Page 70 of The Roommate

Clara pointed her chin at the ceiling in an effort to slow her waterworks. If she looked at Josh she’d lose it again. Why was he acting like she hadn’t done this awful, selfish thing? If her family had taught her anything, it was that when you let people down you suffered the consequences. Hurt feelings at best, news articles and jail time at worst. You didn’t get flowers and you certainly didn’t get affectionate nicknames.

“Sorry, they’re a little smushed.” Josh turned the flowers so the less crushed side faced her and held them under her nose. “I, ah, may have accidentally sat on them on the ride over.”

Her heart throbbed, two sizes too big for her chest. His sweetness tortured her guilty conscience. “I’m so sorry, Josh. I know you must be livid, but whatever happens, I’ll make sure your car comes out of this whole thing as good as new.”

A tiny wrinkle appeared between his brows. “Wheaton, I could give two shits about the car right now. Someone tried to mangle you.” He was still holding her face in his hand, stroking back and forth over her jawline like she was made of glass.

“That’s not exactly true. The guy got confused. He’s from out of town, like me, and isn’t used to driving in L.A. and he felt so terrible, Josh. He really did. He was a wreck.” She pictured the older man with salt-and-pepper hair and a big mustache sitting on the curb next to her with his face in his hands.

“Mm-hm,” he said, noncommittal. His eyes traced over her face and neck, her arms, and he even peeled back the blankets to inspect her legs. “Where are you hurt?”

“I have whiplash in my neck and shoulders. The seat belt did more damage than anything.” I’m mostly worried you’ll never forgive me when you see what I let happen to your car.

“Jesus.” He traced a finger very lightly over the angry red line cutting across her clavicle. “They keeping you here?”

Clara shivered, but not from pain. Somehow his gentle handling wrought more havoc on her heart than any of their previous flagrant gyrating.

“No. They’ve run all the tests and everything came back clear.” These touches probably meant nothing to him, but Clara had once spent thirty minutes convinced that letting her thigh touch a boy’s at the movie theater equated to a steamy moment of intimacy. “Last thing I heard they were processing discharge papers. How did you even know where to find me?”

Josh stepped back and took his hands with him. “The police called me. My name is on the car’s registration. Don’t worry, I told them I’d given you the all clear to borrow the car, so you’re not in trouble.” He looked at his shoes. “I wish you had called me. Lance had too much to drink at the bar last night so I crashed on his couch to make sure he was all right. If I’d known you needed help, I would’ve come home sooner.”

Clara sank back into her pillows. “I panicked. I wanted to call you, but I thought you’d be mad.”

“Why don’t they put any chairs in here? Scoot over, would ya?” His tall frame filled the space she’d made for him and then some. “I am mad, you little jerk. You scared the crap out of me. I got home and the car was gone. No note. Nothing.” He shook his head. “I went wild. I thought someone stole it and I didn’t know if you’d been home at the time. If they’d tried to hurt you.”

Josh reached up and pushed her hair off her forehead. His eyes searched hers.

“You shouldn’t have borrowed the car without asking me. But if you thought for one second something like that would have stopped me from coming for you when you needed me . . .” He gave her a smile sexy enough to take out a whole legion of nurses. “Well, then you’re not as smart as you think you are.”

She brought her hand to her heart, hoping in vain to prevent it from escaping the cage of her body. “I’m still sorry. You have no idea how sorry. I took the car because I didn’t want to let Jill and Toni down.”

She folded her hands in her lap. “I’m not trying to excuse myself. There’s no excuse for what I did, but I thought you deserved to know why. I make myself really sick over not meeting other people’s expectations.” Clara released a hollow laugh. “But even when I try, I still end up hurting people. I’m really sorry that this time you were one of them.”

“Clara.” Josh tilted her chin until she met his eyes. “What you’re talking about? That kind of perfection? It’s impossible. You’re never gonna please everybody. Don’t get me wrong. You’re good, but nobody’s that good.”

Clara pressed her face into his chest, so he wouldn’t see the return of her embarrassing tears. He smelled sweet, like powdered sugar. “Did you buy donuts again?”

He rested his chin on top of her head. “What, are you a bloodhound? Yes, okay, I got you a ‘get well’ donut when I picked up the flowers, but the traffic on the way over was terrible and I had to eat it. For sustenance. It was an emergency.”

“I deserve that,” Clara said, trying to hide the amusement in her voice.

“You did crash my Corvette.”

“Very true.”

“You wanna know how I got that car?” He took her hand in his, drawing little circles over her knuckles with his thumb.

“Is this story going to make me feel better or worse?”

“Well, it belonged to my grandfather.”

“I wrecked a family heirloom? Seriously?”

“No. No, listen. I’m not done. Here. Drink this water.” Josh thrust the plastic cup from her nightstand into her hand.

“So my granddad bought the ’Vette back in 1976. Called it his midlife crisis car. Anyway, he loved it. All through my childhood, I have these memories of him waxing and buffing the thing. My grandmother said he wanted an excuse to stand next to it.”

Josh tucked the blanket carefully back around her legs from where it had slipped.

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