Page 62 of One Good Crash
"What?" I sputtered. "So you actually tried it?"
"Hell yeah," he said. "And I'd do it again."
I was glaring now. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah. Really. The way you disappeared? Without your stuff? What, you think I wouldn't?"
"But—"
He held up a finger. "Hold that thought."
I didn't want to hold anything. But like the sap I was, I waited while he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked at the screen and frowned. After a long moment, he looked up and said, "We'll talk more later."
"Why later?"
He set his phone on the table and picked up the check. "Because we're leaving." He pulled out his wallet and peeled off several bills while I stared in growing disbelief.
Okay, I realized that he'd just treated me to breakfast and yes, he'd done me a ton of other favors, too. But it seemed pretty darn cruel of him to drop that bombshell – hell,multiplebombshells – and then leave when the questioning got tough.
And besides, there was something else I wanted to know. "Morgan – that's the redhead, right? The one who claimed to be your girlfriend?"
Ithadto be her. This morning, the voice had sounded eerily familiar.
Jax nodded. "Yeah. That's her."
I didn't like her. And yet, as the pieces fell into place, I realized something awful. The way it sounded, she was about to be fired because of me.
She and Jax had a history. She wasn't over him. That much was obvious. No wonder she was a little crazy. Hell, I'd be crazy, too.
Jax said, "Is something wrong?"
"That job you mentioned, does she have it now?"
"Yeah. But not for long."
I rubbed at my wrist under the table. "She's not getting fired because of me, is she?"
"No. She's getting fired because of herself. And if you decide to feel guilty, I've got something for you to remember."
"What?"
"Last night,she'sthe one who didn't give you the message."
I sat back in the booth. "Wait, you left the message withher?"
When Jax nodded, I felt my teeth grinding together. To think, while I'd been standing there, begging Allie for a ride, Morgan – who'd listened to the whole conversation – hadknownthat Jax was coming backandthat he didn't want me to leave.
Talk about cold.
I was just about to ask for more details when his phone vibrated on the table. He picked it up and took a look. After the briefest glance at me, he gave a half-scoff, half-laugh and then shoved the phone into his pocket.
I asked, "What's so funny?"
"Jaden – he's having it out with someone at the house."
"Really?" In truth, I wasn'tthatsurprised. The guy reallywasa tool.
"Oh, yeah." Jax gave a low laugh. "And the way it sounds, he's getting his ass handed to him."
