“No! No, not at all.” His gaze darted over her again, and he licked his slack lips.
Vanity had to fight off a shudder. What was wrong with him? She wore her workout clothes of leggings with thick socks and athletic shoes, a cami under a thicker shirt and her hoodie. Not exactly sexy garb. No reason for him to keep gawking.
“The boots are expensive,” he explained. “And I’ll need to buy some stuff to pack for my lunch, and gas for the car...”
How had he gotten himself so broke? He was a healthy, able-bodied man who should have had no problem holding down a job. If not the ideal job, then any job until he found the right one.
Vanity scrutinized him. It annoyed him, she could tell, but he kept his mouth shut. Motivated to make life easier for Stack, trying—just once—to give Phil the benefit of the doubt, Vanity said, “I’ll give you three hundred.” She opened her purse and pulled out her wallet.
Phil focused on her wording. “Give?”
So easy to see exactly why Stack disliked him. “Give,” she confirmed. “If you’re just starting a job, it wouldn’t be easy to pay me back. Consider it a gift, with my best wishes that things work out for you.” She opened her wallet, thumbed through her money, and separated the decided amount.
When she looked at Phil, his gaze was no longer on her person.
No, his slack-jawed look rested solely on her cash. What a cretin.
Deciding to push him, Vanity kept the money in her hand. “I trust you won’t be smoking this?”
“Smoking it?”
“You enjoy getting high. I’ve seen it in your eyes.”
He shook his head hard and took a step closer. “The place does random drug testing. Gotta stay clean.”
She had her doubts, but it’d be worth the cost either way. If Phil actually got a job, if he started to contribute to his marriage, he’d make Tabby and Lynn happy, and ultimately Stack, too. And if he didn’t, then she’d have a good reason to never help him again.
Vanity held out the money.
“This is just between us?”
She nodded. “Between us.” For now at least.
He took the money, folded it and stuck it in his pocket. His wide grin looked less appreciative and more predatory. “Thanks, hon.”
“Let’s eschew the endearments, okay?”
One eye tightened. “Huh?”
“I barely know you. We’re not friends, and I’m definitely not your hon.” Firm, and very clear, she explained things to him. “Understand that I’m giving you the money for Tabby, because I know it would relieve her burden for you to have a job.”
“Right, right. Yeah. It’ll be a big help.” He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and struck a leisurely stance. Sleazy to the core, he angled toward her. “Whatever I can do to repay the favor...”
“Not necessary.” Seriously, Phil absolutely had nothing she wanted. She got in the car. “Good luck with the job. I hope it all works out for you.” Done with the small talk, anxious to see Stack, she put the car in gear and drove away.
A glance in her side-view mirror showed Phil still standing on the curb, now looking at her house.
She had a very bad feeling about this. About him.
Being the proactive sort, Vanity made up her mind about what to do.
On her way to the rec center, she made a few calls.
* * *
WITH HIS FOREARM wrapped in ice, Stack stood before the heavy bag practicing kicks. Sweat soaked the front and back of his shirt, the waistband of his sweatpants, his neck and temples. He’d worked on kicks, and now concentrated on a reverse roundhouse kick.
Between the jog in the morning, the visit to his mother, and now his extended workout, he’d gone through a whole laundry load of clothes.
When the bell on the door pinged, he immediately looked up. Cannon and Yvette strolled in. They were immediately mobbed, ribbed, hugged and all around congratulated. Again.
Cannon pulled off his knit hat, ran a hand through his hair, then tugged it on again. Glowing like a woman who’d just rolled off an orgasm, Yvette smiled dreamily at him.
Stack hoped like hell they weren’t here because of him.
Stepping away from the heavy bag, he mopped off the sweat and waited for Cannon to wade through his always present fan club. After about five minutes, he made his way to Stack.
“You should be at home,” Stack told him.
“In bed, I know.” Cannon grinned. “We went out for groceries and decided to drop in for a bit.”
“Shit. Denver told you, didn’t he?”