It’s different for me than for you. You called her, didn’t you?”
Groaning, he grabbed a loaf of plain white bread and avoided her eyes. “God, is it written all over my face? How pathetic am I?”
“Not pathetic at all, Blade.”
“Jack.”
She blinked. “Huh?”
“I don’t go by Blade anymore. I’m plain old Jack Savage. At least my one friend in town ought to know my real name.”
Her face lit up. “I doubt I’m your only friend here, Jack , but it’s good to know I’m that high on your list.”
He shook his head. “I am such an idiot.”
Nudging him with her elbow, she smiled. “No, you were just having too good a time to bother with anyone else. But you still haven’t told me how I can help.”
He ran a hand through his already-wrecked hair and sighed heavily. “I don’t know that you can, although the offer is more appreciated than you know. I’ve kinda screwed myself into a hole, pun intended, and I’m not sure I can claw my way back out.”
“What kind of job are you looking for?”
“I dunno. Something in computers. Multimedia, if possible, but that may be overreaching.” He shrugged. “I’d like to get some hands-on experience while I finish my degree.”
“Your degree?”
“Yeah, I already registered for the fall semester. I want to finish my master’s while I’ve completely lost my mind.”
She raised an eyebrow. “All to impress a girl? My, you have tumbled.”
“Not all to impress her. To be honest, she doesn’t know I’ve quit escorting. I’m not sure I’ll even tell her about all of this.”
“Run that by me again.”
Her confused frown amused him, and he found a real smile. “It’s a long story. I’m sure you don’t really want to hear all of this.”
But she grabbed him by the arm and led him to a plastic bench by the cookie display. “I am all ears. And I might be able to help after all. I used to date an editor for Channel 14 News.”
His smile widened, and he sat down without being asked twice.
Chapter Six
Make Your Gigolo Feel at Home
May
“How are the depositions coming?”
“Great, Mr. Donnigan. I have all but two abstracted.” Gabe handed her boss a spreadsheet she’d created to track her progress. “And they’re just nurses. Twenty pages each, max.”
The lawyer gave her spreadsheet a cursory look and nodded. “Excellent. Do you have the exhibits Vince suggested done yet?”
“We’re still tweaking them, which is why the nurses aren’t done yet. But I can show you the latest drafts.”
Her cell phone burst into Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting, and she blushed and swallowed hard. Why did she always forget about her cell phone?
Luckily, her boss only smiled and returned the spreadsheet. “Go ahead. I can look at them after lunch.”
Groaning, she dug in her drawer for her stupid phone as her boss politely closed the door behind him. She stared down at the number in surprise, though a slow smile curved her lips. Jack, again.
“Hello?”
“I hope I’m not interrupting your lunch.”
She flicked a glance at the clock. She should be at lunch. Oops. “Actually, you interrupted a conversation with my boss.”
“Oh, damn. I’m sorry, Gabe.”
Grinning, she leaned back in her chair. “You didn’t know. I should be at lunch, though, so thanks for the reminder. It’s trial time around here, which means time off is pretty much at a premium.”
“Should I call later?”
“No, now is fine, so long as you don’t mind me cramming down a salad while you talk. What’s on your mind?”
“Well, I’d planned to ask if I could invade your house again this weekend, but ‘trial time’ sounds pretty intimidating.”
He sounded disappointed, and she couldn’t help but grin. He really did want to spend more time with her. If he were anyone else, she’d be disturbed with the attention. Maybe even annoyed enough to gently cut off contact. Luckily, this was Jack, and it had been well over a week since she’d heard from
Groaning, he grabbed a loaf of plain white bread and avoided her eyes. “God, is it written all over my face? How pathetic am I?”
“Not pathetic at all, Blade.”
“Jack.”
She blinked. “Huh?”
“I don’t go by Blade anymore. I’m plain old Jack Savage. At least my one friend in town ought to know my real name.”
Her face lit up. “I doubt I’m your only friend here, Jack , but it’s good to know I’m that high on your list.”
He shook his head. “I am such an idiot.”
Nudging him with her elbow, she smiled. “No, you were just having too good a time to bother with anyone else. But you still haven’t told me how I can help.”
He ran a hand through his already-wrecked hair and sighed heavily. “I don’t know that you can, although the offer is more appreciated than you know. I’ve kinda screwed myself into a hole, pun intended, and I’m not sure I can claw my way back out.”
“What kind of job are you looking for?”
“I dunno. Something in computers. Multimedia, if possible, but that may be overreaching.” He shrugged. “I’d like to get some hands-on experience while I finish my degree.”
“Your degree?”
“Yeah, I already registered for the fall semester. I want to finish my master’s while I’ve completely lost my mind.”
She raised an eyebrow. “All to impress a girl? My, you have tumbled.”
“Not all to impress her. To be honest, she doesn’t know I’ve quit escorting. I’m not sure I’ll even tell her about all of this.”
“Run that by me again.”
Her confused frown amused him, and he found a real smile. “It’s a long story. I’m sure you don’t really want to hear all of this.”
But she grabbed him by the arm and led him to a plastic bench by the cookie display. “I am all ears. And I might be able to help after all. I used to date an editor for Channel 14 News.”
His smile widened, and he sat down without being asked twice.
Chapter Six
Make Your Gigolo Feel at Home
May
“How are the depositions coming?”
“Great, Mr. Donnigan. I have all but two abstracted.” Gabe handed her boss a spreadsheet she’d created to track her progress. “And they’re just nurses. Twenty pages each, max.”
The lawyer gave her spreadsheet a cursory look and nodded. “Excellent. Do you have the exhibits Vince suggested done yet?”
“We’re still tweaking them, which is why the nurses aren’t done yet. But I can show you the latest drafts.”
Her cell phone burst into Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting, and she blushed and swallowed hard. Why did she always forget about her cell phone?
Luckily, her boss only smiled and returned the spreadsheet. “Go ahead. I can look at them after lunch.”
Groaning, she dug in her drawer for her stupid phone as her boss politely closed the door behind him. She stared down at the number in surprise, though a slow smile curved her lips. Jack, again.
“Hello?”
“I hope I’m not interrupting your lunch.”
She flicked a glance at the clock. She should be at lunch. Oops. “Actually, you interrupted a conversation with my boss.”
“Oh, damn. I’m sorry, Gabe.”
Grinning, she leaned back in her chair. “You didn’t know. I should be at lunch, though, so thanks for the reminder. It’s trial time around here, which means time off is pretty much at a premium.”
“Should I call later?”
“No, now is fine, so long as you don’t mind me cramming down a salad while you talk. What’s on your mind?”
“Well, I’d planned to ask if I could invade your house again this weekend, but ‘trial time’ sounds pretty intimidating.”
He sounded disappointed, and she couldn’t help but grin. He really did want to spend more time with her. If he were anyone else, she’d be disturbed with the attention. Maybe even annoyed enough to gently cut off contact. Luckily, this was Jack, and it had been well over a week since she’d heard from
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