"Oh yeah? So, how did you see it?"
"A win-win," he said. "Trust me, they weren't complaining."
No doubt, they weren't. I recalled what Becka had told me. Through some weird arrangement with the manager, she'd been getting a fifty dollar bonus – in cash, no less – for every weekend shift she worked in my place.
Obviously, she hadn't been the only one. Already, I could think of two other waitresses who'd been begging for my shifts.
I looked to Jax and asked, "So why'd you do it?"
His gaze met mine. "You know why."
"To spend time with me?"
"That's part of it."
"And the other part?"
"You were happier when you didn't work."
I almost laughed. "Yeah. Everyone is. But that doesn't mean you should go around bribing people."
"I don't care about 'everyone.'" His voice softened. "I care about you."
His words were so sweet, and he obviously meant them. Still, he hadn't answered my earlier question, and I felt compelled to ask it again. "So tell me, what else have you been doing?"
When his only reply was a tight shrug, I said, "I'll find out eventually, you know."
He was silent for a long moment. And then, he asked, "And what happens when you do?"
"What do you mean?"
"Let's say you do find something else. What then?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "I hardly know what to do already."
"And why's that?"
I wanted to explain, but I hardly knew where to begin. Just then, a noisy group of customers emerged from the restaurant and began heading in our direction. I bit my lip and waited, praying they'd pass quickly.
Jax watched them for only an instant before saying, "Come on. We can talk at my place."
I didn't want to talk at his place. It was too darn distracting, and the thought of running into Jaden was more than I could stomach. I shook my head. "How about mine?" I gave a humorless laugh. "Or should I say yours? You know, since you own it and all."
His voice was quiet. "Forget that."
"I can't. I shouldn't. I mean, I know I should be paying a lot more in rent."
He shook his head. "If I hadmyway, you'd be paying nothing."
I believed him, too. Probably, the only reason we paid rent at all was to keep us from getting suspicious.
Too late for that.
When I said nothing in response, he gestured to his car. "C'mon. I'll drive us."
"Where?"
"To your place, like you said."
