Page 6 of Hot and Bothered
“And you don’t have any money of your own?” Evan asked carefully.
“No.” I flushed and looked down. I knew exactly how it sounded. I still lived with my parents. I lived off their money. Poor spoiled rich girl, Evan was probably thinking right now.
He wasn’t wrong. Going straight from my parents’ house to my husband’s house, never holding down a job of my own, always having other people take care of everything for me…
That might have been the standard way of doing things in my social circle, but I still knew exactly how sheltered and privileged I was.
“I didn’t even have enough money to pay for my bar tab.” My face threatened to crumple.
Evan stared at me silently, looking contemplative, while I breathed slowly and deeply, trying to keep my composure. I had no idea what I was going to do.
“How good are you at waiting tables?” Evan spoke up.
I blinked up at him.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I’ve never done it before.”
“How about washing dishes?”
I couldn’t admit to him I’d never washed a single dish in my life, so I stayed silent.
“Things are pretty busy at the bar,” Evan said. “We could use some help.”
My mouth slowly opened into an O.
“Are you offering me a job?” I asked. It was close to what I’d imagined happening last night when I couldn’t pay my bill, that they’d make me wash dishes.
It was much better than calling the cops, that was for certain.
“I’m sure Mason, my manager, would be grateful if I found someone to bring in,” Evan said. “You can stay in the spare room until you’re back on your feet.”
My face did crumple then.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked.
His lips twitched upward.
“Let’s just say that seeing someone who’s clearly so helpless triggers my protective instincts,” he said. “I can’t let a nice girl like you fend for yourself on the streets, after all.”
I choked back a watery laugh.
“I really appreciate this,” I told him. “I promise, I won’t get in your way or bother you. And I’ll work really hard.”
“I have no doubt you will, Alice.”
Evan eyed me with a gleam in his eyes.
I wondered, for what had to be the dozenth time, what I’d told him last night that made him look at me that way.
3
After I’d finished my toast, Evan let me have a fresh toothbrush still in its pack and showed me where the towels were for a shower. It felt good to wash my hair and get all that hairspray out of my tangled rat’s nest. I’d purposely avoided looking into the mirror because I didn’t want to see the horror show I’d become. I was already horrified enough at my behavior.
When I was fresh-faced and clean, I changed into a dress and pair of sneakers Lizzy had left for me. I wore a pair of Evan’s boxers underneath. It was discomfiting, wearing some strange guy’s underwear, but it would have to do until I could figure out how to get some clothes of my own.
I thought back to my large walk-in closet and multitude of outfits. As much as I loved my Louboutin heels, it wasn’t worth risking going home.
Home. My heart fell to my knees at the thought.
