“What’s going on with you?”
“I’m trying to work.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. What the hell is going on with you, Jay?”
“Nothing.”
“Something. You look like crap. When’s the last time you ate?” He’d lost weight. She hadn’t noticed it happening, but she was painfully aware of it now. He was almost as thin as he had been out on the street. Dark smudges shadowed his eyes. “Or slept?”
“I’m fine, Em.”
“You’ve been working constantly and—”
“Dammit, Em! I said I’m fine!” He shouted loud enough that half the restaurant turned to look at them.
Fine, if that’s the way he wanted to play it, she was game, but it would have to wait until later. Obviously, this wasn’t the time or place for this conversation.
Chapter Twenty-five
Jay
Jay slid behind the wheel, slamming the door with a bit more force than necessary. He’d done it again. Snapped at Em when she was the last person in the world to deserve it. Pulling from the lot, he quietly fumed his congratulations to himself for being a grade-A asshole. He’d accomplished what he’d wanted, though. He’d pushed her away. Maybe for good this time. She hadn’t spoken to him—or even looked at him—since their argument, and then she’d left without so much as a wave. Congratu-fucking-lations, asshole.
But, then . . . what the hell was she doing sitting on his front porch?
Jay extricated himself from the truck slowly, terrified of how this was going to go. Part of him hoped and prayed that she was there to demand to be let inside and allowed to stay forever, but that was the selfish part of him. The other part was flat out horrified that this was it. She was here to collect the rest of her stuff and he’d never see her again. That part was selfish, too.
“What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.” So, it was option two, then. Jay’s heart sank. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for what was about to come as he unlocked the door and let Em in.
He eased off his shoes and dropped his keys on the corner table. By the time he steeled himself to face her, she’d disappeared into the kitchen. Jay followed and found her rooting through the cabinets.
“What are you looking for?”
“The food, Jay. Where’s all of your food?”
“Em—”
“These are all empty.”
“Em—”
“What have you been eating?”
“Em—”
“And why is it so goddamn cold in here?” Her breath puffed in front of her face and she rubbed her arms.
“Em!” She froze and stared back at him. “There is no food. Okay? And it so cold because there’s no heat, either. No cable. No fucking electric. Nothing, dammit!”
“Why?” She didn’t sound frightened or upset by his outburst. On the contrary, she glared back at him with anger in her eyes. “Jay, you’ve been pulling double and triple shifts at work. Where’s all that money going?”
He didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer.
“Jay.” She eased toward him slowly until she was standing directly in front of him. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to look at her until two small hands framed his face, tilting it gently to hers. Their eyes collided and he couldn’t look away. “No lies, Jay. No secrets. Please.” Her fingers brushed some of his hair from his forehead. “Tell me what’s going on. Talk to me.”
Her beautifully sincere eyes burned into him and another selfish part of him won out. The stressed, exhausted, frightened part that wanted nothing more than to be in her arms. He collapsed into a chair, bringing Em along with him. She settled into the chair beside him, her eyes never leaving his.
“After you left, he came back.”
“Who?”
“My father.”
The slight hitch in her breath was Em’s only reaction as she patiently waited for him to continue.
“He wanted the money. He . . . Christ, Em, he started threatening you and I—I won’t let you get dragged into this shit. I won’t let him hurt you.”
“He’s the one that sent me that article, isn’t he?”
“I told him I’d get him the money. Pay him in installments as long as he stayed the hell away from you.”
“Jay . . .”
“No, Em.” He let his head drop to the curved back of the seat and stared up at the cracked and peeling paint on the ceiling. “I’ll handle this.”
“You don’t have to handle it alone.”
“Yes, I do.” He jerked upright again to look at her. “This is my mess, Em. I’ll clean it up.”