Page 79 of One Good Crash

I didn't even mention the truck, because for all I knew, she'd be charged with a felony, and felons weren't exactly an employer's dream.

Jax replied, "I mean for someone who comes highly recommended."

That made me pause. "You mean by me?"

"I don't see anyone else around." He pointed to his visitor's chair, the one I'd just vacated. "Ten minutes," he repeated. "You can time me if you want."

As if I wouldn't.I gave him a thin smile. "I don't have a watch."

In response, he pulled off his own wristwatch and set it on the desk – or more accurately on the typewritten job offer. He flicked his head toward the chair and said, "The timer starts when you sit."

If I were more dignified – or maybe a little less eager to repay a friend – I would've told him where he could shove his watch and the paper it was sitting on. But I didn't.

After all, Allie had driven ten hours to save my bacon. Surely, I could swallow my pride for ten lousy minutes in return. Silently, I returned to the chair and sat stiffly on the edge of the seat.

I grabbed the watch and made a note of the time. And then, I waited.

I didn't have to wait long. Already, Jax was sitting again. He leaned forward and said something I wasn't expecting. "I'm sorry."

I blinked. "For what? Calling my mom a name?"

"No. For what I'm about to tell you."

Chapter 34

It took him only a few minutes to relay what he thought I should know.

My mom's sugar-daddy – the guyIknew as Dominic Jones – owned a limo company, a string of strip clubs, and an escort service that specialized in high-end dates – the kind thatalwaysended happily, for the clients anyway.

As Jax talked, I felt the flames of embarrassment licking at my face. Or who knows, maybe they were the flames of hell, because I was pretty sure I was in it. Turns out, my mom wasn't, in the old-fashioned term, a kept woman, but rather a high-end call girl.

And the way Jax talked, my mom's employer was always on the lookout for fresh talent, and so were his various employees. Apparently, there was some sort of bonus structure, almost like a pyramid scheme, where the experienced staff earned extra money by bringing in – as Jax crudely put it – fresh meat.

I knew exactly what he was implying. The meat was me – orwould'vebeen me last night, if only I'd been a little more accommodating to my mom's not-so-subtle suggestions.

As he spoke, I considered all of the signs that I'd conveniently overlooked – my mom's obsession with my appearance, her insistence that I be extra nice to Dominic, and of course, all of that weirdness with the dress.

Who knows? Maybe she had some sort of clothing allowance, and didn't want to waste it on something – or rathersomeone– who wasn't panning out.

Where Tabitha fit into all of this, I had no idea. But Ididknow that her views on sex were a lot different than my own.

Back in the day, my mom and Tabitha had been groupies together. I knew this, because even when I was a child, they never tired of telling me stories from their glory days, back when they'd been barely legal, or who knows, maybe not legal at all.

When Jax finished talking, I didn't know what to say. Did I believe him? I didn'twantto believe him. But I wasn't stupid. And yes, maybe on some level, I'd already suspected much of this on my own.

After all, I'd literally run from the limo after my mom had started in with all of those weird hints and bits of advice.

Be extra nice to Dominic.

Don't forget to smile and laugh at his jokes.

Remember, he might have some friends he'd like you to meet.

Or maybe, we'll just have a private party alone.

And then, there was the kicker.Have you ever thought of living it up for once, and making use of your God-given assets? A girl as pretty as you? Why would you want to wait tables when you could make a lot more as an entertainer.

I gave a silent scoff.An entertainer.