Page 15 of Doctor Hot Mess

I groan, running a hand through my hair. “It wasn’t like that. We were friends. It was one night. And she didn’t seem mad. Hell, we've texted many times since she's been gone.”

“Uh-huh,” Carly says, leaning back and crossing her arms. “And in your Jonah brain, that means her distance hadnothingto do with you?”

“She didn’t say anything!” I insist. “If she had a problem, she could’ve told me.”

“Right. Because you’re so approachable when it comes to feelings,” Carly says, rolling her eyes. “Look, I get it—you’re charming, you’re fun, and you keep things light. But maybe not everyone’s cool with ‘light‘ when it comes to sex.”

Her words land heavier than I expect, and I shift uncomfortably. “I didn’t mean to hurt her,” I mumble, more to myself than to her. "I never said it was more than it was. We've never talked about being a couple."

Carly narrows her eyes like she’s reading my mind. “Wait. When did y'all even hook up? And how did this get past me? I'm the keeper of all things salacious at this hospital.”

I hesitate, debating whether to go into it with her. She has a big mouth. Then I sigh and lean back in my chair. “You remember that St. Patrick’s Day a couple of years ago? We all went out to that Irish pub downtown—what was it called?”

“McFly’s,” Carly says instantly, her eyes lighting up. “The one with the neon shamrock and the overpriced green beer. Yes, I remember it well. I never saw any canoodling, though. Go on.”

“Yeah, that one. Anyway, after the party started breaking up, a few of us ended up going to late-night karaoke. Harper was there, and I don’t know—something shifted. One minute we’re laughing about how bad I butchered ‘Livin’ on a Prayer, ’ and the next, I could see it in her eyes.”

Carly raises an eyebrow. “See what, exactly?”

I wave a hand vaguely. “I don’t know! Just… something. The vibe changed. One thing led to another, and the next thing I knew, we were back at her place. I left early the next morning for a shift and saw her at the hospital a couple of times after that, but it wasn’t weird. She didn’t act like it was a big deal or anything.”

“And then soon after, she left for the travel nurse gig,” Carly finishes, her tone sharp.

“Right,” I say, shrugging. “There wasn’t time to talk about it, and she sure as shit didn’t seem like she wanted to. She wasn’t mad, wasn’t clingy—just Harper, same as always.”

Carly leans forward, her elbows on her knees. “And you think that’s the whole story? Jonah, not everyone wears their heart on their sleeve. Just because she didn’t act pissy or clingy doesn’t mean she wasn’t hurt.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “I figured if it was something, she’d tell me.”

Carly snorts. “And you couldn't have addressed it, I'm sure. Right?”

“I’m not—” I start, but Carly cuts me off with a wave of her hand.

“Spare me. We all know your MO. You're always the one for a fun time, great in bed, no strings attached. But maybe Harper’s not wired that way, and you didn’t bother to notice. Or care.”

I shift in my seat, Carly’s words settling uncomfortably in my chest. “So, what? How do I make this right?”

Carly sighs, standing and grabbing her coffee. “Start by being honest. Talk to her. Apologize for being a dick and actually mean it. Maybe address what happened before, but don’t push. Let her decide if she wants to repair the friendship or not.”

She leans against the doorway, her expression softer but still pointed. “And Jonah? Maybe stop throwing that man part around like a party favor, especially with friends you want to keep. Not everyone’s as non-committal as you are. Harper clearly isn’t.”

I let out a breath, leaning back in my chair. “So, don’t sleep with my friends. Got it.”

She rolls her eyes, smirking. “Yes, and maybe don’t proposition them, either. Just a thought.”

Her teasing tone takes some of the sting out of her words, but they linger long after she’s gone. Apologize? Sure. But how do you apologize for something when you’re still not entirely sure what you did wrong?

She pats my shoulder as she passes, adding with a smirk, “Also, next time you do karaoke, pick a song in your range.”

SIX

Harper

Tuesday, February 10

UAB Hospital

11:08 AM

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