Page 73 of Doctor Hot Mess

He glances at me, the corner of his mouth twitching into a faint smile. “If it weren't my life, it could be a fun game to guess the most outlandish train wreck that you could imagine.”

“Fun in a sadistic sort of way, I guess,” I say, shrugging.

He exhales a laugh, shaking his head. “True. I prefer to keep things light.”

We step onto a gravel path, and the rocks crunch beneath our feet as we walk along. Jonah slows but keeps his hands shoved into his pockets. His head tilts toward the sky for a moment, and then he exhales dramatically.

“I just came from the meeting,” he says finally, his voice low. “You know, the one that started almost three hours ago. Attorney, my parents, Lila. The works.”

“I was wondering if you were there this whole time,” I say softly, glancing up at him. “That sounds tense.”

He nods, his jaw tightening. “Understatement of the year.”

A group playing basketball in the distance breaks the silence, and my senses hone in on them. I let the otherwise silent space between us linger so that he feels safe to share, or not.

“Lila’s attorney wanted to go over everything again,” Jonah finally says, his voice low. “It was mostly about being prepared if the cops come sniffing around again. We went through what to say, what not to say, and the importance of having him there for any questioning. He emphasized over and over not to answer anything without legal counsel.”

“That makes sense,” I say, tilting my head. “Lila’s got a lot at stake, and it’s smart to be prepared.”

Jonah sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s just exhausting, you know? Every time I think we’ve got a handle on things, there’s another layer to peel back. She’s finally starting to talk about rehab seriously, which is a good thing. But all this? It’s still a mess. And my parents? They’re more focused on the optics of it all than the actual problems she’s dealing with.”

I frown, my heart aching for him. “That’s a big step for her, though, right? Taking rehab seriously?”

“Yeah,” he admits, his shoulders sagging slightly. “She knows her gambling’s out of control, and this might be her only shot to get a handle on it. She even said she wants something structured—something that’ll force her to confront it head-on. She knows she can’t keep running.”

“That’s huge, Jonah,” I say softly, brushing my fingers lightly against his arm. “It sounds like she’s finally ready to change.”

He nods, though his expression is still clouded. “It is huge. But then there’s the money she owes. That’s not going away just because she’s trying to do the right thing. Bookies don’t forgive debts because you’re working on yourself.”

My stomach knots. “So… what happens there? Are they still after her?”

“Yeah,” Jonah says grimly. “They’re not going to forget about the money. My parents are stepping up to help pay off the bigger debts, and Lila agreed to let them help—on the condition that she pays them back over time. She wants that accountability, which, I’ll admit, surprised me. I offered to handle it, but she said no. She’s trying, Harper. Really trying.”

“She really wants to turn things around,” I say, feeling a flicker of hope for his sister. “That’s not nothing, Jonah. It’s a lot.”

Jonah exhales sharply, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. “It is. I just hate seeing her in this position. She’s tired, Harper. Tired of running, tired of juggling this shitstorm of consequences. She knows she screwed up, and she’s owning it, but it still feels unfair.”

“Because it is unfair,” I say gently, my voice steady. “But you can’t fix everything for her. The fact that you’re standing by her—that you’re willing to fight for her—it’s more than most people would do.”

He doesn’t respond right away, his silence heavy with unspoken guilt. Finally, he says, “I wish I’d done more earlier. Maybe if I had, we wouldn’t be here now.”

I stop walking, turning to face him. “Jonah,” I say firmly, grabbing his arm. “You’re an amazing brother. You’re doing everything you can, and she’s lucky to have you in her corner. But you can’t carry all of this on your own.”

He meets my gaze, the tension in his expression softening just slightly. “You’re kind to say that,” he says quietly. “But I don’t know if it’s enough. I just want her to be okay. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“And you’re doing everything you can to make that happen,” I remind him, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. “But it’s up to her now, Jonah. She has to do the work. You just have to keep showing up.”

His jaw tightens, but he nods, his eyes scanning the horizon. “I hope you’re right,” he says finally. “Because I don’t know what else to do.”We reach a bench under an old oak tree, and Jonah stops, resting his hands on the back of it as he looks out at the park. I step up beside him, leaning slightly into him.

“I’m with you on this, however, wherever you need me, you know,” I say, my voice gentle.

He smiles warmly at me and then puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side. I rest my head on his strong chest.

“I’m sorry for dumping all this on you,” he says after a moment. “I know it’s not exactly light conversation.”

I look up at him. “Jonah, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to listen.”

He turns his head to look directly at me with his blue eyes boring into me, and then leans down to kiss me. I could die right now and feel completely fulfilled with my life.

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