Jaeger:Have you eaten?
Cali:No.How did you get my number?
Jaeger:Gen.You like burritos?
Ah hell.Does Gen know he’s texting me?She must if she gave him my number.
He’s catching me during a vulnerable moment.I can’t say no.I want to see him.Nothing’s going to happen with Gen on her way home—though that wasn’t much of a deterrent the last time.I shove that thought aside.
Cali:Chicken, please.
Twenty minutes later, a knock sounds at the front door and my pulse jumps.It’s probably Jaeger, but I peek out the window anyway.I’ve had too many surprises, and with my suspicions about Drake, anything’s possible.
Jaeger’s silver truck shimmers in the light from the porch.I open the door and find him standing there in blue jeans and a heathered gray sweatshirt, a brown paper bag in his hands.
“Hey.”He glances at my sweats and smirks.
After his text, I rolled the waistband so I wouldn’t have a saggy butt and put on a bra, but otherwise, I look like crap.“Come on in.”
Jaeger sets the bag on the counter.“Cups?”
“Behind you.”I point to the correct cupboard and reach for plates, then set them on the table in the dining nook.
Jaeger walks over with a glass and two bottles of Dos Equis.He pours me one and gulps from his bottle.
I take a large swig, the carbonation burning my oversensitized nose.It’s no longer bright red, but it’s still stopped up from all the crying.“Ahhh”—even so, Dos Equis tastes like a little bit of sunshine—“I needed that.”
Jaeger smiles and pulls out four bundles wrapped in white paper.He sets three on his plate and one on mine.Neither of us wastes time before digging into our food.
“So,” I say in between bites, “I’m guessing Gen told you what happened?”
He nods.“Mason saw you escorted out.I talked to Gen.”
My face warms.This entire evening has been one huge kick in my ass.I’m certain I did nothing to justify being fired, but it’s still embarrassing, like having my credit card refused at the checkout counter because someone stole my card number.The finger points to me.
“Did she ask you to check on me?”
His gaze rises.“No.I sent myself.”
“And how did she feel about that?”
He stares at me for a moment, his gaze perplexed.“I didn’t ask.”
He doesn’t seem guilty, just matter-of-fact.I take another bite of my delicious burrito, stealthily studying his handsome face and broad shoulders.I can tell by the sauce that he picked up the food from my favoritetaqueria.“Well, thanks.I appreciate you coming.”
Jaeger’s mouth pauses mid-munch.He stares at me for a moment before lifting his beer and swallowing.“What will you do?Will you look for another casino job?”
“I got the position through one of my mom’s contacts.She told us about summer hires and put in a good word.It’s late in the season.I doubt there are any positions left.”I set my half-eaten burrito down and wipe my mouth with a napkin.“I’m supposed to leave for school soon.I’ve saved enough money to get through the summer.My mom’s in Carson City.I could always spend time with her.She’s been asking me to come out.”
Jaeger polishes off his burrito and bites into a taco, drumming his fingers on the table.“So you’ll have time to kill.”
I’m not sure why he sounds happy.Nothing about being fired seems positive.“I guess.”
Jaeger glances at my half-eaten burrito.“Finished?Ready for dessert?”
“You brought dessert?”
“Of course.”
