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6
Jessica
Jessica paced her room in an oversized T-shirt she’d found. The sun wasn’t up yet. Normally she’d be sleeping in after taking the evening shift the night before. She also wouldn’t be staying at some stranger’s house filled with six of the most gorgeous men she’d ever laid eyes on.
Why hadn’t she seen them before? Were they really so busy that they didn’t have time to sit and wait for a server to bring them their food? Except Ian. He’d made a point to come in every week. Why was he so different than the others? It wasn’t like the food was all that great. Well, except the pies. They were her recipes.
Jessica stopped. She tapped her foot and shook her head. Her thoughts were running away again. That only happened when she was stressed or exhausted. And last night had been a good serving of both.
She dropped onto the bed and chewed on a fingernail. The room was immaculate. From the authentic hardwood floors to the wainscoting on the walls, it had definitely been updated to suit the family that lived there.
The quilt on the bed and the furniture looked like the only “old” things in there. The quilt almost had a hand-sewn quality to it. She trailed a soft hand over the patchwork designs. She’d seen quilts like these being sold at local rodeos and fairs. They were stunning when they were done right. An antique dresser and mirror stood on the far side of the room. The warm chestnut color contrasted with the deeper tones of the floor. The bed and a side-table matched the vanity and made the whole place looked like it belonged in a picture from Better Homes and Gardens.
Jessica fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. There were no noises coming from the house. Either the six men were incredibly stealthy, or they weren’t quite ready to be up yet. Sighing, she traced the threads on the quilt absently with her finger. She shouldn’t have stayed. When only two people out of seven welcomed her, that should have been her clue to get out of there.
She still had a chance. Ian said he wouldn’t stop her if she left today. Her stomach tightened at the notion. There was this incredibly paranoid fear that if she stepped one foot off the property, she’d be killed.
Her heart rate sped up as if it agreed with her conclusion. The guys Tucker worked with weren’t good people. They knew who she was and probably where she lived. And they wanted her dead.
Rolling over, she curled into a ball. Her arms wrapped around her bare legs. She’d loved Tucker, really she had. Sure, he had some bad quirks, but he’d had some good qualities too… She didn’t know what she’d do without him. And at the same time, there was this relief. It was like her whole body had been submerged underwater, and now she’d come to the surface to breathe again. Tucker wasn’t going to hold her back anymore. Jessica frowned. What did that say about her? It said she’d defined herself by the man she dated. Who was she now?
A pathetic woman. That’s who.
A silent tear escaped the corner of her eye and slipped into the fabric. Here was her chance to start over. This was as good a time as any for her to make a change. Maybe shecouldgo back to school and become a nurse.
Her lips pulled into a soft smile and the weight in her stomach relaxed. There were online courses now. She just needed money for tuition. As quickly as the hope had arrived, it was squashed like a little bug. Money. Even before this turn of events, she’d barely scraped by. How was she supposed to move in that direction when she didn’t have a job anymore?
Maybe Ian would hire her. Ha. The idea was laughable. She had zero experience on a ranch. She might not be a city girl, but she wasn’t a rancher either. Once again she’d landed right in the in-between where she wasn’t of use to anyone.
Jessica sat up. No. She wasn’t going to be the victim anymore. That was the old Jessica. If Ian insisted she stay with him, she’d tell him to put her to work. There was a lot she could do here, and she was a quick study.
She strode over to the closet and dropped to her knees. A large cardboard box with the word Liz scrawled across it sat on the floor. The articles of clothing inside had already been dug through to find the shirt she was wearing. Liz was a size or two larger than her, but there was a belt in the box that would help hold everything tight.
Jessica tugged on a pair of overalls, a button-up shirt, and a pair of socks. She got dressed and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was still a mess. She hadn’t dared explore last night to take a shower. She’d do that later today.
Her gaze dropped to the dresser, and she pulled open drawer after drawer. Of course. Not a brush or hair tie to speak of. She ran her hands through her messy hair, her fingers catching on multiple knots. Giving up, she let her hands drop to her sides. There was no taming her tresses without the proper tools. Her gaze landed on a pencil. That might work.
Twisting her hair into a knot, she shoved the pencil through the style. Her hands hovered momentarily, making sure the bun at the nape of her neck was secure. Good enough. Now she’d head down to the kitchen and see if she could win over some men with her culinary skills.
She strode across the room, opened the door and headed out into the hall.
Slamming into something firm, she let out a small yelp then slapped her hand across her mouth. Jessica’s gaze trailed up the buttons on a blue shirt all the way to a square jaw and hazel eyes.
Her heart leapt into her throat, and her hand landed on her chest. “Ian. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“Mornin’, Jessica. I didn’t ’spect to see you up so early.” His gaze traveled down her outfit to her stockinged feet and back to her face. A hint of a smile played at his lips. Or maybe it was just the dim lighting.
Her heart did a few little flips in her chest and she broke eye contact. “I had a hard time sleeping last night. I thought I might as well come down and help with breakfast.”
Ian scratched his cheek. “If you didn’t sleep well, maybe you should go back to bed.”
She swallowed hard. That was the last thing she wanted. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the same blood-chilling scene at the diner. Jessica shook her head. “I’m fine. I’d rather stay busy.” Her eyes met his. “Speaking of staying busy. I wanted to ask you if you had any openings—erm—need of help around here?” Dumb. Didn’t she try to convince herself to be more assertive? She lifted her chin. “If you’re going to request I stay here for more than just a couple nights, I’d like a job. A temporary one.” There was a slight tremble in her voice. She prayed he didn’t hear it.
He placed his hands in his pockets. “You want a job? Workinghere?”
She could practically see the cogs working in his brain. He’d brought her here to keep her safe and now she was demanding a job. He’d bitten off more than he could chew. She probably would have had better luck asking Liz if she knew of any odd jobs she could do. Jessica folded her arms and shifted. “I understand if that isn’t a possibility—”
“I’m sure we could find something.” Ian jutted his chin toward the stairs. “I’m heading down for breakfast. You coming?” He turned and galloped down the steps, going twice as fast with his sure step. When he got to the bottom, he waited for her. “Besides the lack of sleep, how are you feeling?”
