You've been cerved.

Inez

"I'm looking - JJ offered to hire me for his front desk, but I want to find something for myself. There's lots of veteran-friendly hiring plans, so I'm a good hire. I'll find something," Andersen looked far more confident than he felt, Inez knew. She stroked his back. God, he's muscled...all that physical therapy...

"It would help if you stopped giving all the best jobs away to your friends, Mr. Hero," Inez chided Andersen, standing on her tippy toes to give his cheek a chaste kiss.

He caught her with his lips and made the kiss anything but chaste.

"Jesus," Tamra spat. "The two of you. Get a room - er, never mind. What do you mean, giving jobs away?"

Inez broke away and Andersen grinned.

Inez scrambled out of his arms. "Andersen's found a couple of jobs for some of his old colleagues."

"Colleagues?" Tamra asked.

"My Army bros - from my regiment. A bunch of us got it bad over there, and not everyone has family to come home to. A steady job can really help, especially when a guy is messed up and just really needs a routine..." Andersen touched his head sadly.

"P-T-S-D," Inez mouthed to Tamra.

"Shit," Tamra looked at Andersen with new respect.

"What? Not everyone is as lucky as me," Andersen gave Inez a squeeze.

Inez nodded. "He always had people staying with him in his apartment in North Carolina. Anyone could call and he'd give up his own bed - he slept on the sofa, the floor." Inez squeezed Andersen's arm. "That's why we'd always go to hotels."

Tamra pressed her lips together and nodded, "Huh."

Andersen grinned at her. "What?"

"I'm just....surprised is all," Tamra shrugged.

Andersen guffawed. "Surprised I'm nice?"

Tamra shook her head. "No, you've always been nice - I just figured it was your, you know, sort of...skin deep - a kind of 'beauty bubble'. I mean, you're a walking advertisement for 'pretty privilege'," Tamra made air quotes.

"What?" Andersen asked, confused.

To Inez's amusement, Tamra looked discomfited.

Tamra averted her gaze from Andersen. "Pretty privilege - you know. Like...you look like an angel - the modern idea of one, I mean, all blonde and blue-eyed and strong and stuff - so why wouldn't you be nice? People are always nice to you. In high school...you...ah...well...you were homecoming king and...and stuff..." Tamra's face reddened as Andersen's eyes lit with excitement.

Andersen preened. "You think I'm pretty? Like an angel?"

Tamra's face was very pink. "Oh come on, you knew this! My mom and the other teachers called you 'the charmer'! You were voted best looking both your junior AND senior year!"

"And you voted for me - be honest! It's your best quality. Mine's my smile," Andersen demonstrated his beautiful grin.

"Well, that's not really fair. I mean, your dad is a dentist," Tamra pointed out. "I think you can be more proud about all the muscles - I mean, you obviously worked for them."

Andersen curled a bicep and said with mock humility, "What, these old things? I just threw them on this morning. You can touch if you want."

Tamra made a face. "No, thank you."

"I get it, they're very scary..." Andersen pretended to pump iron."

Inez groaned. "Andersen!"

Tamra shook her head. "Look, back to the rent. I think we split it and all the other bills three ways, and, Mr. Veteran, I'm willing to waive a rent guarantee if you buy us all a Roomba."