Page 59 of Tempted

Jasmine glanced at her watch. “Actually if I get to the Metro station in the next ten minutes, I might make the 10:45. Otherwise I’ll have to wait another hour.”

“Jasmine don’t be ridiculous, I’ll drive you home.”

“No!” Realizing how harsh that must have sounded she softened her words. “I mean, you don’t have to do that.” It was bad enough that he was seeing her like this, but the final part of her humiliation would be for him to see where she lived. It was probably worse than the place she’d lived in before she worked for the Meade family.

Jason frowned. “What the hell is going on, Jasmine?”

She grabbed her jacket and slipped into it. Earl was right. She had lost a lot of weight. She was practically swimming in her coat. She wasn’t dieting. Jasmine simply had no appetite and whenever she did manage to eat she got nauseous. It had to be nerves because they were doing a number on her. “Nothing.”

“So it’s like that? Is this friendship over?” The hurt in his topaz eyes cut her to the quick. Jason didn’t deserve to be treated so off-handedly but how could she burden him with her issues when there were far too many to deal with right now?

“Jason, I value your friendship but¯”

“If you value my friendship then show me. Let me take you to the coffee house.”

She glanced at her watch. So much for making it to the train station for the next train. She had to be back at the diner at six in the morning and she was exhausted but she did owe Jason an explanation. “Okay, maybe one cup of coffee.”

He grinned. “That’s all I ask.”

* * *

“What happened to you Jasmine?” Jason asked softly.

She picked at the sandwich Jason had insisted on buying her. She’d taken one bite and her stomach rebelled. Her appetite was nonexistent these days. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. Have you looked in a mirror lately? You’re wasting away to nothing. He found out didn’t he?”

There was no point in denying the obvious. “Yes.”

“I guess he kicked you out. Did he at least offer some type of severance?”

She snorted. “I wish. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve found another job and a place to stay and that’s the end of that.” Jasmineshe’d stayed at the cheapest hotel she could find while she looked for a job. It had taken her three weeks to find something while staying at the hotel slowly ate at her savings. After finding a place to work she found her current apartment and had now been there for a month. There were times when she’d wanted to give up. But thoughts of her daughter helped her make it through.

“No it isn’t. I overheard a bit of the conversation you had with the cook. Why are you working so many double shifts? It’s gotta be tough working on your feet all day.”

She pushed her plate aside, all pretense of eating gone. “Obviously I need the money. I’m not doing it for fun.”

“And when do you get a chance to see, Star.”

Her heart tightened at the mention of her daughter. “I see her when I can which isn’t as often as I’d like because I’m barely making minimum wage. As you saw, the restaurant I work at isn’t frequented with big tippers but I make just enough for the rat infested apartment I managed to obtain. When the state came by to inspect my new living arrangements, I was told by the social worker that I was in an unfit living space, not to mention my changing jobs didn’t look good. She made it seemed like I had a choice in the matter. They won’t grant me custody until I made more suitable arrangements. So until then, I don’t know when I’ll get my daughter back.

“Oh, Jasmine. I’m so sorry.”

She sighed. “There’s no need for you to apologize. It’s not your fault. In the meantime, all the progress Star had made when I was working for the Meade Family has been wiped out. She has withdrawn into herself again and they’re thinking about putting her in a home for children with behavioral problems. I’m at my wits end.”

“Don’t you have any say in this as her mother?”

“Not much. My only hope is to establish a more stable environment for Star to get her back. And that also requires a lawyer to advocate on my behalf.That’s why I’m working so many hours. I need the money.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Jason shot her a sympathetic look. “If there’s anything I can do….”

She shook her head. “No. I have to do this for myself. I’m a fighter and I’ll do whatever it takes to win this battle.”

He squeezed her hand. “But you don’t have to fight alone.”

Jasmine smiled. She’d trusted before, two men in fact, and they’d both let her down. She quickly suppressed those thoughts. She refused to think about either of them, Victor in particular. Despite everything Phillip had done, it was Victor who’d hurt her the most. “Thank you, but this is my fight.” The smell of coffee was really starting to get to her. “Do you mind if we leave? I’m not really feeling well.”

“Jasmine, why don’t you eat some of your sandwich? It might make you feel better.”

---