Page 20 of Dr. Billionaire
“No! Please don’t call anyone. I’ll figure it out. You just worry about having fun with Simon. I’ll be fine.” The last thing Jenna needed was to play damsel-in-distress for one of Simon’s old-man friends in her pajamas just so she could get a tow truck.
“Well then, call your dad at least. Come on, Jenna, don’t be stubborn like you always?—”
“You’re breaking up, Chlo, I think it’s your service,” Jenna lied. “Anyway, don’t worry about me, I’ll call you later, love you!” She thought about making some static noises like in a movie, but she was pretty certain Chloe already knew she was lying, so she just hung up.
Gathering herself for another moment and taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked up to the front of her car to see the damage.
It was bad.
Her super-old Prius was apparently no match for the giant F-150, which looked as though itmaybehad some scuffed paint in one spot. The whole front of her car was smashed in, and both of the front wheels were turned in awkward directions, the rims around them completely bent up.
But… the wheels were still attached. Maybe she could drive it long enough to make it to a shop? She was in the city, there was bound to be one not too far away. Getting back into her car, she attempted to turn it on, but it just sputtered at her in a way that almost sounded like laughter, as if it were saying, ‘Fat chance, Sweet Cheeks.’ She wasn’t sure why, but she imagined her car having the voice of a grandma who had smoked for forty years.
Pulling her keys out of the ignition, she rested her head dejectedly against the steering wheel. Her options were growing more limited by the second. Chloe wouldn’t be home for days. She definitely wasn’t prepared to break her no-call streak with her parents on something as pathetic as needing a ride to the repair shop. She pictured her father’s disapproving headshake as he took in her damaged car and her disheveled appearance.
No, that wasn’t an option.
She could just abandon her car here and walk home, but she knew the city would be quick to tow it for her and demand hundreds of dollars for its return. And she had already run out of the “allowance” she was given several weeks ago.
Plus, she would definitely need a car to get to job interviews, especially since she had no Uber money…
Jenna knew what she had to do long before she was able to admit it to herself, and even after she’d admitted it, it took another ten minutes or so before she convinced herself to pull out her phone and dial.
She didn’t really have a choice. She was going to have to callhim.
CHAPTER 8
Mark stepped out of the sleek glass-walled conference room, the crisp aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloping him as Scott trailed behind. The two descended the staircase toward the office lobby.
“Big meeting with TechnoMed tomorrow,” Mark began, a teasing glint in his eye as he glanced sideways at Scott. “Are you ready for it, or do I need to hold your hand?”
Scott chuckled, nudging Mark with his elbow. “Please, after handling the NeuroScan project, this should be a walk in the park. I hope you’re the one ready; last I checked, you were distracted enough by a girl to start mixing up your MRIs with your CTs.”
Mark laughed. “Touché, my friend. But remember, this client is a big deal. We land them, and next year’s projections will skyrocket.”
Before Scott could respond, Mark’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “It’s Jenna,” he said, more to himself.
“Jenna?” Scott echoed. “Didn’t she send you some furious message last night?”
Mark nodded, already swiping to answer the call. “Yeah, she did. This should be interesting.”
“Hello?” Mark said.
There was a brief pause before Jenna’s voice crackled through the line. “Mark? I… didn’t expect you to pick up.”
“Well, here I am,” Mark replied, masking his surprise. He considered mentioning her message from the previous night but decided against it for the moment. “What’s up?”
There was a hesitant pause on the other end of the line before Jenna’s voice came through, a touch of embarrassment creeping into her tone. “Look, Mark, I… I wouldn’t be calling you if it wasn’t important. I had a car accident. I hit a parked truck.”
Mark’s heart skipped a beat, his concern immediately rising. “Were you hurt?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Jenna quickly reassured him. “But I need a ride to an auto shop. The car’s not drivable, and I don’t really know what to do next.”
Mark sensed her discomfort, her attempt to maintain her pride despite the situation. “Where are you?” he asked, cutting through her explanation. “I’m heading to my car now.”
Jenna’s relief was palpable, even through the phone. “I’m at the corner of Elm and Park Street.”
“I’ll be right there,” Mark promised, his voice firm.
