Penn huffed out a laugh. “Did he tell you why he changed his mind? I mean, it’s odd for a guy to go after a woman he’s interested in, only to walk it back right when the prize is begging to have its wrapping peeled off.”
“Good Lord. How you won Gia over with lines like that is beyond me.”
He laughed again. “Okay, that wasn’t one of my better ones, but you see what I’m saying.”
“All too painfully. And, no, he didn’t say, just trotted out the professional card. If I had to guess, I’d say something I did or said tripped a bad memory and his flight mode kicked in.” I briefly updated him with what I knew about Caroline. “He won’t talk about her, though, and I won’t push.”
“Nor should you, but, yeah, given what you’ve told me, it does sound like that could be the reason. In which case, you’re best giving him space and letting him come to you.”
“On his hands and fucking knees, I hope.”
“You’re savage, A.” He pressed the top on his coffee and stood. “Gotta run, but I’m around if you need to talk.”
“You’re the best. I’m okay, though, truly. My ego is a bit dented, but it’ll recover.”
“Atta girl.” He left my office, closing the door behind him.
I returned to the email, reading it again in the cold light of an early Monday morning instead of a wine-induced Saturday night following a hurtful rejection.
Penn had a point. It was pretty brutal, and I could only imagine Joz’s reaction when he read it. All day, I braced for a cutting reply, but none came. By the time I left the office at a few minutes after seven o’clock in the evening, I acknowledged something far more hurtful than Joz’s rejection.
The taste of regret was sourer than a ripe lemon, but it was too late now. I’d made my bed, and I’d be lying in it alone.
Chapter 16
Joz
How can an email feel like a knife
through the chest?
Caroline’s mumopened the door before I had a chance to knock. She greeted me with a broad smile I never felt I deserved, even though I wasn’t expected.
“Well, this is a nice surprise.” She stood back to let me in.
I handed her a bottle of merlot—her favorite—and stepped into the warmth of her hallway. The house smelled like roast chicken and something sweet. Lemon merengue pie, maybe. “I hope I’ve not called at a bad time.”
“You? Never.”
From somewhere down the hall came the unmistakable shriek of excitement, followed by a loud crash.
“He’s in the living room causing havoc as usual. Good luck.” She bustled down the hallway and into the kitchen that overlooked a long, thin rear garden which was bracketed on both sides by tall trees and neatly trimmed hedges. I found Arthurmid-battle, swinging his plastic lightsaber at a sofa cushion he’d propped up like a villain. When he saw me, his entire face lit up.
“Joz!”
After launching the lightsaber behind him, where it narrowly missed knocking over a lamp, he flung himself at me, wrapping his arms around my legs.
I ruffled his soft curls and unpeeled his arms to allow me to drop down to his level. “How you doing, buddy?”
“Good.” He retrieved the lightsaber and brandished it at me.
I play-dodged his attempts to hit me with it. I made sure he got a few strikes in before I threw up my hands. “You win. I surrender.”
His giggles plucked at my heartstrings, and as was always the case whenever I spent time with him, the guilt I carried was so heavy, I bowed under the weight of it.
“How was school?”
He shrugged. “S’okay.”
