Free Fit for the Job by Darien Cox Page B

to have to work with all these...restrictions. Your own personal ones included.”
    Sassy looked stunned that he’d dare confront her on the topic. “What personal ones?”
    “Well,” Jay shrugged, “you won’t go to the gym, or the pool, or play tennis, or any of the other fitness tools I have available to me here. If your father won’t let me take you elsewhere for exercise, I’m at a loss. I can’t do it.”
    Straightening in her seat, her expression showed real interest for the first time. “You’re gonna quit?”
    Jay nodded. “I might. What choice do I have?”
    “So you’re not a friend of my father’s?” she asked.
    “No,” Jay said. “I just met him yesterday.”
    Sassy studied him a moment, then said, “Wait here.” She got up and took off down the hallway, disappearing.
    Jay followed with his eyes, confused. “Okay,” he muttered.
    Sassy returned shortly after with a decorative, rectangular box, and set it on the coffee table in front of the sofa. She opened it with a small key, and raised the lid. “This is all my jewelry,” she said, lifting a small handful of shiny trinkets out and placing them on the coffee table. “This ruby cross I got appraised a while back, the rest of it I’m just guessing, but I’d say the whole lot is worth about twelve thousand dollars.” She looked at Jay.
    “Um, okay. Why are you telling me this?”
    “Jay.” She shuffled closer to him. “My father has cut off all my money. If you take this jewelry and hock it for me, I’ll give you a cut.”
    “I see. And what do you plan to do with this money?”
    She leaned close and lowered her voice. “I need to get out of here. My parents are nuts. They don’t love me. I want to live on my own.”
    Jay’s lips tightened as he pondered how to handle this new curveball. “I know twelve thousand might seem like a lot, but that’s not going to get you very far.”
    Sassy’s pretty face scrunched and she snorted in derision. “I know that . I have a plan for getting more money. But I have to get out of here first, so I can get it set up.”
    “Sassy,” Jay said, “I’m not hocking your jewelry for you. Even if I did want to do that, which I don’t, Bodie pats me down. I think he’d probably find a box of jewelry stuffed down my pants.”
    He expected a tantrum, but Sassy’s eyes widened, and she giggled. “Bodie pats you down ?”
    Jay shrugged, then grinned. “Yeah. I’m afraid so.”
    “You better watch out, I heard he’s gay, you know. Oh! You could swallow something. Here, these are worth like two grand.” She held up a pair of diamond tear drop earrings.
    Jay was still lingering on the ‘ I heard he’s gay, you know’ as Sassy waved the earrings in front of his face. He forced the shock of that statement away for later pondering. “You want me to swallow your earrings?”
    “Why not? I saw a movie where people swallowed diamonds. You just poop them out later.”
    “Maybe you should stop watching so many movies,” Jay said. “And I’m not going to poop out your diamonds, Sassy. I get enough fiber in my diet.”
    Sassy let out a full belly laugh, and it made Jay feel like he’d won the lottery.
    “Okay, fine . I didn’t think you’d do it anyway.” She tucked the jewelry back in the box and locked it up.
    “Speaking of diets,” Jay said, “How’s yours?”
    Her smiled wilted and she scowled at him. “Why? Do you think I’m fat, too?”
    “Of course not,” he said. “At your age, I’d be more worried about an eating disorder.”
    Her shoulders relaxed. “Oh. No, my diet’s fine.”
    “What do you like to eat?”
    “I don’t know. Turkey sandwiches. Salads. Seafood. Libby makes me eat, so you don’t have to worry about an eating disorder .”
    “Who’s Libby?” Jay asked.
    “The lady dad hired to clean the house and make food and stuff for us. Except for dad, he’s on this stupid crazy diet so his food gets delivered. Libby’s weird, but all