Broken Hearts (Light in the Dark 5)

He sighs. “You’re welcome.” He starts to walk away and pauses. “I’ll get you some water and Advil to take. You’re going to feel like shit in the morning.”

“I already feel like shit,” I mutter.

He doesn’t comment. I hear him moving about the apartment and it isn’t long until he’s back in front of me.

“Take them—and drink all the water.”

I lift my arm and crack my eyes at him. His hand is extended with two Advil and the other holds a glass of water.

I take both and down the Advil. It takes a few gulps to empty the water.

“Thanks.” I set the glass down on the table.

“I’m going to bed. If you need anything, let me know.”

I nod and watch him leave, his bedroom door closing behind him.

I lie, staring up at the ceiling.

It reminds me of the times when I was kid and I’d lie in my room exactly like this. I used to wonder if things could possibly get worse.

The answer is yes. Yes, they can.

“Dude, you’ve been sleeping all day, get up.”

I groan and Joel kicks me into the back. I fall to the floor with a thump.

“What the fuck was that for?” I sit up and glare at him.

Afternoon sunlight streams through the windows and I blink rapidly from the glare.

“You’re hogging my couch.”

I chuckle. “You offered it.”

“No,” he corrects. “You asked to stay here and I said it was okay. I didn’t call you up and say, hey, Jace, want to have a slumber party?”

“Do you at least have some coffee?” I beg, rubbing my eyes. They’re burning from my contacts and I know my glasses are at home.

He nods. “Coffee coming right up.”

I slowly stand up, my body stiff and sore from the contortions I had to perform in order to sleep on the couch.

I sit back down and dig the heels of my hands into my eyes.

I have a raging headache but I think it’s more to do with the emotional stress than the amount of alcohol I had to drink.

I’m tempted to get on a plane and go after her, but I’m terrified if I follow her I’ll only push her further away.

Joel hands me a steaming cup of coffee.

“You look like hell,” he observes.

I chuckle and take a sip of coffee. “I feel like it too.”

I run my fingers through my already mussed hair.

“I’m more than a little pissed Nova didn’t tell me she was leaving,” Joel admits, sitting on the arm of the couch and tilting his head toward me. “We have a business we’re trying to build and she up and abandoned it.”