Page 216 of The Re-Proposal

Joel’s heart monitor beeps faster.

“Because of you she’s gone. She left me and her friends and all her work at the co-op. She can’t stand yousomuch that she’s probably never coming back. Not that I can blame her.” His eyebrows are two angry slashes on his face.

The heart monitor is turning red with warning.

I lean forward. “Hey, calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!”

“If you can’t have a conversation without blowing a gasket, I’m leaving.”

“Leave then!”

I frown at him. “If I go, you won’t hear why Clarissa and I broke up.”

He pauses, calculating whether the carrot I’m dangling in front of him is worth it.

“Why did you?”

“Uh-uh. The only way I’m staying is if you cool it.”

Joel inhales a deep breath and pushes it out. Slowly, his heart rate returns to normal.

“Make it quick,” he grumbles. “My heart is barely holding on. I don’t want your face to be the last one I see before I croak.”

If I could, I’d point out that I’m the one paying for this hospital roomandthe machine keeping him alive. If anyone should be annoyed here, it’s me.

But I decide to be the adult in the room and keep that thought to myself.

“Do you know someone by the name of Hugo Winifred?” I ask.

Joel’s eyes widen. He’s too innocent to hide his responses, but he makes a valiant effort to scrub it away.

“We’re supposed to be talking about Clarissa.”

I cross one leg over the other. “A few weeks ago, I gave Winifred his walking papers. He was embezzling funds from the company. My mistake was that I didn’t have him arrested right away. He took off before the police could catch him.”

Joel swallows hard.

“Who is Winifred to you, Joel?”

He quickly glances to the side. His breath fogs up the mask on his nose. “No one.”

“You don’t have to lie to me—”

“I said I don’t know him.” Joel huffs.

“Fine.” I get up to leave. “I wanted to be the one to talk to you, but I guess I’ll let the police handle this.”

“The police?”

“I wasn’t lying when I told you Winifred stole from the company.” I take a step toward the door.

“You’re just trying to scare me!” he calls.

“Kid, believe it or not, I’m trying to help you. If you know where he is and you’re not saying anything, you’re only putting yourself and Clarissa at risk.”

“Clarissa?”

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