“Hang on a second.” Jay ducked under the bar, ignoring calls for refills and pulled Em aside. “You all right?”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
“I saw those guys hassling you earlier. I was going to say something, but—”
“It’s okay, Mason got rid of them.”
“Saw that, too. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. They didn’t . . . scare you?”
Em shrugged. “They freaked me out a little, but I can’t go around letting everything scare me for the rest of my life. Nothing happened. It’s over. I’m okay.” Jay looked her in the eye and she looked like she meant it.
He smiled, tucking some of the hair that escaped her long braid behind her ear. “I’m proud of you, you know that?”
Em blushed to the roots of her hair and Jay couldn’t help grinning. That is until his gaze landed back on the bar and the angry horde of neglected people impatiently awaiting his return.
He sighed. “Guess I better get back.”
Em didn’t look any happier about it than he was and that made him feel at least the tiniest bit better.
“I’d better go. Mason’s waiting. I’ll see you when you get home tonight.”
“It might be late. You don’t have to wait up for me.”
“I want to. I miss you.”
Her words brought a sweetness that even the sight of Sahara slinking off to the bathroom, yet again, couldn’t sour.
“I miss you, too. Go get something to eat and I’ll see you later.” A quick kiss was all he had time for and Em wasn’t overly comfortable with public displays of affection, anyway.
She waved over her shoulder as she slipped out the front door and he slid back behind the bar.
Chapter Six
Em
Mason was waiting by a shiny silver Expedition she’d never seen before. The thing was massive and looked brand new. When he helped her up the tall step and into the cab, she realized it even smelled new.
“Nice truck.”
Mason climbed up beside her, grinning. “Thanks. It was an early birthday present.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“Next month.”
“Oh.” Was it rude to ask a guy how old they are? Now that she thought about it, she was really curious. He had one of those handsome baby faces that made him look about her age, but if she looked closer, he could have been older. And he seemed to work day shifts pretty often when kids her age should be in school. Then again, she wasn’t.
“Nineteen.” His sudden proclamation snapped Em out of her thoughts.
“Huh?”
“You were wondering how old I’m turning. Nineteen.”
“I was not.”
“Don’t deny it. You totally were.” When she didn’t argue, he grinned and turned the ignition. “So, I know I’m not supposed to ask, but how old are you, anyway?”
“Seventeen.”
“And you’re living with Jay?” He turned right out of the parking lot and headed toward downtown.
“I’m emancipated.”
“Ah ha.”
For several minutes, the only sounds were the soft rock lyrics flowing from the stereo system as they sat at a red light.
“Are you sure that’s the best—?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it.” This was exactly why she tried to keep her personal details private, like age and living arrangements, but when you work with someone every day for months, they’re bound to notice things. All it did was lead to questions she didn’t want to answer and advice regarding a situation they knew nothing about.
“Okay.” Mason agreed quickly and swiftly switched topics, unperturbed. “You should really have your own car, though. That way you wouldn’t have to come back out at night alone to pick Jay up when he works late.”
“Jay wouldn’t let me go out alone at night. He’d have found a ride home.” Probably with Sahara. She would have been all too happy to have Jay all to herself in a moving vehicle where he couldn’t escape.
“Either way, it would make it easier on both of you.”
“That’s probably true. Maybe when we get some more money,” or any money, “saved up, we’ll look into it.”
“My old car is just sitting in my garage collecting dust. If you’d like—”
“Thanks, Mason, but I’m not sure that’s a great idea.” Jay wasn’t a fan of charity. And, he certainly wasn’t a fan of Mason. He tried to hide it, but she’d have to be blind not to notice.
“I’m just trying to help, Em.”
“I know you are. And, I appreciate it. Let me talk to Jay, all right? I’ll let you know.”