Page 12 of Same Thing
He only offered her a slight smile as an answer and then changed the subject. “Your stew and cornbread were the best I’ve ever had. I’ll set the containers on your porch before I go to work in the morning.”
“I appreciate that,” she said, excited by the fact that he was making a time to go to her apartment, even if it was just to drop something off. “Where do you work?”
“For my Pack.” He seemed surprised that he had uttered those words though, and his smile morphed to a frown, and he lowered his eyes to the fried green tomatoes Hannah had just set in front of them. “Let’s talk about you. Not me.”
The shift in his tone confused her. “I’m not really good at talking about myself. Or talking about anything really. It would actually probably be less awkward if we just sat here and were quiet.”
He snorted. “You’re talking just fine.” He twitched his head toward Alese. “She hasn’t checked on you in a while.”
Alese had her back to them and was laughing with the guy she liked. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Isn’t it girl-code to watch each other’s backs when you are out drinking?”
“Ah. Well, I’m only drinking soda and I’m fully sober, so I think she’s off the hook tonight.”
“She allowed Jackson to sit at your chair with your unattended drink and food.”
“Do you…do you not like Alese?” she asked, bristling defensively.
“I don’t know her. It’s just different for humans maybe.”
“Different from a Pack?” she asked softly.
He frowned and took a bite of a fried green tomato, and she did the same. God, these were so good, and they were even better when she dunked it in the ranch that came on the side.
“I guess I don’t know much about female dynamics in a Pack either,” he admitted low. “There aren’t many females.”
Nory whispered, “There aren’t many girl werewolves?”
He shook his head.
“Was she one?” Nory asked, pointing at the door where the blond beauty had disappeared earlier.
He nodded and then frowned down at the glowing screen of his phone, which from here looked lit up with a text. His face lost all emotion, and his eyes lightened by two shades at whatever he read in the message. He inhaled deep, and then rumbled, “Subject change, where do you work?”
She wanted to ask who had texted him. Oh, she wanted to know so badly, but his expression looked utterly shut down right now. She should lighten the mood for him. “I’m waiting for a sugar daddy to pay for my expensive lifestyle, so I don’t work.”
He froze, and she cracked a grin. “Just kidding. I’m a dog groomer. Hey if you or any of your friends ever need a flea bath, I can get you a twenty percent off coupon.”
His face had frozen into a dead-eyed expression.
“Joke,” she said with a nervous laugh. “So anyways, what’s your salary?”
“Are you moving us toward a sugar daddy joke?”
“Obviously. If you make less than thirty thousand a year, I don’t know if I can move forward with this,” she said, andthen sipped her soft drink. The bubbles tickled her throat, and she coughed. “My studio apartment is very expensive, and I’m having to try and break the lease, which will cost you another twelve hundred dollars.”
He frowned. “I know you’re joking about the salary, but why are you trying to break the lease?”
“J-J-Jackson.” Oh gah, there was her awkward self. “Eek, sorry. I stammer sometimes. Not on purpose! I just get all…” She waved her hands around in the air like that would explain her weirdness. “You know?”
“Hey,” Liam said, stopping her freefall. He held out his hands, and let off a steadying breath, his eyes locked on hers. “You don’t have to be nervous around me. I’m not even supposed to be here with you.” He looked around the bar. “I’m not supposed to be on this side of town, honestly. There can’t be anything between us ever, you will probably never talk to me again after tonight, and so what I’m saying is, you are one hundred percent safe from saying something wrong. It doesn’t matter what you say. I am a stranger tonight, and I will remain a stranger tomorrow.”
She cleared her throat and settled her racing thoughts. “Jackson,” she answered again without the stutter.
He nodded thoughtfully.
Nory shrugged. “He’s been showing up where I am for about a year. Lately it feels pushier though. It makes me uncomfortable sometimes. Layla is asking her boss if I can break the lease without the penalty charges. Hell, I would move apartments across the complex if they weren’t so much more expensive. I think he watches where I’m going from his window, and I have to walk straight in front of it to get to my car, or return from work, or walk to this place. Tonight, I asked Alese if we could walk the back way all the way around the complex, and he still showed up here.”