“I’ll do it for you.”
“You will not.” What was going on? “I have never called in sick.”
“How long have you worked there?”
“Five years.”
“Five years and you’ve never once been sick?” he asked incredulously.
“I’m hardly ever sick,” she allowed, remembering his warning never to lie to him.
“You go into work when you’re ill? You’re not concerned about spreading germs to your customers?”
“I wouldn’t go in if I was contagious,” she protested.
“So, if you weren’t contagious, then what was wrong with you?”
How had they gotten onto this conversation? She remained silent. He shifted, turning towards her. “Not gonna answer, huh?”
“You said you’d rather I didn’t say anything than lie to you,” she pointed out softly. She tensed, waiting for him to get angry
.
“Fair enough. I appreciate you not lying to me.”
She spun, staring at him in shock. The overhead light had already turned off so she couldn’t make out his features, unfortunately.
“Abby, it’s nearly two a.m. You’ve got to be exhausted, I’m sure your boss will understand if you call in sick for a day.”
She didn’t think Gloria would understand at all. “I need the money.”
“I’ll give it to you.”
He did not just offer that.
“Y-you won’t.” Maybe someone as broke as her shouldn’t have any pride, but she did. And she was not taking money from his man.
“I will. Tell me how much you’d be short by and I’ll make up the difference.”
She leaned over the console between them, determined to make herself understood. She wasn’t an aggressive person. She didn’t like confrontation. But this was not going to happen.
“You. Will. Not.”
He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “Gotta say, didn’t think you’d have this stubborn streak.”
She wasn’t sure it was stubbornness so much as anger over what he obviously thought of her. That she was the type of person to take his money. She wasn’t. She might have none. Things might be getting desperate enough that she was in jeopardy of losing her home, but she would not take his money.
“Fine.” He started his truck. “Let’s get you home so you’ll get some sleep tonight.”
“I really need my car, though. How will I get to it in the morning?”
“I’ll get one of the boys to drive it to your place before your shift. What time do you start?”
“Six,” she whispered, knowing he wouldn’t like that.
“Shit. Barely even worth going to bed.”
Yeah, she’d had that thought herself. The cab of the truck was filled with his anger.