He eyes the receipt. “Nothing. This order was paid for with a card. It seems like a nice tip was also included. Thanks!” As he hands me the ice cream, he says, “Have a good night.”
I close the door and glare at Jack. “You think you’re funny, don’t you? I wanted to pay.”
He flashes his perfectly white teeth. “I know you did, but I also wanted to pay for it.”
I sigh. “Listen, we need some ground rules. If I stay for any length of time, I need to feel like I’m contributing.”
Jack pauses the movie again. “Jessi, I have been living alone, getting by just fine for the past decade. I appreciate the offer, but it’s not needed. Save your money. You probably want to go to college, and you’ll need it then.”
“Okay,” I say. “I think money is an issue here. I do need to save and probably make my own. However, let’s talk about how I can pull my weight right now.” He tries to interrupt me, but I cut him off. “Let me finish. This is important.” He quiets. “What if I do laundry, clean the house, and cook dinner every night?”
He eyes me. “I like to clean, and no one should cook every night. That’s too much.”
Hmm.I’m racking my brain. “What if I do laundry, cook five nights a week, and clean up after dinner?”
He sighs and stops eating his ice cream. “Okay. You can do laundry. And cook five nights a week, max. I clean up after dinner. Deal? Oh, and I pay for the two nights we eat out.”
I sit up straight, my heart swelling at the fact that he finally compromised with me. “Deal, but if you have a date or are out with friends, I’ll cover my dinner those nights.”
He holds up his ice cream again. “I don’t date.”
“I know you aren’t datingright now, but that can change. And honestly, I don’t understand why you aren’t. I get that you don’t want children, but I’m sure there are plenty of women who don’t either, or they’d give it up to be with you.”
He sticks his spoon in his sundae and gives me his full attention, but I sense frustration in the way he carries himself. “Do you know any?”
I tap my chin with a finger. “Well, no. It’s not something I go around asking people.”
The corners of his lips twitch. “A long time ago, I came to terms with the fact that I’d likely end up alone. It’s exhausting todate people who pretend to be someone and then, after enough time, they finally reveal who they really are and what they want. Dating is a waste of time. It’s easier to keep it casual.”
“What about love?”
He huffs. “What about it?”
“Haven’t you wanted someone to love, and to love you?”
He takes another spoonful of his sundae. “Once or twice, but not anymore.”
The finality in his words stings, but I force myself to brush my sadness away. “One more thing. I wanted to know if you would care if I tried to get a job at the club? I spent most of my day trying to figure out my next move, and getting a job seems like the most logical option.”
Jack chokes. “A job at the club. Are you crazy?”
I gulp. “If I ever want to get out of my living situation and support myself, I need to work. But if you think the club’s not right for me or too much in your space, I’ll find something else.”
When he doesn’t respond, I go on. “You have an incentive to help me get a job, though. It will mean I get my own place quicker, and I’ll be out of your hair. I do have that IOU in my back pocket.” I bat my eyelashes and put on the most convincing grin.
He studies me for several long moments. “If you really want a job there, I’ll help, but I have one condition.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“If there are any problems, I want to know immediately. I mean it. Deal?”
I jump up. “Deal.”
He resumes the movie but grabs a blanket from the back of the couch. He must have gotten cold after the ice cream. “I can share,” he says, holding the blanket out to me.
I wave him off. I think it’s better if we have some space between us. “No thanks.”
After a few minutes, Jack slides the blanket off him and over to me.
