Page 87 of Spiritwarrior

“Your restraint.”

Noticing that Lily and Rachel had checked out while he was talking with Chasity, he took the opportunity to walk to the front of the restaurant and lock the door.

“We have forty-five minutes before I close.” Indignantly, she started busing where Lily and Rachel had been sitting.

“By the time we get everything ready for tomorrow, it will be.”

She didn’t argue.

Pitching in together, they unloaded the dishes that Ginny had put in the dishwasher before she had left for the day, loaded the remaining dirty dishes, mopped, and swept. Sophie was clearing the register when the phone rang.

Jody went to lock the back door while Sophie answered the phone. He came back as Sophie slammed the phone down. His eyebrows rose at the furious way she had ended the call.

“Who was that?”

Sophie looked at him with hurt and anger. “Chasity. She told me she’s pregnant.”

“Why did she callyouto tell you she’s pregnant?”

“She thought I should know what kind of person you are. She said when she tried to tell you she was pregnant, you were nasty to her.”

“Was she inferringIwas the father?”

“She didn’t infer anything. She came out and said so.”

“Chasity is lying.”

“I have no doubt she is.”

Relief flooded him that she believed him … until he saw her expression was still upset.

“You’re angry atmebecause she lied about me?”

“I’m angry because I have suckered myself into thinking we could have a future together. First Baylin, and now Chastity. How many women’s anger am I going to be the brunt of because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants?”

Her gradually escalating voice had him wincing.

“Do you mind lowering your voice? I don’t want Greer coming over here. He’ll make us heat up the grill again. Let’s go home. We can talk about it—” He had to break off what he was saying when the phone rang again.

“If that’s Chastity, let me talk to her,” he growled as she answered the phone.

Jody could tell it wasn’t Chasity when Sophie began talking in a tearful voice.

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Just wait,” she said, hanging the phone up.

“Who was that?”

“My parents.”

Reaching under the counter, she pulled her purse out.

“Go home, Jody. My parents are here. They’re waiting for me at my apartment.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Sophie shook her head at him. “No, I’m going to walk. I need to think.”

“I’m not letting you walk when I can drive you.”

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