“Well, I don’t want to interrupt your session, so I’ll let you get back to it. But it was nice to meet you all.” I gave the ladies a small wave.
Jay set down his knitting needles and stood. “I’ll walk you out.”
I almost protested, but he was already heading toward the door with me, so I let it go.
Soon we were in the parking lot, stopping beside my crappy Honda.
“Did you come to see Tyler?” Jay asked, glancing back at the nursing home. His jaw clenched again briefly. I assumed he knew Tyler worked here then.
“Yes,” I said, not elaborating.
Jay nodded once. He didn’t ask why I’d come. Didn’t push.
The silence made me want to grit my teeth.
“Well,” he said after a beat, glancing at my car, “I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah,” I replied automatically. Then, because the universe had a sense of humor, I pressed the unlock button on my key fob, and the car responded with… nothing.
I frowned. “That’s weird.”
I tried again. Nothing.
I gave up on the key fob and tried the key. When I turned it, my worst fears were confirmed. The car wasn’t starting.
“Okay,” I muttered. “I swear it was fine when I got here.”
Jay stepped closer, peering at the dashboard through the window. “Battery?”
“Probably,” I sighed. “It’s been getting colder.”
He nodded, unsurprised. “I can jump it.”
“That’s okay,” I said quickly. Too quickly. “I can call roadside.”
I pulled out my phone, only to watch the screen blink once… then go black.
I stared at it.
Jay exhaled through his nose, something between amusement and resignation. “Hope.”
“I know,” I said, mortified. “This is incredibly on-brand for me.”
“It’s also freezing,” he said, glancing at the darkening sky. “At least let me get you warm while we figure it out.”
Before I could argue, he slipped off his sweatshirt.
Jay hesitated for a fraction of a second before handing it to me.
“Here,” he said, voice firm, like he was daring me to refuse.
“I don’t need?—”
“You’re shivering,” he interrupted gently. “Put it on, Hope.”
I took it. Gosh, why did it make my stomach flip when he talked to me like that?
The fabric was warm. Soft. It smelled like him, and the scent had my head spinning a little.
