God, I didn’t do a damn thing with her after we left. Hell, the only time I kissed her was while we were here.”
Understanding hit her like a kick to the chest, her breath catching as she tried to wrap her head around the mountain of implications in that quiet confession. “So then it was all for my benefit?” she said sadly. Searching his dark eyes, she asked, “Do you have any idea how much of an asshole that makes you?”
He flinched at her husky question, then hardened his jaw. “For the hundredth time, Rin, I’m sorry. It was a fucking mistake.”
She shook her head in amazement as she stared back at him. “And that’s supposed to make it okay?”
His nostrils flared as he pulled in a deep breath. “Like I told you before, and repeatedly over text, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Like hell you didn’t,” she quietly argued, still searching his guarded, beautiful gaze for the truth. Softly, she said, “I’m starting to think that entire night was for the sole purpose of hurting me.”
He turned his head to the side, but not before she caught the flash of something in his eyes that made her feel like she’d definitely struck a nerve. One that was raw and exposed. But before she could push her advantage, her phone started vibrating in her pocket.
“I need to take this,” she said, after pulling the phone out and glancing at the screen. “It’s my parents and Jase is with them tonight.”
He let go of her arm, and she turned her back to him as she took a few steps away. With her free hand pressed over her ear to block out the music, she answered the call. “Hey, what’s up?”
She gasped as her mom’s quick explanation filled her head, panic making her knees tremble. “Oh God. Okay. Tell him I’ll meet you guys at the hospital. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
Karin disconnected the call without telling her mom she loved her, which she never did, but she was too worried to think straight. Turning around, she was surprised when she collided with Paul’s broad chest, having completely forgotten that he was waiting to finish their argument. Staring up at him, she quickly said, “I have to go.”
His worried gaze held hers. “What’s wrong?”
“That was my mom,” she told him, her stomach twisting so hard with worry she felt nauseous. “Jase was running on their tiled floor in his socks and slipped and fell on his left wrist. They’re worried he broke it, so they’re on their way to the hospital right now.”
“Shit,” he muttered, leaning over and setting the beer he’d been drinking in the sand beside her chair. “Come on,” he said as he straightened. “I’ll take you.”
“I, uh… What?” she gasped, pulling her hand back when he went to reach for it.
“You’re too upset to drive,” he said, pulling his keys from his pocket, “and there’s no way I’m letting the drunk doctor drive you to the hospital. He’s still tossing back shots with his guys.”
“Chris can—”
“Look around, Rin. Everyone’s been drinking all night but me. That was my first beer and I didn’t even finish it.”
Shit, he was right. And he was right about James too. She didn’t want him driving his own ass around, much less hers. “Okay,” she agreed, too desperate to get to Jase to wait for an Uber. Which meant Paul was her best option. “I just need to let Chris know that I’m leaving.”
Filled with worry for her little boy, she hurried over to Chris and pulled him aside for a quick word, warning him not to let James drive himself home, and assuring him that she was going to be fine with Paul. He still hadn’t forgiven the guy for how he’d acted, but he wasn’t going to second-guess her judgement either. If she said she was good with Paul taking her, then Chris was good with it too.
She also quickly touched base with both Natalie and Sophie, promising to call them later, but didn’t bother approaching James, since she doubted he would even remember who she was at that point.
“I really appreciate this,” she said to Paul, his long legs easily keeping pace with her fast steps as she hurried toward the parking lot, after he’d waited for her in the complex’s inner courtyard while she ran into her condo to grab her purse and a sweater.
“You don’t need to thank me, Rin.” His deep voice was reassuringly