Page 142 of A Dirty Business
I showed him the screen before texting him back.
Me:She’s a normal employee. Think she’d be pissed you’re asking me how to handle it.
Ashton had leaned over and read what I’d responded. He snorted, taking my phone out of my hands, and he scrolled through it before hitting a button, putting it to his ear.
“Why are you asking for more shifts at my nightclub?”
Jesus. He called Jess. On my phone.
“I’m here with him, but you got me. Yeah.” A pause. “Anthony wanted to know our thoughts. You should be happy to know that your man said you’re a normal employee, you should be treated as such. He passed the buck back to Anthony, but I’m curious. I have it on good authority that your evenings are usually filled up, by you know, you getting fil—”
I plucked the phone from him and settled back. “Don’t shoot my best friend. I inherited him as a moron.”
“It’s fine.”
It wasn’t fine. Her voice was restrained. That was never fine.
I lowered my voice. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m taking time off from work for a bit. Could use the hours.”
“What do you mean when you say you’re taking time?”
“Oh, damn,” Ashton said under his breath.
I ignored him. “Jess. What’s going on?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Now I’m worried.”
She sighed into the phone. “Look, could you do me a favor and tell Anthony to put me on every night?”
“What about me?”
She half laughed, half did her own snort into the phone. “You are busy doing what I don’t want to know you’re doing, but I know you’re busy. I’m a workaholic, Trace, and my full-time gig just got put on hold for a bit. I’m going to go crazy if I actually have time on my hands.”
That was not good, not about her not knowing how to handle downtime but about the job. “I’m sorry, Jess. I know you loved doing what you did.”
“Yeah. Well. I just need to be busy right now. Mom and all.”
“I’ll let him know. He’ll fill your schedule.”
“Thank you. And, um, when are you coming back tonight?”
“Since you’ll be working, I might be later than I’d intended.”
“Maybe you can swing by and give me a ride from Katya?”
“That sounds very domestic. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too.”
I wished Ashton wasn’t in the vehicle with me but also wished I wasn’t in this vehicle heading an hour out of the city. “You want me to come back? Ashton can handle this. It’s not imperative that I’m in attendance.”
“Hey!” Ashton gave me a dark look.
I ignored him, waiting for her response.
