“Fuck. Yeah. You’re right.” Joss abandons the bowl and disappears into the walk-in. He drops something and curses.
Then he rears back and kicks the shelf. “Fuck’ssake.”
He walks away without shutting the door and storms out of the fire exit at the back of the kitchen. As ever, he seems to leave flames in his wake, but this time, not the good kind.
I have no idea what’s wrong. If I asked, would he even be able to explain? I don’t know much about ADHD. Only what he’s told me and what I read on WebMD. I give myself a swift recap, but it’s a complex list of symptoms that manifest uniquely in each individual. And Joss has Tourette’s. Which I know even less about.
You’re a bad friend.
Guilt sets in. I’ve been thinking about making out with him 24/7 since that first kiss happened. About howIfeel about it. I haven’t stopped to wonder how he’s coping with two life-altering medical conditions on top of a full-scale restaurant launch he’s putting togethersingle-handed.
Holy shit. I’m a terrible person.
Find him.Help him. But the kitchen door blows open before I can move.
It’s Molly, and she’s covered in blood.
* * *
“You did this on the cash register?”
Molly sniffs, no color in her pale cheeks. “I couldn’t get it to open. Tanner’s told me not to force it, but Ineededto make change and this guy and all his friends were watching me.”
“So? Make ’em wait.” I finish wiping blood from Molly’s slender arm. The wound is on the heel of her hand. It’s deep and messy, but not so much that she’ll need stitches. “If dude bros haven’t got the patience, they can drink somewhere else.”
“It’s not that. They were nice enough, but I just get soditzyaround hot guys, you know? Like, more than usual. Remember how I was when I first met you?”
“Aw. You think I’m hot, Mols?”
“Don’t be coy, Fletcher. It doesn’t suit you. And youknowyou’re hot.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Joss appears beside me. He’s brought Molly the soda I dispatched him for when she wobbled into my arms. “Kai thinks he’s a Plain Jane nobody.”
“And Joss thinks he’s a mind reader.” I shoot him awhat the fucklook.
He grins back, a little dimmer than I’m used to, but his temper seems to be gone.
Focus.It’s not hard. Molly is still bleeding all over me.
I stem it, putting pressure on the wound that makes her wince. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re here. I hate the hospital. I don’t have to go, right?”
“Up to you. I don’t think you need stitches, but I’m not a doctor.”
“I thought you were a paramedic before you were a mountain rescue hunk?”
“Less of the hunk. But no. I did paramedic training along with the mountain rescue—”
“Hunk stuff,” Joss supplies. “Just saying.”
Molly giggles.
I shake my head. “Whatever you two are fuckin’ saying, I’m not a doctor. I can tape it, but you should probably still get it checked out.”
She’s not going to, I can tell, unless I call Tanner to go one-hundred percent mother hen on her ass, and I’m not going to do that. He’s not working today. He’s at his cabin with Jax, and I’m ten minutes and a deep breath away from texting him to stay there for the night.
I clean Molly up. Tape the gash closed and dress it. “Don’t get it wet, okay?”
