“So sorry, man,” Zach said. “That’s hard. You have a lot on your plate.”
They all sat in silence for a few minutes, finishing their beers. Clay was next to speak. “Can’t tell you what to do, Tuck, but follow your instincts. If your woman is willing to hold on three more days, I say take your cues from her. If you really think she’ll leave you over this, and she means that much to you, bail. It’s just money.”
That was the fifty-thousand-dollar question. Could Jodi really live with this decision in the long run? Or would she forever feel like she wasn’t as important to Tuck as fifty thousand dollars?
Chapter 13
“Roxie, what the hell has gotten into you today?” Liz hissed at Roxie as Jodi watched. It was midafternoon. They’d only been open a few hours. A slow day. Only three customers so far. A man at the far end of the bar and a couple in a booth.
Roxie rolled her eyes dramatically. “Why do you two always think something’s wrong with me? Maybe it’s you. Not everyone has to be all perfect all the time.”
Jodi frowned. Roxie was often moody, but she’d never heard her be downright rude. She came closer, hoping the two of them would lower their voices and keep the clients from hearing. “Both of you, stop it,” she whispered.
Roxie stiffened. “I didn’t do anything. Liz is the one who started it.” She pumped out her chest like she wanted to throw down with Liz. This was out of control.
Jodi lifted the end of the bar to get through to the other side, glanced back at both women, pointed to the hallway, and gritted out. “Office. Now.” She hurried that direction.
Her father was at the desk. “Dad, can you handle the front for a few minutes?”
“Sure.” He stood, glancing around at the women and apparently deciding his best bet was to get out now.
Jodi shut the door. “Roxie, what the hell is going on?”
Roxie cocked a hip and growled. “Nothing. Can’t I just have a bad day?”
“Of course you can, but you can’t take it out on others.”
Liz narrowed her gaze at Roxie, letting her eyes glide up and down the slender woman’s body. “Have you lost weight?”
Roxie glanced down. “Maybe. What does that have to do with anything?”
“Everything, if you’re taking those fucking diet pills,” Liz added.
Jodi winced.
Roxie’s face paled. She didn’t respond.
“Roxie?” Jodi’s voice rose. “Those things are dangerous.”
Roxie moaned. “They’re not that big a deal. They work.” She pointed at her body. “Even Liz noticed I’ve lost weight.”
“At the expense of your personality,” Liz pointed out.
“Don’t be so dramatic. I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” Liz agreed. “Not even close. You’re moody and temperamental all the time. That’s one of the symptoms. How long have you been taking them?”
“I don’t know. A few months, I guess. Don’t make a big thing out of it. If you want me to stop, I will.”
“Oh, yeah. I want you to stop.” Jodi’s voice rose. “Immediately. Before you die. Are you buying them from the same guy as everyone else, right here in the bar?”
Roxie cringed.
“Shit.” Jodi spun around to face the wall for a second. “I can’t believe it,” she said as she spun the rest of the direction. “We’re working our asses off to find this dealer, and you’ve been buying from him all along?”
Roxie at least had the wisdom to look chagrined. “It’s not a big deal,” she repeated.
“It’s illegal, and dangerous,” Liz shouted.
A knock sounded at the door a second before it opened a crack. Tuck stuck his head in. “You ladies okay? I could hear you from the main room.”
Jodi sighed. “Come in.”
He did, looking a bit hesitant. “Bill said you were having a bit of a dispute back here.”
“Roxie’s been taking the stupid diet pills from the damn dealer you’ve been trying to catch,” Liz informed him.
Tuck flinched. “You have?”
Roxie bit the corner of her lip. “It’s no big deal,” she repeated yet again.
“I tried to reason with her,” Liz added. “So did Jodi. Your turn.”
Tuck kept his gaze on Roxie. “Roxie, that’s very dangerous. Don’t you realize how many women have ended up in the ER? Those things are banned for a reason.”
“It’s not like people are dying. They just get a little angry is all,” Roxie defended.
Tuck nodded. “I saw the effects firsthand on the set of Cold Feet. The women were like alien beings on crack, clawing at each other and fighting all the time.”
“You’re exaggerating. They were acting.”
“No. They were not. They were drugged. So are you. Now I understand why you have such violent mood swings.” Tuck was pissed. His face was red. This wasn’t the least bit humorous to him.
“I think you should go home for the rest of the day, Roxie,” Jodi stated. “Come back tomorrow if you’ve stopped taking those stupid pills. If you can’t stop, get help. I can’t risk you blowing up in front of the customers in a rage.”
Roxie slouched. “Fine.” She spun around before anyone could say another word and left the room, slamming the door behind her.
“That went well.” Liz followed her. “I’ll tell Bill what’s going on.”
Jodi was shaking, her fists balled at her sides. She was breathing heavily from the altercation. “Shit. I can’t believe it.”
Tuck stepped toward her and pulled her into his embrace. “At least we figured it out and she didn’t lie about it. Might have saved her life.”
“Maybe. Or maybe she’d rather take the drugs than keep her job.”
“Let’s hope not.”
Jodi wrapped her arms around his middle and held him tight. Even in her shocked state of mind, she found comfort in his arms. Every time he touched her, she calmed. When he held her like this, he had the power to make all her problems dissolve.
She didn’t want to let go. “How did your
