the key, then froze, her gaze shifting to the dashboard before she closed her eyes wearily. “I, uh…” she started, but it didn’t appear as if she was going to find her words.
Utter exhaustion had partnered with her extreme shivering, her face pale with dark circles under her eyes, her dry lips chapped. Rhys hated the look of numb defeat as she lowered her hand, not bothering to attempt to start the car. “I…it…um…”
“You out of gas?” Tony asked.
She nodded, the simple motion appearing to cause her pain, which was no wonder, considering the awkward angle she’d been attempting to sleep in.
“This conversation can continue inside where it’s warm. Come on, Jess,” Rhys said, reaching for her hands, intent on getting her into one of his exam rooms, where he could treat her.
She hesitated, as did Jasper, whose look of trepidation reappeared. “Mommy,” he said, reaching for her, ready to cling to her like a life preserver.
“You like pancakes, Jasper?” Tony asked before either of the skittish pair could attempt to run. “Bacon?”
