Page 21 of Jett in Jeopardy

“You look like hell,” I said, dropping into a chair opposite his desk. Daniel’s office made mine look palatial by comparison. The small, windowless room was packed tight with metal and faux wood furniture that was probably as old as the hotel itself. Stacks of file boxes lined the dull beige walls, making the space feel even tighter.

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Thanks.”

“Sorry. I don’t mean to be a dick—”

“But you just can’t help yourself,” Daniel cut in with a grin. “Yeah, I’m familiar with your work.”

“Are you not sleeping?”

“Nah, I’m fine,” he said, dragging both hands down his face. “Really, I’m just trying to budget for the roof.”

“I have the money. I can help you.”

“No,” he said, sharp enough for me to raise my brows. He sighed. “Sorry. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want you to sink your money into this place.”

In other words, he didn’t want me loaning him money he didn’t think he’d ever get back, especially if the hotel went under. “I’m not worried about that. If I can help—”

“I’m fine, really. What did you come in for?” As subject changes went, it was pretty clunky, but I got the hint.

“I slept with Jett,” I blurted. No point in dancing around the topic.

Daniel frowned, as if confused. “I’m not especially shocked to hear that, but I’m not sure why you’re telling me.”

I sighed. “Because I think I’ve already fucked everything up.”

I told him a limited version of my night with Jett, leaving out the sex while explaining how he’d asked about why I’d changed my mind about sleeping with him and what I’d said in response, ending with Jett storming out of my apartment before it was light out.

By the time I was done, Daniel winced as if he were in pain. “You didn’treallytell him you liked that hewouldn’twant to get serious with you directly after you had sex?”

“Notrightafter,” I said. “We showered first.”

“Okay, so, first, the time to decide what you want from each other relationship-wise wasbeforeyou had sex,” Daniel said slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. “But you guys aren’t the first people to work that out after, and you can still do that if you’re both upfront about your expectations.” Daniel always had such mature and open ideas about how to have a successful relationship. It seemed strange to me he never had one himself, not in all the time I had known him. If I ever broached the subject, he just brushed me off, telling me he had too much on his plate already. I knew there was more to it than him being busy with the hotel, but I didn’t push. He didn’t push me about dating after Ryan, and I appreciated it. “Here’s the thing, even if Jett wasn’t looking for something serious, telling him that’s what you liked best about him right after having sex might not have been great timing.”

“That’snotwhat I said.” I couldn’t keep the exasperation out of my voice. “And it’snotwhat I like best about him.”

“I’m sure it’s not, but it kind of sounds like it is.”

Shit, maybe Daniel had a point. Jett had said pretty much the same thing. I was going to have to apologize.

At the light tap on the still-open office door, we both turned. Alistair was standing in the opening, looking harried.

“What’s going on?” Daniel asked. “Is everything okay? Do you need me?”

“No, everything’s fine. There’s no one in the restaurant,” Alistair said. “It’s my friend Jett. He was at a job interview, and when he came out, someone had slashed his tires. He’s kind of stranded, and can’t get a hold of Grier or Sawyer. Normally, I’d ask Finn, but he’s at a parent meeting for Will, so would it be okay if I left early to pick him up?”

“I’ll go,” I said, earning a frown from Alistair and a cough from Daniel that I was fairly certain was a cover for him laughing at me.

“Are you sure?” Alistair asked, still looking at me strangely.

I nodded. “I don’t mind.”

I owed Jett an apology, and this would be a good opportunity. After all, he needed to know I wasn’t a complete jerk.

Chapter Nine

Jett

Asinterviewswent,I’dprobably had worse. An overpriced seafood restaurant wouldn’t have been my first choice—I’d worked at a restaurant in my last year of high school and had avoided working at one again ever since—but I couldn’t afford to be picky. I didn’t have savings to fall back on, and while I could ask my dad for more money, I really didn’t want to.

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