Page 25 of Hard Evidence
“I have a housekeeper.”
“I’m great at yard work.”
“A landscaper takes care of that.You don’t have to do anything.”
Except stop sobbing; that would be good.In Justin’s experience, women turned on the waterworks when they wanted something, but he was struggling to work out Jessalyn’s agenda here.Did she think breaking down would get her free room and board?He sighed because yeah, it probably would.Fourteen years ago, he’d turned his back on one victim of abuse, and she’d ended up dying.Then Ruby Costello had lost her life, and there were his three failed engagements… Justin’s track record with women was abysmal.And now another train wreck had landed in his lap.Sometimes, he felt as if the universe was punishing him, and maybe it was?
“Then how about I go to the grocery store tomorrow morning and batch cook some meals to go in your freezer?”Jessalyn asked.
“If I say ‘yes,’ will you quit with the tears?”
She gave a shuddering sniffle and bit down hard on her lip, a move that made Justin’s cock twitch, and what the hell was wrong with him?Jessalyn was obviously in distress, and he was…horny?
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“That makes two of us,” he muttered under his breath.“Look, we can go to the grocery store tomorrow morning if it makes you happy.”She said she liked cooking, so maybe it would calm her down.“Plus you need to file a police report.Take a couple of days to get your life sorted out, okay?”
Justin had learned lessons from the past.He’d do the decent thing.Jessalyn could borrow his spare room for a week, two tops, and he’d help her find a new place to stay.Could the administrator who ran the Ruby Rose Foundation help?They didn’t have any empty properties on the books right now, he knew that much, but Isabel had connections.
Jessalyn wiped her eyes and nodded.“Do you think I’ll get the money back?”
Probably not, but Justin had to stay positive.“Worth a try.”The doorbell rang, and he sent silent thanks for the interruption.“That’ll be the food.I’ll be back in a minute.”
The delivery guy was a regular, and he beamed as he held up six bags full of food.“Mr.Justin, you’re having a party tonight?”
Yeah, a pity party.Since he had no idea what Jessalyn liked to eat, he’d asked the restaurant to send a selection, and it seemed they’d gone overboard.Still, he tipped the guy and took the food.At least the dog wouldn’t go hungry.
In the kitchen, Jessalyn had found plates, cutlery, and napkins and stacked them on the counter.She didn’t like sitting still, did she?
“Do you usually eat at the counter?”she asked.“Or should I set the dishes out in the dining room?”
Justin usually ate out of the cartons, but he wasn’t going to complain.Not if keeping busy kept Jessalyn from weeping.She seemed to have a pathological need to serve, as though it had been trained into her.
“You choose.”
She looked from the counter to the door and bit her lip again.He saw a flash of fear in her eyes that reminded him so strongly of his mom that his heart lurched.Another realisation—Jessalyn was terrified of making a wrong decision.
“In here is fine,” he said.
“Okay, great!”She pasted on a big, fake smile.“Just give me one minute.”
“What can I do to help?”
Her eyes went wide.“Help?”
“You want me to feed the dog?”Justin looked around.“Where is the dog?”
“In the bathroom.He won’t make a mess, I swear—he’s used to staying in a kennel in the evenings.”
“Do you know how he is with cats?”
She shook her head.“I don’t think he’s ever met one before.”
That would be a task for tomorrow.“Tonight, leave him in your room, and we can walk him after dinner.It’s already dark; it isn’t going to get any darker.What does he eat?”
“A cup of kibble.”
“That’s all?”
