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heaps of bacon her way.
    She was on her second plate of bacon and third cup of coffee
when Jessa walked in the gaudy diner doors.
    “Took you long enough,” Lena grumbled.
    Jessa gave her a sharp look and slid into the booth. “Yeah,
sorry. Busy saving lives.”
    Lena frowned. She must be getting sick. She was never a
total bitch unless she was coming down with something. She pressed a hand to
her forehead. She didn’t feel warm, but her stomach did churn uncomfortably
when the waitress walked by with a tray full of oatmeal and hash browns. What self-respecting
person ate that for breakfast when bacon was on the menu?
    She rolled her shoulders and tried to loosen a knot. Her
whole body hurt, but it all centered in her stomach. She thought she could eat
an elephant and still not be full.
    “Ugh, Jess. I feel like a cat has kittened in my mouth.” She
groaned into her hands.
    Instantly, her snapped greeting was forgotten. Jessa was a
total sweetheart, and had an innate need to nurture all her friends.
    “What happened?”
    “First, I was fired. Then, I was hired. By Ethan freaking Sanford!”
    Jessa’s jaw dropped. “High school Ethan?”
    Jessa had joined their small class for senior year, and
caught the tail end of the Lena loves Ethan one-sided drama. One sided because
Ethan didn’t give her the time of day while she moped over him.
    Lena groaned again. “Yes, high school Ethan. He wouldn’t
look twice at me then, but now that he’s my boss he can’t keep his hands to himself.”
    She knew she was putting all the blame on him, but hell. She
was tired, sore, and hungry. Where was that waitress? She drummed her fingers
on the table and looked over the menu for what felt like the zillionth time.
    “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up. You slept with Ethan?” Jessa
nearly bounced in her seat.
    “He’s the total sleaze ball that hires a girl and then
brings her upstairs for a drink.”
    Jessa scrunched up her nose. “Wouldn’t that technically mean
you’re the sleaze ball? I mean, it sounds like you accepted the job already. He
wasn’t asking you what you’d be willing to do for the job while stroking his
dick.”
    Lena glared at her friend. She opened her mouth just as a
woman from the nearest table turned in their direction and shushed them. Lena
bared her teeth at the woman, and she quickly turned back around. Her pity
party was certainly not going the way she hoped.
    She crunched down on another piece of bacon and gestured
with the rest. Sighing dramatically, she said, “Yes, Jessa. Bow before your
Queen of the Sleaze Balls. I was seduced by my boss with zero hesitation.”
    Jessa chuckled and stirred a packet of sugar into her
coffee. “I wish the doctors on staff were halfway attractive. TV lies, you
know. It might be nice to clear away some workday tension with a little hanky-panky.”
She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
    Lena’s cheeks blushed thinking of the hanky-panky she’d
experienced with Ethan. It was entirely unfair how good in the sack the man
was. He was doing the world a disservice by not offering classes. Lena crossed
her legs and pressed her thighs firmly together. She was an idiot for not doing
that last night. Her foot joined her fidgeting and she resumed drumming her
fingers on the table.
    The coffee would explain her jitters. But nothing could explain
her sudden need for meat. The bacon just wasn’t cutting it. She eyed the menu,
and licked her lips when she saw the steak and eggs choice. Her stomach
rumbled. Would two orders be too much?
    “Lena?”
    She snarled over the edge of the menu. “I’m looking here.”
    Jessa sat back hard, eyes wide. Lena’s nostrils flared.
Something new wafted to her nose. It was acrid and tangy, and smelled
delicious. She was about to flag down the waitress when she sniffed the air
again. Lena’s eyes narrowed as she slowly focused on Jessa.
    Jessa definitely was the source of that delicious scent.
    “Lena, I think we need to get you out of here.