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“Because I have a free place to stay. I’m a little short on cash right now. Actually, I’m broke, which is why I won’t be going back to college in the fall. But eventually I’ll save enough to go back. I only have a semester left before graduating.”
“Why don’t you get a loan?”
I let out a laugh. “Yeah. Banks would never give me a loan.”
I tried getting a loan but banks wouldn’t even talk to me. Every financial institution had a fraud alert out for my dad, and since I’m his daughter, banks assumed I was a scammer like him. A lot of people think that. They think my mom and I were part of my dad’s scam, assuming we had to have known what he was up to. But we didn’t. We had no idea, and it hurts to have people treat you like a criminal when you didn’t do anything wrong.
“I get the feeling there’s a story there.”
“There is, but not one I can tell you when I’m at work. Maybe we can get together some night and I can tell you how I ended up here.”
“Maybe.” His lips turn up. “I’ll have to check my schedule.”
So he’s open to it? Given how guarded he’s been up until now, always wanting to be alone, I thought for sure he’d tell me no.
I need to seize this opportunity before he changes his mind. “How about tonight? Could you clear your schedule for an hour or two?”
“It’ll take you that long to tell me your story?” He smiles a little more.
“Probably not, but you might end up enjoying my company and want to stay.”
“I have a feeling that might happen.”
He’s flirting. And it’s making my heart spring to life, along with other parts of me.
When Jesse flirts with me, I feel nothing. Except maybe dread with a touch of nausea.
“So what time should I come over?”
“Six? Or seven, if that works better.”
“Six is fine. But I’ll need your address.”
“Just take a right out of your driveway and drive until you see another house. That’s me. Yellow house. White shutters.”
“You’re the only house out there?”
“There are others farther down but I’m the one closest to you, if you call a couple miles close.”
He chuckles. “There’s really nothing out here, is there?”
“The town is actually big for a farm town. At least it has stores and restaurants and a few bars. But outside of town? Wherewelive? There’s nothing out there but wheat fields and some cows.”
He checks his watch. “I should let you get back to work. I’ll plan on coming over at six.”
“I’d offer to make you dinner but given my cash situation right now, I don’t have much food at my place. I pretty much live on grilled cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly.”
“I like grilled cheese sandwiches.” His face is serious but I’m sure he’s kidding.
“I wish I could offer you some real food but since I can’t, I suggest having dinner before you come over.”
“Grilled cheese isn’t real food?”
“It is, but it’s not something you make for guests.”
“I disagree, but I don’t expect you to make dinner so don’t worry about it.”
I cock my head. “You really want grilled cheese?”
