Page 68 of Love, Just In

‘Meh, a king hit to the head was probably just what I needed.’

He shoots me a disapproving glance, confirming he’s lost all sense of humour in the past few days.

Before he can blink, I duck under his arm and climb onto the bottom rail of the trolley, facing away from him. I’m caged between his forearms, and I expect him to let go or at least pull me off, but he doesn’t move.

‘Get down,’ he grumbles near my ear.

My ass brushes against the crotch of his jeans and heat streaks up my back, but I hold my nerve. ‘No. I have a concussion, remember? It hurts to walk.’

He just blows through his lips and shoves the trolley forward, making me jerk to find my balance.Little shit. He makes a fast wheel-around to the next aisle, evidently no longer concerned about my recovering head injury.

I’m not backing down either. I hold on tight and call out things I want him to add to the trolley, my heart pounding out of rhythm every time his pelvis knocks against my backside.

By the time Zac wheels me to the check-out, I’m giggling like an idiot at this silly situation, but when I twist to steal a glance at him, he’s still got that same distant look slapped on his face. My smile fades as I climb down and help him load up the conveyor belt.

When he begins hefting shopping bags into the back of his car without a single word to me, I snap.

‘Are you pissed off with me about something?’ I ask, immediately flushing pink.

He stills before he looks at me, the burning autumn sun beating down on our heads.

‘No, I’m not angry,’ he finally replies, but his voice carries a tremble.

‘Then what’s wrong? You’ve been acting really weird for the past few days.’

Emotion wells up in his eyes before they dart away. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t said anything. I’ve been wondering how to.’

My chest makes a horrible flip-flop. ‘Say anything about what?’

He glances around, his jaw working. ‘Can we not do this here?’

‘Dowhathere? Zac, what’s going on?’

‘Nothing. I just …’ The words come out slowly, like he’s hesitant to say them. ‘I think I need you to find another place to live. I’m so sorry.’

I gape at him, embarrassment twisting around my spine. ‘Oh, I know. I’ve stayed too long. It was just meant to be a few days. I’m so sorry.’

‘No, it’s not that. I’ve loved having you there with me.’ Something about his tone makes my breath seize up as he continues in a rush. ‘It’s just that I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am in my head. And—well, if you’re going to keep doing stupid things like you did with Lindsay, then I don’t think I can have you in my life. At least not in my house. I’m sorry.’

My face crumples up, and a flare of remorse deepens in his eyes.

‘What stupid things?’ I ask. ‘You said the accident wasn’t my fault.’

‘It wasn’t. But you got into a car with a man who you’d been drinking with all night. And it wasn’t the first time, was it?’

I blink at him, gobsmacked. ‘And I said I was sorry. But it’s what happened, and I don’t understand what you expect me to do about it now.’

‘Nothing. But like I said, if you’re going to get incars with drunk assholes, then I can’t have you in my life, OK?’

His distressed face blurs as my eyes fill up. ‘Wow. Well, I’m sorry you feel that way, Zac, I really am. It’s not like we haven’t known each other since we were thirteen.’

His brow creases as he flattens a hand over his chest. ‘Josie, you know my history. You know I lost the woman I was supposed to marry to a drunk driver. Right?’

A tear spills from my eye, and I drop my chin to hide it. ‘You make me sound like a walking liability. Have you never made a mistake, Zac? Do you ever get tired of being such a good person all the time? Of being five hundred levels above everybody else?’

‘Do you ever get tired of thinking you need to bebad?’ he counters. ‘It’s not cancer that’s going to kill you, Josie; it’s this shit. Going out every night of the week with fuckwits who aren’t mature enough to know when enough’s enough.’

‘Well, I might not have done that if you’d had the courtesy of telling me that Lindsay has a habit of driving when he’s over the limit!’

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