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Love & Quarantine: Jax & the Romance Writer

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Chapter 1 No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

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When Cali instituted the statewide lockdown thanks to the coronavirus, TM was providing emergency car and motorcycle services only. Jax got the call for a probable dead battery. He jumped in the pick up truck and drove to the address.

A tall curvy brunette with her hair back in a messy ponytail was waiting for him. Jax climbed out of the truck and walked up to the woman stopping three feet away from her as he practiced social distancing.

"What's the problem?" he asked giving her a smile. It was automatic when he saw an attractive woman. She was standing in front of a pale green Toyota Tercel.

"I drive my car every five days or so to keep the battery charged and today when I came out, my car wouldn't start."

"Probably the battery. You new in town?"

In a town as small as Charming, most people knew each other. It was the good and bad of small town life.

"I've been here a few weeks staying in my Uncle Elliot's guest house. I write online romance novels."

Jax nodded his head and wondered how much research romance writers needed to do and if she needed any help with it, but he stayed professional and silent.

She coughed.

"I'm not sick," she said quickly. "I have allergies."

Jax laughed.

"That's OK, darlin'. I never get sick."

Her phone rang. She reached into a pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Her gray eyes widened as she listened to a voice on the phone.

"Here," she said handing the phone to Jax. "You need to hear this too."

Jax listened as a voice carefully explained that Tessa had just tested positive for the virus and he would need to quarantine himself for 14 days. He shook his head in disbelief. He would have to isolate himself for two weeks.

He handed the phone back to Tessa just as a gnat flew at his eye. He blinked and rubbed his eye. As soon as he finished, he remembered that you weren't supposed to touch your face. She covered her mouth when she coughed, handed him her phone and now he'd rubbed his eye. He was possibly infected now.

Tessa listened for a few more moments before ending the call.

"I'm so sorry. I'm not sick. I was exposed at my doctor's office. A medical assistant tested positive. I just now got my results. The interaction was so brief, I had no idea that I was infected. I'm asymptomatic."

"I have a roommate," Jax lied. "I don't know how this quarantine thing is supposed to work." He didn't like the prospect of spending fourteen days alone when he could be spending them with a pretty romance writer. He thought he'd give it a shot and see if she suggested he stay with her.

"Look since this is kind of all my fault, you could stay with me since I've exposed you. The guest cottage is small but there's room for both of us. I've got plenty of food. I know it's far from ideal."

"I appreciate you letting me stay with you."

That had been too easy. Jax looked her up and down. This quarantine definitely had possibilities.