Wrecked (Dirty Air 3)

“Wow, thank you. With your charm, you should call me more often. It’s doing wonders for my self-esteem.”

“Oh, please. You had Jax Kingston lusting after you, so I can’t say you’re hard on the eyes.” Caleb laughs until he coughs.

“Are you okay?”

He waves me off. “I’m fine. You’re the one I’m worried about. I wasn’t sure if you were in the same bad mood as Jax, and from the looks of it, you’re almost as bad as he is.”

My heart dips at the mention of Jax. “Caleb, as much as I want to talk to you, I don’t want to talk about Jax.”

“You don’t even want to hear how he’s been?”

“No.”

“Or how miserable he is without you? He looks like a mess during his interviews. Guy’s got the darkest under-eye circles even Sephora can’t fix.”

Now that’s interesting. My eyebrow raises, but my lips remain in a neutral line. “Not even that.”

“Okay, well too bad, I’m going to tell you anyway. He looks like week-old trash without you. I’ve never seen a man look as down and depressed about dumping someone. Isn’t that weird to you?”

I expected Jax to be better off without me. After everything he said, I thought he wanted to be done with me.

Of course, he does. No one says the stuff he did to someone they want to be with.

“I think you’re reading into things too much.” I pull at the loose strand of a throw blanket. “You’re young and haven’t been in a relationship. Words he said can’t be taken back with an apology.”

“I may be young, but I’ve been through shit. And I’m not stupid or blind. I don’t know what he said to you, but by the looks of him, it’s eating him up inside.”

“Great, he’s human after all,” I mumble under my breath.

“Look, something about this isn’t right. He obviously isn’t happy without you. He got seventh place last race. Seventh! Racers like him don’t go from podium finishes to mid-tier. Not when he’s a couple of races away from beating Noah for the title! Hello, he hasn’t won a Championship in years.”

“That’s a shame.” My flat voice doesn’t match the concern worming its way into my brain. I shouldn’t care about Jax’s performance risking his chance at the World Championship, but I find it hard to not empathize.

Here I am, experiencing the same empathy that got me into this mess to begin with.

“Oh, shut up.” Caleb sighs. “Maybe he’s sick.”

I roll my eyes. “Sick from what? Breaking his own heart?”

“Now she finally get

s it,” Caleb whispers up to the ceiling.

I let out a laugh. “And what, oh wise one, do you suggest I do?”

Caleb smiles. It would look rather sinister except his horn-rimmed glasses take away from the look. “You? Nothing. Him? Everything.”

I remain quiet because I’m afraid to ask. I’m grateful for Caleb. He and Elías have kept me sane over the past week as I processed my breakup with Jax. Without them, I’d be knee-deep in takeout food and cheap wine to numb the ache.

Caleb looks off to the side. “Ugh, Elena, someone came in to check my vitals. I’ll message you later?”

“Sure thing. Bye.”

I hang up and go back to preparing dinner. The entire time, I struggle to get my mind off what Caleb said. The only question running through my head is why.

Why does Jax struggle after ending everything with us?

Why do I care what happens to him?