Page 57 of Spiritwarrior

Logan poked his head through the door. “You mind if I leave, Sophie? My dad is here to pick me up.”

“Of course. Have fun tonight.” Sophie smiled as Logan left.

She really liked Logan. He was a sweet kid. He was very introverted, so she sympathized with him, as she had been an introvert at his age, also. It had taken her years to come out of her shell. If not for a friend of hers, she didn’t think she would have.

“I want to get changed. Would you mind watching the restaurant while I do that?”

Jody handed her a hamburger plate. “Go ahead. I’m all caught up until someone comes in. When you get done, I need to get changed, too.”

“Deal.”

In the bathroom, she changed into a new pair of jeans that she had splurged on in a regular department store. Carefully removing a sweater from her duffle bag, she pulled it on. She had recognized the designer label when she saw it in the thrift store. It was rose-colored, and she had fallen in love with it when she had seen it on one of the tables. She hated to put her sensible shoes back on, but she still had another half an hour before she could close the restaurant. Applying the minimum of makeup, which Ginny had generously supplied, she lightly put on a foundation then brushed on some blush. When she was satisfied, she rolled on some mascara before putting her glasses back on.

“I guess this is the best you’re going to get.”

She zipped her duffle bag and left the restroom to find Jody mumbling to himself again, wondering if she should start to be concerned about the amounts of times she found him speaking to no one. She decided to let it go figuring it must be a strangehabit Jody had. Hell, she was known to talk to herself from time to time as well.

“Your turn.” While sliding the bag under the counter, she was aware of Jody’s assessing gaze as he slid his own bag out from under the counter.

Sophie rolled silverware, waiting for the minutes to click by. She was putting the utensils away when Jody came out of the restroom.

Struck speechless, she was terrified she had swallowed her tongue when he bent next to her to put his bag away. Then the faint hint of his cologne only heightened her awareness of him.

Moving away from him, she started closing the register to give herself breathing room. If she stayed close to him, she wouldn’t be able to keep from rubbing against him, begging to be stroked.

She couldn’t blame women who came to the restaurant, constantly seeking his attention.

“I guess I’ll take off, unless you need me to do something for you?”

She did, but nothing she would let him do unless she wanted to end up a basket case like Baylin.

“No, I’m good. Have fun tonight.”

“You, too.”

Thankfully, she was able to hold on to her restraint until Jody left.

When he had walked out of the restroom dressed in nice jeans lovingly hugging his body, her reaction had almost slipped under her guard. The black sweater molded to his upper body, except around the neck, where the turtleneck was bunched like a thick gray scarf. He slayed.

It just wasn’t fair that Jody could be that good looking and confident enough to wear a stylish sweater that not many men would be able to pull off.

As she was closing the register, she saw Joel crossing the street.

She went into the kitchen to grab the sandwiches out of the fridge, when the sight of Jody’s sandwiches still there made her realize he had forgotten them. Taking them out, she went back out front.

She was pulling out her purse from under the counter when Joel came inside, carrying a cooler.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Sophie glanced down at the cooler. “I made sandwiches.”

Joel’s eyebrows arched. “That’s a lot of sandwiches.”

“They aren’t all for us. Jody accidentally left his behind. I thought if we see him, we could give them to him.”

“Accidentally? Sure, we can do that.” Joel didn’t sound happy.

“Is there a problem? I thought you and Jody are friends?”

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